Still Raging Against the Machine

“It is important for me, as a popular artist, to make clear to the governments of the United States and Mexico that despite the strategy of fear and intimidation to foreigners, despite their weapons, despite their immigration laws and military reserves, they will never be able to isolate the Zapatista communities from the people in the United States... Through concerts, videos, interviews, broadcasting of information at concerts, and our songs' lyrics we have placed within reach of young people, our audience, the experiences of the Zapatistas; we act as facilitators of the ways in which they can participate and put them in contact with the organization and the Zapatista support committees in the United States” ("Interview with Zack from Chiapas" (July 19, 1998), Acción Zapatista de Austin. Retrieved October 6, 2007).

Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York City, November 3, 2023.

Thomas Baptist Morello stands alone on that stage, that big stage, but his personality fills that stage easily! Cap on, flanked by Ice T, award in hand, fist clinched up high, smile on his lips, an expression of “we made it” on his face!

This is the Tom Morello I have known since the 90ies and have learned to love throughout the years, not going to lie, I did drop a few tears while listening to his acceptance speech. Hard not to. The man, along with his mates, has been teaching so much all these years, through his work with Rage Against the Machine, band that lead him to that night. Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame… go figure.

For years fans had been asking for the committee to move forward with the inclusion of RATM, but it was just not happening. In all honesty, I do not see RATM as a RNRHOF band, but at the same time I feel the World needed to accept the importance that a band like RATM had – and still has – on the musical and cultural worldwide scene! Whenever I say that Music is more than just a fusion of notes and harmonies and all things in between, RATM are actually one of those cases where music goes beyond the sonic layer.

I have written about the band more than once, yes, and it took me a while to lay down some lines on the award. As mentioned above, Morello was all alone on stage, with Zack, Brad, and Tim, choosing not to be present. Not going to debate the reasons why, but I understand if they did it to make a point. Rage has always been about making a point and standing their ground. The lyrics, the public displays, and all things Left-Wing, always left it very clear: Rage Against the Machine were, are, and will always be a political band. And I love it! Allow me to remind you that we, in Portugal, just like in many countries that lived through Fascists regimes, developed an exquisite political music scene, and the music, along with the message, spread its wings influencing people.

Did RATM do that for me?! Of course. When I first heard them, I had no political position, no idea of what A or B was, I simply knew my parents hated Cavaco Silva, a Portuguese politician “associated” with Salazar’s Fascist regime, and clearly a Right-Wing man. He would many years later become Portugal’s President… people are stupid, right? Back to Rage. As I said, I had no idea what their music was about until many years later, when I was starting to understand and gain interest in Politics, and their lyrics resonated with what was starting to believe in, helping fuel that need for more information and contact with that perspective of Society and Politics. I became a Left-Wing supporter, a Communist, and a true RATM fan.

I did not get to see Morello acceptance the day it took place, but I read the news and celebrated, subtly and divided, as the leaders of a conscient generation were being celebrated by Rock n’ Roll’s Hall of Fame, which is a very establishment thing, if you ask me. People took to social media to express their ideas on Morello’s position, the band’s position, every position there is, actually. As I said, I stand a bit divided. It is, on one hand, a slap to the face. The band made it, they never sold out, they never moved away from their beliefs, they never stopped “preaching minds and souls”, they have always been Left-Wing, on a clearly Fascist nation (sodomize the USA), so I do not understand when people express the opposite. Trump supporters, I bet. On the other hand, how awkward was to see Morello up there?! As awkward as it might have seemed, the guys made it. The system has to accept that they are an important piece in music History, and that is the message we should all preserve. In a way, Rage are the least RNRHOF band, but they made it!

With time I started looking at Rage Against the Machine as a modern-day Víctor Jara or Zeca Afonso, whose music inspired people eager for change, and were a gateway for other teachings, political teachings more specifically.

“Arm the Homeless” (Morello)