This marks the debut of a new, but long-promised feature promoting some of my favorite older tracks. Often these will be fan favorites that never made a major impact on the greater consciousness. Sometimes, they will be posts about the roots of Radio V's music tastes. In short, Radio V Classics.
Long before they were honored with Radio V's not-quite prestigious "Single Of The Year 2006" award for "Supermassive Black Hole," and Q Magazine's slightly more important Best Live Act trophy, Muse were defining the dramatic rock sound that would go on to be their trademark.
Astride a chugging bassline, a skittering guitar line and Matt Bellamy's gilded tenor, the single "Muscle Museum," led off their debut full-length Showbiz. Sonically bipolar, the verses cast the trio as timid, fragile proto-emo poets, before the adrenaline rush of the chorus foreshadows the world-straddling rock gods the Devon, UK-based trio would become.
Despite early support from highly influential Radio 1 DJ Steve Lamacq, this standout single would only peak at No. 25 (in its re-release) on the UK charts. Even though the boys failed to light up the charts initially, the track set the stage for subsequent successes including 2003's electrifying breakthrough single "Time Is Running Out" and current US rock radio hit "Starlight."
Check out Muse's "Muscle Museum," a Radio V Classic
