Be Excellent To Each Other

And they are all very good.

I am always amused (*ahem*) when people who don't like a band will often decide that they have no emotion in their songs, despite all evidence to the contrary, such as selling out Wembley and generally being one of the biggest British bands over the past decade, something that you would hope engenders some emotion (obviously size <> emotion, but it's a horrible, lazy and inaccurate thing to say). Equally, they moved the crowd at Glastonbury well enough when they headlined the festival, and well enough again when I saw them at Earl's Court.

Muse write some fantastic guitar riffs. Every time I have seen them interviewed they have been nice, friendly and very humble. Matt Bellamy is exceptionally talented and has a fantastic voice. One thing that sets them apart from the majority of their contemporaries is that the vocals are different. It's refreshing to have a band playing rock music without having to have a big, gruff bloke basically yelling at a microphone... instead Muse have someone who can sing really well! Woohoo!

I was tempted to end with a sweeping statement that anyone who doesn't like them is probably against them as they're popular and famous and talented and hyped and critically acclaimed... but that would be a horrible generalisation.

In summation,

Muse = excellent.

I don't like Muse very much. I don't give a monkeys about how famous they are or how they come across in interviews, I just find their music bores me (apart from 'Knights of Cydonia' which is a fantastic song).

Indeed. I didn't like them when I saw them third on the bill to The Donnas and 3 Colours Red in 1999, and I still don't like them now, but I admit that it's because they're "not my bag" rather than because they're rubbish.

Shyeah, towards the rear exits!!!!

I said he has no emotion in his singing.


That has nothing to do with how a man sings.


Also known as the James Blunt argument, for liking a band. "I can't stand his music, but he's a ver y personable chap, so I shall buy his album." Except you do like Muse. I find myself lacking for the rolleyes emoticon.


He can play the guitar a bit. He's not an exceptional talent. Your opinion of his voice is your own.


You need to buy some Rush albums, Curiosity. And some British Sea Power albums ( have I mentioned how much I like their recent single NO LUCIFER?), more recently. Actually, basically, you just need to buy some rock albums, it seems.


As would any resulting generalisation that I could make, that anyone making such an argument doesn't actually have a good argument to make, beyond being upset that something they like has been dissed. But, as you say, that would be horrible.


4AD Fanboy-FTFY.

edit: Meep, that's a far longer post than I realised, sorry.

Knights of Cydonia is a cracking song despite Matt Bellamy's vocals, not because of them. There's about a thousand vocalists who could have done a better job.

i take bug,gruff blokes yelling blokes over muse vocals anyday.

I still think that for such an huge mainstream bands they have plenty of qualities. Some of the guitarwork is pretty good. And altough they're often accused of being pretentious, i like some epic-ness in rock, which is lacking in mainstream rock for 25 years.

I think there are a few Ben Folds fans here, so here's a presale link for his forthcoming tour:

http://www.artistticket.com/benfolds/

I haven't decided if I'm going to go yet - I love Ben Folds, especially live, but it's a bit pricey.

A Glastonbury crowd isn't the same thing.

That's the kind of crowd that will tolerate the likes of Starsailor or The Kooks. They're the fucks that made Robbie Williams a successful solo artist.

Non-big, gruff vocals over rock can definitely work though. Shudder To Think for example have proper singy vocals and it works for me every time.

they were definitely arrogant on that first interview. if they've chilled out a bit, that's all good.

In terms of bands that I don't like but are apparently well-respected I think I've got more time for Radiohead but I literally would switch off the radio if they came on. Which is why XFM is dead to me.

(sorry if this comes across as aggressive or anything, I just really hate Muse!).

Bluce_Ree said they had no emotion, period. My reply was more aimed at Bluce than thee.



True, though if you asked the thousands upon thousands of people there what they liked about the band, a lot would say "Matt Bellamy's voice". It's certainly what drew me to the band upon hearing 'Sunburn' (along with the delightful juxtaposition of the guitar and piano in the song, and the great video).



Again, this was a response directly to a point made by Bluce, who said he seemed arrogant. I've never seen them come across as anything other than self-effacing.



It's pretty well known that Matt is basically the band. A band that has sold in the region of ten million albums. He writes the songs. He's a talented pianist. Despite what you think, he's an excellent vocalist. He's sufficiently good at playing the guitar to be voted 29th best player by readers of Total Guitar magazine, and rated as the #1 current player by Kerrang magazine (neither of which is anything definitive, but surely implies talent to some degree). He's also a better bass player than the bassist in the band, but can only play two instruments at the same time (three if you count vocals). Whenever 'greatest riff' polls are made, Muse are invariably featured. Riffs that he wrote and played.

In addition to these personal tributes, the band has also won numerous awards from both the public and critics, including 'Best Live Act' awards in 6 of the last 7 years from various sources.

To be able to do all that, for me, takes exceptional talent.



Since when were Rush their contemporaries? I know they still make albums, but so do the Rolling Stones...

I know they are far from unique in using falsetto in vocals, but for every band that you list who do sing in the same general style, I could name ten who do not.

And I can't think of many popular bands who have carved out a niche in the rock scene who would then come back and lead off their latest album with a single lacking in most of what made their music good and loved by millions of people, yet filled to the brim with fantastic otherness influenced more by Prince than any of their regular work.

Also, since most music I listen to would be categorised as Rock (or at the least Alternative), I think I'm doing okay in that genre, thanks.

Whilst I will check out the new British Sea Power song, I must admit that I was very underwhelmed when I saw them supporting someone a few years ago, and don't recall them being that interesting, musically.




Which is why I didn't. It is a well known fact [citation needed] that popular bands inevitably get a backlash against them where all the 'cool kids' never liked them anyway.

That aside, I think I've clearly made a decent argument above. You may not like them, but they're clearly a good band by pretty much any definition other than your own taste.

I cannot stand Muse.

I cannot stand Muse.

[picture of a polar bear]
I CANNOT STAND MUESLI

Curiosity, I would be interested to learn your opinion, whatever it may be, of this, yo:

I have just remembered Suede and Placebo.

Muse are okay.

I like Placebo. Well, liked.

The only good thing the NME did in the last few years was completely rip the piss out of Brian Molko for his hilarious twattiness, after one of their journos went to do a 'At home with' piece, and found him deliberately setting out things to make him look more interesting.

I like neither Muse nor Placebo in general. 'Plug In baby' and 'Nancy Boy' I love though.

and on the 'prog' tip, check out The Rotter's Club, by Hatfield and the North.

I saw Ash at Wembly (the little Wembly). They were opening for The Darkness. They were okay.

Ash, Whitehaven, December 2000. Second best gig ever.

Matt Bellamy's biggest problem is his not being Billy McKenzie or Maynard Keenan, either of whom would be much better for muse. So would Axl Rose.

He should play on guitar and get Axl in to sing.

Curiosity: Being praised by Kerrang and Total Guitar magazine is far from a good sign.

Why? Are they too popular?

Placebo's first album is brilliant - also, see Garbage.

no. they're shit and written by fagballs

I find it hard to argue with such an erudite and well-reasoned post.

Kerrang! is Smash Hits, but for 'rock'. But obviously it's not Smash Hits and it's KERRAAAANNNGGG!!!! because it's about rock, so it can't be. QED. Which is why it holds only the finest music journalism, suitable for readers of all ages.

I've been listening to some of the new Portishead album. It's rather good.

Gillian Welch - Time (The Revelator)

That is all.

People who've stumbled over crap TV will also know her for the theme tune of ITV's "not really a soap" - "Echo Beach".

From metul thread:

I shall join this, despite very probably having a 'Very Low' compatability rating with everyone in it. I do use a thoroughly different name and avatar over there though, just to confuse everyone.

the last fm plugin used to regularly crash my wmp, any ideas why?

WMP is incompatible with sanity?

Im on, fingers crossed the plugin will behave, last time I had enough of it freaking out was april last year.

Pretty essential
Track 9 especally

Runcle, try downloading one of the older plugins. Might have less compatibility issues with it trying to do less stuff. Or are you already using one of them?

Ive downloaded the latest thing and its working fine so far.

At the risk of this becoming a 'name that tune' thread, can anyone 'name that tune' for me... it was a sorta dance track but with a Soviet melody, and lyrics along the line of 'do you dance in MOTHERRR RUSSIAAAAA'.

This is probably the best song ever.

That was playing looped in the background of the SA forums ages ago. It's rather clever in its attempt at concealing the rudeness.

back in th USSR by the beatles?

its not but I quite like it.

Does everyone have the same issue that I do with song scrobbling?

That is, it updates about three times a week, instead of all the time, thus rendering it annoying.

I... don't find it annoying. Rarely does vexation encroach upon me at this. Er. Are you just trying to tamper with your stats so you look cooler and stuff? We don't mind that you like the Tweenies albums, Curiosity, we accept you.

Mine seems to update very quickly, which is super-awesome seeing as it picks up everything I've been playing on my iPhone, also.

Ooo! I didn't think there might be a last.fm plugin for the iPhone. Neato!

Incidentally, are we all going to add our new iPhone 'tags' to the Gamertags thread?

I'll start you off, mine is 0780 8...

0898 50 50 50

SAN FRANCISCO GAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY

I must find a copy of that and use it as my SMS tone.

Yards and yards of dick.

Isn't that the Metul Thread?