Coachella: Rage Against The Machine Reunite
"Killing In The Name" was particularly insane; you haven't lived until you've yelled "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me," pumping fists with 60,000 sunburned kids in the desert.
The audience expected, and received, the most politically-charged set of the weekend. That the band was compelled to reunite amid this unprecedented partisan climate made the performance more significant than Rage's last Coachella show in '99. And lest there was any confusion, Zack de la Rocha let his thoughts on the current administration be known with these words:
"[The current administration] needs to be tried, hung and shot. We need to treat them like the war criminals they are. But the challenges we face go beyond the current administration … It’s a system we have to tear down, generation after generation."The moshers seemed to understand.
SETLIST
01 "Testify"
02 "Bulls On Parade"
03 "People Of The Sun"
04 "Bombtrack"
05 "Bullet In The Head"
06 "Down Rodeo"
07 "Guerrilla Radio"
08 "Renegades Of Funk"
09 "Calm Like A Bomb"
10 "Sleep Now In The Fire"
11 "Wake Up"
12 "Freedom"
13 "Killing In The Name"
Posted at 9:02 AM in Concert
Tags: Coachella | Rage Against The Machine
Sounds like a great show, I'm jealous.
I never understood their need to wear their guitars (and that bass!) so friggin' high. It is just wrong IMO.
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i'm pretty sure you're not supposed to say the president should die lest the secret service come and take you away
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Even in jest!
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brilliant!
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what an amazing setlist...man. jealous.
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"unprecedented partisan climate"?
Uh... no. If one of my students said that, I'd deduct points.
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I've missed RATM. What a great setlist.
Oh, and Sarah, strapping the guitar high is better if you are trying to play fast and/or technical passages, as they often do.
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Ah yes, Rage Against the Machine, the band that fights to free a convicted cop killer. Fuck them.
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long live rage
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i think JT might have little sand in his vagina..
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Or, Rage Against the Machine, a band that started a sound in 1993 that was repeatedly copied in the late nineties by the suburbia of Southern California by trying to fuze hardcore and hip-hop. RATM accelled not only be creating the genre but by layering the music with extremely political messages.
Since their start, many horrible pop bands have imitated the same formula, but have failed miserably in being as talented or sincere.
Personally, their sound grew old to me, but in seeing the big picture now, I'm glad they reunited to perform once again. Well done boys. We salute you. (with a middle finger)
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I've found myself missing them during this administration, more than I could explain. I wish I could have seen this show.
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No, Rygun, JT just doesn't have any warm fuzzy feelings towards a band that tries to free a pathetic piece of trash that murdered a man that was simply doing his job.
But of course I don't expect you to understand. Bands like Rage usually attract the rather dim-witted types. That's why they're totally ineffective at making any changes, because their fans are by and large morons.
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Well look at it this way: cops uphold the law and keep society from descending into anarchy, Rage Against the Machine wrote "Bulls On Parade".
Clearly, Rage wins.
Go buy yourself a sense of humor, dude.
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Way to cause an impact, slinging anti-Bush slogans at the fucking Coachella festival. You brave soul.
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dude loved the comment about missing this band during this current administration, man oh man would they have been word of mouth in that white house with they lyrics they sing
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I'm not so sure I want the current administration killed in that fashion. A) I don't wish that much ill will on people, even if they're people I don't particularly care for; and B) I don't want them recognized as martyrs by, say, Bill O'Reilly or Ann Coulter or anyone of that ilk, 'cause you know they would be.
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Laura, your surname wouldn't happen to be Bush, would it?
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For anyone unclear about what "JT" is alluding to, by all means Google "Mumia Abu Jamal," and learn about the case.
To JT: Are you a Philly cop? Were you somehow there when it happened, and know something the rest of the world doesn't? Did you read that Republican-written-and-commissioned anti-Jamal piece in Vanity Fair? Do you oppose the concept of a re-trial in general, if evidence warrants it (and it does, hence what the movement for Jamal has always pushed for)?
Why would you claim to be SO SURE about the case? Is the concept of a miscarriage of justice totally and completely foreign to you? Even in the abstract, I mean? Very strange. I'm all for contrarian viewpoints and challenging kneejerk celebrity causes, but I would be really surprised if you actually had read about the case. It's much more complicated than it seems, and even most people who hate Jamal aren't so self-righteous about it.
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hung and shot?
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Zach just escaped from Guantanamo Bay. There's no other excuse for his voice being gone through this entire administration. They need to play Al Gore's polar bear rock thing.
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Ben,
Thank you for being able to say (more eloquently than myself) what I was thinking in response to JT's ridiculous statements.
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Free Mumia.
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Wow, the Wikipedia entry on Mumia is about as poorly written and organzed as any I've seen. The Avril Lavigne actually has better citations and structure. Or so I've heard.
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To Tom Morello: "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me". Since Tom is so "radical" I assume he worked for free or donated his take to ... oh, let's say ...the Sandanistas. What a self righteous a-hole.
Even Johnny Rotten had a sense of humor. BTW, who ASKED for hip hop rock? About as appealing as jazz rock.
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Rap-rock/metal was actually artistically viable for about five minutes there. The better stuff (Rage, Beasties, uh...) is actually really good, but it's the dumbed down twice removed stuff (see Limp Bizkit, "Rollin'") that ruined it and probably destroyed any credibility the whole genre could have had.
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Free Mumia* Offer not valid in AK or HI.
* With purchase of Rage ringtone. Show your friends how "with it" you really are.
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These self-important pricks still seem to live in the U.S., still seem to enjoy the freedoms (and CASH) that comes along with living in the U.S., and yet they act like they live in Stalin's Russia or some shit. I'm not saying the U.S. is perfect, but these guys are douches, even if they can rock.
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BP - the entire groundwork of the US is based on questioning authority figures. While the impact of Rage is questionable it's clear they do what they do out of love for what this country could be, or should be. When people say shit like "if you don't like it get out" it drives me crazy. You're missing the fucking point here - we're SUPPOSED to question authority. That's what real Americans do, it's our duty checks and balances. Thank God that George Washington, John Adams, and Ben Franklin didn't "get out" when they had complaints.
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bp,
yeah its so douchey to write songs that are deeper than "oh i miss you baby" or "ye-ahhh".
as for living in the US, didnt Zach move to central or south america when the band broke up?
make you feel any better?
as for counting someone elses money - now who is being the douche?
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Step back from all your battling here, and realize that Rage does make people aware of certain things. It may not be direct, but look - take Mumia Abu Jabal for example. There is someone in this article that went to wikipedia and searched that name to find out who it was. Start taking things out of context. Hate them, or love them - get over the ridiculous brouhaha and get on with it.
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Step back from all your battling here, and realize that Rage does make people aware of certain things. It may not be direct, but look - take Mumia Abu Jabal for example. There is someone in this article that went to wikipedia and searched that name to find out who it was. Start taking things out of context. Hate them, or love them - get over the ridiculous brouhaha and get on with it.
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Um, the irony of 60,000 kids chanting non-conformity slogans?
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Correction: May not be direct to those that dislike rage - I was just saying to look past the influence they have directly in front of them on stage
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Didn't Joe Strummer talk about "turning rebellion into money"? Morello is the king of phony bravado. Go protest in China or Iran if you want to face actual persecution, ya 9th grade philospher.
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Who cares about some phony act soon to be featured on "I Love The 90's". Where is ANY review of The Good, The Bad and The Queen's performance? At least their complaints aren't based on one dimensional recycled 60's hippie dogma.
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instead of bitching about the government on stage they should really go back to their bedrooms and bitch about rock bands on the internet. the assholes.
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And yet I'll bet they're decidedly against capital punishment.
Anyway, listen...I understand Zach's in a tight spot when it comes to giving the old Rage fans what they want. Like, imagine if all the pseudo-intellectual political activist BS you now cringe about having spouted off in college so as to appear deep so you could get laid with the artsy chicks when you were a snotty 20-year-old know-it-all was committed to tape and subsequently revered by a generation of kids, just as ignorant - or perhaps moreso - than you were at the time of writing.
And then imagine that every musical venture you attempted since then, well, didn't quite pan out (cough - solo album). And then the chance arose to cash in on a reunion show at a bloated music festival. So you, now a 37-year-old man, jump onstage with the duty of forcing yourself to the summon conviction to convincingly deliver the juvenile sermons of an angsty 20-year-old.
There's something halfway tragic there. I don't know.
I hope the residuals are decent.
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I grew up loving Rage and I was lucky enough to be at this show. I was surprised to find that you can actually dance to this music when you're in your twenties and no longer a teenager.
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Zach never stopped being an activist one bit. He lived with the farmers of Southern California helping fight off developers who wanted to buy their land. He was still writing stuff, and put a track with DJ Shadow. He wants his voice heard, the same with the other members. Tom Morello still has the angst he had in RATM, proof being his recently released CD under the name The Nightwatchman. It is quite politically charged. He has a radio program called Axis of Justice too. People who want to make a difference don't stop, just look at Neil Young, Bob Dylan, etc.
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George W Bush never stopped being an activist one bit. He lived with the ranchers of Texas helping fight off hippies who wanted to sleep on their their land. His staff is still writing stuff, and put out a statment with Dick Chaney. He wants his voice heard, the same with the other members of the Republican Party. George W Bush still has the angst he had in Texas, proof being his recent press conference. It is quite politically charged. He has a radio program called the President's Weekly Address,too. People who want to make a difference don't stop, just look at Newt Gingrich, John McCain, etc.
Wow, this drivel practically writes itself!
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political idealism, the president sucks, your jumping onstage is sad, that guy killed a cop, i like pie, these guys rock, my opinion is valid, they sold records but didn't bring a fucking cop back to life, my opinion is valid, someone pat me on the back!
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Sorry, but I'm tired of people's ignorance and the fact that Zach and RATM are still about the music! Btw, don't mock me "Enough".
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Sorry, but I'm tired of every Rage fan's musical ignorance and the fact that Zach and RATM are still about turning rebellion into personal profit! Btw, Paul and all rap metal fans cannot be mocked "Enough".
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To: M
Excuse me, but why are you cussing at me? I have actually done a lot of work for free and given away a lot of my earnings (yes, some to Sandanistas). Do I keep it all, though? No, of course not. I am an avowed socialist, so I don't believe in living "high off the hog."
You seem like an intelligent fellow, so I fell as though I should ask, when you were offered government-subsidized student loans in college, did you refuse them and say, "No thanks, I'll take my chances earning my way through school via free market capitalism"? I have an idea what the answer might be, but I won't "assume."
As far as my music, I was doing what I thought sounded catchy, making something that was hopefully good enough to listen to. There was never a musical agenda. If it happened to combine traditional rock structures with hip-hop elements, then so be it. I mean, was it so wrong that it happened that way? Is someone forcing you to listen to it? Thanks to the progressive movements and ideas of the last 300 years, I would hope not.
While I do think it's funny that I happened to actually stumble onto a post that was directed toward me in a negative manner, rest assured that I do no harbor any ill will towards you and look forward to continuing our discourse here.
To all others that deride us or our purpose or effectiveness, I'll say this: if you don't think we're making an impact, then what difference does it make what we say? Why criticize our words if they are not going to inspire change anyway? In life, there are some grey areas, but in this case, both arguments cancel each other out.
Sincerely,
Thomas Baptist Morello
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Ooooh, the plot thickens!
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I'm just posting so I can be right after Tom Morello, is all. Thanks.
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To Tom:
Wow, do you take EVERYTHING way too serious? I might recommend you spend some time viewing the Cartoon Network ... unless laughing is counter-revolutionary.
Protesting in Iran anytime soon?
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To Tom:
Wow, do you take EVERYTHING way too serious? I might recommend you spend some time viewing the Cartoon Network ... unless laughing is counter-revolutionary.
Protesting in Iran anytime soon?
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M is officially rediculous! What do you do to try and invoke social change?
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Are you kidding me. The Mumia Abu Jabal case is the biggest bullshit ever. (ok maybe not but) I fucking love the fact that someone actualley came foreword and confessed to the murder of the cop. Confessed in detail over the cop's murder. That information was obviously not taken into the court. And for Zach de la rocha and how he never "did anything for change." Are you fuckin retarded. He's one of the only lead singers to appear in front of the UN because well the fuckin UN thought the Mumia was absolutley bullshit. He's done a lot of other shit but i don't feel like typing anymore.
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BS , everyone KNOWS the UN hates rap metal. They're totally into The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys ... that sort of thing.
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BS , everyone KNOWS the UN hates rap metal. They're totally into The Libertines, Arctic Monkeys ... that sort of thing.
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The Lemonheads sounded really good to the empty field they played to during the boring, rote Rage set.
Coachella this year ruled so hard on so many different levels, and it had nothing to do with this bullshit, I'll tell you that right now.
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To M: I loved "Pop Muzik"!
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I just can´t take a band too seriously that was major label at the height of their careers. How can you be an active anti-capitalist and be part of one of the most capitalist mechanisms ever?
Forget the Mumia Abu Jamal case. There are so many death row inmates that might not have been guilty that it is trivial to focus on one just because a rock band does.
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"I just can´t take a band too seriously that was major label at the height of their careers. How can you be an active anti-capitalist and be part of one of the most capitalist mechanisms ever?"
Evan, you gota be in the system to change the system
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I saw the first couple songs and then went to Spank Rock. I didn't want to get killed by a bunch of musclebound drunkards. Plus, WTF was up with the sound the ENTIRE GODDAMN SHOW? Sound people seriously couldn't get their shit together.
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There is no stronger articulation of a writer's conviction in a letter than the inclusion of the middle name in the signature.
So...BALLS.
Emphatically,
King Bartholomew Hater
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'"Killing In The Name" was particularly insane; you haven't lived until you've yelled "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me," pumping fists with 60,000 sunburned kids in the desert."'
you described it perfectly. i remember seeing ratm live 8 years ago, in nosebleed seats, and even though we were far away from the stage, the energy came up directly to us thru the entire sho --- there was nothing like it.
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That was great! More guest appearances on the board please! I want to duke it out with Lily Allen!
I want to tell her to go protest in Iran, actually that's the way I'm gonna win all my arguments from now on. It seems like a real clincher.
Political apathy is for lazy know-it-alls without the confidence or conviction to stand up for something.
Props to those who do.
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didn't rage get 2 million to appear?
c
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wait. so does this mean that sterogum missed Spank Rock?!? after raving about their Oya set?!? I'm sorry, but that was one of the most amazing sets of the festival. it was completely different than any other time i've seen them and easily one of the highlights of the weekend. Tribal drummers, another mc, dancers, And not to mention the crowd was great since all the thousands of fratboy-dumb jock-hot topic idiots were at the main stage.
I was at Oya, too, and that was fun, but this was taking it to a completely different level. Simply amazing. Sorry you missed it.
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To Sarah,
If you were a guitarist, you would know why they wear thier guitars so high. Guitarists that wear thier guitars low are doing it for the look and not for good musicianship. If all you're doing is pounding out power chords you can get away with a low hung guitar. If you want to play with quality and ease, a high hung guitar is the best about over the stomach.
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apparently JT - you completely miss the point. Why are you checking out a blog about Rage if you don't like them? Ignorant.
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your set list at the top is wrong.....they didnt play bombtrack (..at all) it was know your enemy.....and they only played part of bullet in the head, it wasnt the whole song
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When will we be able to get a copy of this performance?!?
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To Tom:
Let me first state that I support your work and thoroughly enjoyed both your shows this past weekend, however I feel that your last paragraph displayed some flawed logic. Let's look at it again if you don't mind.
"To all others that deride us or our purpose or effectiveness, I'll say this: if you don't think we're making an impact, then what difference does it make what we say? Why criticize our words if they are not going to inspire change anyway? In life, there are some grey areas, but in this case, both arguments cancel each other out."
I think that the majority of the "others" mentioned above, are in essence trying to expose you or your fellow band members. Not necessarily saying you have no influence or voice, but saying that your voice is a cover for more personal, and as mentioned above "financial" motives. In a way they believe they're trying to open your fan's eyes to the reality of show business in the same way you believe you're trying to open people's eyes to the reality of the state of the world.
You can't honestly say, in a world like ours, that their argument is completely unrealistic or unnecessary. The world's too deceptive to take things at face value, and this must be applied to your own intentions as well, or we (the listeners) willingly leave ourselves open to more deception.
Not to say that I agree you're just another man in the music business, I'm just striving to make sure you're not steering the argument away from what it really is.
As for my own opinion, I understand your cause, but my question is, what happens after spreading awareness?
Spreading awareness is easy. Well maybe that's an understatement, but it's freedom of speech, it's legal, and in an industry like music in today's society, it can catch like wildfire. But after all the bush bashing, all the cries for change, cries for revolution...or for impeachment, what really happens?
I'll tell you, because I was there. We all packed up our tents, talked about what great concerts and environments we experienced this weekend and then we drove home and went back to our jobs/schools.
This frustrates me, and I'm sure I'm not alone. I could feel in the atmosphere that there's an enormous amount of awareness already raised, the problem is nobody knows what happens next. Nobody is willing to push the envelope outside of complaining and speculating. This especially applies in a country in which riot police are brought in on peaceful campers having a good time at a music festival's campgrounds as I saw this weekend.
This is why many people including myself were expecting some sort of riot. It's not productive, but it's rage in its purest form, and it attracts attention. While it's purpose is clearly lost somewhere in the process,it does represent some escalation in our cause.
What I'm asking is for you guys to step up, and be leaders beyond being the messengers. Spreading awareness is one thing, but what can we as the fans and supporters do? I want to hear the next step instead of hearing the same recycled lines from politically charged activists and their fans.
People know. Those that don't know at this point, are ignorant by their own choice and aren't going to be convinced otherwise. If there's nothing beyond awareness, I'm afraid that this is turning into mental masturbation.
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"I never understood their need to wear their guitars (and that bass!) so friggin' high. It is just wrong IMO."
Well, let me explain something to ya ...
this is what musicians do when they care more about how they SOUND then how they LOOK.
what the fuck has happened!?
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"Ah yes, Rage Against the Machine, the band that fights to free a convicted cop killer. Fuck them."
repeat those words after your pulling away from a cop pulling away from a cop pulling you over for no reason, tearing your car apart, accusing you of being a drug addict etc etc criminal, ALL FOR NO REASON AT ALL!
oh this would never happen to YOUUUUU right?
no one is safe
forget your false sense of security
that cop DESERVED TO DIE along with many others.
get with it
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M, the only reason I addressed you specifically is because you specifically referred to me as a "self righteous a-hole." Of course there's a time for taking it easy -- which is what I usually try to do when I read Stereogum -- but when someone attacks me personally, do I not have the right to addresss them? To defend myself?
On a similar note, hasn't rock & roll always been about freedom of expression and questioning authority? I believe that it has since its inception. It saddens me to think what would happen if it lost those qualities.
KingHater, I love you for the way you make me LOL.
Jesse, as Marmz noted, "you gotta be in the system to change the system." As a band, we struggled mightily with ourselves early on about whether or not to take the traditional "big rock band on a major label road," but we knew that the most effective way to get our ideas across was to try and reach as large an audience as possible.
Don't get me wrong, I have been very fortunate to have gotten to experience the people and places that being in RATM has afforded me, but I know that for us, the idea of social change, and the idea of spreading awareness were always our main goal, not fiduciary gain, as some of the more cynical among us might think.
We have, in fact, as a band and as individuals, given away a larger amount of our proceeds than a lot of people might really know. Obviously, though, not everything that happens makes it into the news, nor would we necessarily want it to. We weren't looking for pats on the back, and I only bring such things up now in the context of addressing posted concerns.
As far as what happens next, well, that's up to all of us. Who's to say that your friends at Coachella are going to stop their actions when they go back to their jobs or schools? If all of us gave as little as one hour per week at the local soup kitchen or homeless shelter, that in itself would have a huge impact.
When you really get down to it, the main point of any sort of progressive thinking is to improve the day to day lives of the average working class citizen. Any sort of regime change at the top would undeniably be very much appreciated, but in the end, it does (albeit very minutely), take second place. Not to say that it is incidental, though, because any organization inevitably takes on the traits of its leader, at least in part.
Lastly, I'm afraid that I have to take issue with your line "Those that don't know at this point, are ignorant by their own choice and aren't going to be convinced otherwise." The thing is, from my point of view, it seems as though a lot of people *don't* really know what's going on. The fact is, most people don't spend a lot of their time reading or watching the news, and those that do sometimes get it from biased sources.
If we, as a progressive movement, continue to make positive strides, I think we can help people to see the light. Every person and every bit helps, I think. However, your point is very, very well taken. What would you have us do to become leaders and not messengers? I do know that RATM and myself are forunate enough to be in a position to do so, so I am definitely interested in hearing your ideas.
I look forward to your answers. The hour is getting late, and I am growing tired.
Paz,
Tom
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Tom,
I enjoyed reading your replies to some of the others' comments. It certainly is interesting to see the different opinions that people form given equal access to information. So many influences (social, familial, environmental) on individuals will generate vastly different yet equally passionate responses from people on any given subject!
Listening to RATM growing up, I never questioned the motives of the band and it seems blatantly obvious to me that monetary gain is not the ultimate goal. Where is the RATM 'Cribs' LOL? In fact, it would have been pretty easy for RATM to coast along on a major label contract and make silly amounts of money, regardless of quality of product or life of the band members. It saddens me that we have become a nation of cynics. We hungered for more truth and reality, so 'reality TV' was born. Except it features very little genuine material, therefore lowering expectations of honesty even further. I suppose since we have become so untrusting and jaded, the trick is going to be triple-reverse psychology to get the message to stick to the receiver...
In any event, I think it's great that you take an interest in communicating with the public, and it only bolsters your argument that your motives are genuine... if you didn't care, why would you waste time responding to internet slander? Kudos to you, Mr. Morello. I look forward to the show in NY, as one of my biggest life regrets was not seeing RATM before the, er, hiatus? Continue living your life in a positive manner. If it rubs off on one person, it will go from them, to someone else, etc... almost like franchising!
Rock on -
Jack
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Well. If you are, in fact, THE Tom Morello -- the mere fact that you'd bother to engage in a discourse like this in some ways defends against some of the points raised by your detractors here...certainly beyond what they could ever infer from just the music alone, or the crass -- and unfortunately grammatically incorrect -- anti-Bush tirades from your old lead singer.
That, and well...it's comforting to see that rock stars get bored at work, too. That's, like, what message boards are for at the end of the day, right?
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Tom, I imagine your reasons for reuniting were mixed- partly, as wiki notes: as a reaction to the so called right wing purgatory America has slid (or been driven) into... and partly, I'd wager, because you guys just plain missed being in a band together. Nostalgia for the old times, so to speak.
My concerns lie mainly with the former. I wasn't at the gig, so I can't comment on exactly what information was passed between band and audience, but I've read reviews which state that Zach didn't speak much between songs, and allowed his verse to do much of the arguing. I fear there is a danger in his lyrics losing their potency, and becoming mere catchphrases. I would have hoped that the band had taken this opportunity to directly inform the audience, to engage with their politics. I'm not jumpting to conclusions, I mean- it was a gig, but this Rage gig had the air of a protest about it before it started.
The tirade in the bridge to Wake Up was pointed, but hardly articulate. Does Zack stand by his 'Bush administration should be tried, hung and shot' remarks? I mean, besides advocating another man's death, isn't being hung AND shot a little overboard?
Perhaps he was intertextually referencing the Saddam execution; but the intention is masked. The rise of fascist policies has been quick in your Country, I could reference here information to articulate this: The Project for the New American Century, how Wolfowitz became head of the World Bank, Amnesty calls for Guantanemo to close, state misinformation regarding Iran, continued and unconditional support for Israel (most shockingly during the Lebanon war)...
But you guys didn't address these issues, you wiped a blanket over them, and merely pointed fingers, without explanation, information or evidence of guilt. Without informing your audience as to the mechanics of fascism, how can your audience ever hope to become socially aware and politically responsible?
Thanks, if you read this. We run a record label in Cornwall centred around socialist beliefs and utilising local resource. My band (Airstrip One) is a platform for political critique.
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I wish right wingers didn’t have access to the internet… I’d also really prefer that they all spontaneously burst into flames -No, I really mean it. I think we’re going to have to actually go to war with them eventually. The creepy thing is that they’re probably better shots than most blue-staters… creepy
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Hey Tom just general question's here. The Rock the bells festival in NYC on the 28 for the love of god play a song with Public Enemy. And by the way at the show is there anyway you would sign my Che Guavvara book at the show? That would be fuckin sweet.
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Tom Morello is a great mind...as is RATM. Everyone needs to think for themselves and take action accordingly. Sitting around only spouting hot air into the world is worse than being ignorant.
Half the people posting here don't know ANYTHING about RATM or the supposed "cop killer"...I guess you just want to have fun...so do that...go have fun and shut up.
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Motherslugger-
“Sitting around only spouting hot air into the world is worse than being ignorant.” I don’t know how that is possible. All action first begins with some discussion, or I should at least hope so. You never know where “sitting around" and "spouting hot air” could lead. I’m sure that Che Guevara* did a little of this before he took any action. All the people here are thinking for themselves and taking action because discussion is a form of action. If you want “half the people posting here” to learn more about RATM or Mumia Abu-Jamal then why don’t you give them some information or tell them to go look it up instead of shut up.
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WHOA man, hold on a second, I have a MAJOR problem with ANYBODY saying members of the Bush administration should be "hung and shot." If you hang them first, they'll already be dead! Shoot them beforehand, in the stomach preferably since that'd be the most painful way to do- with hollow-points too. And loosen the noose so they'll suffocate more slowly.
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Everyone with a brain knows police officers have NEVER done ANYTHING wrong *cough cough Rodney King* and that EVERYONE convicted of a crime is ALWAYS inarguably guilty. Of course.
I wish I could lick the server for this message board just to have the taste of Tom's IP address in my mouth.
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Preaching to the choir or not… some of us did not take sides with issues BECAUSE of Rage, we already had a mindset, for those of us who discovered a band who shared our ideals already and put our very thoughts and opinions to music and turned our thoughts into poetry and chants, well, it just reinforced us, energized us, galvanized us, and makes us realize, holy crap, we’re not alone theres thousands (especially in one place, one arena, one stadium, one club, whatever) that agree. They're the same ones pumping their fists in the air with me. Damn. It’s a sight to behold. Makes you feel like an army against the corporations that run this planet and control the “democracies” (capitalist puppet figure heads). Rage is still the only band who doesn’t have a mosh pit down in the front. The mosh pit explodes out of the front rows and extends all the way back to the last row. They’re the only band who can create a sea of pumping fists and and ocean of kids hopping up and down so much it looks like, well, literally an ocean of wave upon wave of escstatic energy. Rage creates a spectacle on the stage and literally off it. Welcome back boys. Don’t ever leave again…
PS - Holy crap is that really you Tom? The San Francisco Bay Area awaits you with open arms...
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All I have is the experience of 3 Rage show's. Long ago in '97 they played a dozen shows with Wu Tang, and I was lucky enough to see one of those. In '99 (the last full year they were together),I saw them again. Both shows were as powerful and memorable as this past Sunday's show was and will be. I traveled from South Carolina and slept in a "Jack In The Box" to see their first show back. The really special part of Sunday was meeting people from around the world (Italy, Canada, Australia...)who came only to see Rage. Looking forward to Sat and Sunday, "Rock the Bells" (presale for the second NYC show yesterday). Hope you got yours.
60,000 people my ass! Obviously no one counted all those people who jumped the fence.
Arthur
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Check out this video of Rage performing at Coachella, it's only 3 songs but it's the best of the videos I've seen so far.
http://musicplustv.com/26790
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Posting in a legendary talkback
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And what will we replace this administration with after we deliver our violent end to it Mr. Rage? Your fascist socialist brand of....tolerance? They should have done a Who cover song instead..."Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."
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damn this is huge page...
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they played "Know Your Enemy" though...
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I knew they played that song...well not really because I passed out during that time because being up front was so tight and I couldn't breathe. I looked at a couple set lists and they excluded it so I thought I may have imagined that song. BEST CONCERT EVER!
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Rage Against The Machine is musical genious. Morello is innovation. Wilk is a virtuoso. Quit bitching about the politics and just listen to the fucking music.
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Tom-
I wanted to begin by saying that your performance as the Nightwatchman at Coachella was one of the best performances I have ever seen. Sorry about the clapping….Of all the artists I have seen, you looked like you were having the most fun, and that makes it fun to be a part of the audience. In particular, I enjoyed the last song. I have been a fan of Woody Guthrie for a while now, and I never thought I would get a chance to see that song live, done by someone who I have just as much respect for. I hope we can all take some time to let his words, what he really meant, have an impact on us.
After reading your last note, I was surprised to see that no one responded to your question about becoming leaders. To me, I think that RATM is more than just a messenger because your message has changed the way I, and countless others live. I don’t want to give you full credit for who I have become, but your music has opened my eyes and inspired me to take action. I also think that you already are leaders because of your contribution to protests. You never know what kind of change protesting could bring, and hopefully all that action does “improve the day to day lives of the average working class citizen.” You should try to make it out to Minnesota sometime! The only real suggestion I have is to do something with student groups. I’m not totally sure where this thought is going, but you could take a group down to Chiapas or somewhere else. I think that this could help improve the day to day lives of the people in whatever location and also the education of the students who go.
Well that’s about it. I hope someone else has some suggestions too. Good luck with your tour and thank you for everything you have done for me and the world as both a messenger and a leader.
-Kelly
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Nate eat a dick
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While I can't claim to know or understand the history or morality of the men and women of the Philadelphia Police Department, or the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal (being an Australian) I have to say I find your comment, Justin, a little disturbing.
"that cop DESERVED TO DIE along with many others."
Don't forget the dangers of undirected hatred. Don't forget Hitler was once a National Socialist. Better to direct your rage at a specific guilty party *cough-George Bush Jr-cough*
To Tom, I grew up listening to my brother's copy of Rage Against the Machine. You will always have a passionate and receptive crowd here in Oz. We're sick of John Howard and his right-wing politics.
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Great to see Rage Against the Machine back. Even in Reunion Island (french) there's a lot of Rage fans. Tom ,I respect your amazing work and your political message.
Now I have a question for Tom :
You told us earlier that coachella would be a one-off....false. Then Chang Weisberg told that "RAGE will do four shows and just four in 2007"...false too. Now you tell that there are no plans for a new RATM album...Is it again to make fans sweat ??? (I hope so)
Personnaly, I guess you (ratm) should do what you want. If you don't make a new album, I won't be like "Oh my god...what a band of su**ers...", because I respect you and if it's your decision, I'll accept it. You're the band that grow me up. I became aware of the problems ruining the world thanks to you. And I though Rage would like to bring their vision of the current administration with a new album...Maybe I mistaken...just tell me if I'm wrong.
btw sorry for my english. :)
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to Tom Morello
Would you be intrested in joining a forum full of people who worship you?
Please.
Also from listening to RATM and the Axis of justice radio station i have learnt great deal.
Everything from, The CIW, the Mexican Border patrol, Amenian Genocide, Mumia and EZLN to name just a few.
Thank you members of RATM
P.S Excuse the spelling and grammer.
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The scariest part is that all the US Servicemen in the Middle East are listening to this music.
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Crowded house fuckin rock the shit harder than RATM
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Posting after a legendary talkback I sense is getting out of hand and thus is over.
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That show was amazing. So glad I was able to witness such a damn fine set...
Long Live RATM!
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Just to provide a bit of clarification, Zack was quoting Noam Chomsky, who said that if the Nuremburg Laws were applied to any post war president, every single one of them would be hanged, as the Nazis were.
So, he's essentially saying that the president should be put on trial for war crimes in the most antagonizing way possible, not that he should be hanged in the streets by pissed off citizens.
I was at coachella, and while I got chills listening to his speech, I was really hoping the concert would be more of an act of protest as tom promised than it ended up being. I actually felt underwhelmed by it, since it seemed like a standard greatest hits set with no talking and long, awkward silences between the songs. A few comments to the audience, political or not, would have been nice, especially since so many people had come from around the world to see them. Even though tom was rocking out, they all seemed kinda nervous and reserved.
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hey i heard that theres a new ratm song on the radion, can anyone tell me anything about it
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just wanted to say it's awesome to have RATM back! I saw them twice when they were playing with Chris Cornell and Tom, Brad and Tim stole the show since Chris's vocals are pretty stale nowadays!
The Zack Attack stings to ya like mutha and they are back PERIORD any of u don't like it OH WELL!
I hope RATM have a new album out very soon!
~m~
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I have to say, this was fun to read. Also have to say to the Ratm haters out there, if not nothing else, Ratm was one of the few musical groups to teach the youth of their time to think for themselves, question authority, and to always dig to to get the real story, and then speak out when they know the truth. That is one of the most important functions of any art during any time period. I was listening to Ratm avidly while in my teens, but never had the chance to see them. Can't wait for East Troy.
Thank you Ratm.....
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JT: ah yes, the ignorant citizen that believes the justice system is infallable. Ever think they were fighting the conviction for a good reason? Check the facts.
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so here i was, roaming the net looking for some good news about the RATM reunite, and when i came across this particular site, i read about an awesome show which i did not get to see, being as i live many miles away.
then i scroll down some more thinking i was going to see words of triumph for one of the greatest rock bands of my time, but what do i see? i read some college asshole who decided to run his mouth fueled with nothing but horse shit! m, why dont you pull you head out of your ass and wake the hell up.
mr. morello, if you are who you say you are, come play in canada, your bands words of g.w. bush would be very appreciated and welcome this side of the border.
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Gonna' have to burst everyone's bubble here guys. I talked to Tom for a few minutes when he opened for Ben Harper in Myrtle Beach as the Nightwatchman, and I ask if this was him posting on here and he was like "What is Stereogum?" So....it's not him.
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The "LOL" and asterixes were kinda suspicious...not to mention a couple of the comments..
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