Muse

[jonodillieono]

The 2011 performance was pretty poor, other than Citizen. The Resistance tour was definitely their worst period as a live band. I saw them 4 times touring The 2nd Law and (whilst I think it's a rubbish album) they were incredible every time. Setlists have also been more interesting of late, and a heavy new album would be great.

They'd be one of my first choices to headline.

I'd say the other way around, The Resistance Tour was much better I thought even if the setlists were quite a lot more static and boring

[Ipayne]

I really liked T2L besides 2/3 songs (Especially Big Freeze, awful awful) and only really enjoyed 4 songs from The Resistance, easily my least favourite album of theirs. Saw them in Manchester on their T2L arena tour and it is on par with Pearl Jam for the best gig I've seen; absolutely incredible.

[russycarps]

Muse are probably the best live band I've seen and biggest fan. I would agree though that they need to take a break, they've maybe done one album too many.

what makes them a better live band than any other band? always curious when people say that.

I saw them headline in 2004, they were quite enjoyable but as a live experience it wasnt any different from any other band of their ilk really.

[elias]

what makes them a better live band than any other band? always curious when people say that.

I've always read that as meaning 'they're the band I enjoy live most'. Most people carry a torch for a favourite band. It's hard to be objective about music.

[russycarps]

I've always read that as meaning 'they're the band I enjoy live most'. Most people carry a torch for a favourite band. It's hard to be objective about music.

yeh fair dos, but you do hear it a lot about muse rather than, say foo fighters (or whatever).

thinking back to 2004, I actually really enjoyed it now I think about it.

[CaledonianGonzo]

I saw Muse live at the IOW in 2007 and it bored the pants off of me.

For the first five minutes I was optimistic thinking it could be quite good, but by the 9th or 10th time he'd done the 'making his guitar sound like a laser gun' thing it was, to say the least, diminishing returns.

[Winslow Leach]

I saw Muse live at the IOW in 2007 and it bored the pants off of me.

For the first five minutes I was optimistic thinking it could be quite good, but by the 9th or 10th time he'd done the 'making his guitar sound like a laser gun' thing it was, to say the least, diminishing returns.

I reckon they're one of the ultimate teenage phase bands. When you're fifteen that "guitar like a laser gun" trick sounds like the coolest thing in the world. Then you grow up. It was just coincidence that they got noticeably worse at the same time I grew out of them.

[russycarps]

I reckon they're one of the ultimate teenage phase bands. When you're fifteen that "guitar like a laser gun" trick sounds like the coolest thing in the world. Then you grow up. It was just coincidence that they got noticeably worse at the same time I grew out of them.

oh fuck, I was almost 30 when I enjoyed them in 2004 :-(

[Winslow Leach]

oh fuck, I was almost 30 when I enjoyed them in 2004 :-(

I don't think I really knew them in 2004, perhaps they did used to be genuinely good.

[elias]

I was 33 when I enjoyed them in 2010 (you old fart).

Christ, I'm in trouble then - I was 52!

[Bobs]

I wasn't a huge fan of The 2nd Law, and i think alot of people latch on to their perception of a band, based on the last album, that includes fans, and admirers, and people who don't like them at all. So I think with The 2nd Law, being somewhat of a flop, i think the so called 'fair weather' fans, myself included went off them, I still love Muse, but they've gone from 'definitely listen' to, 'occasionally play them' in my music lists.

I mean 5-6years ago it would have been unfathomable to think that Muse wouldn't be able sell out Wembley, yet alone a 50k arena, and a 60k one.

I think if they release, a total pleaser of an album, they may actually just do a shorter break, but if it flops, they'll have to go away, and announce a huge comeback, just to make it a thing.

I love Muse, but has their peak gone?

[FloorFiller]

Origins / Absolution was obviously their peak, so yeah, long gone. albums have got steadily worse since then (The 2nd Law was a bit better than The Resistance, but not enough to put them back on my radar)

as i said, i hope they've got a good album left in them, and that all this 'heavy' talk isn't absolute bollocks as it is with so many bands. let's just hope they can stick to a more stripped back (by Muse's standards) approach and avoid the excessive pitfalls of their last few albums

[LondonTom]

The 2011 performance was pretty poor, other than Citizen. The Resistance tour was definitely their worst period as a live band. I saw them 4 times touring The 2nd Law and (whilst I think it's a rubbish album) they were incredible every time. Setlists have also been more interesting of late, and a heavy new album would be great.

They'd be one of my first choices to headline.

I thought the resistance tour was better, well the stadium tour was better. The arena tour for The 2nd Law was fantastic but the Emirates...I dunno I think it was mainly ending on Starlight but it just felt like that special something had gone. (That and I saw them at the Shepherd's Bush Empire War Child gig, which was fantastic and it was great seeing them so stripped back.)

I don't think the Resistance/2nd Law is anymore over blown then OoS/Absolution really, less great songs but mostly in that same sort of vain. Maybe even less so than BH&R. (Actually thats strange, BH&R is their peak in popularity really, but it seems to have been ignored in this thread )

PS. I am just going to refuse to believe this is a fairwell tour/them going away for a long time

Edited July 31, 2014 by LondonTom

[TomViolence]

Reading '11 was the peak for me, have zero interest in them now

[FloorFiller]

I don't think the Resistance/2nd Law is anymore over blown then OoS/Absolution really, less great songs but mostly in that same sort of vain. Maybe even less so than BH&R. (Actually thats strange, BH&R is their peak in popularity really, but it seems to have been ignored in this thread )

PS. I am just going to refuse to believe this is a fairwell tour/them going away for a long time

i loved BH&R but it was the beginning of the end for me. didn't like it nearly as much as Absolution but because i was a huge fanboy at the time of it's release i didn't care. some great songs on that album, and i'm so glad to have seen them on that tour, but i could tell that they were going in a direction i wouldn't enjoy

haven't listened to Muse in absolutely ages. just not really my cup of tea anymore, but seeing as i've been re-downloading all my old favourite bands i think i'll give Muse a stab. for a while they were my absolute favourite band

[CHRLY]

If we had a set packed full of origin I'd love it but it won't happen. Saw them last tour and I really enjoyed it actually, we got dead star which was nice. It was just annoying that they were ending on starlight.

[metallimuse]

I find it strange reading some of the comments on here.It seems to suggest that Muse are washed up and finished and been in decline since Absolution when in fact its the opposite.

Seems to be a popular thing on here to say that but since Absolution they have got bigger and bigger and bigger.Their albums sell in the shed loads,they tour stadiums and headline festivals all over the world.They don't need to go away to create interest,they are going away,if true,because they want to take time off to enjoy their success.

[mattgimmeshelter]

If I'm honest, they are still one of my favourite bands. I just don't listen to them very much anymore. It's strange, they will always be a big band to me as really they were my first big favourite band.

[jonodillieono]

I find it strange reading some of the comments on here.It seems to suggest that Muse are washed up and finished and been in decline since Absolution when in fact its the opposite.

Seems to be a popular thing on here to say that but since Absolution they have got bigger and bigger and bigger.Their albums sell in the shed loads,they tour stadiums and headline festivals all over the world.They don't need to go away to create interest,they are going away,if true,because they want to take time off to enjoy their success.

They're definitely smaller now than they were on The Resistance tour

[FloorFiller]

I find it strange reading some of the comments on here.It seems to suggest that Muse are washed up and finished and been in decline since Absolution when in fact its the opposite.

Seems to be a popular thing on here to say that but since Absolution they have got bigger and bigger and bigger.Their albums sell in the shed loads,they tour stadiums and headline festivals all over the world.They don't need to go away to create interest,they are going away,if true,because they want to take time off to enjoy their success.

you're confusing decline in quality with decline in popularity. they're just as big as they ever were (only reason it may seem less so now is because they haven't had a new album out in a while - come the new album, they'll be back up there again) but i don't think many people would argue that The Resistance / The 2nd Law are their best material. pretty unanimous opinion that Origin is their best and that Absolution is a close second

[jonodillieono]

you're confusing decline in quality with decline in popularity. they're just as big as they ever were (only reason it may seem less so now is because they haven't had a new album out in a while - come the new album, they'll be back up there again) but i don't think many people would argue that The Resistance / The 2nd Law are their best material. pretty unanimous opinion that Origin is their best and that Absolution is a close second

Nah there's definitely a decline in popularity, the resistance tour stadiums flew out whereas I dont think a single 2nd law stadium sold out

[FloorFiller]

Absolution was for me their best. Black Holes and Revelations was also an excellent album to follow. Resistance was hit and miss and the last one was so not like them for me I never tried to get into it. Only liked 'Madness' and that was it. I do find that a lot of people love to slag Muse off on these forums

unpopular opinion but i actually loved Madness also. shame the rest of the album didn't take a similar route really! and they're a very easy band to slag off due to their pomp and theatrics, but i could never really hate them due to my massive love for them as a youngster. one of the bands that helped shape my love of music today

[LondonTom]

pretty unanimous opinion that Origin is their best and that Absolution is a close second

I dunno newer fans/some would argue BH&R is the "best" ....I flip between all 3 but normally settle on OoS being the best. (Even Showbiz sometimes I think could be the best...fanboy problems )

Nah there's definitely a decline in popularity, the resistance tour stadiums flew out whereas I dont think a single 2nd law stadium sold out

True but they did have the extra date at the Rioch and I thought the Saturday sold out for the Emirates. (Still I guess the Rioch date covers the 60,000 less London tickets to sell.). Not that it really matters

[mattgimmeshelter]

I liked madness too, the rest of the album was pretty lost on me though.

But, I'm always open to try their newer stuff. The 2nd Law wasn't so bad that it's put me off them forever.

[Gucci Piggy]

On The 2nd Law I think Animals is brilliant, and Supremacy, Madness (that second half is magical) and Panic Station are good. Hell, Survival could have been great if they got rid of the piano intro and changed the lyrics; some great riffs.

On The Resistance I thought MK Ultra was great, whilst Unnatural Selection and Uprising were good. Undisclosed Desires is fucking awful, though - their worst song along with Neutron Star Collision. The Exogenesis Symphony was good, but it's not really what I want from a Muse album.