web feature How Did Muse Last 20 Years?

[JessicaSarahS]

https://www.stereogum.com/1998144/how-did-muse-last-20-years/

 

A peculiar article. I don't have enough energy to formulate a response quite yet, but it was an interesting read.

[kueller]

This made me realize it's almost 20 years since Showbiz, remembering that when I started actively following the tours (with Teignmouth) it was a big deal to be 10 years since Showbiz.

 

ensured they’d find an arena-filling audience over in the States

 

oh

[kueller]

But the premise feels kind of right. Even the big followers don't tend to consider the newer albums as high in regard but follow them anyways because there's still some fun there. And I guess it's enough to get new fans in even as they really ride on a few singles to keep the momentum going.

 

If I were asked what separates them it's not just the grandness itself but the classical style they had in their peak albums. Big riffs and arena rock aren't new but pulling from the bombast of old Russian composers is not a style I've felt replicated very much in rock music.

 

That, and they have enough variety to be appealing to newer music listeners. Pitchfork once attributed their success to making fun and easy riffs for bedroom guitarists and that's kinda true I think.

[Clunge]

Tbf, there's an awful lot of that article I agree with.

[funkadelic]

What bothers me about articles like this is that the person obviously hasn't done much research, so it basically turns into someone having a whine that a band they don't like has fans. With Drones for instance, not saying it was done well or eloquently, but the point wasn't just "Drones are bad". Also found it weird how they didn't talk about Absolution.

 

Muse have something unique about them, they have an eccentric lead man, they sound great live, and every album has had at least a few fun songs. It's not that hard.

[forevermusic]

When I was younger, I was a bit more militant about people liking the same stuff I did, whereas now, I just think "Less competition for gig tickets".

 

Muse aren't for everyone tbf. I think I know more people that don't like them than do in my social circles, and there's plenty of snobby articles. But it is what it is. I never really got Oasis or Coldplay, but I'm content not to try and indulge to "get it", then write some snobbery about it... anymore.

This made me realize it's almost 20 years since Showbiz, remembering that when I started actively following the tours (with Teignmouth) it was a big deal to be 10 years since Showbiz.

Yeah - 2009 when Resistance's arrival coincided with the 10th anniversary of Showbiz and a shit-ton of stuff was being done for it.

 

Think I'd settle for Showbiz or Muscle Museum staying around in the sets for 2019, given I'm yet to really see either so far in my Muse gig-going history.