Muse were reportedly told they had to lip sync and mime their performance of their new single "Uprising" for an Italian TV show, and rather than conform to the request, the members traded places and phoned in their fake performance.

Lead singer and guitarist Matthew Bellamy decided to fake the drums, playing an apparently random rhythm, frequently missing beats to point at the camera and wave his sticks above his head.  Real drummer Dominic Howard took on duties of lip syncing the vocals and pretending to play lead guitar.

They continued the switch in their subsequent interview on the Quelli che il calcio show on, with Howard making a pointed reference to "our drummer Matt".

If the presenter noticed the ruse she did not let on – the band left the stage with the studio and television audience apparently unaware that they had been duped.

You can watch the halarious performance here: