Are you excited to be touring in your home country after winning Best British Band at the Kerrang! Awards?
“Yeah definitley, we can’t wait to get back to the UK again! Actually it feels as if we haven’t stopped. Things have been really hectic since the album came out and then touring all through the summer. So, it will be good to get back and tour all around the different venues again, especially as we’ve sold out a couple of them. That feels good, it’s cool!”

Describe the Muse live experience....
“It’s going to be a lot heavier, more energetic and full-on. We might not come across like that on record, but live it may well be heavier than it has been before. We’re going to try and make the whole thing into a big rock show, with pyrotechnics and stuff like that. Maybe with some inflateables.”

What’s on your rider?
“Lots of whiskey and various spirits, beers, socks and pants! The underwear is a key item, thats an essential. They get well fithy, so we have to throw them out straight away. It’s good to get fresh ones every day. We don’t really care what brand, as long as there aren’t any white socks; they’ve got to be black! We’re definitly not into the knee-length shorts whith white socks look.”

What do Muse get up to before a show?
“We don’t have any paritcular rituals. We’ve seen a lot of bands who sing particular songs every night together, or huddle around in a circle, or attempt to kill each other - do whatever. We’re not that sort of band, we generally just try to sit down and stay really calm, try to relax, chill out and psyche ourselves up. Sometimes there’s more excitement, fooling around, screaming, you know that type of thing, but generally we try to stay focused.”

What do you get up to aferwards, and does it involve groupies?
“Oh yeah, ahem, who knows?! What we try and do, is invite as many people back as possible and organise some sort of party, get some music playing, get some alcohol going, usually in someone’s room. We never know what sort of people will turn up, but it’s up to them what they do. Anything goes, we’re easy, if they want to do things...that’s fine by us!”

Who would you like really like to play a gig with - living or dead?
Dominic: “Jimi Hendrix And The Band Of The Gypsys, that would be so good! He’s definitly one of my heros, and for Matt too. Hendrix was so brilliant. especially when he was with the Gypsys. They were great live, I’ve seen footage from around the late ‘60s - its just amazing, so much energy - Hendrix is just churning it out. You can see his influence on Matt when he’s onstage playing the guitar.”

Any message you want to pass on to your fans?
“We want you to invite everyone to come alaong and see us play, and hope that they have a good time, have a laugh and really enjoy themselves.”