Interview with Chris - Muse 'sell soul' to appear on Twilight soundtrack

[Niall]

I don't think it's down to good or bad music, more that Muse have a remit, for want of a better word, which is a band which makes alternative rock, and a lot of their pre-existing fans don't tolerate them producing music outside that remit. They have spoken before about not being able to deviate too far from the Muse criteria and Matt has said before that he often writes music which they then consider unsuitable for Muse and that he would like to write other types of music. (I think that was in relation to Soaked). Just because music is softer or isn't rocky with riffs, doesn't make it bad and pop music can have substance and quality. Though there is a lot of generic stuff it is generalistic to say that all pop music is manufactured. Manufactured to me means someone who looks good, but can't sing that well live, who produces music written by someone else chosen by the record company. Muse will never be that or anywhere near to being on a par with that.

 

Of course no one knows exactly what is happening without getting inside their heads, and each of the guys might have different ideas, but I don't think it can be assumed that they are making music simply in order to attempt to break the American market. Personally I think they are making music they like and believe in, but they are possibly shifting gradually away from their roots because their tastes have changed.

 

If you put all the things together. What if Muse do want to be widely popular, not restricted to being known and listened to only by alternative rock fans, actually like the music that is widely popular and are capable of, and enjoy writing and performing it and don't want to be restricted to one genre. What do they do?

 

I think you're probably spot on here. Muse are not Britney Spears so they never be the kind of artists who produce an album written by 8 people and produced by 15 with partial artistic input themselves. That's not the route they will get to the realm of "widely popular" because it isn't them. However if they do want to be that popular they could start writing catchy pop music and working with pop producers. That is possible while still being the main driving force behind their artists output, just like Lady Gaga. Will they ever do it? Very unlikely.

 

O they could try and become the next U2. Which is probably more likely. And that will involve generic, catchy, soft rock, or ballads that aren't Guiding Light or Invincible. Probably more likely.

[Niall]

I don't think it's down to good or bad music, more that Muse have a remit, for want of a better word, which is a band which makes alternative rock, and a lot of their pre-existing fans don't tolerate them producing music outside that remit. They have spoken before about not being able to deviate too far from the Muse criteria and Matt has said before that he often writes music which they then consider unsuitable for Muse and that he would like to write other types of music. (I think that was in relation to Soaked). Just because music is softer or isn't rocky with riffs, doesn't make it bad and pop music can have substance and quality. Though there is a lot of generic stuff it is generalistic to say that all pop music is manufactured. Manufactured to me means someone who looks good, but can't sing that well live, who produces music written by someone else chosen by the record company. Muse will never be that or anywhere near to being on a par with that.

 

Of course no one knows exactly what is happening without getting inside their heads, and each of the guys might have different ideas, but I don't think it can be assumed that they are making music simply in order to attempt to break the American market. Personally I think they are making music they like and believe in, but they are possibly shifting gradually away from their roots because their tastes have changed.

 

If you put all the things together. What if Muse do want to be widely popular, not restricted to being known and listened to only by alternative rock fans, actually like the music that is widely popular and are capable of, and enjoy writing and performing it and don't want to be restricted to one genre. What do they do?

 

I think you're probably spot on here. Muse are not Britney Spears so they never be the kind of artists who produce an album written by 8 people and produced by 15 with partial artistic input themselves. That's not the route they will get to the realm of "widely popular" because it isn't them. However if they do want to be that popular they could start writing catchy pop music and working with pop producers. That is possible while still being the main driving force behind their artists output, just like Lady Gaga. Will they ever do it? Very unlikely.

 

O they could try and become the next U2. Which is probably more likely. And that will involve generic, catchy, soft rock, or ballads that aren't Guiding Light or Invincible. Probably more likely.

[mjartrod]

I don't think it's down to good or bad music, more that Muse have a remit, for want of a better word, which is a band which makes alternative rock, and a lot of their pre-existing fans don't tolerate them producing music outside that remit. They have spoken before about not being able to deviate too far from the Muse criteria and Matt has said before that he often writes music which they then consider unsuitable for Muse and that he would like to write other types of music. (I think that was in relation to Soaked). Just because music is softer or isn't rocky with riffs, doesn't make it bad and pop music can have substance and quality. Though there is a lot of generic stuff it is generalistic to say that all pop music is manufactured. Manufactured to me means someone who looks good, but can't sing that well live, who produces music written by someone else chosen by the record company. Muse will never be that or anywhere near to being on a par with that.

 

Of course no one knows exactly what is happening without getting inside their heads, and each of the guys might have different ideas, but I don't think it can be assumed that they are making music simply in order to attempt to break the American market. Personally I think they are making music they like and believe in, but they are possibly shifting gradually away from their roots because their tastes have changed.

 

If you put all the things together. What if Muse do want to be widely popular, not restricted to being known and listened to only by alternative rock fans, actually like the music that is widely popular and are capable of, and enjoy writing and performing it and don't want to be restricted to one genre. What do they do?

great post.

i especially agree with the part in bold.

 

At the end of the day, I think they should make the music they want to make, regardless of what anyone else will think about it - be it hardcore fans or casual radio listeners.

 

This is what I meant by letting things go naturally...

and who's to say they aren't doing this? for all we know, that's exactly what they're doing

 

there's been a lot of focus on the band's ambition, on the changes in their music and songwriting which people believe is to somehow make the band more appealing to other audiences... and i dont think we cant deny some of these things. it's clear that they are indeed very ambitious and they want very much to be successful all over the world. but we cant dismiss and ignore all the signs that the band constantly gives that, at the same time, they are doing the music that they want.

 

if we look at 'the resistance' alone, which i'd say got a very mixed reaction among existant fans (as always with a new muse album ), they produced the album themselves. not only it was a huge risk, it also suggests that they did an album without any outside influence, without anyone telling them what to do. and regardless of the intention behind each song, the fact is that they literally created what they wanted. they had to - they were on their own, without even a producer!

[dead-duck]

and who's to say they aren't doing this? for all we know, that's exactly what they're doing

no one In the original quote from me that Carrie replied to that I in turn replied to (*phew*) I was saying that it "sounded" or seemed like that's what they were doing with all the talk of popularity (and a mention by Matt once of wanting a #1 on the hot 100). I've never claimed that this is what they are doing, I don't know what their motives are, none of us do

 

My point is better stated in the second half of my last post where I'm saying that regardless of what they may be doing or why or anything else, if they want huge, enduring popularity in the US, they're not very likely to get it without changing their music.