Intro music
These may be included within set-lists by using various templates, which are listed here.
Recordings played back on tape as an introduction, shortly prior to Muse going on stage or sometimes as audio fillers inbetween sets.
What's He Building?
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | What's He Building? |
| Artist | Tom Waits |
| Length | 3:20 |
| Album | Mule Variations (not by Muse) |
| Writer/composer | Tom Waits |
| Appearance | 13th Januray 2000-Unknown ; 11th October 2001-2nd December 2001 ; August 26th 2011 & August 28th, 2011 ; 13th August 2013 ; 2nd July 2016 |
The whole song is originally from Tom Waits, and it described his noisy neighbours he had. The intro was used during the Origin of Symmetry era as a set opener. It's most notable use is on their Hullabaloo gigs and also at their Reading and Leeds gigs.
It was also played as pre-encore song at the infamous Tokyo Zepp Montreux Jazz Festival gigs in 2013 and 2016, before Panic Station.
- Lyrics »
-
What's he building in there?
What the hell is he building In there? He has subscriptions to those Magazines... He never Waves when he goes by He's hiding something from The rest of us... He's all To himself... I think I know Why... He took down the Tire swing from the Peppertree He has no children of his Own you see... He has no dog And he has no friends and His lawn is dying... and What about all those packages He sends. What's he building in there? With that hook light On the stairs. What's he building In there... I'll tell you one thing He's not building a playhouse for The children what's he building In there?
Now what's that sound from under the door? He's pounding nails into a Hardwood floor... and I Swear to god I heard someone Moaning low... and I keep Seeing the blue light of a T.V. show... He has a router And a table saw... and you Won't believe what Mr. Sticha saw There's poison underneath the sink Of course... But there's also Enough formaldehyde to choke A horse... What's he building In there. What the hell is he Building in there? I heard he Has an ex-wife in some place Called Mayors Income, Tennessee And he used to have a consulting business in Indonesia... but what is he building in there? What the hell is building in there?
He has no friends But he gets a lot of mail I'll bet he spent a little Time in jail... I heard he was up on the Roof last night Signaling with a flashlight And what's that tune he's Always whistling... What's he building in there? What's he building in there?
We have a right to know...
Dance of the Knights/Montagues and Capulets
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | Dance of the Knights |
| Artist | Sergei Prokofiev |
| Length | 1:44 |
| Album | H.A.A.R.P. (1) |
| Writer/composer | Sergei Prokofiev |
| Appearance | 16th June 2007 - 13th April 2011 ; 6th March 2016 - 21st June 2016 |
Montagues and Capulets - also known as Dance of the Knights - was used as a playback introduction to Knights of Cydonia during the 2007 stadium leg. It is a classical piece with a predominant string section. You may recognise it as the theme tune to the BBC's The Apprentice. It can be seen here, along with Knights of Cydonia. You can find a live version here. (Flac format, Live at Nimes Arena)
The piece returned as intro music for the European leg of the Drones World Tour (excluding their performances in Paris), where it was used to acompany the arrival of the Drones police right before the show starts (watch)
JFK Speech
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | JFK Speech |
| Artist | John F. Kennedy |
| Length | 0:54 (Album Version) |
| Album | Drones |
| Writer/composer | Ted Sorensen |
| Appearance | 2007 - 2015 - 2016 |
John F. Kennedy's speech appeared as an intro at some gigs in 2007 as heard in the clip above.
In 2015, Muse bought the rights to use the song in the album Drones as an intro to Defector, with a string arrangement playing in the background. They titled it JFK. The speech was shortened, as opposed to the 2007 version.
It was later used as an audio filler inbetween the sets on the gigs in 2015 and 2016, being an intro to Uprising, Revolt, Reapers, Stockholm Syndrome and only one performance of Defector.
Like the 2007 version, the visuals display the spoken words.
- Lyrics »
-
The very word "secrecy" is repugnant in a free and open society
And we are as a people inherently and historically Opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and to secret proceedings.
For we are opposed around the world
By a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy That relies primarily on covert means For expanding its sphere of influence
On infiltration instead of invasion On subversion instead of elections On intimidation instead of free choice
It is a system which has conscripted Vast human and material resources Into the building of a tightly knit Highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic Intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations. Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried, not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised.
No expendature is questioned No secret is revealed. That is why the Athenian lawmaker Solon Decreded it a crime for any citizen to shrink from controversy.
I am asking your help In the tremendous task of informing and alerting the American people. Confident that with your help Man will be what he was born to be: Free and independent.
Interlude
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | Interlude |
| Artist | Original |
| Length | 0:37 (Album Version) |
| Album | Absolution |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 4th September 2009 - Still used |
If we listen to Absolution, Interlude sounds like it's more an outro for Falling Away With You. However, since its first live appearance in 2009, it is used as an intro for Hysteria.
We Are the Universe/Riot Intro
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | We Are the Universe (Intro) |
| Artist | Original |
| Length | 2:57 or 1:41 |
| Album | - |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 22nd October 2009 - 28th August 2011 |
Version 1: Click here to listen
Version 2: Click here to listen
We Are the Universe is an intro piece used during The Resistance arena and stadium tours.
Two versions were made. Version one, for indoor arena shows, consists mostly of synth arpeggios and a slowed-down version of the synth in Uprising. Version two, for outdoor shows (stadium and festival gigs), consists of riot noises of protestors, police and pyro/bombs. This second version is also known as "Riot Intro".
Both versions include the following lines (in version one they're spoken by a female robotic voice, while in version two they're spoken by a protestor yelling them in a megaphone):
- Lyrics »
-
We are
the universe observing itself observing itself
We are the universe observing itself observing itself
We are the universe observing itself observing itself
We are the universe destroying itself destroying itself destroying itself
The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | The 2nd Law of Thermodynamics |
| Artist | Original (featuring Katie Razzall) |
| Length | 0:52 |
| Album | - |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 22nd May 2013- 27th July 2013 |
Theis intro was spec features speech about the second law of thermodynamics taken from The 2nd Law: Unsustainable. It was specially modified with the speech and the robot voice isolated from the song. There is only the first verse of the speech and the first "Unsustainable" pronounced by the robot, then there is an explosion that leads to Supremacy, which has a longer intro. It was used for the The Unsustainable Tour in 2013, for the Stadium gigs. It is also referred as the "Bomb Intro".
- Lyrics »
-
All natural and technological processes
proceed in such a way that the availability of the remaining energy decreases.
In all energy exchanges, if no energy enters or leaves an isolated system, the entropy of that system increases
Energy continuously flows from being concentrated to becoming dispersed, spread out, wasted and useless.
New energy cannot be created and high-grade energy is being destroyed.
An economy based on endless growth is
Unsustainable
Drones
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | Drones |
| Artist | Original |
| Length | 2:49 |
| Album | Drones |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | The Drones World Tour 2015/16 |
The song Drones from the album of the same name was used as an intro to The Drones World Tour 2015/16, played before Psycho and sometimes Reapers.
During the song at arena gigs, the song was accompanied by a choreographed performance of HFOs (drones). The visuals displayed the words of the lyrics.
SFX Intro
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | SFX Intro |
| Artist | Original |
| Length | 0:55 |
| Album | - |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 20th May 2017 - 21st September 2018 |
The intro was used in 2017 and 2018 before Dig Down.
It features various abstract sound effects, what appears to be kaoss pad noises, and some very faint and warped radio transmitions, which build-up into a quick ending.
STT Interstitial 1
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | STT Interstitial 1 |
| Artist | Muse |
| Length | 0:50 |
| Album | - |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 22nd February 2019 - |
The first of the three Interstitial pieces made specially for the Simulation Theory World Tour in 2019.
This is a very 80s sounding aetheral piece based around an arppegiated synth line.
It is played before Madness. It is used so that the band can take their time getting from the B-stage to the main stage on carts udnerneath the catwalk of the stage. It was also used for shortened setlists at Austin and Singapore before Pressure.
STT Interstitial 2
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | STT Interstitial 2 |
| Artist | Muse |
| Length | 1:20 |
| Album | - |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 22nd February 2019 - 15th October 2019 |
The second of the three Interstitial pieces made specially for the Simulation Theory World Tour in 2019.
Another 80s-inspired piece, based around a tremolo bass line and 80s pad sounds that remember Algorithm's synth melodies.
This piece is played before Algorithm. It's used for the crew to set-up the on-stage arcade game used to display visuals and get the light-up poles for the dancers in position.
STT Interstitial 3
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | STT Interstitial 3 |
| Artist | Muse |
| Length | 0:58 (without Guitar Noise) |
| Album | - |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 26th February 2019 - 15th October 2019 |
The third and final of the three Interstitial pieces made specially for the Simulation Theory World Tour in 2019 however it wasn't used up until the third gig.
The synth arpeggio is the same as in STT Interstitial 1, but the song differs in that it features a more prodominent John Carpenter influence with the dark-sounding ambient noise in the background as opposed to a lead synth line playing a melody.
This piece segways into Guitar noise and subsequently Metal medley. Used primarily for the crew to set up and inflate Murph the Robot.
It is likely that the piece's official name is "Zombie Murph Gets Wired Up", which will be released in December of 2020, as part of the Simulation Theory Film.
Guitar Noise
| Intro Music | |
|---|---|
| Name | Guitar Noise |
| Artist | Muse |
| Length | Approx. 1:40 or around 0:30 |
| Album | - |
| Writer/composer | Matt Bellamy |
| Appearance | 22nd February 2019 - 15th October 2019 |
A creepy guitar intro where Matt uses effects to make weird sounds with his guitar, before the Metal medley. Before Stockholm Syndrome starts, Matt makes some feedback with his guitar on a D note, that is to say the tuning of the heavy songs that are played next.
It was longer (around 1:40) for the first gigs of the Simulation Theory World Tour, because there was no STT Interstitial 3 yet, but when this interlude started to be used, the Guitar Noise was then shortened (around 20-30 seconds).