Difference between pages "Megalomania (song)" and "Ninth album"

MuseWiki, wiki for the band Muse
(Difference between pages)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Outro info)
 
 
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Songbox
{{Discobox
| Name = Megalomania
| Name = ''LP9''
| Album ={{drop
| Tracks = N/A
|[[Origin of Symmetry (album) |Origin of Symmetry]] <small>(11)</small>, <small>(JP) (12)</small>
| Length = N/A
|[[Hullabaloo Soundtrack (live) |Hullabaloo Soundtrack]] <small>(15), JP CD (16)</small>
| Recorded = 2020–2021
|[[Hullabaloo (live) |Hullabaloo DVD]] <small>DVD, JP DVD (7)</small>
| Writer = [[Matthew Bellamy]], [[Dominic Howard]], [[Christopher Wolstenholme]]
}}
| Producer = Muse, [[Aleks Von Korff]]
| Length = 4:38
| Art = N/A
| AltTitles =  
| Publisher = N/A
{{drop
|Format = N/A
|[[Thoughts of a Dying Atheist (song) |Thoughts of a Dying Atheist]]  
|CatNumber = N/A
|Go Forth and Multiply
| Release = N/A
}}
| Chart = N/A
| First = [[Hilversum 3FM Studios 2001 (gig) |12th April 2001]]
| Previous = Simulation Theory
| Latest = [[Reading Little John's Farm 2011 (gig)|28th August 2011]]
| PreviousLink = Simulation Theory (album)
| Recorded = [[Real World Studios|Real World Studio Wiltshire]] and [[St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick]] 2001
| Writer = [[Matthew Bellamy]]
| Producer = [[John Leckie]]
| Chart position = -
}}
<flashmp3>http://www.musewiki.org/images/Megalomania.mp3|rightbg=0xDDEEFF|leftbg=0xDDEEFF|bg=0xFFFFFF</flashmp3>
{{AlbumNav
| Previous = [[Futurism (song) | Futurism]] (bonus track)
| Current = Megalomania
| Next =  
| Next =  
}}
| NextLink =  
<br>
| Type = album
{{AlbumNav2
}}  
| Previous = [[Showbiz (album) | Showbiz ''(1999)'']]
| Current = [[Origin of Symmetry (album) | Origin of Symmetry ''(2001)'']]
| Next = [[Hullabaloo (album) | Hullabaloo ''(2002)'']]
}}
== Description ==
An overblown anti-religious album closer using a Gothic style church pipe organ. Matt once described recording this song as being difficult, saying "the reason recording the song is difficult is that it's about deconstructing the Church, you know? Saying how it's a relic of the past, and how it's basically just something to empower man to give manpower to, you know, to take money from people, stuff like that. Well I suppose there are some good things behind it, but the Pope is corrupt."<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkepN3rkmNI]</ref> He also stated in the same interview that the organ was the only thing worth going to Church for.


==Matthew Bellamy definition of Megalomania==
This page will serve as a running commentary on Muse's next major release.


"This is directed at what would be God, asking why we should go forth and multiply? What's the point?"<ref>Rock Sound - 2001</ref>
== Information ==


==Composition==
Matt first hinted at working on new Muse material in an interview with ALT 98.7 FM backstage at the ALTerEGO Festival in January of 2020 where he said that the goal for 2020 was to work on new Muse material, allthough the plans were probably halted due to the coronavirus pandemic as the three were unable to get together due to the lockdowns. Bellamy instead focused on releasing his solo material. Matt also hinted on working on Muse material in a May interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 Radio, saying that he has a few pieces written that are suited for Muse.<ref>https://youtu.be/wGHqxU-63HM?t=292</ref> In an interview with Rolling Stone, also in May, he said that that the idea would be to record the album in 2021 and potentially go on a tour in 2022. <ref>https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/muse-matt-bellamy-interview-coronavirus-quarantine-999208/</ref>
Megalomania is a song driven by pipe organs. Written mostly in E harmonic minor with some elements of E melodic minor, it moves at a loose tempo of 73 BPM. The outro is noteworthy for its use of the chromatic mediant technique: the chords alternate between D and F# (the latter's root note being the major third of the former) until resolving to the F#.


Bellamy's lead vocal range spans from D♯3 to B4, and reaches up to G5 in the prominent backing vocals.
Bellamy confirmed he started writing the new Muse album in an interview with [[The Jaded Hearts Club|The Jaded Hearts Club Band]] for The Sun.<ref>https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/12884819/matt-bellamy-thought-jaded-hearts-club-were-the-beatles/</ref> He also hinted at the band working on the next album in a brief Instagram comment in March 2021.<ref>https://www.reddit.com/r/Muse/comments/lxdvdb/new_album_on_the_way_confirmed/</ref>


== General information ==
In the interview, Bellamy said the following: ''"I started writing when all the protests and all the chaos were kicking off. It’s a weird thing to say but it suits the music I write. It keeps you a little bit on edge."''.
Bellamy has described the recording of this anti-church song, using the organ at St. Mary's Church, Bathwick, as a "dark moment" in his life. The vicar of the church insisted on seeing the lyrics to the song before allowing them to use the organ, although none had yet been written for the song. Bellamy proceeded to write out some "positive", "nice" lyrics for him and he allowed them to record the song.<ref name="xfm20071007">{{cite/xfm20071007}}</ref>
When requesting permission to play one of the biggest church organs in Europe in order to finish recording the song, the priest at the church asked to see the lyrics to the song to ensure the band weren't devil worshippers.


Matt wrote the song on holiday in the Maldives, whilst learning to dive, and it was inspired by his pessimism towards the relationship he was in at them time.<ref name="xfm20071007"/>
Bellamy jokingly said, in an Instagram comment reply on [https://www.instagram.com/p/COBjSGLhFzP/ Dom Howard's Instagram post], that the album would include "emotional gasps and many usages of the word ‘soul’.".


The earliest known performance used a grand piano rather than an organ or keyboard with organ effect. A video can be found of this performance on the [[DC]] [[Muse Hub]].
== Recording ==


The working title for Megalomania was Thoughts of a Dying Atheist at first.
In an interview with NME, Bellamy said that he'd like the idea of the band "totally resetting" and going back to their hometown of Teignmouth, Devon to rehearse and record the next album. However, it appears that this was not the case, at least as of yet, as the first studio pictures that started to emerge were from an unknown studio in Los Angeles and later sessions took place at [[Abbey Road Studios]]. [[Aleks Von Korff]], who previously worked with Muse as an engineer on [[Simulation Theory (album)|Simulation Theory]], and produced Bellamy's solo material - songs like [[Tomorrow's World (Matthew Bellamy song)|Tomorrow's World]], posted a picture from the studio with the wooden Kawai piano. It is presumed he's also producing the album or at least some tracks on it, or is assisting with production.


Not to be confused with the later song of the same name as the WIP name, [[Thoughts of a Dying Atheist (song) | Thoughts of a Dying Atheist]] on [[Absolution (album) | Absolution]].
First recording sessions started in late spring, 2021, in this unknown studio in Los Angeles, with only Matt, Dom, and [[Aleks Von Korff|Von Korff]] present, with Wolstenholme being away (probably due to coronavirus restrictions at the time).


After nearly a 6 year break after having last been played on [[Dublin Castle 2002 (gig) | 5th May 2002]], Megalomania was played at London's [[London Royal Albert Hall | Royal Albert Hall]] on [[London Royal Albert_Hall 2008 (gig) | 12th April 2008]], seven years to the day it was first played. The song was played on the Royal Albert Hall's pipe organ, the first time it had been played on a pipe organ in concert. Matthew Bellamy introduced the song by saying something like "since we're at the Royal Albert Hall, it would be rude not to play this beast" (referring to the organ). [[Morgan Nicholls]] played an ukelele during the song. This performance was offered to the band's fans as a present for 2011's Christmas on their website.
Between April and June, they took a break from recording to work on a remix of [[Origin_of_Symmetry_(album)#Origin_of_Symmetry:_XX_Anniversary_RemiXX|Origin of Symmetry]]. In early June, Chris came to L.A. to join Dom and Matt continuing work on the new album.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/CP6Xo7IjPs1/</ref>


==Live==
In November of 2021, [[Adrian Bushby]] posted a picture of him and Howard at [[Abbey Road Studios]], tracking drums, hinting at the album being partially tracked in there.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/CWBaoDFtHHk/?utm_medium=copy_link</ref> Prior to that, on July 24th, 2021, Muse also posted a picture of Bellamy holding one of his Manson guitars, posing infront of Abbey Road Studios with the caption saying "Good to be back".<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/CRtsMriBtpm/</ref> Bellamy also posted a picture of Bing infront of Abbey Road Studios around that time.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/CTFAGKPjCx5/</ref> This makes the upcoming album the first of their LPs to (also) be recorded at Abbey Road in 20 years, when [[Origin of Symmetry (album)|Origin of Symmetry]] was recorded at the studios.


The song was first played in 2001 on the Origin of Symmetry Tour with it continuing to make regular appearances throughout 2001. It got a few plays the following year before getting dropped in May 2002. It wasn't played again for 6 years until the 2008 Royal Albert Hall gig where it was played on the massive organ featured in the hall. It was played a handful of times in 2011, the most notable at the Reading and Leeds gigs where the band played Origin of Symmetry start to finish, before getting dropped yet again.  
On December 1st, 2021, Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer at Sterling Sound Studios posted a picture of Bellamy and Howard sitting on a couch. This implies that the band finished recording the album and it is already being mastered. <ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/CW9SHCXPtJy/</ref>


[[Megalomania (live) | More here]]
== Release ==


== Megalomania ==
On December 25th, 2021, Bellamy made a short livestream on Muse's Instagram profile, showcasing part of what seems to be an upcoming song, titled ''Won't Stand Down''. The ''very short'' stream can be listened to and watched [https://twitter.com/crying0shame/status/1474908625864953860?s=21 here].
Megalomania is "a symptom of mental illness marked by delusions of greatness, wealth, etc." or "an obsession with doing extravagant or grand things".


== Lyrics ==
== Ninth album recording gallery ==
{{lyrics
<gallery>
|Paradise comes at a price
File:2021-12-03_KKawaiAVK.jpg | "ty @kawaipianos for this beauty 🤍 sounding innnnnncredible 👌🏻" (12th March 2021; [[Aleks Von Korff]]'s [https://www.instagram.com/p/CMVDlJJhgc0/ Instagram])
That I am not prepared to pay
File:2021-12-03_MattExplorers.jpg.png | "Who can name that tune?" (12th March 2021; Matt's Instagram; click [https://www.instagram.com/p/CMT4hOxjpeI/ this link] for the video)
What were we built for?
File:2021-06-04_AVKAmps1.jpg | "Havin a blast with the @uaudio OX Amp top box. Making some naaaasty 🤘🏻 things and the OX is coming through in a huge way!..." (6th April 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/CNVrZ4yBNmJ/ Aleks Von Korff's Instagram])
Could someone tell me please
File:2021-06-04_AVKAmps2.jpg | "Havin a blast with the @uaudio OX Amp top box. Making some naaaasty 🤘🏻 things and the OX is coming through in a huge way!..." (6th April 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/CNVrZ4yBNmJ/ Aleks Von Korff's Instagram])
File:2021-06-04_AVKAmps3.jpg | "Havin a blast with the @uaudio OX Amp top box. Making some naaaasty 🤘🏻 things and the OX is coming through in a huge way!..." (6th April 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/CNVrZ4yBNmJ/ Aleks Von Korff's Instagram])
File:2021-12-04_RoxaneBettyDom.jpg | "Being Dom Malkovitch 🎨 @roxannebettycreative" (12th April 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/CNlBWLHjCue/ Matt's Instagram])
File:2021-23-04_DomFloyd.jpg | "The producer still needs naps. He wanted to let you know the new album is sounding fat and to hope you are all keeping well and healthy 🙏🤟🏼🥁" (23rd April 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/COBjSGLhFzP/ Dom's Instagram]
File:2021-23-04_AVKBar.jpg | "Old fashioned time at the studio bar after a nice long week of tracking 🥃😌" (23rd April 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/COCFq66BHTW/ Aleks Von Korff's Instagram])
File:2021-13-06_StudioDogAVK.jpg | "Studio dog best dog 😍" (13th June 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/CQC7TPghyBx/ Aleks Von Korff's Instagram])
File:2021-07-24_BellamyAbbeyRoad.jpg | "Good to be back" (24th July 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/CRtsMriBtpm/ Muse's Instagram])
File:2021_08_11_BushbyInstagram.jpg | "Drum tracking with @muse at @abbeyroadstudios a couple months back. In my happy place with @domhoward77 and the gang 💕🎵" (8th November 2021; [https://www.instagram.com/p/CWBaoDFtHHk/ Adrian Bushby's Instagram])
</gallery>


The good news is she can't have babies
==References==
And won't accept gifts from me
What are they for?
They'll just grow up and break the laws you've loved
 
Take off your disguise
I know that underneath it's me
Who are you oooh
 
Useless device it won't suffice
I want a new game to play
When I am gone - it won't be long
Before I disturb you in the dark
 
And paradise comes at a price
That I am not prepared to pay
What were we built for?
Will someone tell me please
 
Take off your disguise
I know that underneath it's me
}}
 
== References ==
<references/>
<references/>
{{Backto | Origin of Symmetry (album) | Origin of Symmetry}}

Revision as of 01:52, 26 December 2021

Muse album
Name LP9
Tracks N/A
Total length N/A
Recorded 2020–2021
Writer/composer Matthew Bellamy, Dominic Howard, Christopher Wolstenholme
Producer Muse, Aleks Von Korff
Art work N/A
Publisher N/A
Format(s) N/A
Catalogue № N/A
Release date N/A
Chart position N/A
album chronology
Simulation Theory
LP9


This page will serve as a running commentary on Muse's next major release.

Information

Matt first hinted at working on new Muse material in an interview with ALT 98.7 FM backstage at the ALTerEGO Festival in January of 2020 where he said that the goal for 2020 was to work on new Muse material, allthough the plans were probably halted due to the coronavirus pandemic as the three were unable to get together due to the lockdowns. Bellamy instead focused on releasing his solo material. Matt also hinted on working on Muse material in a May interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 Radio, saying that he has a few pieces written that are suited for Muse.[1] In an interview with Rolling Stone, also in May, he said that that the idea would be to record the album in 2021 and potentially go on a tour in 2022. [2]

Bellamy confirmed he started writing the new Muse album in an interview with The Jaded Hearts Club Band for The Sun.[3] He also hinted at the band working on the next album in a brief Instagram comment in March 2021.[4]

In the interview, Bellamy said the following: "I started writing when all the protests and all the chaos were kicking off. It’s a weird thing to say but it suits the music I write. It keeps you a little bit on edge.".

Bellamy jokingly said, in an Instagram comment reply on Dom Howard's Instagram post, that the album would include "emotional gasps and many usages of the word ‘soul’.".

Recording

In an interview with NME, Bellamy said that he'd like the idea of the band "totally resetting" and going back to their hometown of Teignmouth, Devon to rehearse and record the next album. However, it appears that this was not the case, at least as of yet, as the first studio pictures that started to emerge were from an unknown studio in Los Angeles and later sessions took place at Abbey Road Studios. Aleks Von Korff, who previously worked with Muse as an engineer on Simulation Theory, and produced Bellamy's solo material - songs like Tomorrow's World, posted a picture from the studio with the wooden Kawai piano. It is presumed he's also producing the album or at least some tracks on it, or is assisting with production.

First recording sessions started in late spring, 2021, in this unknown studio in Los Angeles, with only Matt, Dom, and Von Korff present, with Wolstenholme being away (probably due to coronavirus restrictions at the time).

Between April and June, they took a break from recording to work on a remix of Origin of Symmetry. In early June, Chris came to L.A. to join Dom and Matt continuing work on the new album.[5]

In November of 2021, Adrian Bushby posted a picture of him and Howard at Abbey Road Studios, tracking drums, hinting at the album being partially tracked in there.[6] Prior to that, on July 24th, 2021, Muse also posted a picture of Bellamy holding one of his Manson guitars, posing infront of Abbey Road Studios with the caption saying "Good to be back".[7] Bellamy also posted a picture of Bing infront of Abbey Road Studios around that time.[8] This makes the upcoming album the first of their LPs to (also) be recorded at Abbey Road in 20 years, when Origin of Symmetry was recorded at the studios.

On December 1st, 2021, Chris Gehringer, mastering engineer at Sterling Sound Studios posted a picture of Bellamy and Howard sitting on a couch. This implies that the band finished recording the album and it is already being mastered. [9]

Release

On December 25th, 2021, Bellamy made a short livestream on Muse's Instagram profile, showcasing part of what seems to be an upcoming song, titled Won't Stand Down. The very short stream can be listened to and watched here.

Ninth album recording gallery

References