Most bands can't wait to establish the trail of mayhem they've left in their wake. But Muse aren't like most other bands. Drummer Dominic is still gulping huge lungfulls of relief at their narrow squeak at this year's
Woodstock. "We left in the nick of time - it had just started raining" he says, meaning moments before peace, love and harmony gave way to riot, rape and misanthropy.

A mud-sodden violence fest in the States is a long way from home for Muse. Matt, Dominic and Chris originally hail from Teignmouth, a clotted-cream fudge hole in Devon. But, ironically, this distance from London has given them the space to develop the noise that the Americans have taken to their hearts. In fact, they've just signed to Madonna's Maverick label for the US. "We haven't met Madonna yet," laments Dom, "But I'm sure we will. It's pretty cool - she'd heard all the records before she signed us."

What hooked the Ciccone woman is a heavy heartfelt cry from the soul. The kneejerk reference point is Radiohead -"there are worse bands to be compared to," Domnic wearily concedes - but its a Radiohead with some surprises. Tourbus favourites for the band includes Deus, Limp Bizkit, Primus and Jeff Buckley, and elements of all this uneasy listening reflect back into their own work.

But are Muse a bunch of gloom-mongers? "Music-wise, we're serious - this isn't a joke. For us, its about being passionate and soulful. But we don't sit around all day being gloomy" laughs Dominic. Laughs, see?

Matt's on record as saying he doesn't know what his songs are about. What do his banded assistants make of them? "They're personal to Matt, about life and relationships." The Muse drummer is now musing. "He's talking about emotions - but not in a specific way."

What are Muse aiming for? Dominic insists there's no Oasis-esque Masterplan: "We'll take it as far as we can as a three piece." Even at an early stage, It's taken them on some trip - sharing the bill on the Lamacq Evening Session tour with the bubblegum she-Ramones The Donnas ("but we had our own bus"), hanging out with heroes the Deftones and Chilli Pepper Anthony Keidis, an impression-fixing tour of the States and a blistering, tell-your-grandkids-you-were-there set at this year's Glastonbury. Showbiz, the John Leckie produced album on Mushrooom/Taste looks set to send them spinning further upwards.

Simon Budgen