(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WILL OF THE PEOPLE”)
MUSE: (Singing) The need of the individuals, the need of the individuals, the need of the – will of the – the need of the individuals…
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Muse is talking out, calling for a revolution.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WILL OF THE PEOPLE”)
MUSE: (Singing) Let’s push the emperors into the ocean. The need of the individuals, the need of the individuals, the need of the – will of the – do not want a gun…
SIMON: The Grammy Award-winning band simply launched their ninth studio album. It is referred to as “Will Of The Folks,” and it is an unblinking take a look at our world by means of shades of glam rock, electro pop and industrial steel. Matthew Bellamy is frontman of Muse and joins us now from Los Angeles. Thanks a lot for being with us.
MATTHEW BELLAMY: Hello, nice to fulfill you.
SIMON: It has been 4 years because you launched your final album. What introduced you ahead to do it now?
BELLAMY: Properly, in 2019, we completed fairly a exhausting, lengthy world tour that we did, and we determined to take a break ‘trigger I used to be having a child in 2020. And everyone knows what occurred in 2020 as properly. So the need to create and the kind of inspiration to make a document – it type of introduced that ahead just a little bit. And so we truly began making a document influenced by, clearly, the large shift we noticed on this planet round that point.
SIMON: Properly, discuss that, about how what you noticed on this planet informs, conjures up, steers a number of the music you may have right here.
BELLAMY: Yeah, I imply – but it surely goes again a great distance actually, when it comes to the web changing into a serious factor within the early 2000s. I imply, I bear in mind, like, individuals began to really feel type of this sense of distrust for, for example, the powers that be, , I additionally name it (ph), like, this populism that was type of, , rising all through the Western world particularly. After which, seeing that type of coming to a type of head within the final or few years, I believe that was positively one affect. On high of that, we had the entire Trump scenario, which led to the Capitol riots and so forth – fairly uncommon, residing by means of a time period the place a number of the dystopian stuff appeared to be taking part in out in actual time.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LIBERATION”)
MUSE: (Singing) Silenced. You may make us really feel silenced. You stole the airwaves, however the air belongs to us.
SIMON: The tune “Liberation” – I might ask you about each certainly one of these strains, I believe. However let me take you stole the airwaves, however the air belongs to us.
BELLAMY: Yeah. So for me, like, what modified within the 2010s, particularly the second half of that decade, was we needed to tolerate residing by means of this era the place social media obtained to some extent the place it was simply hijacking every thing. You recognize, each information story simply appeared to be, like, somebody tweeted this, somebody tweeted – that being type of controversial issues, that are simply type of prodding algorithms to get reactions.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LIBERATION”)
MUSE: (Singing) So I assume we should always thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks. We have had sufficient. We thanks for…
BELLAMY: After which, additionally, there are components of that tune that had been influenced by seeing a number of the Black Lives Matter protests and seeing a number of the anger and the frustration of people that really feel like they are not being heard.
SIMON: Yeah.
BELLAMY: It is a tune for the unheard, I assume. You recognize, it is a tune, like, for all of the folks that really feel like they simply – their viewpoint can by no means get heard, that – , their frustrations can by no means be addressed. After which, there’s these loopy elites with tens of millions and tens of millions of followers who’re simply dominating the airwaves, dominating the information tales. The tune, it type of – it is nearly fantasizing a couple of fictional post-revolution interval the place, democracy being a bit extra accessible, we have reconfigured the right way to hold energy in test.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “LIBERATION”)
MUSE: (Singing) Liberation.
SIMON: Let me ask you about a number of the musical influences on this spooky techno pop tune, “You Make Me Really feel Like It is Halloween.” Let’s pay attention.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IT’S HALLOWEEN”)
MUSE: (Singing) While you end up the lights, you make me really feel prefer it’s Halloween. It is Halloween. While you…
BELLAMY: I believed there’s not sufficient songs about Halloween.
SIMON: I could not consider even a second one.
BELLAMY: I do know, yeah. It is like so many artists do Christmas songs, however I type of thought, like, properly, that is not very Muse, ? So not why – we’ll do a Halloween tune. In order that’s one more reason we’re happening that highway; it appears a bit extra type of spooky and creepy. And, , we grew up as kids within the ’80s. And I just like the type of, , ’80s horror movies. Like, I bear in mind, , Stephen King movies.
(SOUNDBITE OF FILM, “CUJO”)
BILLY JAYNE: (As Brett Camber) Cujo?
(SOUNDBITE OF DOG GROWLING)
JAYNE: (As Brett Camber) Cujo, what is the matter?
(SOUNDBITE OF DOG BARKING)
JAYNE: (As Brett Camber) Cujo.
BELLAMY: Yeah, a few of that stuff, I believe, clearly influenced me after I was a child. So whenever you get 9 albums deep, you may’t assist however wish to go searching just a little bit and take a look at different sounds in different genres and issues.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSE SONG, “EUPHORIA”)
SIMON: You are about to return on tour, I perceive.
BELLAMY: Yeah, yeah. We’re doing just a few type of smaller reveals in October. After which, that can assist kind of inform us to place collectively our greater tour subsequent yr. We’re very, very pumped to get that feeling once more, ? And seeing the group leaping up and down and cheering and us to be within the crowd watching an excellent live performance or being on stage and seeing all the group having a good time, – to me, I might say that is euphoria.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “EUPHORIA”)
MUSE: (Singing) Euphoria, give us euphoria. It has been all work and no play. Give me euphoria. I would like euphoria. I must…
SIMON: When individuals hearken to the “Will Of The Folks,” is all of it proper with you if they simply go, properly, that is a pleasant album? Or do you wish to, I do not know, make them stand up and do one thing?
BELLAMY: So I believe if some individuals simply hearken to it as purely enjoyable music and, like, do not even fear about what the lyrical parts are, I believe that I am completely, completely proud of that. However total, if I needed to really feel like – , put collectively a type of, , what’s it I would like Muse to do for individuals who do get deeply into the music – there is part of power inside all of us that may truly assist get by means of essentially the most troublesome, most difficult intervals, ? A whole lot of Muse songs type of cope with that, and that is most likely me simply basically addressing it for myself after which sharing it with others and hoping that may assist individuals really feel such as you’re not alone with a few of these ideas, , that could be troubling you at would possibly.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “UPRISING”)
MUSE: (Singing) It is not over now. I will not go away you at midnight as a result of I would like you so.
SIMON: Matthew Bellamy, he is a frontman for Muse – their new album, “Will Of The Folks,” out now. Thanks a lot for being with us.
BELLAMY: Thanks for having me.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “UPRISING”)
MUSE: (Singing) Can we kiss, contagion on our…
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