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Did Muse just "ebow the letter" the 2nd Law and their commercial viability?

rockmuse1

By rockmuse1
in Songs & Releases

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Jobby Defector

Jobby

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Could someone translate it please?

 

I've translated a bit (extremely roughly, the page cuts off but you can get the gist) where Chris says they aren't playing b-sides or old, obscure songs live because some fans might not know them, even though Chris says he wants to play them. I'll try and find the bit about not recording any b-sides now.

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Seaking Escapee

Seaking

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M.B: We don't do any anymore. At the beginning it was essentially a way to get as many songs as possible, to offer them to the label so that we can see what will accompany the singles. Even if we finish with more songs than expected,

 

The next page is cut off so I'm not sure.

 

I can't see where Chris talks about B-Sides at all. At least not in the photo posted.

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Jobby Defector

Jobby

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M.B: We don't do any anymore. At the beginning it was essentially a way to get as many songs as possible, to offer them to the label so that we can see what will accompany the singles. Even if we finish with more songs than expected,

 

The next page is cut off so I'm not sure.

 

Something like 'Even if we finish with more songs than expected, they're not used at all. Perhaps this is linked to the fact the songs are better than before (laughs)!'.

 

Basically though:

 

fuck
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Jobby Defector

Jobby

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Also, Matt says something about how Plug In Baby will always have a place in setlists but it will probably start to become less regular than before. It is hard to translate though as the page cuts off the last word on each line. When a proper scan comes up, we'll be able to translate it properly.

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jdeboer01 Escapee

jdeboer01

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From the reviews I've read, and from interviews with the band, I'm getting the feeling that this album is going to be.........awkward. Kind of like... Muse does R&B! Muse does Funk! Muse does Dubstep! Muse does Metal! Muse does Classic Rock! Muse does Movie Soundtracks!

 

Are they bored or something? Why can't Muse just do muse? I mean it sounds like they're becoming schizophrenic. What's next? Muse does reggae?

 

[YT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dXpJpZcNuw[/YT]

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kueller Assassin

kueller

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I'm all for mix of genres but it depends on how it's done. Like in Unsustainable when the "drop" breakdown comes in it just sounds way too much like so much other brostep out there. But afterwards when they mix it up with the strings and the guitars chugging and Matt's vocals it becomes something really great.

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jdeboer01 Escapee

jdeboer01

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I get what you are saying. Recent (from Abso-T2L) has had a mix of genres. There is a way to make it work, not saying they will but it is possible. For the most part BH&R despite having quite a few different styles of song on it.

 

Yea, I agree that it was somewhat of an "issue" w/TR. I think that schizo trend started with BH&R -- but it was......tolerable with that album. I really don't listen to TR because it has no flow. I don't FEEL it, man. :LOL:

 

Will the REAL Muse, please stand up? :LOL:

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Seaking Escapee

Seaking

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Yea, I agree that it was somewhat of an "issue" w/TR. I think that schizo trend started with BH&R -- but it was......tolerable with that album. I really don't listen to TR because it has no flow. I don't FEEL it, man. :LOL:

 

Will the REAL Muse, please stand up? :LOL:

 

I'd agree there wasn't a real cohesiveness in TR but it flowed pretty well.

 

I think Absolution is the low point in terms of flow.

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Travis III Escapee

Travis III

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I never thought their "cohesive" albums flowed particularly well. OoS to me sounds less than the sum of its parts, simply because of the lack of momentum, atmosphere or variation, particularly in the first half of the album. It's a great collection of songs, but I rarely listen to it the whole way through.

TR, despite the actual songs arguably being weaker, works better as an album because of the stylistic variation and juxtapositions between songs, as well as the unexpected moments within the songs themselves. It does all sound a bit schizophrenic, but IMO keeps things interesting and the album as a whole feels like more than the sum of its parts.

 

Back on topic, I don't think you can really compare this with a single released in the mid 90s simply because, as someone else has pointed out, the music industry is so different now, as is the way people consume music. Was Madness probably the best choice for a lead single? Probably not. As much as I like the song I don't think it really has a lot of mainstream appeal, and the relative lack of chart success seems to confirm this. From what has been described I'd say Panic Station or Big Freeze would have worked better. Then again, I haven't heard those songs so I really can't be sure.

 

/wall of text

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jdeboer01 Escapee

jdeboer01

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I will be SO bummed if this album is a letdown...... like I suspect it might be. Although I have to admit, I'm very excited to hear Chris's songwriting prowess! :D If his songs are good, then there may be a fresh, new confidence in him to write more material. And you know, Chris could do a whole album by himself. ;) He can play all the instruments. :) Hmmmmmm.......

 

Anyway, I find something....... uneasy about Muse's growing pension for coping multiple genres. It's getting silly. If this album is a bummer, I truly hope they take some time off of music and FIND themselves. Lol.

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Citizen_Eraser Guiding Light

Citizen_Eraser

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Madness is probably one of the most commercially viable muse singles ever. Along with UD and Uprising. This is coming from someone looking at the American music scene though. Its tanking because it wasn't marketed at all and theres no video for it. Once it gets some more radio play (if it does) itll pick up.

 

 

I remember here in the states KOC was the first single to get radio play off that album and loads of play did it get. Multiple times a day on the same rock station. And then next came SMBH which got played for a couple weeks before it tanked and they went back to playing KOC. Must remember this was pre-twilight. And smbh did not sit well with Americans.

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Urgamanix Escapee

Urgamanix

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As I mentioned in the other thread, considering the amount of momentum behind Muse before the launch of Madness, their chart performance is absolutely shocking.

 

Muse will care about their chart position - because they are in a business to make money, not just have fun and be popular.

 

Warner Bros. will care about their chart position - because they ARE a business and it reflects better on their business in all cases when they are number 1.

 

We should care about their chart position - because we are Muse fans and want them to do well.

 

Madness is radio friendly (especially the radio edit), but to be honest the media and sales campaign setup couldn't be worse. Where's the physical releases? Where's the video? What were they thinking?

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CarrieB Escapee

CarrieB

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As I mentioned in the other thread, considering the amount of momentum behind Muse before the launch of Madness, their chart performance is absolutely shocking.

 

Muse will care about their chart position - because they are in a business to make money, not just have fun and be popular.

 

Warner Bros. will care about their chart position - because they ARE a business and it reflects better on their business in all cases when they are number 1.

 

We should care about their chart position - because we are Muse fans and want them to do well.

 

Madness is radio friendly (especially the radio edit), but to be honest the media and sales campaign setup couldn't be worse. Where's the physical releases? Where's the video? What were they thinking?

 

Well they obviously didn't care about it, or else they would have had a strategy to at least try and make it chart well, which they didn't, so I don't really see how you are able to make assumptions that everyone would care about it.

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Urgamanix Escapee

Urgamanix

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Well they obviously didn't care about it, or else they would have had a strategy to at least try and make it chart well, which they didn't, so I don't really see how you are able to make assumptions that everyone would care about it.

 

You're right - let's take the assumptions away.

 

Take Muse out of the equation. They don't care.

Take us out of the equation as well. We don't care.

 

Do you agree that we can't take Warner out of the equation, as they are a business and only exist to make money?

 

If you agree with that, then my point still holds. It's Warner that handles sales activities and I'm guessing the lions share of media scheduling, not the band.

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CarrieB Escapee

CarrieB

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Then take Muse out of the equation. They don't care.

Even better - take us out of the equation as well. We don't care.

 

Do you agree that we can't take Warner out of the equation, as they are a business and only exist to make money?

 

If you agree with that, then my point still holds. It's Warner that handles sales activities and I'm guessing the lions share of media scheduling, not the band.

 

Well, as I understand it, the singles don't make much money, because the sales are quite small in number and they are so cheap. So I suppose it depends on how viable, a lot of promotion focused on the single would be.

 

Saying that, it sounds like a lot of time and effort (and probably money) has gone into the video for the single which is, of course, being released a lot later than the single release. From that I would guess that the focus is on using the single to promote the album, rather than bothering about singles charts. Of course the same goes for the tour, which will also be given a lot of time, trouble and money, no doubt.

 

I think there will be some disappointment if the album does badly in the album charts, especially after The Resistance was so successful (really I'm referring mainly to Muse and fans there). Hopefully, fingers crossed, that won't happen, but at the end of the day it will be long term sales, I should think, that will matter to Warner most.

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