Muse: we want Mercury!

Muse have revealed that their hopes are high for tomorrow’s Mercury Music Prize announcement (September 5).

The band’s Number One album ‘Black Holes and Revelations’ is up against heavyweights including Arctic Monkeys and Thom Yorke for the prestigious award.

And while Muse traditionally shun the trappings of showbiz, bass player Chris Wolstenholme told MTV that this is an award they wouldn’t mind winning.

He said: “The thing that’s great about the Mercury is that it’s based on how good you are rather than how many records you’ve sold. For the past few years it’s been smaller acts who’ve taken the prize so maybe it’s time a well-known name did it again.”

But Wolstenholme admitted that the album’s success could count against their chances: “Although saying that, you do win a cash prize so even though we’d love to get it, maybe it’s fairer if it does go to a smaller act – we don’t need the cash that badly right now.”

Muse release their new single ‘Starlight’ this week.

Check back to NME.COM tomorrow evening (September 5) for full coverage of the Mercury Music Prize 2006.

Muse tickets: