Matthew Bellamy

Matthew Bellamy

Tweets by @MattBellamy

Muse member
Name	Matthew James Bellamy
Born	9th June 1978 (Age 42)
Hometown	Cambridge, UK
Plays	Guitar, piano, bass, lead vocals, himself and your world
Band members	Christopher Wolstenholme, Dominic Howard
Associated acts	Carnage Mayhem, Gothic Plague, Rocket Baby Dolls, Muse and The Jaded Hearts Club

Childhood

Matthew Bellamy was born in Cambridge on the 9th June 1978 and moved to Devon with his family at the age of 10. Matthew’s dad, George Bellamy was in a band called The Tornadoes, who were the first band from the UK to get a US number 1 record.[source?] At the age of 13 Matthew’s parents got divorced.[source?] "It was ok at home, middle class, we had money.” Matthew says. “Well until the age of 13. I think I almost got everything I wanted until the age of 13, yes. Then, everything changed, parents got divorced, and I went to live with my grandmother, and there wasn't that much money. I have a sister who's younger than me, she's actually my stepsister: my dad had her from another marriage, and also an older brother. Until the age of 14 music was part of my life since it was part of the family circle: my dad was a musician, he had a band, etc. But it's only when I moved in with my grandparents that I started playing music myself. It was like a need to me."[source?]

Bellamy's first memory is of breaking an expensive family heirloom - a large mirror - after letting go of a bucket whilst spinning around with it, as a result of which his mother proclaimed that he'd cursed the family for seven years. This occurred in the year previous to the one during which his parents split up. In December 1999, he claimed this was his most guilt-ridden memory.

Matthew started playing piano at 6 when his brother influenced him to play a soundtrack from a TV series by holding him in front of the TV and then putting him in front of the piano. Matthew managed to play the song and his brother used to make him play it in front of his friends for show off. At the age of 11, after seeing Jimi Hendrix putting his guitar on fire, he decided he wanted to buy a guitar, which he asked from his grandmother.[source?] His parents and older brother also used an Ouija Board to contact the dead, which Matt discovered when he was wandering downstairs late at night. He then became interested in it after the divorce of his parents. “It was exciting to go to school and to tell 10-year-old kids all about it, as they found it all quite scary and I was quite impressed that I was doing something that was scary to other people but that wasn't to me. I did get quite into that.” His beliefs changed after one correspondence predicted the first Gulf War a year before it started. “My beliefs in the whole thing changed. I now believe that you’re contacting something in your subconscious, which is quite different. Something that you might not have known was already there. That’s probably more realistic than thinking you’re contacting somebody who’s already dead. And I do practice that".[source?]

When Matt was younger, he almost learned how to play the clarinet at the request of his parents, but he only did it till grade 3 and then he gave up, he also tried violin and piano lesson and didn't like it, the only reason why Matt can play the guitar and the piano it's because he self-taught how to play them, however, Matt had 'A Levels' in Music class that let him take classical guitar classes for free at school when he was 17-18 years old, since then, Classical Guitar it's the only subject on which he took lessons.

Musicianship

Style

Matthew Bellamy is the driving force behind Muse’s lyrical and musical composition. Popular devices he uses are singing with vibrato and in falsetto ("Supermassive Black Hole," "Knights of Cydonia," "Ruled by Secrecy," "Micro Cuts," and "Showbiz," among others), arpeggiations ("Take a Bow," "Starlight," "Butterflies & Hurricanes," "Ruled by Secrecy," "New Born," "Bliss," "Space Dementia" and "Blockades" among others), and large or octave jumps in melody lines ("Map of the Problematique," "Stockholm Syndrome," "Butterflies & Hurricanes," "Citizen Erased," "The Dark Side", and ", Pressure" among others). Some songs (most notably older ones) express a more esoteric side in terms of guitar riffs and vocals ("Execution Commentary," "Agitated," "Ashamed," "Yes Please," and "Break It to Me" more recently, among others). He also seems to pronounce clearly the hard consonant sound "n" at the beginnings of some phrases when he sings. This has commonly been interpreted as the word "and".

Lyrics

Bellamy's lyrical writing is relatively simple but his subject matters are usually not - world events, the end of the world, hyperspace, technology, religion, George Orwell's '1984' (for 'Resistance'), among other subjects. Many of his main ideas are set in a dystopian future, in which totalitarian governments control every aspect of private and public behavior, maintaining their power with political and forceful tactics such as widespread surveillance, state controlled media, etc. Freedom is out of the question, and the idea of terrorism can be placed onto any individual regardless of age, etc.

Vocal range

Often quoted as a tenor, Matt Bellamy's complete vocal range spans from G♯2 to C♯6, covering approximately 3½ octaves.

Bellamy is known for singing in a high falsetto, even in popular songs like Plug In Baby, Time Is Running Out, and Knights of Cydonia. His studio recordings generally top out at G♯5, in Showbiz, Micro Cuts, and more recently, Survival. Though he does reach A5s in Dead Star and Hyper Music, they are placed in the background and difficult to hear. During live performances however, he often extends beyond A5, particularly in earlier performances. During Agitated [2] at the Belfast Ulster Hall gig in 2015, at 6:18, he hits C♯6, four semitones above A5.

He frequently belts long A4s in studio recordings, such as City of Delusion, Cave, Sing for Absolution and House of the Rising Sun. For the first five albums, he would occasionally reach B♭4 in songs like Feeling Good, Unnatural Selection and Futurism. The release of The 2nd Law saw Matt hitting several B♭4s, on songs Survival, Explorers, twice on Madness, three times on Follow Me, and several times on Big Freeze. He has hit B4 a couple of times during live performances.

Throughout Muse's career, his singing voice has deepened and matured, with improved low-end, sustain and vibrato. The lowest full note he has reached is a G♯2 which he hits at 1:38 in Animals. In an interview with KROQ, August 2010, he displays an F♯2 while impersonating growling vocals. A note that he also hits in Execution Commentary.

According to Howard speaking for an interview around Route du Rock 2001, a doctor once examined Bellamy's vocal cords and commented that they are unusually small, explaining how he managed to reach the high ranges that he does with relatively little practice or training. Bellamy also stated in said interview that he used to, sometime prior to that interview, attempt to sing lower due to being embarrassed about singing using high ranges. He doesn't anymore, however, as he has lost that inhibition.

Pre-performance preparation

Bellamy uses an electric foot massager to prepare before shows. As well as treating nervousness, this helps him in regards to jet lag.

He has also said that bubble baths are his favourite way to "warm up" prior to shows.

It has also been said that Matt "can't play a gig" without eating a banana.

In an interview with NME, he has said that once he gets offstage the first thing he drinks is red wine. According to Bellamy, it's the only alcohol that doesn't make his throat dry and helps with his voice.

Live movement

Bellamy has several live regularities. One of the most prominent is repetitively walking back and forth, though pro-shot videos manage to mask this by changing angle often. Other regularities are song specific, for example in Plug In Baby he spins a few times during the final instrumental section. He has the world record at breaking guitars, he smashed 140 guitars during the Absolution Tour in 2004.

Musicianship Trivia

Bellamy would rather artists not need the media to reach their audience.

Bellamy could "vaguely" read musical scores during the OOS era. We can see him looking at a score in the Making of United States of Eurasia, making a funny face though. It's presumed he still isn't keen on reading sheet music as David Campbell is credited as a transcriptor on both The 2nd Law and Simulation Theory.

The first song that Bellamy learned to play was the theme tune to Dallas. His brother held him in front of their television, then held him in front of their piano and made Matthew work it out with one finger. His brother showed this off to his friends.

Solo work

In 2019, almost 10 years after Matt's first solo song was released and used in the credits of The International, Matt released Pray. As of 2020, Bellamy focused greatly on his solo work, releasing his original work (including segway pieces used during the Simulation Theory Tour and later during the Simulation Theory Film), an acoustic cover of Unintended and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's Bridge Over Troubled Water.

Bellamy (or his management) started his own YouTube channel and a website.

Work with other musical acts

Coldplay's song Politik, from their album A Rush of Blood to the Head was produced with some of his piano help.
Matt, alongside Muse, also wrote and arranged Adam Lambert's song Soaked.

In May of 2014, it was revealed that Matt worked with New Zealand indie pop recording artist Kimbra (known for collaborating with Gotye) on her new album The Golden Echo, alongside members of Queens of the Stone Age and Foster the People. He played guitar her song 90s Music, released in May. The song features Matt Bellamy on guitar. It can be heard here.

Additional information

Family

Bellamy's father is George Bellamy, former rhythm guitarist of The Tornadoes. Bellamy's mother is Marylin Bellamy, who left Ireland for England during the 1970s.

George Bellamy's brother was shot and killed in Northern Ireland some time during the 1960s or 1970s under suspicious circumstances. He was a soldier of the British Army, but the IRA never owned up to his death (as they usually did) and no conclusion was ever came to. Rumors were abound that he was a member of the SAS, and the suspicion surrounding his death was one of the factors leading to Matt's 'obsession' with conspiracy theories.

He has an older brother called Paul, who bought Hulk comics during their childhood. Matthew came to like The Incredible Hulk as a result, but he never bought any of the comics - he took them from Paul.

Bellamy's fiancee Kate Hudson, an American actress, gave birth to his first child, a boy named Bingham "Bing" Hawn Bellamy on 9th July 2011. Bellamy started dating actress Kate Hudson in Spring 2010. Hudson announced she was pregnant in January 2011. on April 27th, 2011, they announced they became engaged the prior week. She also has a son named Ryder with her ex-husband, the Black Crows singer, Chris Robinson. On the 10th December 2014 it was announced by Kate Hudson's publicist that Matt and Kate have called off their engagement. They plan to co-parent Bing and are said to be continuing to be great Friends.

On August 10, 2019, Matt married his long-time girlfriend Elle Evans. In February 2020, the couple announced a baby girl coming at the end of May 2020. Lovella Dawn Bellamy was born on June 7th, 2020.

Religion

Bellamy has shown signs of atheism: "Being an atheist means you have to realize that when you die, that really is it. You've got to make the most of what you've got here and spread as much influence as you can. I believe that you only live through the influence that you spread, whether that means having a kid or making music".[source?]

In 2000 Bellamy stated that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was "extremely cool" to have been able to deceive people into believing she remained a virgin after conceiving.

Bellamy has also stated that God will never be cool due to Satan introducing rock 'n' roll first. He said that "all those cloaks and everything" are "not a good look".

At Pinkpop 2004, Bellamy said in an interview that he hadn't anything against religion, he just didn't have one. He said that his dedication to music might serve as a replacement to religion.

Bellamy also stated in a 2007 interview that one of the weirdest gifts fans have sent him is the Holy Bible.

In a session where Matt and Dom answered questions from fans, Bellamy stated that the celebrity alive or dead he'd most like to meet is Jesus Christ (Dom answered Jimi Hendrix for this question). Matt: I'd like to meet Jesus Christ. Eh just because I'd be interested to know how he did it all. You know what I mean? You know... making fish out of bushes and stuff. Walking on water. I'd like to meet someone who can do that. I think that'd be uh, certainly one of the most interesting people to meet I'd say.[source?]

However, more recently Bellamy has shown signs of being an Agnostic or a Deist. In an interview with a Rock Music channel in France (2006), Bellamy states, "I believe in the God of the universe, definitely." In addition, he revealed in a 2007 video inverview that, "I don't believe in heaven or hell, I don't really believe in that version" [watch]. Bellamy's beliefs are therefore probably closer to the philosophical concept of "The Absolute" as opposed to the structures of organized religions.

Miscellany

Bellamy watched Road Runner when he was around 4 years of age. He claims that the way the Road Runner tortured the Coyote constantly without self consequence "got" to him.

Bellamy avoids 'hard' drugs, due to his experience of their effects on those around him. Bellamy moved into a flat with a drug dealer at the age of 18. He described the flat as looking like "a scene from Trainspotting, white powders and mirrors and tin foil everywhere." He did however use mushrooms containing psilocybin "to experience something that's not always on offer. I'm not afraid of seeing something horrible. It's a way of connecting with yourself in a way that you can't normally do."[source?]

During the early years of Muse, Bellamy became involved with some "dodgy" people, with which he stole and sold a Ford Escort for £500. After the owner of the scrap yard from where they stole said Escort threatened to burn Bellamy's house with his family inside it, Bellamy gave the man Muse's tour bus. Bellamy has stated that he'd like to exact revenge on this man by putting him into a car crusher.[source?]

Trivia

• Matt made a twitter account which was first named http://www.twitter.com/muse_MattB which then changed to http://www.twitter.com/Bellamy_Matt and subsequently to http://www.twitter.com/MattBellamy because he thought the first names were "crap". He and Chris urged Dom to make one and so he did, even though Tom Kirk was probably responsible for that.

• Bellamy uses Manson Guitars built and customized by Hugh Manson and Tim Stark.

• When asked, Bellamy once gave this advice on orgies: "It's very easy. Novelty items. It's so easy. All you need is masks or hats. Soon as people put on silly hats, they loosen up a little bit. Then you need a couple of friends who are very close to each other. Then people start bundling to each other and it just goes from there. It's as simple as that. Just bundling, tickling and novelty items."

• Bellamy shared a flat in London with Tom Kirk and Howard up until as recently as 2002.[source?]

• Bellamy is able to tickle himself.

• Bellamy contributed a page to the original website at http://www.muse-official.com (now defunct) titled "Matt's Rambling Page" (which also linked to his email address, qua@aol.com). The first incarnation of the website was ruined when Matt accidentally deleted the directory in which the website was stored when trying to learn HTML.[source?]

• Bellamy occasionally posted on the old incarnation of the official site messageboard, more often than not on sexually themed threads.[source?]

• Bellamy is able to say the alphabet backwards- ZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA. He has been made to repeat this party trick on several occasions (most recently in an interview with Zane Lowe following the release of BHAR in 2006).[source?]

• Bellamy wishes that the gravity on Earth were weaker so that spiders would die.

• He is 5' 7" (1.73 m)

• He has shoe size 8 UK and 9 US.

• Bellamy told one interviewer that he lost his virginity at Reading Festival when he was about 15 or 16. The interview can be seen here.

• Matt would like to play a gig in the middle of Pleiades (the constellation, also known as the "seven sisters"), the star system which - according to one of his favourite conspiracy theories - aligns with the Egyptian and Cydonian pyramid systems.

• Bellamy hates Marmite with a passion. Unlike Chris and Dom, who love it.

• Matt used to live in Moltrasio, Italy. He now lives in North London.

• Matt can make a whole pasta dish from scratch.

• When on a break at Chateau Miraval, Matt and Dom began to get a slight phobia of insects so they bought one of those rockets that you build from a kit with a camera on and fired it off with a Praying Mantis attached. When asked about it he said: "We expanded his mind and universe. It was probably a bit like going on holiday for him."

• Matt appears to be a dog person. He mentioned having a dog in a 2010. He has an australian shepherd named Hazelnut (who co-starred in the music video for Tomorrow's World with his wife Elle and he fostered puppies during the 2020 quarantine.

• Insects are attracted to his bum and he sweats in there. Footage here

• Around the time of 2002, Matt owned a black Lotus Elite sports car. This was the first car he bought from his own money. Previous to this he'd steal his Mom's.

• According to Matt's Ex Fianncé, Kate Hudson, Matt drinks PG Tips tea.

• Matt has a Wine collection.

• Matt once 'stole' a double bass from a school he attended to get lessons. Revealed in the Gonzo 2003 interview which can be found here.

• In the Showbiz Tour Matt bought a Go-Ped.

• His favorite car is the 1962 blue Ford Thunderbird, third generation of this famous american car.

• Matt was not originally intended to be the vocalist of Muse, as the band were originally looking for a fourth member to sing. As Dom recalls, Matt came about becoming the vocalist after he "belted out" his voice at one of their very early gigs.

• Matt has two cats, which are named "Kim" and "Kanye" because Kanye West once came backstage after a gig and only wanted to talk about their t-shirts.

• Matt owns Jeff Buckley's guitar.

• Bellamy's channeling his inner Paul McCartney in a tribute band, doubling as a supergroup (with artists such as Graham Coxon of Blur and Miles Kane), that was created at Dom's birthday party in 2017: The Jaded Hearts Club Band.

Previous Jobs

• Caravan cleaner
• Painter and decorator - with his mate Jake.

Actual Jobs

• Rockstar
• Shepherd
• Wine Seller (along with Kate Hudson)

Fun Facts

• 

  Matt Bellamy Love Interests

• 

  Matt Bellamy's Sheep

• 

  Hudson Bellamy Wines

• 

  Dax Wax

• 

  Red wine

• 

  Vein Drawing Fetish

• 

  Red and Black Fetish

• 

  Carrot eating

• 

  Italian Fetish

• 

  Socks Fetish

• 

  Gothic Looking Women Fetish

• 

  Matt's Sex Face

• 

  Silly Jetpacks

• 

  Bellamy's fish

• 

  Dressing Up

• 

  Matt's Seal Of Approval

• 

  Injuries

• 

  Bellamy lookalikes

• 

  Bellamy's feet smell

• 

  Bellamy's white cones

• 

  Qua@aol.com

• 

  The Shuffle Dance

• 

  Bellamy likes Twin Peaks

• 

  Hey you crazy kids

• 

  Bellamy likes trees

• 

  Self doubt and syphilis

• 

  Matt's Cool Jacket

• 

  Matthew and his Beliefs about Aliens

• 

  Matt likes Adventure Time

• 

  Matt loves Monty Python

• 

  Matt Bellamy's Irish Stalker

• Bellamy's posts
• Floccinaucinihilipilification
• Alphabet backwards

Words/phrases he overuses

• Get a Grip
• Easy Tiger
• Monty Python
• Cheers
• Next song is called Starlight (in different languages)
• Pwoper
• Merci Beaucoup ("Thank you very much" in french)
• Vibe
• You know...
• Lost/Lose the plot
• I think
• It's tough out there
• 1984
• Put your hands in the hair!

See also

• Becky Pale
• Twitter account
• Instagram account
• YouTube channel

Go back to Muse