英國流行音樂界總是人才輩出，自上世紀90年代的“Brit-pop”大潮逐漸散去之后，英國獨立音樂與主流音樂的界限正在被更多的年輕樂隊打破，他們不僅保持著前輩樂隊在音樂創(chuàng)作方面的原創(chuàng)性，而且正在將更多元化的音樂元素融合到自己的音樂當中，以求得在更加廣泛的范圍內(nèi)制造成功。Muse無疑就是這些英國新樂隊當中的佼佼者。 來自英國Devon的海灣小鎮(zhèn)Teignmouth的Muse樂隊，成員年紀并不大，個個長著一張娃娃臉，但是他們的在音樂界的資歷并不淺。1998年就出道的他們，在樂壇已經(jīng)沉浮六載。樂隊成員分別是詞曲創(chuàng)作、歌手、吉他手兼鍵盤手Matt Bellamy，貝司手Chris Wolstenholm，鼓手Dominic Howard。經(jīng)過在歐洲及美國的各大音樂節(jié)上的表演，他們引起了歌迷的廣泛注意，并且很快成為1999年最受矚目的年輕英國樂隊之一。之后樂隊從一個只為他們出過兩張EP唱片的小公司Dangerous Records轉(zhuǎn)投到半主流廠牌Mushroom Records旗下，隨即推出樂隊的處女唱片《Showbiz》，這張慢熱的唱片雖然在英國沒有大紅大紫，但是他們鮮明緊湊的音樂節(jié)奏所帶來的爆發(fā)力，卻為他們贏得了美國市場的青睞。主唱Matt Bellamy英俊而略帶憂郁的長相，以及他酷似Radiohead樂隊主唱Thom Yorke的嗓音，無疑使得Muse樂隊成為世紀交接時期最令人期待的英國樂隊。 隨著樂隊知名度的不斷擴展，以及在世界各地不斷演出的錘煉，Muse樂隊也開始為樂隊確定出以后的音樂發(fā)展方向。迄今為止，樂隊已經(jīng)發(fā)表了三張音樂專輯，分別是2001年的《Origin Of Symmetry》以及去年發(fā)表的新專輯《Absolution》。與同時代眾多的英國樂隊相比，這個搖滾三人組合的音樂極富爆炸性，總是給人以激情四溢的感覺，這樣的樂風(fēng)和美國另類搖滾的風(fēng)格有些不謀而合，所以他們能夠受到美國市場的關(guān)注，甚至還曾被麥當那的音樂公司Maverick青睞就不足為奇了。而樂隊的真正野心卻是要在他們的音樂中，融入古典音樂的元素，創(chuàng)造出一種與眾不同的古典搖滾樂風(fēng)，因為樂隊的主唱Matt Bellamy從小學(xué)習(xí)鋼琴，受到古典音樂的影響很深，并且經(jīng)常聆聽如帕格尼尼以及拉赫馬尼諾夫等古典音樂大師的作品，所以樂隊成員不想只是被人看作是一支平庸的搖滾樂隊，而是要站在古典傳統(tǒng)的基礎(chǔ)上，將搖滾樂的內(nèi)涵發(fā)揚光大。在新專輯《Absolution》當中，他們將古典主義的心境與搖滾樂的激情共冶一爐，將歌劇花腔的演唱技巧、美麗迷人的鋼琴樂韻以及吉他噪音有機地結(jié)合，創(chuàng)作出了一種前所未有的古典搖滾風(fēng)范，受到英國樂評人的強烈稱贊，稱他們的音樂是巴洛克搖滾的旗幟。 Muse's fusion of progressive rock, electronica, and Radiohead-influenced experimentation is crafted by guitarist/vocalist Matthew Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme, and drummer Dominic Howard. Bored by the sleepy life provided by their hometown of Teignmouth, Devon, the three British friends began playing music together. They started the first incarnation of their band while only 13 years old, changing the name of the group from Gothic Plague to Fixed Penalty to Rocket Baby Dolls as time passed. By 1997, the bandmates settled on the name Muse and released their self-titled debut EP on Dangerous Records, followed by the Muscle Museum EP in 1998. The group's emotive, passionate sound and live presence drew critical acclaim and industry buzz, and Muse signed a deal with Maverick Records after a trip to New York's CMJ festival. The singles "Cave" and "Uno" preceded their debut full-length album, Showbiz, which was released toward the end of 1999. Two years later, Muse issued The Origin of Symmetry and had a major hit with "Hyper Music." In 2002, fans were treated to a combination rarities/live set, the double-disc Hullabaloo Soundtrack. Muse's fourth album, Absolution, got the usual royal treatment upon its late-2003 release, and stateside fans finally got a taste when it was released on Warner Bros. the following March. A short North American tour in the spring of 2004 coincided with Muse's spot on the fifth annual Coachella Music and Arts Festival. Their fifth effort, 2006's Black Holes and Revelations, marked the band's brightest, most dynamic set of material to date, topping the U.K. album charts within its first week and earning Muse their second consecutive number one album. In America, Black Holes and Revelations broke into the Top Ten. Muse toured Europe, America, Australia, and Southeast Asia in support of the album, and their dynamic stage performance (which has won the band multiple awards for Best Live Act, including accolades from the NME Awards, the Q Awards, and the Vodafone Live Music Awards) was captured on 2008's H.A.A.R.P. Live from Wembley.