It’s the beginning of another month and another issue of State is upon us. This edition’s cover stars are Muse, who look back on a career that has seen them move from playing London pubs to selling out Wembley Stadium. They take John Walshe through their musical journey as well as their battles with multi-nationals, the moral fervour that fires their work and the pressures of life in the public eye in a fascinating, wide-reaching interview that offers hints as to where they may go next.

Muse’s entire recording career has taken place in the time that it’s taken Portishead to make their third album, yet that ten year period is no less interesting. Adrian Utley gives us a unique insight into what makes the band tick and how the tensions and conflicts that exist only serve to drive them on. On the Irish front, Richie Egan of Jape talks Technotronic, label changes and Crumlin Street Justice to Tanya Sweeney. Johnnie Craig, meanwhile, reports back from Austin where Fight Like Apes, Delorentos, Cathy Davey, Paddy Casey and more invaded the annual SXSW festival. Looking back, John Joe Worrall revisits the heady days of the early -90s when Scary Éire brought Irish hip-hop to biker bars and U2 audiences.

Plus Daniel Craig on -70s rock, Gnarls Barkley, U:Mack, MGMT, The Kooks, Moby, Giveamanakick, We Are Scientists, El Guincho, Kraftwerk, why the world is wrong about the Doors, the deep-seated perversions of Sebastien Tellier and our comprehensive review section.

All this and more coming your way on Thursday 3rd April.

Preview 10 pages of the digital version