One of the most shocking news to come in June 2020 is that Rage Against The Machine actually has a political standpoint. Some fans are shocked to hear its guitarist Tom Morello voice his condemnation of George Floyd's death and support for the Black Lives Matter.
However, longtime fans of Rage Against the Machine and its pillars Zack De la Rocha, Tim Commerford, Tom Morello, Brad Wilk knew these statements were coming. After all, as one Twitter user asked: "What machine did you think they have been raging against for decades? The ice cream machine? The ATM? Lawnmowers?
For the younger fans, here are a few events Rage Against The Machine made their views clear:
Rage Against Torture
In October 2009, Tom Morello and Trent Reznor joined forces to boost the "National Campaign to Close Guantanamo." Rage Against the Machine (RATM) and Nine Inch Nails (NIN) teamed up with Pearl Jam, R.E.M., and The Roots. The initiative called for the US Military to declassify records about the use of music in torture, which is strictly prohibited under the Geneva Convention. The move follows reports that both Rage and NIN music have been used to "break" prisoners in the controversial facility.
The Infamous "Assassination" Comments
During their Coachella 2007 set, frontman Zack De la Rocha made a statement on the US Presidents, starting from former president Harry S. Truman. De la Rocha said: "They should be hung, and tried, and shot. As any war criminal should be."
A clip of his speech reached the Fox News show "Hannity & Colmes" and appeared with the headline: "Rock group Rage Against the Machine says Bush admin should be shot."
The band responded during their live performance at the hip-hop fest "Rock the Bells." During the festival's first day, De la Rocha responded to Fox News' apparent "misquote" against him. The Rage vocalist said that "A couple of months ago, those fascist motherf**kears at the Fox News Network attempted to pin this band into a corner" with the on-screen headline. He clarified, "Nah, what we said was that he should be brought to trial as a war criminal and hung and shot. THAT'S what we said," the Rage frontman said. He even pointed out that Bush and VP Dick Cheney, together with their administration, were the real "assassinators" for the lives destroyed in both US and Iraq.
"Sleep Now in the Fire" Music Video
Back at the turn of the millennium, in January 2000, Rage Against the Machine filmed the music video for "Sleep Now in the Fire." The shoot included some 300 fans gathering in front of the Federal Hall National Memorial, located across the New York Stock Exchange.
NYSE was forced to close its doors and RATM was escorted away with security personnel. Both band members and fans stormed the steps of the Stock Exchange building. De la Rocha himself was shoved out of the building after making a quick entry at one of the side doors.
Michael Moore, the music video director, was arrested for not having a sound permit. They only had a federal permit for the location. The footages of the mob headbanging and actual policemen confiscating Tim Commerford's bass guitar appears on the music video.
Another Successful Musician Turned Political Expert
Members of the band do not shy away from engaging in enlightening conversations with their fans online. Last June 7, Morello posted a sick burn on his Twitter page, captioned "Like shooting fish in a barrel.
The screenshot in Tom's tweet featured a user commenting that "another succesful musician instantly becomes a political expert."
Morello wrote that one does not have to be a political science honors graduate from Harvard University to see "the unethical and inhumane nature of this administration." He then schooled the Twitter user: "but well, I happen to be an honors grad in political science from Harvard University so I can confirm that for you."
Like shooting fish in a barrel: pic.twitter.com/hxvZ6GgoH5 — Tom Morello (@tmorello) June 6, 2020
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