MUSE: ROCK SENSATION

MUSE

FROM ENGLAND – ROCK SENSATION OF THE YEAR

10th October, 2007

Papp László Budapest Sports Arena

The rock trio MUSE was formed with its present line-up in 1997.


Its members are: Matthew Bellamy (guitar/vocals), Chris Wolstenholme (bass guitar), and Dominic Howard (drums).


Bored with the sleepy life of the small town in southwest England where they then lived, the band’s members first got together in their early teenage years. They went through a number of changes of name, until settling on Muse in 1997.


Muse’s first, eponymous E.P. record was released in 1998 on the Dangerous record label. Its cover was designed by drummer, Dominic Howard.


After this they spent a few years building up their fan base, before playing their first major gigs in London and Manchester.


At the time their second E.P. Muscle Museum was favourably reviewed by New Musical Express, the owner of Sawmills Recording Studio, Dennis Smith was so taken with the potential of the group he co-founded the production company Taste Media specially for them. The group recorded their first three albums with Taste. Muse were in a fortunate position, for thanks to the partnership with Taste they were able to record their original sound without having to make any commercial compromises. Whilst there were some who felt their sound was too similar to Radiohead, the American record company Maverick Records signed them up and promoted them heavily in the U.S.A. On their return Taste arranged deals for them with labels in Europe and Australia. The producer John Leckie was brought in (he had worked with the Stone Roses, amongst others) and he produced Muse’s first full-length album Showbiz in 1999. The group supported the Foo Fighters and the Red Hot Chili Peppers on tour in the U.S.A. in 1999, and thanks to their festival appearances, by 2000 they had acquired fans in several European countries as well as in Australia.


Between 1999 and 2006 Muse released four albums: Showbiz (1999), Origin of Symmetry (2001), Absolution (2003), and Black Holes and Revelations (2006).



Black Holes and Revelations has been a huge success, reaching No. 1 in the U.K., several countries in Europe, and in Australia. It has sold over a million copies on the Continent and the band won the 2006 Q Award for Best Live Act. In what proved to be a year of awards Muse went on to be named Best Live Act at the Kerrang! Awards, Best Rock Act and Best Headline Act at the U.K. Festival Awards, and Best Live Act at the Vodafone Live Music Awards, to mention but a few. Accolades have since followed on British television and radio.


Success for the band has continued in 2007. Over the weekend of the 16th and 17th June they filled the newly reopened Wembley Stadium. Tickets sold so quickly that an extra gig was billed for the 17th. Both Wembley concerts were filmed for later release on DVD. After winning Best Live Act at the Brit Awards, they were invited to take part in another prestigious event at Wembley, the Live Earth concert on 7th July, but they were unable to accept owing to a clash with their appearance at the Irish Oxegen festival. However, fans can look forward to their playing at Glastonbury in August with the newly re-formed Rage Against the Machine.



In a poll for Today’s Most Exciting Band in the World in the July issue of Q Magazine, Muse was placed amongst the top ten.


The boys are now working on a new album, which will feature more electronic and dance music than before, and might even have some songs on it with a full orchestra. They are looking to product it themselves, which will give them more freedom. It will be an innovative album – that’s for sure!



One more important thing: on Wednesday 10th October, 2007 Muse will be playing the Budapest Sport Arena!



Tickets are available from Ticketpro outlets throughout Hungary. Telephone: 1/555-5515.

Ticket prices:
Standing: 9,900 Ft.
Seated: 7,900 Ft., 12,900 Ft. and 14,900 Ft.