Rage Against the Machine is formed in Los Angeles in 1991 by Zack de la Rocha
(vocal), Tim Commerford (Bassist and Backing Vocals), Tom Morello (Guitar) and
Brad Wilk (Drummer). The story begin in
1991 when To Morello left his band Lock Up (1989 until 1990 and has one album
“Something Bitchin’ This Way Comes”) and looking to start another band. First
he meets Zack de la Rocha in Los Angeles Club who sing a freestyle rapping.
After that Tom Morello invite Brad Wilk (drummer of Greta band) to be the
drummer and Zack invited Tom Commerford to
fill the bass position in the band.
Rage Against The Machine named after a song by Zack when he is performed Inside Out band (hardcore punk band). The first performed is in California in the house party of Tom Commerford friends, and in this place to they create the demo tape for the band. It has 12 songs in the demo tape. They successfully signed the first contract with Epic Record.
Rage Against The Machine named after a song by Zack when he is performed Inside Out band (hardcore punk band). The first performed is in California in the house party of Tom Commerford friends, and in this place to they create the demo tape for the band. It has 12 songs in the demo tape. They successfully signed the first contract with Epic Record.
The
debut album is “Rage Againts The Machine” in 1992 has won triple platinum
status with “Killing In The Name” as the first single in this album, this album
was produced by Garth Richardson. To promote this album they are went on tour
at Lollapalloza at 1993 and supporting the Suicidal Tendencies band in Europe.
After the debut album RATM is appeared as one of the Original Sound Track in
American drama movie “High Learning” with the song “Year of tha Boomerang”. “Darkness”
on “The Crow” also “No Shelter” in “The Godzilla” movie. “Wake Up” in “The
Matrix” in 1999, “Calm Like a Bomb in the later sequel on “The Matrix –
Reloaded” in 2000.
And
in October 18, 2000. Zack de la Rocha said "I feel that it is now necessary to
leave Rage because our decision-making process has completely failed. It is no
longer meeting the aspirations of all four of us collectively as a band, and
from my perspective, has undermined our artistic and political ideal."
After that he leaves the Rage Against The Machine, he create a solo album with
DJ Shadow, El-P, Mugs, start collaboration with Trent Reznor. But the album is
never fruitless. In the 2008 he joined with Jon Theodore to perform One Day as
a Lion, also with Joey Karam for keyboard on the live show.
The final
album of Rage Against The Machine is Renegades, released after statement of
Zack. Album Renegades was a cover album
of many artist like Bob Dylan, Devo, The Rolling Stones, Cypress Hill, etc.
After the breakups Tom Morello, Tom Commerdford, and Brad Wilk teamup with
Chriss Cornell to perform Audioslave until 2007.
Rage
Against The Machine had reunion in 2007-2008. On January 2007 at the Coachella
Valley Music and Arts Festival. This festival is kinda like vehicle to voice
the band’s opposition to the “Right-Wing Purgatory” of USA under the George W.
Bush administration. On April 14, 2007, Morello dan Zack reunited on the
stageat Coalition of Immokalee Workers (non profit Organization support workers
low wages in the United States). Rage Against The Machine tour is at the United
States, New Zealand, Japan, Australia, Europe in Summer 2008, Scotland, Sweden,
England,Ireland., Lollapalooza music festival.
Music of
Rage Against The Machine has noted as fiercely polemical music which brewed
sloganeering leftist rants against corporate America, cultural imperialism, and
government, political and social issues as the oppression into a molotov bomb
of punk, hip-hop, and trash. Rage Against The Machine and the individual
members participated in political protest and other activism to advocate they
beliefs. They saw the music as a vehicle to spreading those ideas through art.
Because the music itself has an infinity power to cross borders, to break
military sieges. It is reflected in the the lyrics from Rage Against The
Machine songs like Bombtrack, Killing In The Name, Know Your Enemy, Bull On
Parade, F**k The Police, and many more. The pour they idea into the song. Rage
Against The Machine ofted to play a free concert to sing the song. In April
2000 at the Democratic National Convention in protest of the “two-party
system”. In Lollapalooza in 1993, Rage Against The Machine stood naked for 15
minutes with duct tape on their mouth and letters PMRC painted on their chest
with the sound emitted to protest against cencorship by the Parents Music
Resource Centre. In August 27, 2008 in Denver at the Denver Coliseum during the
2008 Democratic National Convention in protest against the war in Iraq. In
September 02, 2008, at the Republican National Convention in protest of what Zack
called the power abusing party. In this show they perform in the middle of the
crowd and start to sang “Bulls on Parade”, “Killing In The Name” with
megaphones. Because the police told them “if we approached the stage they will
be arrested for playing music. They said that tha RATM has no permits to
perform on the show. In September 03, 2008, Rage Against The Machine played at
the concert at the Target Center. They wear a orange Guantanamo Bay (prisoner
suits with black hoods).
 |
| RATM wear Guantanamo Bay |
In
October 2009, Rage Against The Machine along with the other bands like Nine
Inch Nails, Pearl Jam, R.E.M. and The Roots joined a campaign to close
Guantanamo prison. Rage Against The Machine also advocates for the release of
formers Black Panther and Death Row inmate Mumia Abu Jamal (a convicted cop
killer) and for whom they wrote and recorded the track “Voices of the
Voiceless” for their album in The Battle of Los Angeles.
All benefit from the
concert is donated to the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia
Abu Jamal. In October 2010, Rage Against The Machine played the first show in
Brazil at SWU Music and Arts festival.
