In the history of recorded music, there has only been one thing as angry as the output of Rage Against The Machine – a rare outtake of Tubular Bells where Mike Oldfield accidentally hit his funny bone on a bell and swore for 18 breathtaking seconds.
But now the public had better learn how to violently react to Rage Against The Machine's phenomenally angry music again, because it's being rumoured that Zack de la Rocha is to join Tom Morello and the other two for a special one-off Rage Against The Machine reunion concert at this year's Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Even though Rage Against The Machine seem determined to make their Coachella show the only time they'll reunite, we're crossing our fingers that the show goes well enough for Rage Against The Machine to consider making that Rage Against The Machine Sing Songs To Make Your Heart Go Ho Ho Ho And Jingle Jingle Jingle novelty Christmas album we keep pestering them about.
It's been seven years since Rage Against The Machine split up, which is plenty of time for their legacy to be properly assessed. And it's not exactly favourable, either; while Rage Against The Machine were easily the best live band in the world for a while, and Zack de la Rocha's fierily intelligent lyrics reminded people that music could act as a genuinely world-changing force, if it wasn't for Rage Against The Machine there'd be no Limp Bizkit and ergo no Fred Durst sex tape. These are serious crimes that won't be easily forgiven.
But, hey, maybe Rage Against The Machine will go some way to reinstating their reputation at this year's Coachella festival. Just as last year Coachella scooped the world by signing an old lady to stand around in a horrible leotard for the first time ever, this year Coachella is expected to announce that it will host a very special one-off performance by a temporarily reunited Rage Against The Machine, as Reuters reports:
The leftist rock band Rage Against the Machine will reunite after a seven-year hiatus for a single performance at a southern California rock festival in April, the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday. The chart-topping quartet, famed for its angry denunciations of capitalism even as it recorded for a label owned by Sony Corp., will play the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, the paper said, quoting unspecified sources… The paper also said former headliners the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Bjork will return to the event, which is in its eighth year. The lineup is expected to be announced this week.
No doubt it'll be hard for a group of socialist agitators like Rage Against The Machine to swallow their pride, put aside their differences and accept a giant cheque from The Man to shout "Fuck you, I won't do what you tell me" over and over until the crowd is sufficiently hyped enough to burn down the toilets and rape a girl, but if the band members get onstage and rekindle the magic they used to have, perhaps we'll even see some new Rage Against The Machine material before too long.
That's undeniably a good thing, as working with Rage Against The Machine will leave them less time to perform horrible James Bond theme-tunes – something for which we'll be eternally grateful.
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Del says
RATM split up in 2000, before 9/11 and Iraq and Afghanistan and Abu Gharib… ‘fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me’ might have held some water when there wasn’t anything serious to shout about, but it’s gonna look pretty silly now
Larry says
It’s been too long not having Rage Against The Machine around. Groups of their political nature are healthy for our country, and are needed. It’s a way to feel emotions through music.
aaron says
This is out of control. RATM are arguably the best band in the world at putting on a live show. Getting back together for one more is gonna be insane. Oh how we missed you!
yoni says
I love Rage, and I’m excited that this show might be happening. But I can already see the show causing a lot of Rage purist fans to dislike Audioslave for a reason that is totally unrelated to Audioslave. First of all, they are two different bands. Get it through your head! Secondly, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS THE GREATEST BAND IN THE WORLD! There are so many artists out there making incredible music. There’s no need to turn art and music into a competition. Just because Zach’s lack of press coverage has kept the suspense up about what he MIGHT be doing, doesn’t mean that this reunion concert is some kind of magical sign encouraging whiners to step-up their boo hooing about what Tim, Tom and Brad have accomplished. When a band breaks up, that’s what is supposed to happen. If they stayed together, they’d kill each other. And stop calling Brad and Tim “the other two”. They’re one of the funkiest rhythm sections heavy rock has to offer, and they’re just as important.
andrew says
i’m definitely going to this just in case this really is the only time they’ll get back together. putting all their political bullshit aside (their lyrics are much more relevant to North Korea, the USSR and Nazi Germany, not the U.S.) the shows going to be insanely awesome, completely off the hook. we need more 90’s music to influence the current rock scene (forget all that emo shit), and ratm was definitely one of the best bands of the 90’s.
Russ says
This is the band that got me into my hard rock/rap stage when i was younger. So now that they say they are making a comeback….i want to know if its a one time only show or if a tour is in line this summer. and like what others said before me…self titled was the shit, so what evil empire and BOLA. and renagades was good in its own. and yes tim tim and brad are some of the most bad ass musicians of our time. so thats so lame to just say and the other 2 when brad wrote most of the lyrics and tim made some of the most heavy basslines ever made. so lets all hope for a reunion not just a show. even though i’m excited as fuck to go watch this show that i’ve been waiting for for 7 years.
amanda says
I heard rumours that rage where playing at Leeds festival in the u.k. i doubt that will happen. Whoever are going to that festival are lucky son of a bitches.
McCabe says
I am exited at the possibility of RATM reforming as there is alot to talk about at the moment and to Del at the top who said, “RATM split up in 2000, before 9/11 and Iraq and Afghanistan and Abu Gharib… ‘fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me’ might have held some water when there wasn’t anything serious to shout about, but it’s gonna look pretty silly now” rage aiming at a young audiance and even if there lyrics didnt delve into the knitty Gritty the message is clear and as a left band communication and inspiring young thinkers was there aim…they did this…the new rage may not be the same as the fans have grown up, could be great!
gir says
Jesus Christ, people care about Rage Against the Machine? Keep buying those records and lining the pockets of Sony execs, baby, ’cause we need another single to go on the next Guitar Hero soundtrack!
gir says
McCabe has the beginnings of a point but loses it: there is a lot to talk about at the moment, and, thankfully, Rage Against the Machine is singularly unqualified to participate in the conversation. “Killing in the Name of”, while a cultural touchstone for hopeless 14-year-olds tired of taking out the garbage, is a shameless attempt at marketing prepackaged rebellion, not to mention a really terrible song. It has a grand total of like five different lines repeated ad nauseam. Dr. Seuss has better and more diverse flow, not to mention more street cred.
Here, let me explain it so the artistically illiterate can understand: Zack de la Rocha is the Kanye West for the kind of angsty white teen that shops at Hot Topic and hangs out at malls telling dead baby jokes in a failed attempt to be edgy and in-your-face.