Rich Costey
Co-producer of Absolution and contributor to the 'Hysteria' soundscape.
Rich Costey is an American producer and audio engineer, born in Los Angeles, California, who played a pivotal role in shaping the sound of Muse's third studio album, Absolution. Released on 1 December 2003, this era marked a significant moment for the band, with Costey co-producing alongside the group themselves. His work on 'Hysteria,' released as the third single from the album, is particularly notable for its technical complexity and sonic power. The production process involved intricate sound design, contributing to the distinctive bassline that would later be celebrated by major music publications. Costey's collaboration with Muse during this period helped refine their transition into a more polished, high-fidelity rock sound.
Quick Facts
- Key albums produced
- Absolution
Lore & Background
The creation of 'Hysteria' began in Doncaster, England, where bassist Chris Wolstenholme transformed a blues-style riff played by Matt Bellamy into a machine-gun-like pattern of sixteenth notes. To capture this unique sound, Wolstenholme split his signal across three Marshall amps—one clean and two distorted—blending the results with a synthesizer. The recording took place at Grouse Lodge in Ireland in 2003. This collaborative effort between the band and Costey resulted in a distorted bassline that MusicRadar readers and Guitar World would later vote among the greatest of all time, with specific rankings emerging years later: sixth-best by MusicRadar in 2011 and fourth-best by Guitar World in 2022.
Reader's Guide
Rich Costey's role with Muse is strictly that of an external producer and collaborator. On 'Hysteria,' he co-produced the track alongside the band members themselves. His technical input was vital in restructuring the song following his feedback, ensuring the final arrangement met the desired sonic impact. He did not perform on the track but facilitated its creation through production choices, such as managing the multi-amp bass setup and integrating synthesizer elements via the Kyma system. The result of this guidance is a record that balances raw distortion with precise sound design. His work on 'Hysteria' stands as a specific example of his ability to help Muse translate their experimental ideas into a cohesive, chart-reaching single that reached number 17 in the UK and number 9 on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart.
More in Band Members & Collaborators
Related in Muse
Links follow this subject's own source article.
Elsewhere in Muse
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced