Difference between revisions of "Matthew Bellamy"

MuseWiki, wiki for the band Muse
Jump to navigation Jump to search
m (this wasn't updated in two years lmao)
 
(132 intermediate revisions by 46 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[File:MattSign.jpg|thumb|right|Matthew Bellamy]]
[[File:MattSign.jpg | thumb | right | Matthew Bellamy]]
<div style="float:right">
{{#widget:MattTwitter}}
</div>
{{MuseMember
{{MuseMember
|Name=Matthew James Bellamy  
| Name = Matthew James Bellamy
|Born=9th June 1978
| Born = 9{{supo|th}} June 1978 (Age 46)
|Hometown=Cambridge, UK
| Hometown = Cambridge, UK
|Plays=[[Guitars|Guitar]], [[Keyboards|piano]], [[Vocals|lead vocals]],and himself
| Plays = [[Guitars|Guitar]], [[Keyboards|piano]], bass, [[Vocals|lead vocals]], himself and your world
|Band members=[[Christopher Wolstenholme]], [[Dominic Howard]]
| Band members = [[Christopher Wolstenholme]], [[Dominic Howard]]
|Associated acts=[[Carnage Mayhem]], [[Gothic Plague]], [[Rocket Baby Dolls]] and [[Muse band|Muse]]
| 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.{{cite/none}}  At the age of 13 Matthew’s parents got divorced.{{cite/none}}  "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."{{cite/none}}


==Childhood==
Bellamy's first<ref name="nme20000202">{{cite/NME 2000-02-02}}</ref> memory is of breaking an expensive family heirloom<ref name="mm199912">{{cite/Melody Maker 1999-12}}</ref> - a large mirror<ref name="mm199912"/> - 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.<ref name="nme20000202"/>  This occurred in the year previous to the one during which his parents split up.<ref name="mm199912"/> In December 1999, he claimed this was his most guilt-ridden memory.<ref name="mm199912"/>
Matthew Bellamy was born in Cambridge on the 9th June 1978 and moved to [[Devon]] with his family at aged 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.<ref name="nocite">{{nocite}}</ref> At the age of 13 Matthew’s parents got divorced.<ref name="nocite"/> "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 grand mother, 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."<ref name="nocite"/>


Matthew started playing piano at 6, but the absence of his parents turned him towards the guitar when he was 14.<ref name="nocite"/> 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".<ref name="nocite"/>
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 setting his guitar on fire, he decided he wanted to buy a guitar, which he asked from his grandmother.{{cite/none}} 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".{{cite/none}}


Bellamy's first<ref name="nme20000202">{{cite/NME 2000-02-02}}</ref> memory is of breaking an expensive family heirloom<ref name="mm199912">{{cite/melodymaker199912}}</ref> - a large mirror<ref name="mm199912"/> - 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.<ref name="nme20000202"/> This occurred in the year previous to the one during which his parents split up.<ref name="mm199912"/> In December 1999, he claimed this was his most guilt-ridden memory.<ref name="mm199912"/>
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.<ref>{{cite |
 
title=Chris Moyles meets Muse | desc= Interview with Matthew Bellamy and Dominic Howard | date=2018-03-19 | fetch=2018-07-19 | pub=Radio X | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Shlpn_gJDlE | type=ext
==Music==
}}</ref>
===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 (song)|Supermassive Black Hole]]," "[[Knights of Cydonia (song)|Knights of Cydonia]]," "[[Ruled by Secrecy (song)|Ruled by Secrecy]]," "[[Micro Cuts (song)|Micro Cuts]]," and "[[Showbiz (song)|Showbiz]]," among others), arpeggiations ("[[Take a Bow (song)|Take a Bow]]," "[[Starlight (song)|Starlight]]," "[[Butterflies and Hurricanes (song)|Butterflies and Hurricanes]]," "[[Ruled by Secrecy (song)|Ruled by Secrecy]]," "[[New Born (song)|New Born]]," and "[[Bliss (song)|Bliss]]," among others), and large or octave jumps in melody lines ("[[Map of the Problematique (song)|Map of the Problematique]]," "[[Stockholm Syndrome (song)|Stockholm Syndrome]]," "[[Butterflies and Hurricanes (song)|Butterflies and Hurricanes]]," and "[[Citizen Erased (song)|Citizen Erased]]," among others).  Some songs (most notably older ones) express a more esoteric side in terms of guitar riffs and vocals ("[[Execution Commentary (song)|Execution Commentary]]," "[[Agitated (song)|Agitated]]," "[[Ashamed (song)|Ashamed]]," and "[[Yes Please (song)|Yes Please]]," among others). He also seems to clearly pronounce the hard consonant sound "n" at the beginnings of some phrases when he sings. This has commonly been interpreted as the word "and".


===Lyrics===
== Musicianship ==
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 Orwells '1984' (for 'Resistance'), among other subjects.
=== Style ===
Many of his main ideas are set in a dystopian future, in which totalitarian governments control every aspect of private and public behaviour, 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.
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 (song)|Supermassive Black Hole]]," "[[Knights of Cydonia (song)|Knights of Cydonia]]," "[[Ruled by Secrecy (song)|Ruled by Secrecy]]," "[[Micro Cuts (song)|Micro Cuts]]," and "[[Showbiz (song)|Showbiz]]," among others), arpeggiations ("[[Take a Bow (song)|Take a Bow]]," "[[Starlight (song)|Starlight]]," "[[Butterflies & Hurricanes (song)|Butterflies & Hurricanes]]," "[[Ruled by Secrecy (song)|Ruled by Secrecy]]," "[[New Born (song)|New Born]]," "[[Bliss (song)|Bliss]]," "[[Space Dementia (song)|Space Dementia]]" and "[[Blockades (song)|Blockades]]" among others), and large or octave jumps in melody lines ("[[Map of the Problematique (song)|Map of the Problematique]]," "[[Stockholm Syndrome (song)|Stockholm Syndrome]]," "[[Butterflies & Hurricanes (song)|Butterflies & Hurricanes]]," "[[Citizen Erased (song)|Citizen Erased]]," "[[The Dark Side (song)|The Dark Side]]", and "[[Pressure (song)|, Pressure]]" among others). Some songs (most notably older ones) express a more esoteric side in terms of guitar riffs and vocals ("[[Execution Commentary (song)|Execution Commentary]]," "[[Agitated (song)|Agitated]]," "[[Ashamed (song)|Ashamed]]," "[[Yes Please (song)|Yes Please]]," and "[[Break It to Me (song)|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".


===Vocal range===
=== Lyrics ===
Bellamy's displayed vocal range in the modal register spans two octaves and one note, from A2 to B♭4, and spans to A5 with falsetto, totaling three octaves.
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.


Matt's early vocals were predominantly falsetto-heavy, with very high notes being part of melodies in the [[Showbiz (album)|Showbiz]] and [[Origin of Symmetry (album)|Origin of Symmetry]] eras. With the release of [[Absolution (album)|Absolution]], and later [[Black Holes and Revelations (album)|Black Holes & Revelations]], falsetto became used as more of an effect, with the majority of vocals being in the modal register. [[The Resistance (album)|The Resistance]] furthered this shift, where falsetto is mostly delegated to backing vocals.
=== Vocal range ===
Often quoted as a tenor, Matt Bellamy's complete vocal range spans from D2 to C♯6, covering approximately 3 octaves and 11 Semitones.


The lowest full note he has reached is A2 in [[Spiral Static (song)|Spiral Static]] at 2:24. During live performances of [[United States of Eurasia (song)|United States of Eurasia]], he reaches B♭2 during the piano interlude.
Bellamy is known for singing in a high falsetto, even in popular songs like [[Plug In Baby (song)|Plug In Baby]], [[Time Is Running Out (song)|Time Is Running Out]], and [[Knights of Cydonia (song)|Knights of Cydonia]]. His studio recordings generally top out at G♯5, in [[Showbiz (song)|Showbiz]], [[Micro Cuts (song)|Micro Cuts]], and more recently, [[Survival (song)|Survival]]. He does reach A5s in [[We Are Fucking Fucked (song)|We Are Fucking Fucked]] and a screamed one in [[Hyper Music (song)|Hyper Music]], but 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 (song)|Agitated]] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q51wlZSgN7g] at the [[Belfast Ulster Hall 2015 (gig)|Belfast Ulster Hall gig in 2015]], at 6:18, he hits C♯6, four semitones above A5.


The highest note he has belted is B♭4. He hits this note at 2:08 in [[Feeling Good (song)|Feeling Good]], at 5:52 in [[Unnatural Selection (song)|Unnatural Selection]], and several times throughout [[Futurism (song)|Futurism]]. He more commonly hits A4 in songs like [[City of Delusion (song)|City of Delusion]], [[Cave (song)|Cave]], [[House of the Rising Sun (song)|House of the Rising Sun]], [[Sing for Absolution (song)|Sing for Absolution]], [[Exo-Politics (song)|Exo-Politics]], and [[Hyper Music (song)|Hyper Music]].
He frequently belts long A4s in studio recordings, such as [[City of Delusion (song)|City of Delusion]], [[Cave (song)|Cave]], [[Sing for Absolution (song)|Sing for Absolution]] and [[House of the Rising Sun (song)|House of the Rising Sun]]. For the first five albums, he would occasionally reach B♭4 in songs like [[Feeling Good (song)|Feeling Good]], [[Unnatural Selection (song)|Unnatural Selection]] and [[Futurism (song)|Futurism]]. The release of [[The 2nd Law (album)|The 2nd Law]] saw Matt hitting several B♭4s, on songs [[Survival (song)|Survival]], [[Explorers (song)|Explorers]], twice on [[Madness (song)|Madness]], three times on [[Follow Me (song)|Follow Me]], and several times on [[Big Freeze (song)|Big Freeze]]. He has hit B4 a couple of times during live performances.


The highest recorded studio note he has hit is G♯5 in [[Showbiz (song)|Showbiz]] at 4:48, and A♭5 (the same note as G♯5) in [[Micro Cuts (song)|Micro Cuts]] at 2:57. Occasionally he has hit A5 during live performances of [[Showbiz (song)|Showbiz]], an example being at the [[Wiesen Festivalgelände 2000 (gig) | Two Days a Week Festival in Wiesen, Austria]]. Arguably his highest live note is during [[Agitated (song)|Agitated]] at the [[Paris MCM Café 1999 (gig)|MCM Café in 1999]], about 10 seconds after the first chorus, where he approaches C♯6.
Throughout Muse's career, his singing voice has deepened and matured, with improved low-end, sustain and vibrato. The lowest studio note he has reached is a G♯2 which he hits at 1:38 in [[Animals (song)|Animals]]. In an interview on Jonesey's Jukebox in 2017, Matt hits a D2 while singing the riff to Heartbreaker by [[Led Zeppelin]].


Whilst this is not out of the range of a male singer with due practice, Bellamy managed to reach these highs without the amount practice usually required, and before he developed his breathing technique. According to [[Dominic Howard|Howard]] speaking for an interview around [[Saint-Malo Fort de Saint-Père 2001 (gig)|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.<ref>[http://youtube.com/watch?v=-5sbGANaROA Route du Rock interview 2001]</ref>
According to [[Dominic Howard|Howard]] speaking for an interview around [[Saint-Malo Fort de Saint-Père 2001 (gig)|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.<ref>[http://youtube.com/watch?v=-5sbGANaROA Route du Rock interview 2001]</ref>


===Pre-performance preparation===
=== 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.<ref>{{cite/ninemsn 2007-02}}</ref>  
Bellamy uses an electric foot massager to prepare before shows. As well as treating nervousness, this helps him in regards to jet lag.<ref>{{cite/ninemsn 2007-02}}</ref>


He has also said that bubble baths are his favourite way to "warm up" prior to shows. <ref>BBC Radio 1 Podcast, December 2006</ref>
He has also said that bubble baths are his favourite way to "warm up" prior to shows. <ref>BBC Radio 1 Podcast, December 2006</ref>
Line 47: Line 51:
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. <ref>[Interview (NME Feature, 08/13/2008)]</ref>
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. <ref>[Interview (NME Feature, 08/13/2008)]</ref>


===Live action<!--better title needed :P-->===
=== Live movement<!--better title needed :P--> ===
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. Matt has the world record at breaking guitars, he smashed 140 guitars at the Absolution tour 2004.
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.
 
=== Musicianship Trivia ===


===Miscellany===
Bellamy would rather artists not need the media to reach their audience.<ref name="nme20000202"/>
Bellamy would rather artists not need the media to reach their audience.<ref name="nme20000202"/>


Bellamy can "vaguely" read musical scores.<ref name="nme20000202"/>
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.<ref name="nme20000202"/>


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.<ref name="nme20010616">[[The fan-ish inquisition:Muse (20010616 NME feature)|NME 20010616]]</ref>
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.<ref name="nme20010616">[[The fan-ish inquisition:Muse (20010616 NME feature)|NME 20010616]]</ref>


==Additional information==
== Solo work ==
===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 1970's.  
In 2019, almost 10 years after Matt's first solo song was released and used in the credits of The International, Matt released [[Pray (Matthew Bellamy song)|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 (live)|Simulation Theory Film]]), an acoustic cover of [[Unintended (song)|Unintended]] and a cover of Simon & Garfunkel's [[Bridge Over Troubled Water (Matthew Bellamy song)|Bridge Over Troubled Water]].
 
Bellamy (or his management) started [https://www.youtube.com/c/MattBellamyOfficial/videos his own YouTube channel] and [https://mattbellamy.com/ 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.
<br>
Matt, alongside Muse, also wrote and arranged [[Adam Lambert]]'s song [[Soaked (song)|Soaked]].
<p>
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 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0yi8D15r7o  here].  
<br>


George Bellamy's brother was shot and killed in Northern Ireland some time during the 1960's or 1970's 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. Rumours 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.
== 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.


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.<ref name="nme20000729"/> 
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.


Bellamy's fiancée [[Kate Hudson]], an American actress, gave birth to his first child, a boy named Bingham "Bing" Hawn Bellamy on July 9, 2011.
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.<ref name="nme20000729"/>


===Religion===
Matt began dating [[Kate Hudson]], an American actress, in 2010 and in April 2011, the couple became engaged. Kate birth to their child, Bingham "Bing" Hawn Bellamy, on 9 July 2011. She also has a son named Ryder with her ex-husband, the Black Crows singer, Chris Robinson. On 10 December 2014, the couple announced they had ended their engagement, but are said to be on good terms and continue to co-parent Bing.<ref>http://"www.people.com/article/kate-hudson-matt-bellamy-split-end-engagement"</ref>
Bellamy has shown signs of atheism: "Being an atheist means you have to realise 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".<ref name="nocite"/>


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.<ref name="mm20000615">[[8th Coolest Person in Rock (20000615 Melody Maker article)|Melody Maker 20000615]]</ref>
Matt began dating [[Elle Evans]] in Feburary 2015. They became engaged in December 2017 and married on 10 August 2019. In February 2020, the couple announced they were expecting their first child together. Their daughter, Lovella Dawn Bellamy, was born on June 7th, 2020.<ref>https://www.instagram.com/p/CBYee9-D1Yv/</ref> In May 2024, Elle gave birth to their second child, George Julian-Wade Bellamy.


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" is "not a good look".<ref name="mm20000615"/>
=== 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".{{cite/none}}


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.<ref name="nocite"/>
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.<ref name="mm20000615">{{cite/Melody Maker 2000-06-15}}</ref>


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" {{YT|Nje70tnlq10}}. Bellamy's beliefs are therefore probably closer to the philosophical concept of "The Absolute" as opposed to the structures of organized religions.
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".<ref name="mm20000615"/>


===Miscellany===
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 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.<ref name="nme20000729">
 
{{cite
Bellamy also stated in a 2007 interview that one of the weirdest gifts fans have sent him is the Holy Bible.
|title=Heroes and villains
 
|date=2000-07-29
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.{{cite/none}}
|pub=NME magazine
 
|doc=Heroes and villains (20000729 NME article)
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" {{YTw |Nje70tnlq10}}.  Bellamy's beliefs are therefore probably closer to the philosophical concept of "The Absolute" as opposed to the structures of organized religions.
|type=int
 
=== 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.<ref name="nme20000729">
{{cite |
title=Heroes and villains | date=2000-07-29 | pub=NME magazine | doc=Heroes and villains (20000729 NME article) | type=int
}}</ref>
}}</ref>


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."<ref name="k20020622">{{cite/Kerrang 2002-06-22}}</ref>
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."<ref name="k20020622">{{cite/Kerrang 2002-06-22}}</ref> He did however use [[Magic Mushrooms|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."{{cite/none}}
He did however use [[Magic Mushrooms|mushrooms]] containing psilocybin "to experience something thats 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."<ref name="nocite"/>


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.{{fact}}
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.{{cite/none}}


==Trivia==
== Trivia ==
* Matt recently made a twitter account which was first named http://www.twitter.com/muse_MattB then was changed http://www.twitter.com/Bellamy_Matt and subsequently to http://www.twitter.com/MattBellamy because he thought the first name was "Crap" he and [[Chris]] urged [[Dom]] to make one and so he did, even though [[Tom Kirk]] was probably responsible for that.
 
* 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.
* 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."<ref name="nme20010616">[[The fan-ish inquisition:Muse (20010616 NME feature)|NME 20010616]]</ref>
* 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."<ref name="nme20010616">[[The fan-ish inquisition:Muse (20010616 NME feature)|NME 20010616]]</ref>


*Bellamy shared a flat in London with [[Tom Kirk]] and [[Dominic Howard|Howard]] up until as recently as 2002.<ref name="nocite"/>
* Bellamy shared a flat in London with [[Tom Kirk]] and [[Dominic Howard|Howard]] up until as recently as 2002.{{cite/none}}


*Bellamy is able to tickle himself.
*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.<ref name="nocite"/>
* 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.{{cite/none}}


*Bellamy occasionally posted on the old incarnation of the official site messageboard, more often than not on sexually themed threads.<ref name="nocite"/>
* Bellamy occasionally posted on the old incarnation of the official site messageboard, more often than not on sexually themed threads.{{cite/none}}


*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).<ref name="nocite"/>
* 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).{{cite/none}}


*Bellamy wishes that the gravity on Earth were weaker so that [[Matthew Bellamy's arachnophobia|spiders]] would die.<ref name="nme20000729"/>
* Bellamy wishes that the gravity on Earth were weaker so that [[Matthew Bellamy's arachnophobia|spiders]] would die.<ref name="nme20000729"/>


*He is 5' 7" (1.73 m)
* He is 5' 7" (1.73 m)


*Bellamy told one interviewer that he lost his virginity at [[Reading Little John's Farm 2000 (gig)|Reading Festival]] when he was about 15 or 16. The interview can be seen [http://youtube.com/watch?v=BGsLZY9Qy5E here].
* He has shoe size 8 UK and 9 US. <ref>From twitter: https://twitter.com/MattBellamy/status/311727587179241472</ref>


*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 told one interviewer that he lost his virginity at [[Reading Little John's Farm 2000 (gig)|Reading Festival]] when he was about 15 or 16. The interview can be seen [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J_mT1Rzrhs here].


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


*Matt used to live in [[Moltrasio]], Italy. He now lives in hotels.
* Bellamy hates Marmite with a passion. Unlike Chris and Dom, who love it.


*Matt can make a whole pasta dish from scratch. <ref name="vr20080218">{{cite/Virgin Radio 2008-02-18}}</ref>
* Matt used to live in [[Moltrasio]], Italy. He now lives in North London.


*When on a break at Chateau Miraval, Matt and Dom began to get a slight phobia of the 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 attatched. When asked about it he said: "we expanded his mind and universe. It was probably a bit like going on holiday for him."
* Matt can make a whole pasta dish from scratch. <ref name="vr20080218">{{cite/Virgin Radio 2008-02-18}}</ref>


*Matt has a dog <ref>{{cite|
* 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."
title=Dom & Matt "Speed Date Interview"|
 
desc= Interview with Matthew Bellamy and Dominic Howard|
* Matt appears to be a dog person. He mentioned having a dog in a 2010. <ref>{{cite |
date=2010|
title=Dom & Matt "Speed Date Interview" | desc= Interview with Matthew Bellamy and Dominic Howard | date=2010 | fetch=2010-11-14 | pub=Speed Date Interview | url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmC-jphF2Is | type=ext
fetch=2010-11-14|
}}</ref> He  has an australian shepherd named Hazelnut (who co-starred in the music video for [[Tomorrow's World (song)|Tomorrow's World]] with his wife Elle and he fostered puppies during the 2020 quarantine.
pub=Speed Date Interview|
url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmC-jphF2Is&feature=related|
type=ext
}}</ref>


*Insects are attracted to his bum and he sweats in there. Footage [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6WcdN2JEpY here]
* Insects are attracted to his bum and he sweats in there. Footage [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6WcdN2JEpY 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 Mums.
* 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 Matts Fiancée, [[Kate Hudson]], Matt drinks PG tips tea.
* According to Matt's Ex Fianncé, [[Kate Hudson]], Matt drinks PG Tips tea.


* Matt has a Wine collection.
* Matt has a Wine collection.


* Matt once 'stole' a double bass from a school he attended to get lessons. Revelead in the Gonzo 2003 interview which can be found [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWHOc_Db2kE&feature=related here.]
* Matt once 'stole' a double bass from a school he attended to get lessons. Revealed in the Gonzo 2003 interview which can be found [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWHOc_Db2kE here.]


==Previous jobs==
* In the Showbiz Tour Matt bought a [[Go-Ped]].
*Caravan cleaner<ref name="nocite"/>
 
*Painter and decorator - with his mate Jake.<ref name="nocite"/>
* 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 [[Fender '83 "Jeff Buckley" Telecaster|Jeff Buckley's guitar]]. The guitar was put to good use and appeared on both his solo work, as well as Muse's [[Will of the People (album)|latest album]].
 
* 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|The Jaded Hearts Club Band]]
 
* Matt was a [[Lady Gaga]] fan since the mid 2000s, knowing she'd become massive. When talking to her back in 2007, she said "Oh yeah, I know Muse. Rock, that's gonna be a tough genre."<ref>https://youtu.be/AMvtyphl9rA?t=1743</ref>
 
* In 2000, Muse flew a propeller plane to recieve their NME award, provided by their record label. As it was going down the runway, one of the engines blew up. Ever since then, Bellamy is anxious about flying.
 
* Matt has often been cited as holding the world record for smashed guitars, even officially listed at one time by the Guinness World Records. However, this seems to have developed from a myth of unknown origin. Matt never received an official award for this and Guinness’ metrics for the record have been inconsistent, first being cited as being counted on the Origin Of Symmetry tour before later changing to the Absolution Tour, specifically the year of 2004. The most common listing for the record was 140 smashed guitars during the Absolution Tour in 2004. However, this is impossible, as the band only performed 137 times in 2004 (including radio/TV/promo performances) and Matt’s guitar rack consisted almost entirely of a small handful of custom Manson guitars. Guinness have since removed the record from their listings and have not reported it since a tweet in 2012. <ref> https://twitter.com/gwr/status/250241247502036993?s=46&t=GAuxjzk4hR1H8UPXQ2bWZg</ref>
 
== Previous Jobs ==
 
* Caravan cleaner<ref>X-Ray Magazine - The hates and occasional loves of Muse's Matt Bellamy. August/2003</ref>
* Painter and decorator - with his mate Jake.<ref name="k20020622"/>
 
== Actual Jobs ==
 
* Rockstar
* Shepherd
* Wine Seller (along with Kate Hudson)
 
== Fun Facts ==


<gallery>
<gallery>
File:DaxWax.jpg|[[Dax Wax]]
File:Kate hudson matthew bellamy double date 05.jpeg | [[Matt Bellamy Love Interests]]
File:MattAndWine.jpg|[[Red wine]]
File:Matt with Sheep Guitar.jpeg | [[Matt Bellamy's Sheep]]
File:Mattsveins.jpg|[[Vein Drawing Fetish]]
File:Hudsonbellamywinee.jpg | [[Hudson Bellamy Wines]]
File:MattRedBlack.jpg|[[Red and Black Fetish]]
File:DaxWax.jpg | [[Dax Wax]]
File:Carrot.jpg|[[Carrot eating]]
File:MattAndWine.jpg | [[Red wine]]
File:Spagnola.jpg|[[Italian Fetish]]
File:Mattsveins.jpg | [[Vein Drawing Fetish]]
File:WhiteSocks.jpg|[[Socks Fetish]]
File:MattRedBlack.jpg | [[Red and Black Fetish]]
File:Cure.jpg|[[Gothic Looking Women Fetish]]
File:Carrot.jpg | [[Carrot eating]]
File:MSF1.jpg|[[Matt's Sex Face]]
File:Spagnola.jpg | [[Italian Fetish]]
File:WhiteSocks.jpg | [[Socks Fetish]]
File:Cure.jpg | [[Gothic Looking Women Fetish]]
File:MSF1.jpg | [[Matt's Sex Face]]
File:MattsPlanks.jpg[[Manson Guitar]]
File:MattsPlanks.jpg[[Manson Guitar]]
File:JetPack.jpg|[[Paramotor |Silly Jetpacks]]
File:JetPack.jpg | [[Paramotor |Silly Jetpacks]]
File:TropicalFish.jpg|[[Bellamy's fish]]
File:TropicalFish.jpg | [[Bellamy's fish]]
File:Spider.jpg|[[Matthew Bellamy's arachnophobia]]
[[Matthew Bellamy's arachnophobia]]
File:MattDressUp.jpg|[[Dressing Up]]
File:MattDressUp.jpg | [[Dressing Up]]
File:MattsSealOfApproval.jpg|[[Matt's Seal Of Approval]]
File:MattsSealOfApproval.jpg | [[Matt's Seal Of Approval]]
File:Atlanta 2004-04-09 – Matthew Bellamy bleeding.jpg | [[Matthew Bellamy's injuries | Injuries]]
File:Atlanta 2004-04-09 – Matthew Bellamy bleeding.jpg | [[Matthew Bellamy's injuries | Injuries]]
File:SimnoMatt.jpg|[[Bellamy lookalikes]]
File:SimnoMatt.jpg | [[Bellamy lookalikes]]
File:SmellyFeet.jpg|[[Bellamy's feet smell]]
File:SmellyFeet.jpg | [[Bellamy's feet smell]]
File:MattShuffle.jpg[[The Shuffle Dance]]
File:MattShuffle.jpg[[The Shuffle Dance]]
File:White_cones.jpg|[[Bellamy's white cones]]
File:White cones.jpg | [[Bellamy's white cones]]
File:Qua.png|[[Qua@aol.com]]
File:Qua.png|[[Qua@aol.com]]
File:Matt_Shuffle.jpg|[[The Shuffle Dance]]
File:Matt Shuffle.jpg | [[The Shuffle Dance]]
File:Twin Peaks.jpg|[[Bellamy likes Twin Peaks]]
File:Twin Peaks.jpg | [[Bellamy likes Twin Peaks]]
File:Muscle Museum single US CD2.jpg|[[Hey you crazy kids]]
File:Muscle Museum single US CD2.jpg | [[Hey you crazy kids]]
File:Trees.jpg|[[Bellamy likes trees]]
File:Trees.jpg | [[Bellamy likes trees]]
File:Treponema_pallidum.jpg|[[Self doubt and syphilis]]
File:Treponema pallidum.jpg | [[Self doubt and syphilis]]
File:Matts Cool Jacket.png | [[Matt's Cool Jacket]]
File:OctopusTwitter.jpg | [[Matthew and his Beliefs about Aliens]]
File:Adventure Time Main Line-Up.png | [[Adventure Time|Matt likes Adventure Time]]
File:Monty-python-image.jpg  | [[Monty Python|Matt loves Monty Python]]
File:Leprechaun stalker.png | [[Matt Bellamy's Irish Stalker|Matt Bellamy's Irish Stalker]]
</gallery>
* [[Bellamy's posts]]
* [[Floccinaucinihilipilification]]
* [[Alphabet backwards]]


</gallery>
== Words/phrases he overuses ==
*[[Bellamy's posts]]
*[[Floccinaucinihilipilification]]
*[[Alphabet backwards]]


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


==References==
== References ==
<references/>
<references/>


== See also ==
== See also ==
* [https://twitter.com/Bellamy_Matt twitter account]
* [[Becky Pale]]
* [https://twitter.com/MattBellamy Twitter account]
* [https://www.instagram.com/mattbellamy/ Instagram account]
* [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRiqTQpiJTob1PxaxpQ_XCA YouTube channel]


{{Backto | Muse}}
{{Backto | Muse}}

Latest revision as of 01:35, 10 June 2024

Matthew Bellamy

Muse member
Name Matthew James Bellamy
Born 9th June 1978 (Age 46)
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[1] memory is of breaking an expensive family heirloom[2] - a large mirror[2] - 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.[1] This occurred in the year previous to the one during which his parents split up.[2] In December 1999, he claimed this was his most guilt-ridden memory.[2]

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 setting 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.[3]

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 D2 to C♯6, covering approximately 3 octaves and 11 Semitones.

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. He does reach A5s in We Are Fucking Fucked and a screamed one in Hyper Music, but 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 [1] 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 studio note he has reached is a G♯2 which he hits at 1:38 in Animals. In an interview on Jonesey's Jukebox in 2017, Matt hits a D2 while singing the riff to Heartbreaker by Led Zeppelin.

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.[4]

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.[5]

He has also said that bubble baths are his favourite way to "warm up" prior to shows. [6]

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. [7]

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.

Musicianship Trivia

Bellamy would rather artists not need the media to reach their audience.[1]

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.[1]

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.[8]

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.[9]

Matt began dating Kate Hudson, an American actress, in 2010 and in April 2011, the couple became engaged. Kate birth to their child, Bingham "Bing" Hawn Bellamy, on 9 July 2011. She also has a son named Ryder with her ex-husband, the Black Crows singer, Chris Robinson. On 10 December 2014, the couple announced they had ended their engagement, but are said to be on good terms and continue to co-parent Bing.[10]

Matt began dating Elle Evans in Feburary 2015. They became engaged in December 2017 and married on 10 August 2019. In February 2020, the couple announced they were expecting their first child together. Their daughter, Lovella Dawn Bellamy, was born on June 7th, 2020.[11] In May 2024, Elle gave birth to their second child, George Julian-Wade Bellamy.

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.[12]

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".[12]

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.[9]

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."[13] 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

  • 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."[8]
  • 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.[9]
  • He is 5' 7" (1.73 m)
  • He has shoe size 8 UK and 9 US. [14]
  • 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. [15]
  • 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. [16] 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.
  • 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
  • Matt was a Lady Gaga fan since the mid 2000s, knowing she'd become massive. When talking to her back in 2007, she said "Oh yeah, I know Muse. Rock, that's gonna be a tough genre."[17]
  • In 2000, Muse flew a propeller plane to recieve their NME award, provided by their record label. As it was going down the runway, one of the engines blew up. Ever since then, Bellamy is anxious about flying.
  • Matt has often been cited as holding the world record for smashed guitars, even officially listed at one time by the Guinness World Records. However, this seems to have developed from a myth of unknown origin. Matt never received an official award for this and Guinness’ metrics for the record have been inconsistent, first being cited as being counted on the Origin Of Symmetry tour before later changing to the Absolution Tour, specifically the year of 2004. The most common listing for the record was 140 smashed guitars during the Absolution Tour in 2004. However, this is impossible, as the band only performed 137 times in 2004 (including radio/TV/promo performances) and Matt’s guitar rack consisted almost entirely of a small handful of custom Manson guitars. Guinness have since removed the record from their listings and have not reported it since a tweet in 2012. [18]

Previous Jobs

  • Caravan cleaner[19]
  • Painter and decorator - with his mate Jake.[13]

Actual Jobs

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

Fun Facts

Words/phrases he overuses

References

  1. ↑ a b c d Sioban Crogan. (2000-02-02). On the Couch. New Musical Express. Retrieved 2006-11-26. [verify]
  2. ↑ a b c d Robin Bresnark. (1999-12). The Potholey Bible. Melody Maker. Retrieved 2008-02-15 from rocketbabydolls.com. [verify]
  3. ↑ Chris Moyles meets Muse (2018-03-19). Radio X. Retrieved 2018-07-19 from {{{dom}}}.
  4. ↑ Route du Rock interview 2001
  5. ↑ (2007-02). [Interview video]. ninemsn. Retrieved 2007-02-26. [verify]
  6. ↑ BBC Radio 1 Podcast, December 2006
  7. ↑ [Interview (NME Feature, 08/13/2008)]
  8. ↑ a b NME 20010616
  9. ↑ a b c Heroes and villains (2000-07-29). NME magazine. [verify]
  10. ↑ http://"www.people.com/article/kate-hudson-matt-bellamy-split-end-engagement"
  11. ↑ https://www.instagram.com/p/CBYee9-D1Yv/
  12. ↑ a b 8th Coolest person in rock (2000-06-15). Melody Maker. Retrieved 2007-03-21 from rocketbabydolls.com. [verify]
  13. ↑ a b The dark side of Matt Bellamy (2002-06-22). Kerrang, 909, 14. Retrieved 2008-03-11. [verify]
  14. ↑ From twitter: https://twitter.com/MattBellamy/status/311727587179241472
  15. ↑ Ben Jones. (2008-02-18). Most Wanted with Ben Jones. Virgin Radio. Retrieved 2008-02-18 from www.muselive.com. [verify]
  16. ↑ Dom & Matt "Speed Date Interview" (2010). Speed Date Interview. Retrieved 2010-11-14 from {{{dom}}}.
  17. ↑ https://youtu.be/AMvtyphl9rA?t=1743
  18. ↑ https://twitter.com/gwr/status/250241247502036993?s=46&t=GAuxjzk4hR1H8UPXQ2bWZg
  19. ↑ X-Ray Magazine - The hates and occasional loves of Muse's Matt Bellamy. August/2003

See also


Go back to Muse

Retrieved from ‘http://musewiki.org/index.php?title=Matthew_Bellamy&oldid=218818’