Matthew Bellamy

Matthew James Bellamy (born 9 June 1978) is an English singer. He is the lead singer of the band Muse. He also plays the electric guitar and the piano. He writes most of the songs. Bellamy is known for his falsetto and the way he plays the guitar, which is very creative. Bellamy sings with a tenor voice when he is not singing in falsetto.

Background 

Matthew Bellamy was born on 9 June 1978 in Cambridge. He is the son of George Bellamy and Marilyn Bellamy and he has an older brother named Paul. His parents moved with him to Teignmouth in Devon in the mid 1980s.

George Bellamy was also a guitarist and was in a band called "The Tornados", who had a number-one hit in the United States with the song "Telstar". The talent of his father was part of what inspired Matthew to play guitar, sing and form a band. The Muse song "Knights of Cydonia" is sometimes called a tribute to "Telstar", since it has a similar space rock sound and futuristic video featuring cowboys like a spaghetti western. Marylin Bellamy was born in Belfast and went to live in England in the 1970s, meeting George for the first time on the day she did so.

When he was 6 years old, Matthew Bellamy began playing piano, and showed signs of having natural skill with the instrument. Bellamy's parents divorced before he reached fourteen years of age. He moved in with his grandmother, and around this time he considered playing guitar. His talent for quickly learning how to play instruments had made some people call him a virtuoso, which is someone musically talented in a unique way.

Matthew was heavily featured in the TV series "History of the Guitar" where his creativity with the instrument was demonstrated to the full. His father George was introduced on the programme as Matthew's father and was featured performing the hit instrumental "Telstar" with "The Tornados."

Interests 

Bellamy is fascinated with conspiracy theories. A lot of songs of Muse are about conspiracies. He is also interested in the space and conspiracy theories about extraterrestrial life or aliens. This interest is probably caused by the death of his uncle, who was murdered of the Irish Republican Army. Matthew's uncle, murdered by the IRA, played lead guitar in the rock band "The Jokers." They played clubs mainly in the south of England during the late 1960s and early 1970s. At the time they were based in the Aldershot area of Hampshire UK. Other members of the band include Pete Crabbe, playing rhythm and base guitar, Denis Williams playing drums, Brian Foster and Joey Graham singing vocals. Pete Seddon played rhythm guitar occasionally. Matthew's father George Bellamy, was often mentioned and was a source of inspiration to all but particularly to Matt's uncle who modeled his style of play on him.

Matthew shows agnostic views, stating in a 2006 interview with the Rock Music channel that "I believe in the God of the universe, definitely" but does not believe in heaven or hell. It is also possible that Bellamy explores otherworldly theories, such as the origin of mankind from another universe, as reflected in the band's rock symphony, "Exogenesis".

English guitarists
English rock musicians
English singer-songwriters
Musicians from Cambridge
Musicians from Devon
1978 births
Living people