Rage Against The Machine News
Zack's Solo Album - 4/3/00
Yes, indeed: According to representatives from the underground New York hip-hop outfit Company Flow, Zack de la
Rocha will be heading into a New York City recording studio this May (next month) to begin production of his solo
album. He made a 'wish-list' of producers he'd like at the helm of his debut, and has recruited his top choice,
Company Flow's El-P, to produce at least four of the tracks.
Company Flow cut short a tour of Japan recently so El-P could fly back to the States to meet de la Rocha and discuss
working together. El-P is scheduled to spend the entire month of May in the studio with the Rage Against the Machine
frontman.
Other hip-hop artists being tossed around to produce the remaining tracks include Roni Size, DJ Premier, and Mos
Def, although none of them would confirm.
The album will be released by Rage Against the Machine's label, Epic, which had no details on the musicians joining
de la Rocha in the studio or on an official release date. (Thanks to Ian Mance for passing on this info from CDnow.com)
"Roll Right" in Skate Video - 4/2/00
The verse of "Roll Right", without vocals, appears on the skate video "Rodney Mullen vs. Daewon
Song, Round 2", during the World Industries segment. The credits list only "Rage Against the Machine"
with no song title. It's interesting to watch how skate culture is working and growing, even without Rage's music
in the background. When it is there, however -- well, even better. (Thanks to Andrew Langan for letting me know)
Sleep Now in the Fire 7" Releases - 4/1/00
The UK 7" release of SNitF that was supposed to be released on 4.04.00 was actually released yesterday, and
is pressed on limited edition red vinyl, with a live version of Guerrilla Radio as the B-side. The tracklisting
for the German release of the single is as follows: (Thanks to Ian Mance for this info)
1. Sleep Now in the Fire (LP Version)
2. Sleep Now in the Fire (live in Mexico City)
3. Bulls on Parade (live in Mexico City)
4. Freedom (live)
Also, Digitech has released a new Whammy Pedal that is modeled after the original, which Tom uses. Whether or not
Tom has anything to do with this 're-release' is uncertain.
Backstreet Boys cover Rage... - 3/30/00
To further pacify rebellious culture, A.J. McLean of the Backstreet Boys has developed a 'split-personality' entitled
"Johnny No Name" who covers rock songs. During his solo tour, he sang Rage's "Killing in the Name"
to the pre-teen audience -- Being sure to, of course, censor the "Fuck you I won't do what you tell me"
segment. From Rollingstone.com: To Johnny, all rock songs -- be they political or not -- are about sex. "It's
all in the pelvis," he later explained. But Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name" was
sapped of its original intent by McLean's pelvic thrusts. Swiveling his hips, Johnny lifted his shirt to show the
space between his stomach and his underwear, and would teasingly start to take off his jacket, only to show just
a glimpse of shoulder and armpit. "I have a surprise for you later," he joked, "and no, my pants
are staying on." Holy shit.
It's also interesting to note that Toronto University used Backstreet Boys songs, and other pop songs, to torture
anti-sweatshop activists staging a sit-in protest at the president's office. Read the story. (Thanks to David Desola)
Video, New management, Shows - 3/30/00
The Battle of Mexico City video will be released May 2nd, 2000, and may possibly include videos for Guerrilla Radio,
Sleep Now in the Fire, and Testify. (?)
Rage has a new manager: John Silva, who has worked with Foo Fighters and Beck.
Rage will play June 16 at the Heineken Jammin' Festival in Imola, Italy.
They will also appear at the rally for political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal in New York at the Madison Sqaure Garden
Theatre on May 7th. Check out www.mumia2000.org for more info.
Here is an interesting image from a mini-magazine for grade schoolers called "Math". Thanks to Kron's
little sister for finding it.
Rage deny Korn/Limp Bizkit - 3/24/00
Brad told ShoutWeb.com that they would not join Korn and Limp Bizkit on the "Monsters of Rock" tour this
summer: "No, absolutely not. We're setting up a tour with the Beasties and probably somebody else. I don't
think that would be good for the band. I have nothing against Korn and Limp Bizkit or anything." He also went
on to convey that he wished that they would have asked the band instead of just throwing it out there.
On an unrelated note, Rage will play in Finland on June 18th, at a festival called "Provinssirock".
Sleep Now in the Fire tracklistings - 3/24/00
Ian Mance sent in some speculated track listings for the import versions of the Sleep Now in the Fire single:
Release Date: 4/7/2000
Country: AUSTRALIA
Tracks:
1. Sleep Now in the Fire
2. Guerrilla Radio (live)
3. Bulls on Parade (live)
4. Freedom (live)
5. Sleep Now in the Fire (live)
Release date: 4/1/2000
Country: UK #1 (limited)
Tracks:
1. Sleep Now in the Fire
2. Bulls on Parade (live)
3. Sleep Now in the Fire (live)
Release date: 4/7/2000
Country: UK #2 (limited)
Tracks:
1. Sleep Now in the Fire
2. Guerrilla Radio (live)
3. Freedom (live)
4. Sleep Now in the Fire (video)
Shows, Tours, Singles - 3/22/00
Rage has been invited to play at Neil Young's annual Bridge Benefit music festival in October. The benefit concerts
are traditionally acoustic. Rage will also play the Rock AM Ring Festival - which is June 9-11, as well as the
Swedish Hultsfred Festival.
Teencore bands "Korn" and "Limp Bizkit" are planning a summer tour together, and have asked
Rage to join. Thus far, Rage has not responded.
Sony will release a CD & 7" version of the Sleep Now in the Fire on 03.31.00. It is also being released
in London on 4.4.00.
Tom on Star Trek Voyager - 3/14/00
Tom Morello will indeed have a guest appearance on the episode of Star Trek Voyager which airs tomorrow, Wednesday,
March 15th, at 9PM ET. The episode is titled "Good Shepherd", and Tom has a small role.
You can request the "Sleep Now in the Fire" video on MTV's Total Request Live website. Click on "01.
Play my Song".
Broadcasts, Appearances - 3/5/00
The Mexico City show will be broacast on Muchmusic in Canada and MuchUSA in parts of the US on Saturday March 5
@ 9:00. p.m. EST.
The video for "Sleep Now in the Fire" will premiere on MTV's Total Request Live Monday, March 6th at
3:30 PM. Michael Moore and Tom Morello will apparently be guests on the show.
Rage's debut album is also on the list of Guitar World's "20 Essential Rock Guitar Albums"at #19. Check:
Rage Against the Machine; Rage Against the Machine (Epic, 1992)
Rap + metal + squealing, processed guitars - sound like a familiar equation? While bands like Korn, Limp Bizkit
and Kid Rock have put their unique seven-string spin on this formula, Rage, and the bands brilliant guitarist,
Tom Morello, was there first.
Comically enough, Rage was mentioned in Teen People: "Armed with a volatile political agenda, the L.A. quartet
had been raging via rap-metal rock long before 1999's Battle Of Los Angeles. 'We are fortunate to be able to weave
our political convictions about social and economic justice into our life's work, which is being in a rock band,'
says guitarist Tom Morello. That work often pushes them into the center of controversy; their ardent support of
a retrial for Mumia Abu-Jamal (a journalist convicted of murdering a Philadelphia police officer) sparked boycotts
at their concerts. Such reprisals just add fire to the Rage: 'It's our only responsibilty as artists to be true
to ourselves,' says Tom. 'Let the chips fall where they may.'"
Someone made an awesome Flash animation: Check it.
Sleep Now in the Fire video - 3/1/00
MTV is doing a segment March 6-10, Monday through Friday at 11:00 a.m. (ET) / 10:00 a.m. (CT) called "The
Return of Rock". Both "Bulls on Parade" and "Sleep Now in the Fire" are video choices.
I suppose this means that if people vote for the video to be played, it will be aired next week. Go to Request@MTV
to choose what you want to air.
Here's an interesting bit of info regarding the production of the video, from the New York Post:
‘FIRE' VIDEO CREW ARE BURNED UP
RADICAL director Michael Moore's attempt to bring his pro-labor politics to the world of music videos did not go
as well as he'd hoped.
In order to get Moore to direct Rage Against the Machine's "Sleep Now in the Fire" video earlier this
month, honchos at Sony/Epic Records guaranteed him that everyone working on the production would be union members.
They lied. "I got a call from someone at Spin asking me if I knew that there'd been some non-union extras
in the video and I kept saying it wasn't true," Moore tells PAGE SIX. But when he checked into the matter
further, Moore got an unhappy surprise:
"Sony told me everyone was union except for a few extras. I said, ‘You're just telling me this for the first
time?' Not only am I disappointed, but I've also registered a complaint with them."
"It was my mistake," says Jim Czarnecki, the video's executive producer at N.S.A./ Black Dog, the studio
Sony used. "I've never had so many union people for a music video before and because some of these people
were [in the] background I made the decision to go non-S.A.G. It wasn't the kind of decision I'd discuss with a
director."
But even for those extras who were members of the Screen Actors Guild, the deal got worse all the time. "We
were working under the worst conditions possible," says one actress. "And the crew was really abusive."
The tipster says she and about 150 others were crammed into a mock-up of the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire"
set for almost 17 hours with smoke machines blowing in their faces the whole time.
"People were getting very, very angry," she says. "After 12 hours, about 20 people finally got sick
of it and walked out. But most of us stayed because we were afraid we wouldn't end up getting any money at all."
Czarnecki admits conditions got rough, but says that even the people who walked out will be paid: "If you
were sitting there for 12 hours, you would have left, too."
In fact, tempers among the extras got so hot, Moore had to promise everyone an extra $60 and buy them pizza. The
$210 payday is within S.A.G. guidelines for extras, but Sony may also have to pony up some bonus money for exposing
the talent to so much smoke.
"I fucked up," says Czarnecki. "I admit it and that doesn't make everything all right. The only
thing that will make it all right is to fix it."
Rage #6 on Annual Critics' Poll - 2/21/00
"The Battle of Los Angeles" was rated #6 on the Village Voice's annual critics poll, a nationwide poll
of nearly 500 music critics. Moby's "Play" topped the list, followed by some other stuff.
"Live in Mexico City" Video/DVD Setlist - 2/17/00
The new Rage video production, "Live in Mexico City", will feature the following songs. The exact release
date is not known.
1. Testify
2. Guerrilla Radio
3. People Of The Sun
4. Calm Like A Bomb
5. Bullet In The Head
6. Sleep Now In The Fire
7. Born Of A Broken Man
8. Know Your Enemy
9. Freedom
Whether or not the documentary on the Mexican student's strike, or the Zapatista movement will appear on the production,
as well, as not known at this time.
Mix Master Mike to work with Zack - 2/10/00
Mix Master Mike - who is known for his work on the Beastie Boys' "Hello Nasty", as well as his album
"Anti-Theft Device" - is working on a full-length album, and after sharing views on music with Zack during
the Mumia benefit in early 1999, has invited Zack to lay down some vocals on the album. No dates for the album
release, as of right now.
Also, a repeat of the episode of Conan O'Brien with Rage as musical guests will be aired on Monday, Febuary 21.
(Thanks for ohmyjoe@aol.com)
Tom Morello to Appear on Star Trek Voyager - 2/7/00
Star Trek nerd/Rage guitarist Tom Morello is scheduled to have a cameo appearance on Star Trek Voyager some time
this spring. He'll be a human Starfleet officer, and deliver a few lines. Producer Rick Berman said: "This
time [Tom Morello played an alien on the Star Trek movie "Insurrection" -ed], we told him he'd play a
human. He did a great job. It was a little pick-me-up for everyone." (Thanks to Henry Lee)
Snoop Doggy Dogg Releasing "Greatest Hits" - 2/6/00
According to www.snoopsdogghouse.com, on March 28th, Snoop is releasing "Snoop Dogg: The Death Row Greatest
Hits". It will feature Dr. Dre, Daz, Nate Dogg and Warren G, and Rage Against the Machine. This means that
the Snoop Bounce remix that Rage played on will be easily available. (Thanks to Andrew Betteridge)
RATM Mentioned in US News/World Report... - 1/31/00
The following question was answered in a column found in US News and World Report:
Ask Dr. Hip
Last week, Gary Bauer accused Alan Keyes of moshing to the music of "The Machine Rages on." What's that?
Bauer was in fact raging against "Rage Against The Machine." Calling the band "pro-cop killer"
and "anti-family," he scolded Keyes for his impromptu stage dive into a horde of dancing kids, where
he body-surfed to the strains of the flamingly anarchistic, top-selling rap-metal band. RATM lacks not for pet
issues, from sweatshops to Indian activist Leonard Peltier, jailed for murdering two federal agents. It's benefit
concert for a retrial of journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, on death row for killing a police officer, miffed cops. Keyes,
who dived in at the urging of filmmaker Michael Moore, replied, "I was not morally responsible for the music."
Note how "Dr. Hip" conveniently fails to mention the controversy that surrounds the cases of both Leonard
Peltier and Mumia Abu-Jamal. (Thanks to Dave)
In unrelated news, RATM songs were heard on MTV's "Choose or Lose 2000". When the program began discussing
presidential hopeful John McCain's negative past as a "violent punk" willing to "solve anything
with violence," Bulls On Parade entered, and as they continued talking about his past as a punk, both "Guerrilla
Radio" and "Freedom" played on and off of each other. It appears that MTV is pushing the theme of
RATM being a symbol for rebellion, punk, and violence. The meaning of all of this is up to you to decide. (Thanks
to Ed Wilson)
Contact Gary Bauer - 1/29/00
Anyone interested in contacting Gary Bauer in response to his harsh, false labeling of Rage Against the Machine
as an "anti-family, pro-cop-killer, and pro-terrorist band", click here.
Michael Moore's Account of the SNitF Video - 1/29/00
Michael Moore spreads truth on his television show, The Awful Truth. He is a badass. He also posted his account
of what happened when he, as well as Rage Against the Machine, were busted by security on the streets of New York
during the filming of the Sleep Now in the Fire video (Thanks to Milutin):
A few weeks ago, I was asked by Rage Against the Machine to direct their next music video, something I've never
done. Their song is about the evils of our economic system and the era of greed in which we live. So, like, I had
a few ideas...
On Wednesday we quickly set the band up on the steps where George Washington was first sworn in as President,
on the corner of Wall and Broad Streets in lower Manhattan. Quite a large crowd came out of the brokerage houses
and banks where the business of America is conducted on a daily basis.
The police also came out. They ordered the makeshift concert to cease, but before we had a chance to stop, four
officers jumped me and put me in one of those police locks like you see on that excellent and informative show,
"COPS." One tried to break my arm, the other put a choke hold on my neck. In all my years of shooting
in New York, I have never had this happen, and all I could think of was, well, I just hope it's a new plunger.
When the band and the crowd saw this, they went nuts. Hundreds of them jumped two police barricades and tore across
the street to the front door of the New York Stock Exchange, ground zero of American Capitalism. It was a sight
to behold. The police were so distracted with carting me away they couldn't catch up to the band who, by this time,
had made it inside the first set of double doors to the Exchange.
At that moment, someone must have hit the riot button inside the Stock Exchange because suddenly these large steel
gates came crashing down in front of the second set of double doors. Then all the gates of the Exchange came down.
Clank! Clank! Clank! For the first time anyone could recall, the New York Stock Exchange went into lockdown a full
hour before its official closing time. The police left me and rushed over to break up the madness. But the band
and their fans are faster than I was and escaped the clutches of the police.
You can catch the video on MTV in mid-February and me in court by late March.
More pictures and video from the scene are posted on his website, www.michaelmoore.com:
Anthrax on Rage - 1/28/00
Anthrax were recently guests on VH1's "The Rock Show". The host asked them what they felt about bands
who followed in the footsteps of their Public Enemy collaboration, and asked if they felt that they were ripped
off. Scott Ian answered something like "Well the only band that took what we did to the next level was Rage
Against the Machine. Rage are a great band, and they truly broke new ground after what we did. All that other crap
is just pop music." (Thanks to David Desola)
Rage's Guerrilla Radio #7 on Triple J Hottest 100 of '99 - 1/28/00
Australian radio station Triple J held their annual Hottest 100 poll on Australia Day [January 26] and Guerrilla
Radio came in at number 7. The poll is voted on by Triple J listeners from around the country. Apparently, the
Hottest 100 is the worlds largest music poll, and they got 650, 000 votes this year. (Thanks to Stephen and Mike)
Gary Bauer Labels Rage "Anti-Family"... - 1/26/00
During the republican party's primary presidential debates, candidate Gary Bauer made some ignorant accusations
against Rage while criticizing Alan Keyes for 'moshing' to a Rage song at the urging of Michael Moore. Here's what
was said:
"Alan, a couple of weeks ago, you criticized my good friend John McCain because he expressed some support
of or interest in a controversial music group. In view of that, I was a little surprised this week to see you fall
into a mosh pit while a band called the Machine Rages On, or Rage Against the Machine played. That band is anti-family,
it's pro-cop killer and it's pro terrorists. It's the kind of music that the killers at Columbine High School were
immersed in. Don't you think you owe an apology to parents and policemen on that one?"
Keyes said he "had no idea", and therefore he was not "morally responsible". Check out images
of the candidate/mosh pit experience on: Michael Moore's Website. (Thanks to Santiago Papini and David)
Voting is Ritalin. What makes these political "debates" so ridiculous?
Sleep Now in the Fire Video Shoot in NYC - 1/26/00
Vikas Bhatia has informed me that Rage were on Wallstreet in New York City today filming the video for "Sleep
Now in the Fire". Michael Moore is directing the video. Rage decided to "storm" the New York Stock
Exchange as part of the video, and were ushered inside soon after by NYSE security. They were reprimanded inside
and no arrests were made. Check out the whole story on The Michael Moore Website.
Home Video/DVD release, Malaysian fans... - 1/25/00
Sony DVD's page lists Rage Against the Machine: "Live in Mexico City" as a March release that is "subject
to change". I'd say, however, that the chances of the release are fairly good. (Thanks to Neptune)
You can vote for artists, including Rage, at the Bammies Ballot site. Ticket information is also available at that
website.
Fadly Zakariya from Malaysia has informed me that Guerrilla Radio has managed to get some airtime on the Malaysian
radio station, HITZ FM. Rage songs on the radio are a rarity in Malaysia - and Fadly encourages all Malaysian Rage
fans to call and request more Rage songs. "Hijack the mainstream."
Rage Nominated for 7 Bammies - 1/22/00
Rage has been nominated in 7 categories for The California Music Awards, formerly known as the Bay Area Music Awards
- or "Bammies". Here are the categories Rage were nominated for:
Outstanding Album
Fiona Apple: When the Pawn...
Beck: Midnite Vultures
Blink-182: Enema of the State
Rage Against the Machine: The Battle of Los Angeles
Santana: Supernatural
Outstanding Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album
Buckcherry: Buckcherry
Korn: Issues
Metallica: S&M
Primus: Antipop
Rage Against the Machine: The Battle of Los Angeles
Outstanding Group
Blink-182
Offspring
Rage Against the Machine
Smash Mouth
Third Eye Blind
Outstanding Male Vocalist
Beck
Zach De La Rocha (Rage Against the Machine)
Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)
Steve Harwell (Smash Mouth)
Stephan Jenkins (Third Eye Blind)
Mark McGrath (Sugar Ray)
Outstanding Guitarist
Kevin Cadogan (Third Eye Blind)
John Frusciante (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
Kirk Hammett (Metallica)
Ben Harper
Tom Morello (Rage Against the Machine)
Outstanding Drummer
Greg Camp (Smash Mouth)
Donna C (The Donnas)
Brad Hargreaves (Third Eye Blind)
Lars Ulrich (Metallica)
Joey Waronker (R.E.M.)
Brad Wilk (Rage Against the Machine)
Outstanding Songwriter
Fiona Apple
Zach De La Rocha (Rage Against the Machine)
Adam Duritz (Counting Crows)
Jenkins/Cadogan (Third Eye Blind)
Tom Waits
The Bammies take place Saturday, April 8, at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco. (People can buy
tickets for the event.)
N.J. Giving Mumia Benefit Earnings to Slain Cops's Families - 1/22/00
From SonicNet...
"A year after Rage Against the Machine and the Beastie Boys headlined a New Jersey benefit concert for convicted
cop-killer Mumia Abu-Jamal, Gov. Christine Todd Whitman signed a bill Tuesday granting $80,000 of the state's profits
from the show to the families of slain police officers."
Read the whole article here. I found this quote particularly interesting: "They're a hate group," [Mike]
Lutz [head of Philadelphia's FOP] said of Rage, who have used the term "pigs" in their songs. "They're
no different than the Ku Klux Klan and the Neo-Nazi Party."
Sleep Now in the Fire - Next Single, Possible Home Video Release - 1/22/00
RATM.com has posted information that Sleep Now in the Fire will be the next single, and a video is possibly in
the works.
They also mention that a home video of the live performance in Mexico City last November may be released in the
spring.
