Matt Bellamy has opened up about the powerful influences on Muse’s recent album Will Of The People.
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talk to Classic rock About being influenced by bands like Iron Maiden, the Muse frontman said: “Metal has always been there for us.”
“Growing up we listened to bands like Iron Maiden,” he explained. “And although we connected more through Nirvana, Rage Against The Machine and Smashing Pumpkins, we always had a love of eighties metal. Metallica was also big for us, but Iron Maiden was a British band and also felt a bit more punk rock.
“Phantom Of The Opera” song [from Iron Maiden’s self-titled debut album] it doesn’t feel bloated or overtly classical like other metal songs. There is still something very angry and scary about him. That’s why Maiden is a band we’ll always look up to.”
Bellamy also spoke about his admiration for Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen during the interview.
“Yngwi was one of the people I met when I started playing in the early 90s. That’s when I thought there was a chance! After a while I realized I couldn’t get to where he was and I went back to classical and flamenco guitar styles.
“Then I started listening to players like Hendrix and Cobain and I was like, ‘You know what? I can cause chaos. I can’t do this with incredible technical precision, but what I can do is create chaos. So I went down the path of noise and mayhem and carnage…and little elements of other things stayed with me.”
“The Will of the People” was released earlier this year and was, according to Bellamy, “a little more about what’s going on in the world right now.”
Muse is set to hit the road in spring 2023 for a 20-date headlining tour of North America with support from Evanescence (tickets available). Here) ahead of a UK summer tour where they will be supported by Royal Blood. Tickets are available for these shows Here.