Rage Against The Machine

Lead guitarist Tom Morello, singer Zack de le Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk got together in the Los Angeles area back in 1991. Introducing a style heavily steeped in heavy metal, punk, funk and rap, the band quickly caught the ears of fans with its initial twelve-song self-titled, self-released demo cassette. Belting out hard grooves with passionate political protest lyrics, the band laid down who they would be from the get-go.

Touring in support of bands like Porno for Pyros and Suicidal Tendencies, Rage Against the Machine scored a label deal with Epic Records, with a second release of its self-titled debut album. Given an unusual amount of creative control, the band did not hold back their unapologetic protest sound. The band even made the self-immolation of Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức, a self-sacrificial act of defiance against his oppressive government, into the cover image of their first LP. The record went on to achieve triple platinum certification, reaching 45 on the Billboard 200 charts.

The following year, Rage Against the Machine kept climbing in popularity. Supporting House of Pain in early 1993, followed by appearances at Lollapalooza, the band’s following quickly swelled. In addition to its many tours over the following years, the band stayed true to its political activism by appearing in a series of benefits and protest shows. The band headlined the Rock for Choice campaign and organized a show in support of imprisoned Native American activist Leonard Peltier. In 1994, it recorded the track “Year of tha Boomerang” for the John Singleton film Higher Learning, which was about college racism.

Amidst many rumors of being on the verge of breaking up, Rage Against the Machine proved the naysayers wrong with the release of 1996’s Evil Empire. Its long-anticipated second album debuted on the top spot of the Billboard 200 charts. Its appearance on Saturday Night Live in support of the record was cut short when the band hung inverted American flags from its amps in protest of the show’s host, Steve Forbes. Rage also played at the Tibetan Freedom Concert in San Francisco that year alongside fellow performers Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Smashing Pumpkins, and many more.

In 1997, the band opened for a U2 benefit concert, then headlined its own tour later that year with bands like Wu-Tang Clan and The Roots supporting. By 1999, its next full length album release would drop. The Battle of Los Angeles once again debuted on the number one spot of the Billboard 200, quickly going double platinum. That same year, Rage played in Woodstock ’99, and their track “Wake Up” appeared on the soundtrack for the film The Matrix.

In 2000, Zack de la Rocha left Rage Against the Machine due to differences, causing the band to break up. Despite this, another record came out a few months later. Renegades featured all cover songs of a wide array of acts such as The Rolling Stones, Cypress Hill and Bruce Springsteen. The remaining three members formed the group Audioslave with former Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell. Audioslave released three albums before disbanding in 2007.

In 2007, Rage Against the Machine reunited for a performance at Coachella. A small tour followed in 2008 at European and American festivals. For the following years, more shows and side projects kept hopes alive for a new Rage album. But the members stopped playing together around 2010.

In 2019, the band announced its first full-throated tour in 20 years. The tour, planned over the course of 2020, was unfortunately cut short due to the Covid pandemic. Back on track for 2022, the tour was derailed again when de la Rocha suffered a severe leg injury onstage. Regardless, the band is poised to return to the road after the singer recovers.