Earlier this month, footage of Muse playing the Nirvana classic Lithium during their headlining set at Lollapalooza in Sao Paulo, Brazil as a tribute to late frontman Kurt Cobain, surfaced online. Now the band have revealed the extent of the legendary grunge group’s influence on their own music.
“They were massively influential to us when we were growing up,” said drummer Dom Howard. “They’re one of the reasons we picked up some instruments and decided to start a band in the first place, and I think that for many other millions of people, they were influential for starting bands.”
Speaking to KROQ at Coachella 2014, Howard said Nirvana “was a band that all three of us loved and it was that kind of music and some other bands that brought us together and we became friends because of that.” He added that playing Lithium reminded him of “being 12 again in my first band.”
While Muse were in Sao Paulo, alt-pop artist St Vincent was in Chicago performing her own cover of Lithium, which she latter played with the surviving members of the group as part of a set of female-fronted performances during the band’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Speaking on the subject of a new Muse album, Howard said, “We’re going to start this year. [Coachella] is our last two gigs, then we’re completely done for touring this album. We’re going to go back in May and start working on some new stuff, so I think we’ll start making it this year.” He added, “If we can get something out this year, that would be great, but definitely next year.”
Watch: KROQ Interview with Muse at Coachella 2014
Watch: Muse – Lithium (Nirvana Cover)
