Muse (EP)

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Cover art
Interior and disc
Back cover
Muse EP
Name Muse EP
Tracks 4
Total length 16:02
Recorded Sawmills Studio, 1997[1]
Writer/composer Matthew Bellamy
Producer Paul Reeve
Art work Dominic Howard, Chris Davison
Publisher Dangerous
Format(s) CD, cassette (demo)
Catalogue № DREX CDEP 103
Release date 11th May[2] 1998
Chart position Unknown
EP chronology
Muse EP
→
Muscle Museum EP


Information

The first record released by Muse. The EP was recorded over two days after Sawmills Studio based Dennis Smith offered the band free studio time.[3] 999 copies of the EP were released, each with a hand numbered sticker, personally numbered by Matt[4]. 100 further unnumbered promo copies were given to radio stations and journalists, while numbered copies were sold via mail-order and in independent record stores, including KMA in Torquay and Solo in Exeter.[2][5] The band made just 300 pounds off of the Muse EP.[6]

The EP was recorded in 1997,[1] mastered by February 1998,[7] and released on the 11th May 1998[2] on Dennis Smith's Dangerous label. The recordings on the album differ from those later released on Showbiz, for example, "Overdue" is longer and features more choruses. As the Muse EP is highly sought after by fans and collectors, Muse EPs on eBay can reach prices in the order of several hundred GBP. Dominic Howard designed the art-work[8] by photocopying his own face. A similar piece of art-work can be seen on a poster for "Muse" in the film 12 Monkeys.

Pre-release

As with the Muscle Museum EP, a Sawmills recording studio promo CD-R was made. A fake 7" vinyl has been made. This has been confirmed as a fraudulent item by Dennis Smith, at Sawmills Residential Recording. This 7" version has the same bar code as the CD version, further indicating this.

Sawmills demo

demo chronology
Newton Abbot demo < 1997 Sawmills demo > 1997 demo

In January 2009 an unofficial demo tape featuring the four tracks on the EP was listed on eBay. The version of Escape Your Meaningless on the cassette differs somewhat to that on the released EP, although the rest of the tracks are similar.[1] This may indicate that the tracks on the cassette are unmastered versions of those appearing on the later Muse EP. The cassette was copied from the studio by Matthew Bellamy for the seller, who attended Coombeshead College with him.[1]

Track list

CD

  1. Overdue – 4:09
  2. Cave – 4:44
  3. Coma – 3:34
  4. Escape – 3:20

Sawmills promo CD-R

  1. Overdue – 4:09
  2. Cave – 4:44
  3. Coma – 3:34
  4. Escape Your Meaningless – 3:20

Sawmills Demo Cassette

  1. Escape Your Meaningless – 3:39
  2. Overdue – 4:09
  3. Coma – 3:34
  4. Cave – 4:44

References

  1. ↑ a b c d catdogmusic. (2009-01-28). MUSE - early demo tape - Sawmill Studio - c.1997 on eBay, also, Cassettes, Music (end time 06-Feb-09 18:18:27 GMT). eBay. Retrieved from cgi.ebay.co.uk[dead link]. [verify]
  2. ↑ a b c Good Muse! (1998-0?). T.D.B. Magazine. Retrieved 2008-03-21. [verify]
  3. ↑ Martin O'Gorman. (1999-12). Showbiz Personalities. Record Collector, 132–133. Retrieved 2008-01-17. [verify]
  4. ↑ Lee Griffiths. (2012-03-13). [talk with Matthew]. talk.
  5. ↑ [1]
  6. ↑ [2]
  7. ↑ Chong. (2008-02-26). [Forum post]. Muse forum. Retrieved from board.muse.mu[dead link].
  8. ↑ Muse EP insert


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