MUSE - MUSE GRATEFUL FOR AWARD AFTER NEAR DEATH PLANE DRAMA

MUSE truly appreciate being honoured as Best British Band at the NME Awards in London last week (01MAR07), because they nearly didn't survive a plane fire after the same ceremony in 2000. Frontman MATT BELLAMY has revealed he and fellow bandmates CHRIS WOLSTENHOLME and DOMINIC HOWARD narrowly escaped death seven years ago when one of the aircraft's engines burst into flames. He recalls, "The first time I went to the NME Awards was when we won Best New Band, but I remember what happened just after the awards even more clearly then the ceremony itself. "We had to fly to a gig in this small plane and one of the engines caught alight as it was going down the runway, luckily it didn't blow up. "We were actually sitting there with the award in our hands, when the plane burst on fire, so I think it was probably our most rock 'n' roll moment. Thankfully it hasn't made me scared of flying, or awards."