Muse — Official Muse Websites

Showbiz was Muse's debut album, having been recorded between 1998 and 1999. The songs themselves included some of the older songs in Muse's repertoir, dating as far back as 1996. All songs on the album had been witten by 1997. These were among the "fifty or so" that Muse had written before entering the studio.^[3] The band picked those which they deemed least progressive to make up Showbiz.

John Leckie, who produced the album, started attending Muse's concerts in the latter half of 1998. Leckie was based at Sawmills recording studio, where owner Dennis Smith had given the band free recording time the previous year, from which the Muse EP resulted. He built up a relationship with the band during this time, coming to say that he'd want to work with the band if ever they could afford him. Leckie had not worked with any bands quite some time prior to doing so with Muse. The recording had finished by the 15th of May 1999.^[1]

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