Ever wonder where Muse get their spectacular, 'out there' side from? It's all in the mind of frontman Matt Bellamy. Since the Devon rockers first rose to prominence, he's always had an eye for the odd. And in tune with the band's upfront, showy style on stage, he's unafraid to say what's on his mind. In the past, Bellamy's admitted to owning a jetpack and believing in UFOs. Ahead of the band's massive Sunday night set headlining Reading + Leeds 2017, we're taking a look at his finest quotes, from the bold to the bizarre.
鈥淚鈥檓 too short to be sexy.鈥�
After being voted Sexiest Male at the 2009 NME Awards, Bellamy gave a hilarious, self-deprecating response. "This is like a little joke, isn't it?" he asked while accepting the award. But the numbers spoke for themselves. He won the same gong again in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Short blokes don't finish last, ok?
鈥淲e always like to find out what the latest pyro is.鈥�
[WATCH] Muse chat Reading + Leeds 2017 with Annie Mac
Speaking to Radio 1's Annie Mac ahead of their Reading + Leeds 2017 set, Bellamy succinctly summed up Muse's live appeal: their unrelenting ability to make shows unbelievable, budget-blowing spectacles. In the past, they've been joined on stage by actual drones which operate with Artificial Intelligence, trapeze artists and hi-tech lasers. Don't be surprised if they're joined by sky divers and spaceships next time round.
鈥淎s soon as you pick up a guitar, you鈥檙e up against the legends of rock.鈥�
Not the most sage advice for aspiring rockstars, but Matt Bellamy doesn't mince his words. Striking a G chord for the first time? You've got nothing on Brian May, Jimmy Page and all the greats. His point, when speaking to in 2016, was to emphasise how with so many rock bands trying to hog attention, they needed to do everything to stand out.
"I try to play squash but I keep running into the walls."
Bellamy does enough jumping around on stage to stay relatively fit, but in his downtime, he's still looking for the perfect leisurely hobby. "I like snooker. I'm not very good, though. My highest break's 30, maybe," he admitted to Q in 2006.
"I think we鈥檝e been flying the flag for humanity a little bit longer than most"
Despite their love of outer space visuals and synthesisers that resemble a Tardis, Muse still like to keep their music rooted in reality. They recorded all instrumental parts for 2015 album Drones live, instead of relying on technological tricks. And speaking to , Bellamy insisted they aim to stay authentic. "Coldplay have done an interesting job of really transitioning away from traditional instruments into something almost entirely electronic," he said. "We've tried to keep a combination. I think we've been flying the flag for humanity a little bit longer than most."
