Pop Stars' Secret School Sessions (20031030 article)

An article concerning practice sessions in Coombeshead College during 2004, where the Newton Abbot demo was recorded and the band seem to have studied in. These practice sessions seem to have been where at least some of the new songs played in 2004/2005 originated. The publication is unknown - you can help by finding which it was published in.

POP STARS' SECRET SCHOOL SESSIONS

BY COLLEEN SMITH

11:00 - 30 October 2003

Rock supergroup Muse spent a fortnight secretly rehearsing at a South Devon school this summer just before their new album soared to number one around the world, it has been revealed.

The home-grown Teignmouth band chose Coombeshead College, instead of expensive London music studios, because bass guitarist Chris Wolstenholme's wife's baby was due. Chris's wife and family still live in South Devon and their third child, a baby boy, was born while they were rehearsing in Newton Abbot. Secrecy surrounded the fortnight. Even Coombeshead College staff were not told the name of the band which had booked the rehearsal space.

Music studio manager Neil George admitted: "They were being very hush hush about it. I met Chris Wolstenholme and Muse's manager Dennis Smith when they came to check out the studio and I asked them what kind of music they played. They just said 'Rock and roll' and I imagined some sort of 1950s teddy boys.

"Then when they arrived and started unloading all the gear from a great big lorry, I was shocked by how much expensive equipment they had. Then the lads turned up in their expensive cars, they were all driving Jags and I realised who they were."

The rehearsals in the College's drama and music studios were a trip down memory lane for the band's lead singer Matt Bellamy, who is an "old boy" of the school's sixth form.

The college's head of expressive arts Mike Prouse, who taught the future star, admitted: "As part of Matthew's music technology course I had to go along and assess his performance with his band, Muse. At the time they were just a student band. They were very proficient and very keen, but they weren't any different from the other sixth-form bands who go through the college. We've got a few who I would say are just as good at the moment."

He revealed that Muse had made some of their earliest recordings in the Coombeshead studio.

Mr Prouse said student fans of Muse who missed out on a chance to get close to their heroes are upset: "They are all pretty miffed that Muse were here and they didn't know about it. But the whole point was that they were able to keep a low profile. They appreciated the fact that they could come and go as they liked. They didn't want to be hounded."

Shortly after the Newton Abbot rehearsals the band released their new album Absolution which went straight in at Number One on the British and French charts.

The group is now touring Europe's major cities and local fans will have to wait until December 7 to see them at Exeter's Westpoint.

Muse's Totnes-based manager Dennis Smith said Chris Wolstenholme's wife and family had requested no publicity about the birth of their son. He said they had purposely kept the rehearsals quiet.

"We didn't tell anybody, even the studio, that it was Muse booking the studio. We thought that was the best way to keep it quiet, because the boys now have quite a high profile."

"We needed a good space to do some pre-production rehearsals for a live promotional tour around five key cities on the continent.

"The drama studio at Coombeshead had everything we needed."

See also

• Second hand transcription

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