July 19, 2006 8:00

Muse reveal inspiration behind funky new sound

It's to do with a certain city

Photo Gallery: Muse
Photo: Dean Chalkley

Muse have revealed that DJing in New York was the inspiration for their new-found funkiness on current LP ‘Black Holes And Revelations’.

The first single from the LP, ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, has been lauded for its’ groove. And the band were only too happy to admit to NME what inspired it.

Frontman Matt Bellamy said: “Going to New York tightened everything up. It got us more groove orientated. I don’t know if that was the vibe of the city or what.”

“It was a vibe thing,” added drummer Dominic Howard. “We found loads of positivity in New York. It’s so fast and so busy, and it’s hard to feel so dark about stuff when you’re surrounded by thousands and thousands of people. We started going out to clubs and hanging out with friends and dancing.”

Bellamy even took time out from the recording schedule to do a spot of DJing.

“I got a little too into it,” he admitted. “I didn’t really know how to use the mixer properly, yet there was this moment where I was playing Depeche Mode, with a fag in my mouth, and people were asking what the tune I was play was. I was like, ‘Yeah, this is what DJing is about.”

Also, this week’s NME is a special Syd Barrett tribute issue. We look back on the amazing life of the former Pink Floyd star. We’ve also compiled the ultimate Syd playlist, look at the bands of today influenced by him, and look back at a classic 1974 piece on the star by Nick Kent.

Look out for another Syd Barrett special in our sister mag Uncut soon.

Also in NME this week we take a track-by-track look at the new Razorlight album, as well as reviewing the eagerly awaited new Kasabian single.

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