The Westcountry: It was going to take a band of real merit to undo all the musical horror inflicted by Reef in the early nineties - and it was Muse who restored the balance and proved that the South West of England was capable of producing top-notch, world class rock music. Tourist industry? Pah. Muse are the best thing about the Westcountry, no doubt.

Dating Hollywood actresses: It''s such a cliche - world famous rocker dates pretty blonde starlet. But Matt Bellamy''s relationship with Kate Hudson was a little different, simply because we know very little about it. Despite their joint international fame, the pair have kept their relationship fiercely private. It''s almost as if it is a genuine romance. The couple are engaged and have a one-year-old son, Bingham Hawn ''Bing'' Bellamy.

Nina Simone cover versions: Some songs you don't touch. Some artists you don't cover. 'Feeling Good' by Nina Simone is one such classic. It didn't need a rock remake but Muse did everything right with their 2001 version. Turning the track totally on its head, Muse's 'Feeling Good' put a fresh spin on a legendary tune - earning Muse widespread respect and a sizeable hit in the process.

Dodgy dress sense: Matt Bellamy''s unusual taste in clothes is so well documented - there is even a Facebook page dedicated to his wacky glasses and unusual shirts. Would we want his Hollywood girlfriend to turn him into a clothes horse and find Bellamy in the pages of men''s fashion magazines? Of course not. It''s probably for the best he ditched the bright red hair though...

The big gig: No one does BIG stadium shows like Muse. Everything you see at Coldplay's spectaculars? They learned it from Bellamy and the boys. Muse's live shows offer unrivalled light shows and laser displays. You've not seen a big rock show until you've seen Muse live.

London 2012 Olympics: Dodgy mascots, bloated budgets and every Londoner''s terror over the public transport system were relieved (slightly) with the premiere of Muse''s Olympics theme tine, ''Survival'', which breathed a touch of credibility into the once dreaded event.

Lyrics about War, the apocalypse and new world order: 'I love you gurl' - we think not. Muse have never stuck to the traditional lyrics and their albums are littered with influences from literature, philosophers, the fear of evolution of technology, the apocalypse and the horror of war. Never ones for easy listening, that's for sure.

Outer space: OK - so space was cool before Muse took the entire cosmos as inspiration, but we reckon the intergalactic themes heard on their 'Black Holes And Revelations' album made the entire universe a little cooler.

Henry George: Some bands are influenced by The Beatles. Many by The Rolling Stones. Others just quite like Britpop. Muse take a huge influence from 19th century political theorist, who is credited as being the most ''influential proponent of the land value tax in the 1800s, as well as his outspoken views on free trade, Chinese immigration and many more political issues.

Orchestras: No one mixes rock and roll with string sections better than Muse and the band mastered the craft on their 'Absolution' album, which saw the band reach their most epic and clash epic scores with rock and roll riffs. Now everyone's at it - and we know exactly who to credit.