--- title: "Matthew Bellamy: Ruler Of The Riff | Guitar Heroes" description: Before Muse's new album 'Drones' is released, we take a quick look at rock guitar hero Matthew Bellamy's career so far. image: https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hs-fs/file-3052168929-jpg/images/muse_matt.jpg --- - [Home](https://info.flametreepublishing.com/blog) | - [ Contact & About Us](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/contact-us) T H E   F L A M E   T R E E   B L O G ![Hubspot-Header-readingandleeds-1](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Hubspot-Header-readingandleeds-1.png?width=980&height=200&name=Hubspot-Header-readingandleeds-1.png) # Music & Entertainment Blog # Matthew Bellamy: Ruler Of The Riff | Guitar Heroes Posted by [Matt Knight](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/classic-rock-bands/author/matt-knight) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![muse matt](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hs-fs/file-3052168929-jpg/images/muse_matt.jpg?width=150&height=242&name=muse_matt.jpg) **The celebrate the release of Muse's new album** (8th June here in the UK), we thought the time right for looking back at front man **Matthew Bellamy's** career. Born in **1978** in Cambridge, England, Bellamy's father was rhythm guitarist in [The Tornadoes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tornados), who scored a **massive transatlantic hit** with the Joe Meek-produced ‘*[Telstar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKeahEBgSSA)*’. Before learning guitar, Bellamy took **piano lessons** as a boy, equally inspired by Ray Charles and classical music. In the mid-1980s, the family moved to Teignmouth, Devon, where Bellamy **formed Muse** with Chris Wolstenholme (bass) and Dominic Howard (drums).   The band soaked up influences, notably **Jeff Buckley** and **Radiohead**, to whom they would often be compared, much to Bellamy’s irritation. After an independently released limited edition EP, Muse signed a **major deal in 1998**. Debut album *Showbiz* (1999) marked them as a band with the potential for crossover appeal to fans of **indie, metal **and** prog rock**. With the guitarist emerging as an energetic frontman, *Origin Of Symmetry* (2001) was a more expansive collection, featuring Bellamy’s untamed riffing and drawing on influences as diverse as **Rage Against The Machine**, **Ned’s Atomic Dustbin**, **[Rachmaninov](http://www.flametreepublishing.com/Rachmaninov-Sheet-Music-for-Piano.html)** and **Philip Glass**. As remarkable as his guitar style was, Bellamy’s **soaring voice** added emotion to the bombast. His riff from the single *Plug In Baby* has been hailed as one of the **greatest of all time**.  ![bellamywide](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/hubfs/bellamywide.jpg) *Absolution* (2003) developed the classical influences as Muse’s **popularity** began to grow. Bellamy’s lyrical themes of **armageddon**, global conspiracy theories and corruption were explored further on *Black Holes And Revelations* (2006), with its **political subtext** expressed through a series of linked songs. Shortly after its release, Muse became the first group to play the rebuilt Wembley Stadium, confirming their status as one of the **biggest bands in Britain**. Muse released the live *HAARP* in 2008, *The Resistance* in 2009 and *The 2nd Law* in 2012. Bellamy uses guitars made by **Mansons of Exeter**, principally a silver model that he helped design. Among its customized features is a **built-in fuzzbox**, through which Bellamy achieves his unique sound and which also allows him to control feedback. He has also played a **[Fender Stratocaster](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/classic-rock-bands/bid/72890/Rock-and-Roll-History-Classic-Guitars-Fender-Stratocaster)**, a **Gibson SG**, a **[Les Paul](https://blog.flametreepublishing.com/classic-rock-bands/bid/73559/Rock-and-Roll-History-Classic-Guitars-Gibson-Les-Paul)** and a **Yamaha Pacifica**. 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