Muse frontman Matt Bellamy recently stated that he believes supporting the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their Californication Tour was the time when they learned to perform as a live band. Back in the day, when Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters performed at that tour, the Muse played as the opening act.
Matt Bellamy opens up on the tour
Speaking to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, on the day Muse’s new album, Will Of The People is released, Bellamy said it was a wake-up call for the band. The lessons learned on those dates paved the way for moments such as Bellamy going full android and playing a robot glove synth – vintage Italo disco meets the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and all the super-massive production that goes into a Muse show in 2022.
“We really cut our craft there, watching other bands play,” Bellamy said. “It was the Chili Peppers one. We opened up for the Foo Fighters and Chili Peppers. We were the opening band. We did a leg around Midwest America, and that was amazing. That was really cool.”
He was entranced by the sounds; the songwriting would be sharpened in time. But Bellamy and co paid close attention when the Foos and RHCP were on. They learned how it was done.
“Getting to see them play every night, both of those bands, that was ’99, real early days, and I do think that actually changed the way we played,” said Bellamy. “Before that it was shoegazer-y, indie, shy, and after that tour, after seeing Flea doing his thing and the energy he puts out there, it was like, no, we need to up our game massively.”
