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Muse
The first and only book on Muse is now fully updated with exclusive interviews with the band themselves. By the release of their astonishing million-selling fourth album, "Black Holes & Revelations", Muse had become the biggest rock band in the UK, selling out Wembley Stadium for two nights - the first band ever to play at the new venue. " Inside The Muscle Museum" charts the band's ascension and includes exclusive interviews with the band and numerous associates over their entire career, and also includes the author's eyewitness accounts at various stages along the way.
- GenresNonfictionMusicBiography
208 pages, Paperback
First published April 29, 2004
2 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Myers
35 books1,211 followersBenjamin Myers was born in Durham, UK, in 1976.
He is an award-winning author and journalist whose recent novel Cuddy (2023) won the Goldsmiths Prize.
His first short story collection, Male Tears, was published by Bloomsbury in 2021.
His novel The Offing was published by Bloomsbury in 2019 and is a best-seller in Germany. It was serialised by Radio 4's Book At Bedtime and Radio 2 Book club choice. It is being developed for stage and has been optioned for film.
The non-fiction book Under The Rock, was shortlisted for The Portico Prize For Literature in 2020.
Recipient of the Roger Deakin Award and first published by Bluemoose Books, Myers' novel The Gallows Pole was published to acclaim in 2017 and was winner of the Walter Scott Prize 2018 - the world's largest prize for historical fiction. It has been published in the US by Third Man Books and in 2023 was adapted by director Shane Meadows for the BBC/A24.
The Gallows Pole was re-issued by Bloomsbury, alongside previous titles Beastings and Pig Iron.
Several of Myers' novels have been released as audiobooks, read by actor Ralph Ineson.
Turning Blue (2016) was described as a "folk crime" novel, and praised by writers including Val McDermid. A sequel These Darkening Days followed in 2017.
His novel Beastings (2014) won the Portico Prize For Literature, was the recipient of the Northern Writers’ Award and longlisted for a Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Award 2015. Widely acclaimed, it featured on several end of year lists, and was chosen by Robert Macfarlane in The Big Issue as one of his books of 2014.
Pig Iron (2012) was the winner of the inaugural Gordon Burn Prize and runner-up in The Guardian’s Not The Booker Prize. A controversial combination of biography and novel, Richard (2010) was a bestseller and chosen as a Sunday Times book of the year.
Myers’ short story ‘The Folk Song Singer’ was awarded the Tom-Gallon Prize in 2014 by the Society Of Authors and published by Galley Beggar Press. His short stories and poetry have appeared in dozens of anthologies.
As a journalist he has written about the arts and nature for publications including New Statesman, The Guardian, The Spectator, NME, Mojo, Time Out, New Scientist, Caught By The River, The Morning Star, Vice, The Quietus, Melody Maker and numerous others.
He currently lives in the Upper Calder Valley, West Yorkshire, UK.
He is an award-winning author and journalist whose recent novel Cuddy (2023) won the Goldsmiths Prize.
His first short story collection, Male Tears, was published by Bloomsbury in 2021.
His novel The Offing was published by Bloomsbury in 2019 and is a best-seller in Germany. It was serialised by Radio 4's Book At Bedtime and Radio 2 Book club choice. It is being developed for stage and has been optioned for film.
The non-fiction book Under The Rock, was shortlisted for The Portico Prize For Literature in 2020.
Recipient of the Roger Deakin Award and first published by Bluemoose Books, Myers' novel The Gallows Pole was published to acclaim in 2017 and was winner of the Walter Scott Prize 2018 - the world's largest prize for historical fiction. It has been published in the US by Third Man Books and in 2023 was adapted by director Shane Meadows for the BBC/A24.
The Gallows Pole was re-issued by Bloomsbury, alongside previous titles Beastings and Pig Iron.
Several of Myers' novels have been released as audiobooks, read by actor Ralph Ineson.
Turning Blue (2016) was described as a "folk crime" novel, and praised by writers including Val McDermid. A sequel These Darkening Days followed in 2017.
His novel Beastings (2014) won the Portico Prize For Literature, was the recipient of the Northern Writers’ Award and longlisted for a Jerwood Fiction Uncovered Award 2015. Widely acclaimed, it featured on several end of year lists, and was chosen by Robert Macfarlane in The Big Issue as one of his books of 2014.
Pig Iron (2012) was the winner of the inaugural Gordon Burn Prize and runner-up in The Guardian’s Not The Booker Prize. A controversial combination of biography and novel, Richard (2010) was a bestseller and chosen as a Sunday Times book of the year.
Myers’ short story ‘The Folk Song Singer’ was awarded the Tom-Gallon Prize in 2014 by the Society Of Authors and published by Galley Beggar Press. His short stories and poetry have appeared in dozens of anthologies.
As a journalist he has written about the arts and nature for publications including New Statesman, The Guardian, The Spectator, NME, Mojo, Time Out, New Scientist, Caught By The River, The Morning Star, Vice, The Quietus, Melody Maker and numerous others.
He currently lives in the Upper Calder Valley, West Yorkshire, UK.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 18, 2021
So much fun to read about the earliest of beginnings. And boy, how hard they worked to get where they are. Definitely written by someone who loves them just as much as I do.
May 24, 2014
As many people have given this book less than 3 stars, I personally will be giving a modest 4/5.
I loved this book. I have been a fan of Muse for many years and always wanted an insight into their rise through the industry, how they came to be and the background information on each of their fantastic albums.
SPOILER: I am however knocking a star out if the 5 for the following reason: this book was revamped in 2007 to include their latest album, Black Holes and Revelations, and their biggest achievement to date, selling out the new Wembley Stadium. While the first edition only went as far as Muse's 3rd album, Absolution, I think we can all agree that as album number 4 arrived we wanted to know more, however the chapter seems to only include information on the Wembley Stadium announcement.
I personally think Mr Myres should have waited a little longer to revamp the original 2004 edition, to include bigger achievements, more stories and the latest work of this amazing band.
I loved this book. I have been a fan of Muse for many years and always wanted an insight into their rise through the industry, how they came to be and the background information on each of their fantastic albums.
SPOILER: I am however knocking a star out if the 5 for the following reason: this book was revamped in 2007 to include their latest album, Black Holes and Revelations, and their biggest achievement to date, selling out the new Wembley Stadium. While the first edition only went as far as Muse's 3rd album, Absolution, I think we can all agree that as album number 4 arrived we wanted to know more, however the chapter seems to only include information on the Wembley Stadium announcement.
I personally think Mr Myres should have waited a little longer to revamp the original 2004 edition, to include bigger achievements, more stories and the latest work of this amazing band.
June 7, 2015
Eh. While the typos and dropped punctuation were certainly irritating, I thought that this book glossed over quite a few interesting moments from Muse's earliest era as a band, and spent entirely too long on vitriolic interviews about how Muse is basically a Radiohead cover band.
Also, I realize Muscle Museum and Plug in Baby are this author's favorite songs. Cool. But their "obvious brilliance" was shoved down my throat on multiple occasions, plus he put down the complex-beautiful-subtle Megalomania and Endlessly. Not cool, NOT COOL. I read this book to learn about Muse, not read another album review; I can go elsewhere for that.
Also, this book reminded me of how annoyed I am with some older Muse fans - "WELL I'VE BEEN A FAN SINCE SHOWBIZ CAME OUT, SO..." Congratulations on being born earlier than I was? Being a fan isn't a contest, what the hell.
Hoping the other Muse book I own and am about to read is meatier and less overtly biased!
Also, I realize Muscle Museum and Plug in Baby are this author's favorite songs. Cool. But their "obvious brilliance" was shoved down my throat on multiple occasions, plus he put down the complex-beautiful-subtle Megalomania and Endlessly. Not cool, NOT COOL. I read this book to learn about Muse, not read another album review; I can go elsewhere for that.
Also, this book reminded me of how annoyed I am with some older Muse fans - "WELL I'VE BEEN A FAN SINCE SHOWBIZ CAME OUT, SO..." Congratulations on being born earlier than I was? Being a fan isn't a contest, what the hell.
Hoping the other Muse book I own and am about to read is meatier and less overtly biased!
September 3, 2011
I could read about Muse for thousands of pages, but for the average reader probably not so fanatical as me, this book sums up the band's story beautifully (in that dirty, slouchy, rock sense). Full of interesting stories, funny interviews and unforgettable characters, Muse: Inside the Muscle Museum is a must-have for any fan and a fun read for anyone else.
December 9, 2012
I'm a big fan of Muse and therefore I just had to read this book. It has so many great little stories about the band and behind the scenes from as early as when they started picking up instruments which was very enjoyable to read about. The book book wasn't perfect but I learnt more about the band and it was a fun read, every Muse fan should read it.
February 16, 2012
Clearly not proof read - an unforgivable amount of spelling and grammatical errors reside within the pages of this book. Oh, and some of the 'facts' are actually incorrect
September 14, 2013
Love Muse but this was very poorly written.
April 17, 2014
Love the Muse, but this could've been done so much better!
July 29, 2016
Прошло несколько лет (наверно, девять), и новые альбомы были выпущены, однако это было интересно снова прочитать о "Muse". Рекомендую всем фанатам :)
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November 14, 2016The writer handles the group as a group, which means that the members remain unknown as individuals. The dynamics of the relationships between them are not touched at all either. Really, I read a whole book about these people, but I still know nothing about them. The best bits were some observations about how the music business works. Worthless bundle of paper.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews