Muse are to begin work on their new album without singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy, who is currently taking a break from the band after his engagement to Kate Hudson. The pair are awaiting the birth of their first child.
Bassist Chris Wolstenholme is to take on sole songwriting duty, and is quoted as saying: "Matt's raised the bar quite high in terms of songwriting. I'm a bit nervous because I don't want to write a song and it be responsible for the demise of the band".
Muse are to play this year's Reading and Leeds festivals.
