Who Knows Who

Last updated

"Who Knows Who"
Song by Muse and Mike Skinner
A-side "Uprising"
Released7 September 2009
Recorded2008
Genre
Length3:24
Label
Composers
Lyricist Mike Skinner
Producers

"Who Knows Who" is a rap rock song by the English rock band Muse and the English hip hop artist Mike Skinner. The song leaked onto several Muse internet forums in August 2008. [2] and it was confirmed the band let the song leak. [3] The song was officially released as the B-side to the 7" vinyl single "Uprising" in September 2009. The lyrics were written by Skinner and the music was written by Muse's Matthew Bellamy. [4]

Contents

Background

The first link between Muse and The Streets was created when Muse bassist Christopher Wolstenholme broke his wrist playing football shortly before the 2004 V Festival and was replaced by then-Streets bassist Morgan Nicholls, [5] who would become Muse's touring multi-instrumentalist from 2006 until 2019. The two acts first shared a stage at the 2006 Reading and Leeds Festivals on 26 and 27 August, when Muse headlined the main stages. [6] [7] They also both played at the 2007 Big Day Out festival, [8] before Muse chose The Streets to play at the first of their two sell out performances at Wembley Stadium on 16 June 2007. [9] In 2008, Muse announced that they were planning a collaboration with Mike Skinner with the aim of creating "England's answer to Rage Against the Machine". [10] Frontman Matthew Bellamy summed up his ambitions as "London rap-rock, just like a little one-off. It might be a laugh!"

Release

On 2 August, a low-posting member by the name of "dopemc" uploaded an mp3 file entitled "Muse and the Streets – Who Knows Who" on the popular fan forum Muselive. [11] [12]

After much debate and discussion among fans, Muse released an official note on their website explaining that "The MP3 floating around on the message boards at the moment is a track we recorded with Mike Skinner a few months ago. The track was the result of a late-night jam session and something we did for a bit of a laugh featuring a blues riff we have been playing live recently (similar to "Heartbreaker" by Led Zeppelin) upon which Skinner recorded some vocals. It is not intended to be a serious release so we are happy for it to be leaked around unofficially. Hope you enjoy, Cheers. Matt, Dom & Chris." [13] [1]

Skinner has since downplayed the quality of the song, saying "We did the track and it felt really genuine, but a bit of a laugh as well. Then the label started getting too excited by it, so I fucked it off. I didn't really think it was that good." [14] He rapped a part of the song during his performance at the BBC Electric Proms on 23 October. [15] "Who Knows Who" was officially released as the B-side to the 7" vinyl single "Uprising" in September 2009, just over a year after the original leak.

Personnel

References

  1. 1 2 Michaels, Sean (5 August 2008). "Muse Happy with Leaked Streets Collaboration | Music | The Guardian". The Guardian . Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  2. ↑ Muse Message Board (3 August 2008). "Muse and the Streets – Who Knows Who". board.muse.mu. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  3. ↑ Muse Message Board (4 August 2008). "Muse and the Streets – Who Knows Who leak confirmation". forum.muse.mu. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  4. ↑ "Uprising" (Back sleeve). Muse. Warner Music Group. 2009.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ↑ Cat Deeley (Interviewer), Christopher Wolstenholme (Interviewee), Dominic Howard (Interviewee) (21 August 2004). Muse-Hysteria+Interview w/Morgan Nicholls on bass. YouTube . Retrieved 19 August 2008.[ dead YouTube link ]
  6. ↑ "Reading Festival History: 2006". Reading Festival. Archived from the original on 4 September 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008. Note: User must manually select navigation menu option "2006".
  7. ↑ "Leeds Festival History: 2006". Leeds Festival. Archived from the original on 23 January 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2008. Note: User must manually select navigation menu option "2006".
  8. ↑ "Big Day Out 2007 – Lineup". Big Day Out. Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  9. ↑ "Muse play Wembley Stadium mega gig". NME . 16 June 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  10. ↑ "Muse plan collaboration with The Streets". NME . 14 April 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
  11. ↑ dopemc (2 August 2008). "Muse and the Streets – Who Knows Who". Muselive.com. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
  12. ↑ Muse Message Board (3 August 2008). "Muse and the Streets – Who Knows Who download". board.muse.mu. Archived from the original on 15 September 2008. Retrieved 16 May 2020.
  13. ↑ Thomas Kirk. "Muse & The Streets". Muse. Archived from the original on 22 August 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
  14. ↑ "Streets and Muse collaboration ditched". NME . 4 September 2008. Retrieved 5 September 2008.
  15. ↑ Wilson, Tom (24 October 2008). "The Streets Dabble with Who Knows Who". Muselive.com. Retrieved 18 November 2008.

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