AGUZ BLOG SYNDROME

SIMPLE PLAN

2008-11-02T05:12:00.000-08:00

SIMPLE PLAN

Simple Plan is a French Canadian pop punk band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band has released three studio albums: No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002), Still Not Getting Any... (2004), and Simple Plan (2008); as well as two widely marketed live albums: Live in Japan 2002 (2003) and MTV Hard Rock Live (2005).
Formation (1993–2002)

Simple Plan began in 1993 with the formation of a band named Reset by friends Pierre Bouvier, Charles-André "Chuck" Comeau, Philippe Jolicoeur, and Adrian White.[1] Reset toured around Canada with bands such as MxPx, Ten Foot Pole, and Face to Face, but only managed to gain modest popularity.[2] The debut album, No Worries, was released in 1998, and Comeau left soon after to go to college.[1] Two years later he met with high school friends Jean-François "Jeff" Stinco and Sébastien Lefebvre who were in separate bands of their own, and combined to create the band.[1] Meanwhile, Reset released a second CD, No Limits (the two CDs would be re-released as a single CD in 2006, with liner note comments from Bouvier and Comeau). In late 1999, Comeau and Bouvier reacquainted at a Sugar Ray concert[2] and Bouvier left Reset soon after to join Comeau. David Desrosiers replaced Bouvier in Reset, but when asked to join the foursome, he too left the band six months later.[1][2] This allowed Bouvier, who had doubled as the band's front man and bassist, to concentrate on the singing.

The origin of the band's name is obscure. Band members have given various comical responses on this point, including that the band was their simple plan to avoid getting a "real" job. However, most likely, the name is derived from the movie "A Simple Plan".[3] The name was only intended to be temporary, but they never thought of anything better, and with shows coming up for the new band, the name stuck.[4]

No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls (2002–2004)

Main article: No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls

In 2002, Simple Plan released their first studio album, No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls which led to the subsequent singles: "I'm Just a Kid", "I'd Do Anything", "Addicted", and "Perfect". Simple Plan is noted as saying that they were aiming at a pure pop-punk record.[5] The name of the CD echoes the popular tag line for the sport of rugby, "No pads, no helmets, no pussies."

The record was originally released in the United States with twelve tracks, ending with "Perfect". Enhanced and foreign editions came in several different versions with up to two additional tracks in addition to the original twelve. For example, the U.S. release contained the extra songs "Grow Up", and "My Christmas List", while the UK release contained the extra songs "One By One" and "American Jesus" (a live version of a cover of a Bad Religion song), as well as the two music videos, "I'd Do Anything" and "I'm Just a Kid".

The record also contained vocals from singers from two other pop-punk bands as "I'd Do Anything" included vocals by Mark Hoppus from blink-182, and "You Don't Mean Anything" included vocals by Joel Madden from Good Charlotte.

In 2002, the year Simple Plan released the album, Simple Plan played more than 300 shows, topped the Alternative New Artist Chart, and played a sold out tour in Japan.[6] In 2003, the band played as a headliner on the Vans Warped Tour — an appearance memorialized in the comedy slasher film, Punk Rock Holocaust, in which four of the five band members are killed. They would also play short stints on the Warped Tour in 2004 and 2005. Also in 2003, they opened for Avril Lavigne on her "Try To Shut Me Up" Tour.[6] In addition to several headlining tours, they have also opened for Green Day and Good Charlotte.
In 2004, Simple Plan released their second album, Still Not Getting Any... which led to the subsequent singles, "Welcome to My Life", "Shut Up!", "Untitled (How Could This Happen to Me?)", "Crazy", and (in some markets) "Perfect World".

As mentioned before, when writing "No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls", the members of Simple Plan were aiming at a pure pop-punk record. This time however, when writing "Still Not Getting Any...", the members of Simple Plan were noted as saying that they were not limiting themselves to the punk genre, but rather letting themselves write "good music".[5]

According to the bonus DVD of Still Not Getting Any..., while making the CD the members of Simple Plan thought of many names including "Get Rich or Die Trying" and "Danger Zone". They decided on the name Still Not Getting Any... for a list of explained reasons. The most popular and most likely reason is because the members of Simple Plan thought that they weren't getting any good reviews, Bouvier once noting that they only had one recent good review in Alternative Press. Another reason may be because they were still not getting any respect. There are many more variations the band members have given, as anything can really be put after the ellipsis, including "better", "smarter", "funnier", and the obvious sexual connotation. Comeau once described the name of the album as "versatile".

"Still Not Getting Any..." showed a dramatic change in Simple Plan's style as well. They still kept their style of downbeat lyrics matched to upbeat music, but managed to transcend from the standard pop-punk genre. Although many of the tracks on this CD still carry the feeling of teen angst that is probably most noticeable in the song "I'm Just a Kid" from the first album No Pads, No Helmets...Just Balls, the general slant of this album tends toward slightly deeper and more mature lyrical themes, as well as a more mainstream sound that edges away from the pure pop-punk style of their last album. Some critics have pointed towards the inclusion of 'classic' or 'mainstream' rock elements, claiming the album 'de-emphasizes punk-pop hyperactivity in favor of straightforward, well-crafted modern rock'.[7]

In 2005, Simple Plan also released the live album, MTV Hard Rock Live, which contained live versions of songs from both the previous albums.[8] The album came in two different versions — a standard one, and a fan pack edition.[9] The standard edition included audio of the whole performance, an acoustic version of Crazy, two live videos of the performance of the first two songs "Jump" and "Shut Up!" and a small booklet of pictures of the performance.[9] The fan pack edition contained audio and video of the whole performance in 5.1 surround sound, three acoustic tracks for "Crazy", "Welcome To My Life", and "Perfect", a 32-page color tour book, and an exclusive Simple Plan patch and pin.
After nearly a year and a half in support of "Still Not Getting Any...", the band ended most touring in February 2006, giving only a few shows, taking some time off, and beginning work on their third CD. As announced in Bouvier's official MySpace blog, Bouvier headed to Miami as on about March 21, 2007 to work with an unnamed producer, who later proved to be Dave Fortman. The band entered the studio for pre-production in Los Angeles on June 29. On July 15 they returned to Montreal, to record at Studio Piccolo, the same studio at which they had recorded "Still Not Getting Any...." They finished recording and headed back to Miami and LA to mix the album. The final part of making their record was done in New York and it was officially completed on October 21, though they later re-entered the studio to re-record some of the lyrics to the song "Generation."

"When I'm Gone", the first single to Simple Plan was released on October 29 as part of a fan webcast the band held. Simple Plan was produced by Dave Fortman (Evanescence, Mudvayne), Danjahandz (Timbaland, Justin Timberlake) and Max Martin (Kelly Clarkson, Avril Lavigne). On February 17, 2008, Simple Plan achieved their highest charting single in the UK. After the first two albums just missed the UK top 40, "When I'm Gone" gave the band their best chart position in the UK, coming in at number 26.

On November 29, 2007, the band announced that the CD release would be postponed from the originally-scheduled January 29, 2008 date to what proved to be the actual release date of February 12, 2008. The Japan version, with two bonus tracks, was released on February 6, 2008.[10]

After completing an around-the-world promotional tour, Simple Plan played several December 2007 holiday shows. After continued promotional tours in January, Simple Plan played a triple bill in Camden Town, London on January 27, 2008, with the first show featuring songs from the band's first CD, the second from the second, and the third from the new release. The band played four U.S. shows in late February, and completed a European tour running until late April. The band played four Japan dates, followed by several European festivals and headlining dates.
On May 8, 2008, a Quebec newspaper reported that Stinco would temporarily leave the band from June 3-29, 2008 for paternity leave.[11] Stinco was not part of the band's performance at the Download Festival on June 13 but returned for the MuchMusic Video Awards in Toronto on June 15. He did not play at the band's performance at a summer festival on June 21 in Altamont, New York or June 22 at Six Flags New England, with Québécois musician Jean-Sébastien Chouinard taking his place at each show. Stinco returned for the band's show in Charlotte, North Carolina on June 28.

On July 1, 2008, the band gave a free concert on Quebec City's Plains of Abraham, attracting a crowd of 150,000 to the Canada Day show.[12]

After a return to the Far East in late July and early August, the band played a Cross Canada Tour[13] with Faber Drive, Cute is What We Aim For[14] and Metro Station (The All-American Rejects were originally announced for the tour, but canceled due to other commitments). After dates in Germany, Mexico, and Australia, the band will play its second full European tour of the year from October 28 to November 29, playing Estonia and Poland for the first time. The band will then play Tel Aviv and Dubai in early December.

In August of 2008, "I Can Wait Forever" was chosen as the title track for Animax Asia's original feature length anime LaMB. The band will be appearing in the sci-fi cyberpunk anime feature as themselves, performing the theme song. Animax Asia will also be making an animated video for "I Can Wait Forever".[15] In October 2008, the band recorded their own version of The Hockey Theme, for forty years the theme song for Hockey Night in Canada.[16]

Style

Simple Plan's style of music has been described as pop punk by the Calgary Herald[17], The Torontoist, [18], Channel News Asia, [19], Allmusic[20], NME[21], MTV[22], The Guardian[23], the BBC[24], Rocklouder[25] About.com[26], Entertainment Weekly[27] and VH1[28], Punk Rock revivalist by New York Times[29], "Dude Rock" by Digital Spy[30] With Rolling Stone reviews describing No Helmets No Pads... Just Balls as punk[31] and their self titled album as 'arena-emo'[32] also described as having "classic punk energy and modern pop sonics" in a Marketwire press release.[33] In an MTV interview, frontman Pierre Bouvier stated that he considered them more pop music than rock.[34]

Side projects

In addition to their involvement in the band, members of Simple Plan have been involved in a number of side projects.

Simple Plan Foundation

The members of Simple Plan have helped nonprofit and advocacy groups by donating to many established organizations such as the MTV Asia Aid benefit, MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), RADD (Recording Artists, Actors, and Athletes against Drunk Driving), and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. However, after being frustrated because the members did not know exactly where their money was going to, the Simple Plan members created the Simple Plan Foundation,[35] a foundation that focuses on teen problems ranging from suicide to poverty to drug addiction.[35][36] As of December 9, 2005, the Simple Plan Foundation had raised more than $100,000.[35] The list of donors included venues on their November-December 2005 Canadian tour.

In June 2008, Bouvier announced plans for the foundation to distribute $100,000 to organizations that aid children or families experiencing difficulties due to handicaps or illness.[37] Selected organizations included Children's Wish Foundation, Kids Help Phone, and War Child Canada, as well as College Beaubois (the high school alma mater of all band members except Desrosiers).[38]

In addition, the members held a benefit for the Foundation in August. While the band's January show in Montreal had been to benefit the Foundation, this was described as the first fundraising event. It consisted of brunch and an acoustic performance. [39]

In October 2008, the band announced a special release, on iTunes, of the single Save You, to benefit the Foundation, with a special composite video featuring cancer survivors. The song was inspired by the struggle with cancer of Bouvier's

PARAMORE

2008-10-17T05:24:00.001-07:00

PARAMORE

Paramore is an American Emo band. They have released 2 studio albums - RIOT! and All We Know Is Falling. Their most recent single is called "That's What You Get". Other singles released by Paramore include "Crushcrushcrush", "Hallelujah (paramore song)", "Misery Business", "All We Know", "Emergency", and "Pressure".

Paramore has recorded two songs for the soundtrack of the Twilight movie.[6] These include Decode and I Caught Myself. Both of these songs will be used in the movie.

maaf iaa..........

postingan nah dikit.......

hehehehehehehehehehehehehe.........

SUM 41

2008-10-17T04:50:00.000-07:00

SUM 41

Sum 41 adalah band yang berasal dari Ajax, Ontario, Kanada. Awalnya Sum 41 dibentuk oleh Deryck Whibley (vokal, gitar) dan Steve Jocz (drum) yang merupakan teman semasa SMA. Nama Sum 41 dipilih karena band ini dibentuk 41 hari sebelum musim panas (summer). Anggota ketiga yang masuk adalah Dave Baksh (gitar), dan yang terakhir adalah Jason McCaslin (bass) pada tahun 1999 setelah sempat berganti-ganti pemain bass. Mereka merilis album pertama mereka pada tahun 2000 yang berjudul Half Hour of Power di bawah label Island Record.
Sejarah

Manajer pertama mereka adalah Greig Nori, vokalis Treble Charger. Deryck meminta Greig Nori untuk menjadi manajer Sum 41. Greig Nori berpendapat bahwa Deryck adalah seorang anak yang sangat berambisi menjadi bintang rock. Sebagian besar lagu Sum 41 ditulis oleh Deryck, beberapa ditulis oleh Stevo, lagu-lagu yang ditulis Stevo seperti Pain for Pleasure (All Killer No Filler) dan Ma Poubelle (Underclass Hero) biasanya adalah hanya untuk lelucon. Stevo pernah berkata di Exposed, Much Music, tanpa Deryck kita hanya band yang memainkan lagu orang lain.

Pada tahun 2004, Sum 41 mengunjungi Republik Demokratik Kongo di mana terjadi perang saudara yg merupakan inspirasi album keempat mereka, Chuck. Nama Chuck didapat dari Chuck Pelletier, seorang A.U.N yang menyelamatkan hidup mereka ketika mereka di Kongo. Pada 12 Oktober album Chuck dirilis dengan suara yang lebih keras dan tidak ada humor lagi di dalamnya. Single pertamanya "We're All To Blame" yang lebih terdengar metal daripada punk diikuti "Pieces" lagu tenang yang masuk Top Chart di Kanada dan "Some Say" singel yg hanya dirilis di Kanada bersamaan dengan "No Reason" yg videonya hanya ada di US dan Eropa.

Pada bulan Juli tahun 2006, Deryck menikah dengan Avril Lavigne, yang sudah bertunangan satu tahun sebelumnya. Sebelumnya pada tahun yang sama, gitaris Sum 41, Dave mengundurkan diri dari Sum 41. Alasannya adalah karena Dave merasa sudah tidak cocok lagi dengan musik Sum 41. Deryck pernah mengungkapkan bahwa Dave sebenarnya sudah tidak tertarik lagi dengan aliran musik Sum 41 sejak album Does This Look Infected?. Dan akhirnya setelah mendengarkan contoh lagu di album Underclass Hero, Dave memutuskan untuk mengundurkan diri dan membuat band metal yang bernama Brown Brigade.

Cone pun juga mempunyai side-project band yang bernama The Operation M.D. dan beraliran Rock-Garage-Alternative. Cone berdua dengan Todd Morse (H2O, Juliette & The Licks) memang menginkan tidak banyak distorsi di band ini. Band yang berkonsep dokter ini mengeluarkan albumnya pada bulan Februari 2007 yang berjudul "We Have an Emergency" dan hanya dijual di Kanada. Ciri khas The Operation M.D. adalah kacamata bermotif caturnya yang dipakai masing-masing personil yaitu Dr. Dynamite (Cone) dan Dr. Rocco (Todd).

Album kelima mereka keluar tanggal 24 Juli 2007 yang berjudul Underclass Hero. Di album ini mereka kembali ke aliran asal mereka. Mereka mengakui mereka sangat bersemangat dalam pembuatan album ini. Albumnya pun lebih kaya akan suara dan liriknya pun lebih bagus. Dalam tur Underclass Hero, posisi Dave akan digantikan dengan Tom Thacker yaitu vokalis dan gitaris dari grup band Gob. Saking semangatnya, mereka selalu bilang kalau mereka akan tur kemana-mana.

PANIC AT THE DISCO

2008-10-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

PANIC AT THE DISCO

Panic at the Disco (juga disebut sebagai Panic! at the Disco, dan disingkat Panic!, P!ATD, P!@tD, atau PATD) adalah grup musik rock dari Las Vegas, Nevada, Amerika Serikat. Musik mereka merupakan gabungan dari pop, elektronik, dance dan rock, bersama dengan jenis musik lainnya.

Asal :Las Vegas, Nevada, Amerika Serikat
Genre :Emo, Pop-punk,
Tahun aktif :2004 – sekarang
Perusahaan rekaman :Decaydance
Fueled by Ramen
Situs web :Official Site
Anggota:
Brendon Urie
Ryan Ross
Jon Walker
Spencer Smith
Mantan anggota
Brent Wilson

SORRY,,postinganya cuma dikit......

hehehehehehehehehehe.............

HOOBASTANK

2008-08-24T00:01:00.000-07:00

HOOBASTANK

Hoobastank merupakan grup musik asal Amerika Serikat yang beraliran rock modern yang melejit lewat lagu "The Reason" pada tahun 2004. Kata Hoobastank diambil dari kata "Hooba" dan "Slank". Kedua kata tersebut diambil dari bahasa pergaulan sewaktu masih duduk di bangku sekolah. Grup musik ini terdiri dari Douglas Robb (vokal), Dan Estrin (gitar), Markku Lappalainen (bass) dan Chris Hesse (drum). Hoobastank merilis lagu single perdananya yang berjudul "Crawling in The Dark pada November 2001. Lagu tersebut melejit hingga masuk di posisi 68 tangga Billboard Hot 100 dan di pisisi 3 untuk tangga modern rock. Kemudian single kedua pun diluncurkan dengan judul "Runnung Away" yang juga menembus posisi ke 44 untuk Billboard 100 dan di posisi ke 2 untuk rock modern. Pada album kedua, lagu andalan "The Reason" meledak dipasaran Amerika, Asia dan Eropa. Hoobastank saat ini sudah merilis album Basketball Shorts, Hoobastank (2001), The Reason (2003) dan Every Man For Himself (2006).

BLINK 182

2008-08-23T23:58:00.000-07:00

BLINK 182

Blink 182 adalah band pop punk di daerah California. band ini pertama kali dibentuk oleh 2 anak remaja yang bernama Markus allen Hoppus dan rekannya Tom delonge. mereka berdua sepakat untuk membuat band aliran punk, lalu mereka mencari personil baru lagi untuk memegang drum diband mereka ini. Scott Raynor, dia adalah teman Mark sewaktu sekolah dulu, Mark meminta agar Scott mau bergabung dengannya di band punk ini. Akhirnya Scott menerima tawaran itu, awalnya mereka memberi nama band ini blink saja, belum terdapat angka 182 saat itu. Saat berjalan kurang lebih 1 tahun, mereka sudah mulai melambung, banyak para media cetak menampilkan wajah mereka melauli koran,majalah, bahkan surat kabar. Mereka semakin dikenal saat konser terbukanya semakin banyak. Lalu masalahpun datang dari band lain, band ini meminta blink bubar, karena sebelum blink terkenal band ini sudah mempunyai nama blnk juga. Akhirnya para personil blink memutuskan untuk damai dan menambah angka 182 di belakang tulisan blink. Angka 182 diambil dari film "The God Father" pada saat itu Alpacino Ngomong "f@*k you" 182 kali. Mereka bertiga masuk ke "the bats music" saat meluncurkan albumnya yang bernama "Dude Ranch". Blink 182 mempunyai banyak penggemar saat mengadakan konser di New York city. Pada akhirnya muncul masalah baru, Scott mempunyai penyakit dan kecanduan minum minuman keras, akhirnya ia memutuskan untuk rehab dan keluar dari blink. Keluarnya Scott Raynor membuat Mark dan Tom harus mencari drummer baru. Saat iseng pergi ke tempat pertunjukan band, Mark dan Tom melihat satu band yang sangat bagus yaitu " The Aquabats". Tak lama kemudian mereka mendengar bahwa "The Aquabats" telah bubar dengan alasan vakum. Mark mengambil kesempatan untuk mengajak sang drummer "The Aquabats" yaitu Travis Barker untuk masuk ke bandnya. Akhirnya Travis masuk ke dalam blink 182 dan merilis album lagi di Eropa, album ini adalah Enema of the state. Di album ini nama mereka semakin melambung lagi karena sering tampil bersama Green Day, NOFX, The Off Spring, dan The Police. Mereka melanjutkan perjalanannya kembali ke New York. Tak lama kemudian dirilis kembali album ke 4 mereka yaitu Take off your pants and jacket. Di album ini mereka bercerita tentang apa isi hati mereka sedih,senang,gembira, dan duka bahkan seorang gadispun mereka cantumkan di album ini, mereka semakin dikenal orang-orang di luar negaranya di tahun 2003, diantaranya Jepang, Cina, Korea, Malaysia, Arab, Eropa, Rusia, dan terakhir di Indonesia. Banyak orang mengatakan blink 182 terpengaruh oleh music "U2" di album ini. Mereka kembali merilis album ke 5 nya saat Kembali ke California, album itu adalah Smiley. Berisi tentang ketentraman hati mereka yang sempat kacau oleh penyakit yang diderita Travis barker (HIV)(masih gosip). Pada album ini semua fans dari blink 182 merasa sedikit kecewa, karena kebanyakan musicnya keluar dari unsur punk dan cenderung ke rock alternative. Tetapi mereka tetap melanjutkan jiwa musicalnya lewat lagu ciptaan mereka. Tak lama kemudian mereka bertiga merilis album ke 6 nya ditahun 2004. Berjudul "THE GREATEST HITS". Berisi tentang semua campuran lagu mereka. Pada tahun 2005 blink bubar dan pecah menjadi 4 diantaranya "+44,Box Car Racer,Transplan,AvA. Dikarenakan Mark dan Tom sangat berbeda pendapat dan terjadi kesalahpahaman antara keduanya(soal musik). Hanya 2 dari 4 yang masih berlanjut pada diri mereka. Tom masuk ke Ava(angel and airwaves) dan mencari personil baru, sedangkan Mark dan Travis masuk ke +44 dan mencari anggota baru. Sampai sekarang mereka masih berkarya diband masing-masing. Pada saat band ini bubar Tom berkata bahwa blink adalah band "bullshit". Pernyataan tersebut membuat para fans-nya kesal.

INTERPOL

2008-08-23T23:52:00.000-07:00

THE USED

Interpol is an American indie/alternative rock band formed in 1997 in New York City.

The band's line-up is Paul Banks (vocals, guitar), Daniel Kessler (guitar, vocals), Carlos Dengler (bass guitar, keyboards - commonly referred to as Carlos D) and Sam Fogarino (drums, percussion).

Interpol's debut album Turn on the Bright Lights (2002) was critically acclaimed, making it into the NME top ten albums of the year.[citation needed] Its follow-up, Antics (2004) and Our Love to Admire (2007) have confirmed their initial success and turn the band into both a commercial and critical success with a devoted fan base[citation needed].

Interpol is one of the bands associated with the New York indie music scene, being one of several groups that emerged out of the post-punk revival of the 2000s. The band's sound is generally a mix of bass throb and choppy, sparse guitar, with a snare heavy mix, drawing comparisons to post-punk bands such as Joy Division and The Chameleons.[1]

Other than for the lyrics, their songwriting method includes all of the band members, rather than relying on any given chief songwriter

Name origin

There is confusion about the origin of the name Interpol. An article in SPIN magazine said one of Paul Banks' classmates would tease him by saying “Paul, Paul, Interpol,” pronouncing the name "Paul" with a Spanish accent.

"I got to the point where I was like, ‘Guys, we’re getting decent crowds, but like ... we don’t have a name, so no one knows who to go see again,’” Kessler said.

The band considered Las Armas and The French Letters[1] as names before adopting Interpol. They also famously performed a little-publicized show at the Luna Lounge in New York under the pseudonym Cuddleworthy.

In a recent interview, Paul Banks has stated the band is named Interpol because of the idea of the band being an impersonal, mysterious organization, similar to the International Criminal Police Organization which shares the same name. Principally however, he says it's because the name 'sounds cool'.

Formation

The roots of the band stem from New York University, where all of the original line-up were students. Guitarist Daniel Kessler had “been looking to put a band together for a while” when he met drummer Greg Drudy on campus. Kessler later added Carlos Dengler on bass, after meeting him in a history class. Kessler had previously met Paul Banks while in Paris, and approached him to become lead singer when he ran into him on the street. In 2000, after releasing the Fukd I.D. #3 EP, Greg Drudy left the band, and Kessler recruited Sam Fogarino, whom he knew through Fogarino’s job at a local vintage clothing store. Fogarino had previously turned down the opportunity to replace Sara Lee Lucas as drummer for Marilyn Manson before moving to New York, and was the original drummer for The Holy Terrors - a South Florida band widely admired and respected by many local musicians in the area.

Demos (1998-2001)

After self-releasing several EPs between 1998 - 2001, in early 2002 the band signed to indie label Matador, an independent label famous for breaking highly respected bands such as Pavement. The first release, a self-titled EP containing rerecorded versions of PDA and NYC — possibly to incorporate Fogarino’s distinctive drumming, as Greg Drudy had left the band shortly after the release of Fukd ID #3 — was released on June 4, 2002 to widespread critical acclaim in the indie music scene, which built anticipation for the full-length album.

Turn on the Bright Lights

Turn on the Bright Lights was released on August 19, 2002, again on Matador, and is widely considered one of the best albums of that year, making it into many 'Top 10 of 2002' lists and being named Pitchfork Media's "Album of the Year." Recorded at Tarquin Studios in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the record sold exceptionally well for an independent release, and the band toured extensively, receiving a good deal of media coverage, making television appearances on Late Night with David Letterman, Last Call with Carson Daly and featuring on BBC Radio 1 and the NME Awards Tour in the UK. The album title is taken from a lyric in the song NYC: "it's up to me now / turn on the bright lights." Their song "Untitled" was featured in season nine, episode 24 of the show Friends.

ANTICS

The band regrouped in late 2003 to begin sessions for the follow-up album, again decamping to Tarquin Studios to record. On September 28, 2004, Antics was released on Matador. The album achieved far greater commercial success than Turn on the Bright Lights, perhaps due to the lighter, more accessible arrangements and bigger hooks featured in songs such as "Slow Hands", "Evil" and "C'mere". The record garnered much critical acclaim and was once more a popular choice on critics' Top 10 lists for 2004. The record also saw Interpol record their first UK Top 40 hits with "Slow Hands", "Evil", and "C'Mere" charting at 36, 18 and 19 respectively. The album's title comes from an unused lyric Banks wrote during the recording process. The album was eventually certified as going gold in the UK.

Interpol toured once again after the release of the album, playing more dates than ever before and at bigger venues. The Antics tour stretched on for almost 18 months, including a number of shows playing as undercards for U2 and The Cure, and the band reported feelings of exhaustion to Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe at a concert in Sunderland. The band took only three months off after touring finished. Whilst on the road, the band had also released the one-off track Direction, written for the official soundtrack to HBO's Six Feet Under, Six Feet Under, Vol. 2: Everything Ends. The track was written during soundchecks on the band's European tour, and was recorded the day after they returned to New York. Their song "Evil" was featured in season one, episode five of the hit show Grey's Anatomy.

Our Love to Admire

In late March 2006, drummer Sam Fogarino confirmed that the band were back in the studio working on new material. In an interview with Pitchfork, Fogarino stated "[the process is] moving right along where I think it should...we're all pretty much on fire about it". Fogarino also dispelled rumours that the band had signed to major label Interscope, but also confirmed that they would be leaving Matador in search of a new label. An update to their website in June confirmed that the band had been working on the follow-up since the turn of the year, but did not confirm a name for the album or comment on the mounting speculation that they were imminently to sign to a major label. On August 14, it was widely reported that Interpol had signed for Capitol Records, a fact confirmed by Matador on September 1 in a press release on their website.

The band toured Europe, Canada and the US playing small venues and experimenting with new material. The album was released on July 10, and secured an impressive #4 debut on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart.

Our Love to Admire represents a departure for the band, being both the first record they have recorded in New York City (at The Magic Shop and Electric Lady Studios), and the first time they have included keyboards in the arrangements from the start of the songwriting process. As a result, the album is more atmospheric and diverse than its predecessors, with fewer tracks in a similar vein to Slow Hands and Evil, and some experimental songs such as The Lighthouse. The band plans to tour the album extensively, beginning with the summer festival circuit throughout the United States and Europe. In August 2007 Interpol headlined one of the days of the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago. Our Love to Admire was released in the UK on July 9th on Parlophone, on July 10th in the United States on Capitol, and in Japan on July 11 on EMI Music Japan.

EMI has also released a special tour edition of Interpol's latest album "Our Love To Admire"[2]. This special version features a bonus DVD which contains six live tracks, recorded at the London Astoria earlier this year, plus the promo videos for "The Heinrich Maneuver" and "No I In Threesome".

THE KILLERS

2008-08-23T23:46:00.001-07:00

THE KILLERS

The Killers is an American rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada who have combined music styles from the 1980s and 1990s with modern synthetic music. Formed in 2002 and made up of Brandon Flowers (vocals, keyboards), Dave Keuning (guitar, vocals), Mark Stoermer (bass guitar, vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr., (percussion, drums)Keeley Burgess, (Tambourine & Dance) and Aisha Sini (Flute & Dance). They released their debut album, Hot Fuss, in 2004. Their second album, Sam's Town, was released in 2006. The compilation album Sawdust, containing B-sides, rarities, and some new material, was released in 2007. Their first two albums to date have sold in excess of 12 million copies worldwide combined. They are currently working on their third album, which is being produced by Stuart Price.

Formation and early success (2001–2003)

In 2001, Brandon Flowers was abandoned by his first band, a synthpop band known as Blush Response,[1] after he declined to move with the rest of them to Los Angeles, California. He then met David Keuning after responding to an ad that Keuning had placed in the newspaper.[1] Ronnie Vannucci Jr. and Mark Stoermer were approached by Flowers and Keuning with an offer to join "The Killers", a name which comes from the bass drum of a fictional band in a New Order video for their song "Crystal".[1]

Initially, The Killers played at large clubs in Las Vegas, Nevada. With the band's lineup stable and their repertoire of songs expanding, the band began to attract attention from talent bookers, local gents, major label, scouts — and a UK representative for Warner Bros. Though the Warner Bros representative passed on the band, he took the demo back with him, showing it to a friend who worked at UK indie label Lizard King. The Killers then signed that summer to the British label.[2]

Hot Fuss (2003–2005)

They released their album Hot Fuss on June 7, 2004 in the United Kingdom on London-based indie record label Lizard King Records (now Marrakesh Records), and June 15 in the United States on Island Records.[3] Hot Fuss has been classified 4x Platinum by the BPI[4] and 3x Platinum by RIAA.[5] The band also had chart success with their singles "Mr. Brightside", which reached the Top 10 in the UK when released,[6] and "All These Things That I've Done," [7] which can be heard as the soundtrack for a new Nike TV commercial airing in the U.S & U.K. However, their main mainstream success came when they scored a number three chart position with their re-release of "Somebody Told Me".[3]

Sam's Town (2005–2007)

The Killers' second album, Sam's Town, was released on October 2, 2006, in the UK, and October 3 in the U.S., under Island Def Jam Music Group.[8] Brandon Flowers said that Sam's Town will be "one of the best albums of the past twenty years,"[9] though the album has received a mixed response from critics and fans,[10] it has still remained popular and sold over a million copies as of January 2007.[11] The first single from Sam's Town, "When You Were Young", debuted on radio stations on July 25, 2006, and is considered their best song.[12] The single then entered the chart on downloads alone at #5, and the following week on its official release went to #2 on the UK Singles Chart.[13] It was unable to knock Scissor Sisters off the top spot.[13] Their single, "Bones", was the second video from the band, and was directed by Tim Burton.[14]

Promoting Sam's Town, the band returned as a musical guest for the 32nd season premiere of Saturday Night Live on September 30, 2006.[15] They performed "When You Were Young" and "Bones". The album sold over 700,000 copies worldwide in the first week of release, with a number two debut on the Billboard chart.[16] The album has produced four singles in the United Kingdom and United States: "When You Were Young" released in September, "Bones" which was released in November, "Read My Mind" which was released in February, and "For Reasons Unknown" which was released in June.[17]

Sawdust (2007–2008)

The compilation album called Sawdust, containing B-sides, rarities, and some new material, was released on November 12, 2007. Since then, Sawdust has been classified Gold by the BPI.[18] The album's first single "Tranquilize", a collaboration with Lou Reed, was released October 12, 2007, in the UK, and on October 22, 2007, in the U.S.[18] The band also released their cover of Joy Division's "Shadowplay" on the U.S. iTunes Store on October 9, 2007.[19] The band released the video for "Tranquilize" at Yahoo Music. Lou Reed also makes an appearance on the video.[20] The album also contains the songs "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town", (a The First Edition cover), "Romeo and Juliet", (a Dire Straits cover), and a rare demo version of "Move Away" which Brandon Flowers later stated was a mistake on the part of their record label. The proper version they intended to put on the album, was previously available on the Spider-Man 3 soundtrack.[21] One of the tracks on Sawdust is "Leave the Bourbon On The Shelf", the first but previously unreleased part of the so called "The Killers murder trilogy", in which it is followed by "Midnight Show", then "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine".[22] "Leave the Bourbon on the Shelf" is about the motive and planning of the crime which, according to Flowers, involves water, but the victim (Jenny) does not drown. "Midnight Show" is the act and attempted escape, and "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" is the capture and interrogation of the perpetrator. In 2005-2006 the band informally announced a 'music videoesque' mini movie (considering none of the trilogy became singles) to tide fans over between the release of Hot Fuss and Sam's Town. This was at the very least postponed considering no further statement has been released regarding the project.[citation needed] The Killers released a Christmas song called "Don't Shoot Me Santa", on December 1, 2007. The song, like "A Great Big Sled", benefits Bono's Product Red campaign to fight AIDS in Africa. The recording was not included on Sawdust.[23]

Day and Age (2008–present)

Currently, the band is in the studio finishing the album, which is stated to be finished before the band plays Reading and Leeds in August 2008.[24] Flowers has stated that there is no concept for the third album yet.[25] However, the band headed to the studio in June and the album is being produced by Stuart Price. Flowers also stated in an interview with Q that he was excited to play a new song called "Tidal Wave", influenced by David Bowie's "Drive-In Saturday" and "I Drove All Night" by Roy Orbison. The setlist of The Killers' July 29 and August 1, 2008 show at New York City's Highline Ballroom and Atlantic City's Borgata Hotel and Spa contained two new songs: Spaceman and Neon Tiger. These songs were also played at The Killers' show on July 31st at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut.[26][27] Currently, the new album is stated to be titled Day and Age.[28] In a recent NME magazine article dated August 19, 2008, Flowers commented on the progress of the album, stating the music was "97% done", but the lyrics were only about "30% done". It is planned to be announced soon, and is expected to be released in November 2008, but Flowers is still unsure of what the album's theme will be.

Influences

Much of The Killers' music is based on British influences (the band is often described as the "Best British band to have come out of America") and on the music of the 1980s. They appreciate post-punk bands that sprang up in the late 70s and early 80s, such as Joy Division (having recorded a cover of their song "Shadowplay"), other main influences include: Pet Shop Boys, The Beatles, Oasis, New Order,Duran Duran, Dire Straits, David Bowie, The Smiths, Morrissey, Depeche Mode, U2,[29] Queen, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Pink Floyd, Eagles, The Strokes, The Cars and Smashing Pumpkins.[30]

Notable appearances

The Killers appeared as themselves in 2004, in the popular teen drama The O.C.. They were playing in a concert at The Bait Shop, attended by the main characters. They played the songs "Smile Like You Mean It", which appeared on Music from the OC: Mix 2, "Mr. Brightside" and "Everything Will Be Alright" from the album Hot Fuss.[31]

The Killers performed on the London stage of the Live 8 concert on July 2, 2005. They performed "All These Things That I've Done". To their surprise, Robbie Williams incorporated the song's refrain "I've got soul but I'm not a soldier" into his own performance. Coldplay and U2 followed suit, and at their separate concerts played in Las Vegas, with The Killers in the crowd, they incorporated that famous line into the songs "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" and "Beautiful Day", respectively.[32]

The Killers recorded a live session at Abbey Road Studios for Live from Abbey Road on November 29, 2006.[33] They performed an almost totally unplugged set, which included a rendition of the Dire Straits hit "Romeo and Juliet". On February 14, 2007, The Killers attended The BRIT Awards in the UK, and performed "When You Were Young". The band were also up for two awards - International Group & International Album. The band won both awards, defeating Scissor Sisters and Gnarls Barkley, respectively, and their song "When You were Young" appeared in the video games Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock and "Rock Band".[

Controversy

Since going platinum, the band (and principally Flowers) has incited a few rivalries - most notably with The Bravery and Fall Out Boy, who are both labelmates (Island Records). Flowers has said that these bands, especially The Bravery, are riding on the coattails of the success of The Killers.[35] Additionally, in an article of NME, Flowers claimed Fall Out Boy was hogging the A&R man both bands share, setting off Fall Out Boy's bassist Pete Wentz.[36] However, after Wentz made a couple of rants on his blog in September 2005, he offered a virtual cease-fire.[36] Flowers has since apologized to The Bravery, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! at the Disco, saying "I'd like to take it al back - these people are just doing what they want to do, just like I am," and said that he was "not proud of" his occasional jealousy.[37]

In February 2006, The Killers' former manager, Braden Merrick, filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract when he was fired in May 2005. Merrick's contract was to have run through 2007, and the two sides had been negotiating a settlement before the lawsuit was filed.[38] The Killers are currently fighting a lawsuit against ex-manager Braden Merrick under the California Labor Commissioner. Merrick is suing The Killers for $3 million for unpaid commissions. The band claims that Merrick booked employment without a license, and thus are seeking to void their management contract. Flowers was seen on camera outside the court with Keuning on TMZ.com on December 19, 2007, saying "Well, we like people to be honest."

THE USED

2008-08-23T23:37:00.000-07:00

THE USED

The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah. Their sound has been classified under many genres and subgenres of rock. They signed with Reprise Records in late 2001 and rose to fame in June 2002 after releasing their debut self-titled album, The Used. They followed up with their second album, In Love and Death, in September 2004 and their third album, Lies for the Liars, in May 2007. An EP, Shallow Believer, was released in February 2008 that featured the band's B-sides. They are currently working on their fourth studio album, due out in late 2008. The band has achieved both Gold and Platinum status in over 6 countries worldwide.

The Used officially formed in January of 2001[6] but some members had played in previous bands since the early 1990s which helped lead to the formation of The Used. Under the name Strange Itch in 1994, the band consisted of Branden Steineckert on drums, Jeph Howard with the vocals, Joel Pack on bass, and Matt Brown on guitar. They released one self-titled album in 1998 and remained under that name until Quinn Allman took over guitar and Ashton Johnson took over the bass in 1999. At this point they changed their name to Dumb Luck.[7] In 2000, an EP called The Naked Truth was released. Dumb Luck was short-lived and not long after the release, there was another line up change as Johnson had left the band and Howard took over as the bass player leaving the band with no singer. Tryouts for singers were held in Branden's bedroom, but they weren't satisfied with anyone they heard until Quinn remembered Bert McCracken from school and called him to see if he was interested in trying out. Bert met up with the other members and liked the music they wrote. After being given music that the band had written, Bert wrote the lyrics to what would become "Maybe Memories" and returned the next day with a newly recorded version of the song. The band welcomed him immediately. Bert wrote the lyrics to the songs they had, taking over the vocals, and the band was renamed Used. The name comes from their friends who claimed they were being used when contact was lost between them and band members due to them becoming more involved in the band.[6] Although it may seem like these early bands were The Used under a different name, Jeph stated in an interview that the bands were so bad that they weren't real bands and didn't have anything to do with The Used. He did say, however, that if it weren't for them, The Used would have never formed because they learned so much about music and each other playing in those bands.

2001: Demos from the Basement and getting a record label

Used wrote songs together and made a demo album known as Demos from the Basement. Drummer Branden Steineckert sent their songs to producer John Feldmann from the pop punk group Goldfinger. After he heard "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", he wanted to get them signed because he believed this band had something no other band had and could change what's happening in the music world. John played the songs for various record executives to try and get them signed, however, the first few weren't interested and it left John discouraged because he felt this band was like no other. Throughout all of this, the band members suffered from poverty, homelessness, and substance abuse. They panhandled for change in order to buy food to stay alive while at the same time hating the Mormon town that they lived in and the people that lived there.[10] Eventually, more people got hold of the demo and a few record companies were eager to sign them, they decided to sign with Reprise Records in late 2001.

2002-2003: The Used and Maybe Memories

In 2002, it was discovered that a Boston band had already trademarked the name "Used," so they decided to add "The" to their name, thus becoming The Used. Their self-titled debut album was released on June 25, 2002. The album received mixed reviews and featured four singles: "A Box Full of Sharp Objects", "The Taste of Ink", "Buried Myself Alive", and "Blue and Yellow", with the latter three entering the charts. The album has been certified gold.[11] The Used would go on to play Warped Tour, Ozzfest, and Projekt Revolution, as well as Box Car Racer's first and only tour. During these tours, they had a 5th member, a touring guitarist by the name of Greg Bester. He was forced to return to his home country when he couldn't get a working Visa. The band also got recognized when Bert McCracken dated Kelly Osbourne.[12] These events would bring them much fanfare and popularity. In July 2003, The Used released a compilation CD/DVD combo package titled Maybe Memories. The CD featured live, rare, previously unreleased tracks, and demo material. The DVD featured the history of the band, member bios, and part of a live concert. This release has been certified platinum.[11]

2004-2006: In Love and Death and a new drummer

Tragedy struck The Used in 2004 when lead singer Bert McCracken's ex-girlfriend, who was pregnant with his child, died of a drug overdose.[13] Their second studio album was thus named In Love and Death, released as a reference to the tragedy Bert dealt with during the recording. The song "Hard to Say" was a reference to Bert's ex-girlfriend; although he wrote the song years earlier, it fit the moment and Bert felt that it was the right time to release it.[citation needed] The album received generally favorable reviews[14] and spawned three singles: "Take It Away", "All That I've Got" (which earned them their first MuchMusic Video Award nomination), and "I Caught Fire", before being re-realeased in 2005. "Under Pressure" (a David Bowie and Queen cover song performed with My Chemical Romance) was featured as a bonus track on the re-release. The album has been certified gold.[11] After finishing up an international tour for the album, The Used took about 7 months off before starting to work on their next album. Throughout the summer of 2006, rumors spread among fans that Branden had left the band. Then on September 12, 2006, The Used announced and confirmed that Branden was no longer a member of the band.[15] They said they felt they needed to move forward without him, and that there was a personality conflict between Branden and another band member; however, they did say that they love Branden and wish him the best in whatever he does in the future.[15] In late 2006, it was announced drummer Dan Whitesides of New Transit Direction would replace Steineckert. Branden has since joined Rancid to replace former drummer Brett Reed.

2007: Berth and Lies for the Liars

On February 6, 2007, The Used released a live CD/DVD package, Berth, which included a full live concert shot on the 2005 Taste of Chaos tour in Vancouver. It continued where Maybe Memories left off and showed what the band had been up to since they released In Love and Death. It also gave a preview of Lies for the Liars. Berth has been certified gold.[11] The Used spent most of the early part of 2007 on the Taste of Chaos tour, before their third album, Lies for the Liars was released May 22, 2007. They also headlined the Give it a Name festival. In June, The Used played the MuchMusic Video Awards for the first time ever, and also received their second nomination for Best International Group Video, for "The Bird and the Worm". The Used were scheduled to play Warped Tour in June and July, in support of their album, but had to cancel because Bert required surgery to remove a node from his vocal cords. After Bert recovered, they played the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, and went on to tour the United States in September. Lies for the Liars charted in the top 5 in over seven countries,[5] and there were 4 singles released: "The Bird and the Worm", "Liar Liar (Burn in Hell)", "Pretty Handsome Awkward", and "Paralyzed". Although Dan Whitesides was chosen as the new drummer, Dean Butterworth of Good Charlotte recorded drums for the album. The recording session for this album was the longest of any The Used album, as it took them over six months to record. Lies for the Liars received mixed reviews[16] and has 8 B-sides. The Used had considered making a double album since 19 songs were recorded, but this idea was dropped after they decided to save the songs for a future release.

2007: Berth and Lies for the Liars

On February 6, 2007, The Used released a live CD/DVD package, Berth, which included a full live concert shot on the 2005 Taste of Chaos tour in Vancouver. It continued where Maybe Memories left off and showed what the band had been up to since they released In Love and Death. It also gave a preview of Lies for the Liars. Berth has been certified gold.[11] The Used spent most of the early part of 2007 on the Taste of Chaos tour, before their third album, Lies for the Liars was released May 22, 2007. They also headlined the Give it a Name festival. In June, The Used played the MuchMusic Video Awards for the first time ever, and also received their second nomination for Best International Group Video, for "The Bird and the Worm". The Used were scheduled to play Warped Tour in June and July, in support of their album, but had to cancel because Bert required surgery to remove a node from his vocal cords. After Bert recovered, they played the Reading and Leeds festivals in August, and went on to tour the United States in September. Lies for the Liars charted in the top 5 in over seven countries,[5] and there were 4 singles released: "The Bird and the Worm", "Liar Liar (Burn in Hell)", "Pretty Handsome Awkward", and "Paralyzed". Although Dan Whitesides was chosen as the new drummer, Dean Butterworth of Good Charlotte recorded drums for the album. The recording session for this album was the longest of any The Used album, as it took them over six months to record. Lies for the Liars received mixed reviews[16] and has 8 B-sides. The Used had considered making a double album since 19 songs were recorded, but this idea was dropped after they decided to save the songs for a future release.

DREAM THEATER

2008-08-04T02:21:00.000-07:00

DREAM THEATER

Biodata
Asal :Boston, Massachusetts
Genre :Progressive metal
Tahun aktif :1985 - sekarang
Label :Atlantic, RoadRunner Records
Situsweb :www.dreamtheater.net
Anggota sekarang:
James LaBrie
John Myung
John Petrucci
Mike Portnoy
Jordan Rudess

Dream Theater adalah salah satu grup progressive metal paling terkemuka di dunia saat ini. Didirikan oleh Mike Portnoy, John Petrucci dan John Myung, mereka telah merilis delapan album studio, empat rekaman live dan satu album pendek (EP). Album pertama mereka, When Dream And Day Unite direkam dengan Charlie Dominici sebagai vokalis dan Kevin Moore sebagai pemain keyboards. Dominici berusia jauh lebih tua daripada anggota lainnya dan ingin memainkan musik yang lain, sehingga ia kemudian keluar dari grup. Mereka kemudian mencari pengganti yang ideal selama 2 tahun sampai akhirnya bertemu dengan James LaBrie, vokalis dari Kanada melalui audisi.

Bersama LaBrie mereka merekam Images And Words yang melambungkan nama mereka ke jajaran internasional dengan hit "Pull Me Under" dan "Another Day". Awake adalah album terakhir mereka dengan Moore yang kemudian digantikan oleh Derek Sherinian untuk album Falling Into Infinity. Pada akhirnya Sherinian juga digantikan oleh Jordan Rudess dan formasi ini masih bertahan sampai hari ini. Mereka telah meluncurkan album konsep Metropolis 2: Scenes From A Memory dan album ganda Six Degrees Of Inner Turbulence. Pada tahun 2003 mereka memutuskan untuk merekam album non-konsep Train Of Thought yang sangat dipengaruhi oleh grup thrash metal seperti Metallica.

Album terbaru mereka yang berjudul Octavarium dikeluarkan pada tanggal 7 Juni 2005 dan selain merupakan album studio kedelapan juga mengandung delapan lagu.

Setelah Dream Theater meluncurkan album Live mereka dalam memperingati 20 tahun Dream Theater terbentuk yang berjudul Score yang direkam pada tanggal 1 April 2006 di Radio City Music Hall,US. Mereka kembali bersiap meluncurkan album ke sembilan mereka dengan membawa bendera label record baru yaitu RoadRunner Records, mereka telah merampungkan album Systematic Chaos yang berisi 8 lagu dan akan diluncurkan pada tanggal 5 Juni 2007 di US.

Sejarah

Dream Theater dibentuk pada bulan September 1985, ketika gitaris John Petrucci dan bassis John Myung memutuskan untuk membentuk sebuah band untuk mengisi waktu luang mereka ketika bersekolah di Berklee College of Music di Boston. Mereka lalu bertemu seorang pemain drum, Mike Portnoy, di salah satu ruang latihan di Berklee, dan setelah dua hari negosiasi, mereka berhasil mengajak Mike Portnoy untuk bergabung. Setelah itu, mereka bertiga ingin mengisi dua tempat kosong di band tersebut, dan Petrucci bertanya kepada teman band, Kevin Moore, untuk menjadi pemain keyboard. Dia setuju, dan ketika Chris Collins diajak untuk menjadi vokalis, band tersebut sudah komplit.

Dengan lima anggota, mereka memutuskan untuk menamai band tersebut dengan nama Majesty. Menurut dokumentasi DVD Score, mereka berlima sedang mengantri tiket untuk konser Rush di Berklee Performance Center ketika mendengarkan Rush dengan boom box. Portnoy lalu berkata bahwa akhiran dari lagu tersebut (Bastille Day) terdengar sangat "majestic". Pada saat itulah mereka memutuskan Majesty adalah nama yang bagus untuk sebuah band, dan tetap bagus sampai sekarang.

Pada saat - saat tersebut, Portnoy, Petrucci dan Myung masih berkutat dengan kuliah mereka, juga dengan kerja paruh waktu dan mengajar. Jadwal mereka menjadi kiat ketat sehingga mereka harus memutuskan antara mengejar karir di bidang musik atau mengakhiri band Majesty. Namun akhirnya Majesty menang dan mereka bertiga keluar dari Berklee untuk berkonsentrasi di karir musik. Petrucci mengomentari tentang hal ini di dokumentasi DVD Score, berkata bahwa saat tersebut sangat susah untuk meminta kepada orang tuanya untuk pergi ke sekolah musik. Dan lebih susah lagi untuk menyakinkan orang tuanya agar ia boleh keluar dari sekolah.

Moore juga akhirnya keluar dari sekolahnya, SUNY Fredonia, untuk berkonsentrasi dengan band tersebut.

Karakteristik penulisan lagu

Beberapa teknik penulisan lagu yang unik telah dilakukan oleh Dream Theater, yang kebanyakan terjadi di masa - masa sekarang, ketika mereka bisa bereksperimen dengan label rekaman mereka sendiri.

Dimulai dengan Train of Thought, Dream Theater sudah memulai memasukkan elemen - elemen kecil dan tersembunyi di musik mereka, dan memuat elemen tersebut kepada peminat yang lebih fanatik. Karakteristik yang paling terkenal (yang biasa disebut "nugget") tersembunyi di "In the Name of God", yang merupakan sandi morse dari "eat my ass and balls" (makan pantatku dan penisku), yang merupakan kata - kata terkenal dari Mike Portnoy. Sejak saat itu, banyak peminat - peminat Dream Theater mulai berusaha menemukan hal - hal kecil yang biasanya tidak menarik bagi peminat biasa.

Beberapa dari teknik mereka yang terkenal termasuk:

* Suara dari fonograf di akhiran dari "Finally Free" di album Scenes from a Memory adalah suara yang sama di awalan "The Glass Prison" di album berikutnya, Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. Dan akhiran kunci terakhir di "As I Am" sama dengan kunci yang digunakan di album selanjutnya, Train of Thought. Juga, not piano yang dimainkan di akhiran "In the Name of God" di 'Train of Thought adalah not yang sama dengan pembukaan "The Root of All Evil" di album berikutnya, Octavarium.

* Tiga bagian dari "The Glass Prison" di Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, dua bagian dari "This Dying Soul" di Train of Thought dan dua bagian dari "The Root of All Evil" di Octavarium menunjukkan tujuh poin pertama dari dua belas poin - poin di program Alcoholics Anonymous oleh Bill Wilson, yang mana program itu diikuti oleh Mike Portnoy. Ia juga berkata bahwa ia akan membuat lagu - lagu lain yang memuat lima program lainnya, yang akan ditujukan untuk Wilson

* Dream Theater kadang menggunakan teknik penulisan lagu dimana bagian - bagian dari sebuah lagu dikembangkan tiap kali mereka dimainkan. Contohnya, lagu "6:00" dari Awake. Setelah awalan lagu, mereka hampir memainkan chorus, tapi mengulang lagu tersebut dari awalan lagi (di menit 1:33). Dan ketika chorus sudah seharusnya dimainkan pada saat berikutnya, mereka mengulang lagi dari awalan, di menit 2:11. Teknik ini bisa juga ditemukan di "Peruvian Skies", "Blind Faith" dan "Endless Sacrifice"

* Penggunaan notasi yang berulang - ulang juga digunakan, yang sudah dikenal dari lagu - lagu Charles Ives, contohnya:
o Tema lagu "Wait for Sleep" muncul di "Learning to Live" (menit 8:11) dan juga muncul dua kali di "Just Let Me Breath" (menit 3:39 dan 5:21)
o Tema lagu "Learning to Live" muncul di "Another Day" (menit 2:53)
o Tema lagu "Space-Dye Vest" digunakan beberapa kali di album Awake.
o Tema pembukaan dari "Erotomania" digunakan di "Voices" di Awake (menit 4:51).
o Satu dari melodi - melodi di "Metropolis Pt 1 (The Miracle and the Sleeper)" diulang di chorus kedua di "Home" dari Metropolis Pt 2 (Scenes From A Memory), dengan cuma pengubahan satu kata. Beberapa lirik dari "Metropolis Pt 1" just digunakan di "Home". Pada dasarnya, keseluruhan album "Scenes From A Memory" penuh dengan musikal/lirikal/konseptual variasi dari elemen - elemen musikal dari "Metropolis Pt 1" dan "The Dance of Eternity" sebenarnya dibangun dari variasi - variasi elemen musik di lagu - lagu dalam album tersebut.
o Bagian - baguan dari tiap lagu di album "Octavarium" telah digunakan di bagian kelima dari lagu berjudul sama, "Octavarium".

* Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence, studio album ke enam mereka, memuat enam lagu dan mempunyai karakter - karakter angka enam di judul - judul lagunya. Train of Thought, studio album ke tujuh mereka, memuat tujuh lagu. Octavarium, studio album ke delapan mereka memuat delapan lagu dan judul albumnya diambil dari kata octo, yang merupakan kata Latin yang berarti delapan, berarti satu oktaf dari istilah musik, yang mana merupakan jarak dari satu not ke not lain adalah delapan not di tangga nada diatonik. Judul lagi dari CD ini adalah 24 menit, kelipatan dari 8. Halaman depan albumnya juga memuat karakter - karakter yang berhubungan dengan 5 dan 8. Contohnya, satu set dari kotak - kotak putih dan kotak - kotak hitam, mempunyai arti satu oktaf dari piano.

* Lagu "Octavarium" dulunya ingin diakhiri dengan seruling yang bergema serupa dengan awalan lagu tersebut. Namun diganti dengan not piano yang sama dari awalan album Octavarium. Mike Portnoy telah mengatakan bahwa seri awalan - akhiran album akan berhenti disini, karena album ke sembilan mendatang tidak akan diawali dengan akhiran "Octavarium"

* Analisis detil tentang "nugget" di "Octavarium" (disebut oleh Mike Portnoy sebagai "sebuah nugget raksasa") telah dipublikasikan di sebuah situs independen

VAN HALEN

2008-08-04T02:11:00.000-07:00

VAN HALEN

VAN HALEN

* David Lee Roth - penyanyi utama(1974-1985, 1996-1997, 2007-...)
* Edward Van Halen - gitar, keyboards, penyanyi latar
* Alex Van Halen - drums, perkusi
* Wolfgang Van Halen - bass, penyanyi latar

Van Halen adalah grup musik hard rock asal Amerika yang namanya diambil dari dua bersaudara yang menjadi anggotanya, gitaris Eddie Van Halen dan drummer Alex Van Halen. Van Halen bersaudara ini masih keturunan Indonesia[rujukan?].

Pada tanggal 13 Agustus 2007 Van Halen mengumumkan reuni bersama penyanyi David Lee Roth untuk tur Amerika Utara pada bulan September. Michael Anthony akan digantikan oleh anak Eddie Van Halen, Wolfgang. Sementara itu Anthony sendiri bergabung dengan mantan penyanyi Van Halen Sammy Hagar dalam band yang diberi nama The Other Half.

LINKIN PARK

2008-08-04T01:57:00.000-07:00

LINKIN PARK

Linkin Park adalah grup musik beraliran nu metal yang berasal dari Aguora Hills, California, di Amerika Serikat. Mereka sempat beberapa kali berganti nama, antara lain Xero, Hybrid Theory, hingga nama Linkin Park sampai sekarang. Nama "Linkin Park" sendiri merupakan plesetan dari nama sebuah taman di Los Angeles, Lincoln Park.

Sebelum Chester Bennington menjadi vokalis Linkin Park, Mark Wakefield lebih dulu menjadi vokalisnya. Namun, ia keluar dari Linkin Park – saat itu menggunakan nama Hybrid Theory – untuk menjadi manajer grup musik Taproot. Bassis Dave Farrell alias "Phoenix" juga pernah keluar sebentar dari Linkin Park untuk mengikuti tur bersama band lamanya, Tasty Snax. Sedangkan 4 personil lainnya – Brad Delson, Mike Shinoda, Joe Hahn, dan Rob Bourdon – selalu bertahan di Linkin Park sejak awal pembentukannya.

Linkin Park telah merilis 3 album studio, yaitu Hybrid Theory, Meteora, dan Minutes to Midnight. Linkin Park juga merilis album Live in Texas, Reanimation, dan Collision Course, serta Hybrid Theory EP. Linkin Park sukses dalam mempopulerkan lagu-lagunya seperti Crawling, In the End, Numb, Somewhere I Belong, dan What I've Done. Secara total, album-album Linkin Park telah terjual sebanyak 50 juta keping.

Awal mula

Awal pembentukan Linkin Park yaitu pertemuan Mike Shinoda dan Brad Delson (gitaris Linkin Park) di kelas 7. Lalu mereka membentuk band bernama Xero. Brad juga bermain untuk band Relative Degree, salah satu personilnya yaitu Rob Bourdon (drummer Linkin Park). Mike berkenalan dengan Rob melalui Brad dan Rob bergabung dengan Xero. Saat kuliah, Brad berkenalan dengan Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (bassis Linkin Park) yang merupakan teman sekamar Brad. Mike, yang mengambil jurusan ilustrasi di Universitas Seni Pasadena, bertemu dengan Joe Hahn (turntablis Linkin Park). Kemudian, Dave Farrell dan Joe Hahn bergabung bersama Xero. Dave sempat meninggalkan Xero untuk bergabung kembali ke band lamanya, Tasty Snax.

Mulanya, mereka merekrut Mark Wakefield sebagai vokalis, lalu diambil alih oleh Chester Bennington (mantan vokalis Grey Daze) sampai sekarang, sedangkan Mike lalu jadi rapper. Sialnya, karena nama Xero sudah dipakai grup lain, mereka terpaksa mengganti nama menjadi Hybrid Theory. Lalu, Hybrid Theory menandatangani kontrak dengan perusahaan rekaman bernama Warner Bros. Records setelah sukses meluncurkan EP yang bertajuk Hybrid Theory EP pada tahun 1999 sebanyak seribu keping

Sekali lagi, mereka terpaksa mengganti nama karena nama Hybrid Theory mirip dengan nama grup musik Hybrid yang berasal dari Wales. Daripada dianggap band yang sama, mereka memilih berubah nama lagi menjadi Linkin Park. Nama itu diambil Chester dari nama sebuah taman di Los Angeles, Lincoln Park. Agar bisa mengelola situs web sendiri, Chester mengubah ejaannya menjadi Linkin Park. Setelah itu, mereka berhasil membeli situs web linkinpark.com

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park saat konser di Praha, Ceko.

Linkin Park meluncurkan album pertamanya, Hybrid Theory, pada tanggal 24 Oktober 2000 dengan singel pertama One Step Closer. Namun, yang lebih terkenal adalah singel Crawling dan In the End. Lagu ini telah membuat Linkin Park menjadi populer. Penjualan album itu melebihi 15 juta keping. Linkin Park lalu merilis edisi spesial dari Hybrid Theory, dengan 2 lagu baru High Voltage dan My December (lagu).

Linkin Park lalu merilis album aransemen ulang dari Hybrid Theory, Reanimation. Album ini pun meraih kesuksesan dengan penjualan kira-kira 10 juta kopi. Singelnya, Pts.Of.Athrty, tidak sepopuler singel di Hybrid Theory, namun cukup terkenal. Linkin Park, melalui Mike Shinoda dan Joseph Hahn, juga sempat bekerja sama dengan band The X-ecutioners dalam pembuatan singel It's Goin' Down. Linkin Park juga membentuk kelompok fans mereka bernama Linkin Park Underground, serta mulai mengadakan tur sendiri bernama Projekt Revolution, setelah sering diundang ke festival musik.

Meteora

Tanggal 25 Maret 2003, Linkin Park merilis album kedua bertitel Meteora. Nama tersebut diambil dari nama tempat ibadah di atas puing-puing di Yunani. Album ini juga meraih kesuksesan dengan penjualan kira-kira 11 juta kopi. Singelnya adalah Somewhere I Belong, Faint, Numb, From the Inside, Lying from You, dan Breaking the Habit.

Meteora memenangkan banyak penghargaan. Antara lain Penghargaan MTV kategori "Video Rock Terbaik" untuk lagu "Somewhere I Belong" dan "Penghargaan Pilihan Pemirsa" (Breaking The Habit). Linkin Park juga memenangkan penghargaan lain yaitu "Penghargaan Musik Radio 2004", "Penghargaan Artis Tahun Ini" dan "Penghargaan Lagu Tahun Ini" melalui lagu "Numb". Mesikpun album Meteora tidak sesukses Hybrid Theory album ini masuk 3 besar penjualan album di Amerika Serikat tahun 2003.

Linkin Park juga mengadakan Projekt Revolution Tour ke-2 serta sibuk ikut konser. Di sela-sela waktu itu, Linkin Park berhasil menyelesaikan rekaman album konser mereka, "Live In Texas", yang berisi lagu-lagu saat konser Linkin Park di Texas.

Proyek sampingan
Mike Shinoda saat diwawancarai oleh MTV Thailand di Bangkok, Thailand.
Mike Shinoda saat diwawancarai oleh MTV Thailand di Bangkok, Thailand.

Atas permintaan MTV, Linkin Park berkolaborasi dengan Jay Z dalam album "Collision Course". Materi album ini adalah remix dari sebagian lagu-lagu Linkin Park dalam album "Hybrid Theory" dan "Meteora" serta lagu-lagu Jay Z dalam album "Blueprint" serta "The Black Album". Album tersebut dirilis tahun 2004 dan menghasilkan 2 singel, yaitu Numb/Encore yang mendapat penghargaan Grammy kategori "Lagu Rap Terbaik" dan "Kolaborasi Terbaik".

Pada tahun 2005, Linkin Park lebih mengutamakan konser amal. Mereka membantu korban tsunami pada bulan Desember 2004 dalam konser bertajuk Music For Relief. Linkin Park juga membantu mengumpulkan uang untuk korban Badai Katrina tahun 2004. Sementara itu, Mike Shinoda bergabung dengan Fort Minor dalam album "The Rising Tied". Chester Bennington juga punya proyek solo yang dinamai Snow White Tan yang selanjutnya populer dengan nama Dead By Sunrise. Lalu, Linkin Park pergi ke Jepang tahun 2006 untuk mengikuti festival musik populer di Jepang, yaitu Summer Sonic.

Minutes to Midnight

Pada tahun 2006, mereka mulai merekam materi untuk album terbaru Linkin Park, yaitu "Minutes To Midnight". Banyak yang mengkritik Linkin Park karena sering tertunda peluncurannya. Walaupun begitu, Linkin Park menjamin bahwa album tanggal 14 Mei 2007 ini pantas untuk dikoleksi. Menurut Linkin Park, mereka menamai album barunya "Minutes To Midnight" (menit-menit menuju tengah malam) karena adanya isu nuklir di bumi ini yang dapat menghancurkan dunia pada saat tengah malam.

Sebanyak 100 lagu demo telah diciptakan namun hanya 12 yang dimasukkan ke dalam album. Tidak heran kalau album ini direkam selama 14 bulan. Dalam album Minutes To Midnight, unsur musik nu metal kurang kental. Walaupun demikian, album ini tetap digemari. Buktinya adalah album ini terjual hampir sebanyak 625 ribu kopi dalam pekan pertamanya (sebuah rekor dalam tahun 2007). Album studio ketiga ini diproduseri oleh Mike Shinoda dan Rick Rubin, mantan personil Beastie Boys. Singel pertamanya, "What I've Done", sudah mulai diputar di radio pada tanggal 2 April 2007. Minutes To Midnight juga menduduki tangga teratas Billboard. Pada tanggal 20 Agustus 2007, Linkin Park merilis singel keduanya, yaitu "Bleed It Out". Dan, pada bulan Oktober, Linkin Park akan merilis singel "Shadow of the Day".

Lagu "No Roads Left" bisa didapatkan melalui pemesanan lewat iTunes. Sementara lagu "Qwerty" bisa didapatkan di EP berjudul Linkin Park Underground v6.0.

Aliran
Chester Bennington, vokalis Linkin Park, saat konser di The Globe Arena di Stockholm, Swedia.
Chester Bennington, vokalis Linkin Park, saat konser di The Globe Arena di Stockholm, Swedia.

Pada awal pembentukannya, Linkin Park beraliran rock. Setelah masuknya seorang DJ atau turntablis bernama Joe Hahn, Linkin Park mengganti alirannya menjadi hip-hop. Namun, pada album Hybrid Theory, Linkin Park mengganti lagi alirannya menjadi nu metal dan rapcore. Demikian juga pada album Meteora, hanya saja Linkin Park juga menambahkan unsur elektronika.

Pada album Minutes To Midnight, segalanya berubah total. Linkin Park benar-benar mengurangi unsur nu metal secara spesifik. Sebagai gantinya, Linkin Park menggunakan aliran alternative rock. Ini jelas sebuah eksperimen mengingat kesuksesan Linkin Park dengan genre nu metal dalam album sebelumnya. Tetapi, ternyata eksperimen itu berhasil.

Linkin Park jarang menggunakan teknik melodi gitar namun petikan gitar. Selain itu, rap dari Mike Shinoda sering muncul di banyak lagu. Terkadang Chester berteriak dalam beberapa lagu.

Lagi-lagi, perubahan terjadi di album Minutes To Midnight. Linkin Park mengurangi unsur rap dari Mike. Rapnya hanya ada di 2 lagu, yaitu Bleed It Out dan Hands Held High. Sementara vokal Chester lebih dominan dibanding sebelumnya. Linkin Park juga bermain lebih lembut.

Linkin Park Underground

Ini adalah kelompok penggemar Linkin Park yang dibentuk tahun 2001. Jika bergabung dengan LPU (singkatannya) maka bisa memperoleh merchandise khusus untuk anggota LPU. Seperti kaus, asbak, buku, dan album mini (EP).

COLDPLAY

2008-08-04T01:50:00.000-07:00

COLDPLAY

Biodata:
Asal :London, Inggris
Genre :Alternative rock
Piano rock
Tahun aktif :1998–sekarang
Label Parlophone
Capitol
Situsweb :coldplay.com
Anggota sekarang:
Chris Martin
Jonny Buckland
Will Champion
Guy Berryman

Coldplay adalah kelompok musik alternatif dari London, Inggris yang dikenal melalui melodi rock mereka dan lirik lagu yang retrospektif. Coldplay dibentuk tahun 1996.

Anggota

* Chris Martin: vokal utama, piano/keyboard, gitar
* Jon Buckland: gitar, harmonika, vokal latar
* Guy Berryman: bas, synthesizer, harmonika, vokal latar
* Will Champion: drums/perkusi, piano, vokal latar

RADIOHEAD

2008-08-04T01:32:00.000-07:00

RADIOHEAD

Asal :Abingdon, Inggris
Tahun aktif :1991 – sekarang
Jenis musik :Alternative rock
Art rock
Electronic music
Perusahaan rekaman musik :EMI
Parlophone
Capitol
Anggota :Thom Yorke
Jonny Greenwood
Ed O'Brien
Colin Greenwood
Phil Selway

Radiohead adalah sebuah grup musik rock alternatif dari Britania Raya. Anggota-anggotanya adalah sebagai berikut:

* Thom Yorke: vokal utama, rhythm guitar, piano.
* Jonny Greenwood: lead guitar, keyboard, modular synthesizer, Ondes Martenot, glockenspiel, dan lain-lain.
* Ed O'Brien: gitar, vokal, perkusi tambahan.
* Colin Greenwood: bass guitar, synthesizer.
* Phil Selway: drum, perkusi.

GREENDAY

2008-08-04T00:30:00.000-07:00

GREEN DAY

Green Day adalah sebuah kelompok musik bergenre punk rock yang berasal dari California, AS dan terdiri atas Billie Joe Armstrong (penyanyi utama, gitaris), Mike Dirnt (basis, penyanyi pendukung), dan Tré Cool (pemain drum, penyanyi pendukung). Green Day telah diakui di dunia musik karena keberhasilan mereka dalam mengembalikan dan membuat genre punk rock kembali terkenal, bersama-sama dengan grup musik tahun 1990-an seperti The Offspring dan Rancid.

Musik mereka telah mempengaruhi banyak kelompok musik beraliran punk lain, seperti Blink 182 dan Good Charlotte.

Grup musik ini telah menjual lebih dari 24.2 juta album di Amerika Serikat dan lebih dari 53.1 juta album di seluruh dunia. Green Day telah memenangkan berbagai penghargaan, seperti MTV Video Music Awards dan Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, juga berbagai penghargaan lainnya, serta telah memenangkan 3 Grammy Awards (Best Alternative ALbum untuk Dookie, Best Rock Album untuk American Idiot dan Record of the Year untuk Boulevard of Broken Dreams).

AVENGED SEVENFOLD

2008-07-29T22:33:00.001-07:00

AVENGED SEVENFOLD

Genre: Hard Rock & Metal
Artist: A7X
Avenged Sevenfold atau lebih dikenal sebagai A7X atau Sevenfold, didirikan oleh Zacky Vengeance (gitar) dan M. Shadows (vokal), ketika mereka masih SMA di Orange County. Kemudian mereka mengajak The Reverend Tholomew Plague (drum), dan mereka merilis demo pada tahun 1999

Perilisan demo awal pada tahun 1999 ditetapkan Sehingga sebagai tahun lahirnya Avenged Sevenfold, pada tahun 2002 mereka kembali merilis Sounding The Seventh Trumpet yang sebelumnya pernah dirilis pada tahun 2001, dimulai dengan Masuknya Synyster Gates (gitar) pada track prtama pada album Sounding the Sevent Trumpet.

Lalu mereka menjalin kerjasama dengan Hopeless Records, dan merilis Waking the Fallen, dengan mengeluarkan hits Mainstream, Unholy Confessions. Album ini mendapat dukungan yang tinggi dari The Rolling Stones.

Band Indie Amerika , Avenged Sevenfold mereguk sukses dalam debut performa di Indonesia. 3.700 penonton berhasil disedot ke Tennis Indoor Senayan Jakarta, Selasa (7/8), artinya tiket seharga Rp 200 ribu sampai 300 ribu terjual ludes. Mengelontorkan 10 lagu termasuk Burn It Down, Bat Country dan Seize The Day yang berada dalam album terbaru CITY OF EVIL , kelima pria bule itu menghipnotis penyuka musik keras yang rata-rata ABG.

M. Shadow (vokal), Synyster Gates (lead guitar), Zacky Vengeance (guitar), Johnny Christ (bass) dan The Reverend (drum) menggebrak melalui Intro, Beast & Harlot, Burn It Down, Unholly Confession tanpa jeda. Menyusul Chapter 4, Seize The Day, Trashed & Scattered, Almost Easy, I Won't See You Tonight dan diakhiri Bat Country.

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

2008-07-29T22:20:00.000-07:00

MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE

My Chemical Romance adalah grup musik asal New Jersey, yang dibentuk pada bulan September tahun 2001 oleh Gerard Way dan Matt Pelissier. Saat ini, band ini diawaki oleh Gerard Way (vokal), Mikey Way (bass), Ray Toro (lead guitar), Frank Iero (gitar), dan Bob Bryar (drum). Nama band ini terinspirasi oleh buku karangan Irvine Welsh yaitu Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance.

My Chemical Romance adalah grup band yang menurut media bergenre pop punk,[1] post-hardcore,[1] "punk revival",[1] rock alternatif, dan emo. Namun grup ini mendeskripsikan musik mereka sebagai musik "rock" atau "pop yang kasar",[2] dan menolak diklasifikasikan sebagai emo.[3] Grup ini telah merilis tiga album yaitu I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love pada tahun 2002, Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge pada tahun 2004, dan The Black Parade pada tahun 2006.

Band ini mendapat inspirasi dari Queen, Black Flag, Iron Maiden, The Misfits, Morissey, At the Gates, Pink Floyd, The Smashing Pumpkins, Descendents, Pantera, The Cure, dan The Smiths.

MUSE

2008-07-24T06:14:00.000-07:00

MUSE



Latar belakang
Asal	Devon, England
Genre	Rock alternatif Rock progresif
Tahun aktif	1994–seakrang
Perusahaan rekaman	Warner Bros. Records Eastwest Records Atlantic Records Helium 3
Situs web	MUSE.mu
Anggota
Matthew Bellamy Chris Wolstenholme Dominic Howard

MUSE adalah grup musik Inggris yang memiliki jenis musik yang menggabungkan berbagai aliran musik. MUSE memadukan aliran klasik, modern, dan bahkan latin pada lagu-lagu mereka. Band ini dibentuk di Devon pada tahun 1994. Anggota band terdiri dari tiga orang: Matthew Bellamy (vokalis, gitaris, pianis), Dominic Howard (drummer), dan Chris Wolstenholme (bassis). Setelah peluncuran album mereka yang keempat, Morgan Nicholls dan Dan the Trumpet Man juga sering tampil dalam konser MUSE, sebagai keyboardis dan backing vokal dan untuk Dan the Trumpet Man tampil sebagai peniup terompet untuk lagu knights of cydonia dan seterusnya.

(1992-1997) Pembentukkan

Pada tahun 1990-an awal, anggota-anggota MUSE memiliki grup musik masing-masing di sekolah mereka. Pembentukkan MUSE berawal ketika Matthew Bellamy yang berumur 14 tahun berhasil lulus audisi untuk masuk grup Dominic Howard. Ketika bassis mereka memutuskan untuk keluar, mereka meminta teman baik mereka, Chris Wolstenholme, untuk bergabung dan mempelajari gitar bass. Chris sempat menolak, tapi akhirnya memutuskan untuk bergabung. Band baru ini sempat banyak berganti nama, antara lain Gothic Plague, Carnage Mayhem, Fixed Penalty, dan Rocket Baby Dolls, sampai akhirnya menggunakan nama MUSE yang dikenal sekarang. Urutan kronologis pergantian nama band ini tidak jelas, karena MUSE memberikan informasi yang tidak konsisten pada wawancara-wawancara mereka.

Pada tahun 1994, masih dengan nama band Rocket Baby Dolls dan dengan gaya gothic/glam, mereka memenangkan kompetisi battle of the bands lokal. Dan tak lama setelah ini, mereka mengganti nama menjadi MUSE, dan mulai tampil di club-club seperti Cavern di Exeter.

(1998-2000) Breakthrough

Setelah beberapa tahun membangun komunitas penggemar, MUSE memainkan konser-konser pertama mereka di London dan Manchester. Band ini lalu bertemu dengan Dennis Mills, pemilik studio rekaman Sawmills, yang bermarkas di Cornwall, Inggris.

Pertemuan ini akhirnya dilanjutkan dengan rekaman resmi pertama MUSE, yaitu E.P. self-titled (berjudulkan nama band) yang menggunakan label inhouse Sawmills, Dangerous. Lalu E.P. ke-2 mereka, Muscle Museum, mendapat perhatian dari jurnalis musik Inggris yang berpengaruh, Steve Lamacq, serta majalah musik mingguan Inggris, NME. Dennis Mills lalu membantu membangun perusahaan music Taste Media, yang dibuat khusus untuk MUSE (MUSE menggunakan label ini untuk 3 album pertama mereka). Ini merupakan hal yang sangat menguntungkan untuk MUSE karena mereka dapat mempertahankan keunikan musik mereka pada awal karir mereka.

Walaupun E.P. ke-2 mereka sukses dan mendapat pengakuan, banyak perusahaan rekaman Inggris yang enggan mendukung MUSE, dan banyak orang di industri musik menganggap musik MUSE terlalu mirip dengan Radiohead. Namun, perusahaan Amerika Serikat Maverick Records merealisasikan MUSE tampil beberapa kali di Amerika Serikat, dan kemudian mengontrak mereka pada tahun 1998. Sepulangnya dari Amerika, Taste Media mendapatkan kontrak untuk MUSE di perusahaan-perusahaan rekaman di Eropa dan Australia. John Leckie, yang menjadi produser album untuk Radiohead, Stone Roses, "Weird Al" Yankovic dan The Verve, dijadikan produser album pertama MUSE, Showbiz.

Peluncuran album ini diikuti dengan penampilan pendukung pada tur band Foo Fighters dan Red Hot Chili Peppers di Amerika Serikat. Pada tahun 1999 dan 2000 MUSE bermain pada festival-festival musik besar di Eropa, serta tampil juga di Australia, dan mengumpulkan banyak penggemar baru di Eropa Barat.

[sunting] (2001-2002) Awal ketenaran

Album ke-2 mereka, Origin of Symmetry, dengan Leckie sebagai produser juga, berisi musik yang lebih berat dan gelap, dengan suara bass Wolstenholme, yang berat dan terdistorsi. Dan lagu-lagu seperti Space Dementia yang menggunakan teknik klasik, yang terinspirasikan oleh Rachmaninoff.

MUSE bereksperimen dengan alat-alat musik yang tidak lazim dipakai, seperti organ gereja, Mellotron, dan peralatan drum yang diperlengkap. MUSE lebih banyak memakai suara tinggi Bellamy, dengan alunan arpeggio gitar, dan piano yang terdengar jelas, yang terinspirasi dari gerakan Romantisme, khususnya musikus Rusia Sergei Rachmaninov dan Tchaikovsky. Selain itu, terdengar juga unsur-unsur musik minimalis seperti Philip Glass. Album ini juga menyertakan daur ulang lagu Feeling Good, yang aslinya dibuat oleh Anthony Newley dan Leslie Bricusse.

Secara umum, eksentriknya gaya musik rock MUSE terlihat mirip musik band Queen pada tahun 1970-an.^[1]

Album ini mungkin bakal membuat MUSE semakin terkenal di Amerika Serikat, tapi Maverick tidak setuju dengan gaya vokal Bellamy (yang dianggap tidak cocok untuk radio), dan meminta MUSE untuk merubah beberapa lagu mereka untuk dirilis di Amerika. MUSE, yang meresa terhina, menolak dan meninggalkan perusahaan rekaman Maverick, yang mengakibatkan tidak dirilisnya album Origin of Symmetry ini di Amerika (album ini akhirnya dirilis disana pada 20 September 2005).

Setelah album ini, MUSE merilis Hullabaloo Soundtrack, DVD yang berisi penampilan mereka di Le Zenith di Paris,Perancis pada tahun 2001. Lalu secara bersamaan, mereka merilis album ganda yang berisi B-side dan rekaman dari penampilan di Le Zenith. Kemudian album ganda berisi single-single A-side juga dirilis, dengan dua lagu baru, yaitu In Your World dan Dead Star, yang berbeda dengan gaya opera lagu-lagu lain pada Origin of Symmetry.

Pada edisi Februari 2006 majalah Q Magazine, album Origin of Symmetry ditempatkan pada urutan 74 dari 100 album terbaik sepanjang masa menurut penggemar.