Rage Against The Machine

Rage Against The Machine

Rage Against The Machine (short RATM) is a Crossover Band from Los Angeles, California. The Band Members are Zach De La Rocha (Vocals), Tom Morello (Guitar), Brad Wilk (Drums) and Tim Commerford (Bass). Rage Against The Machine play a crossover between Metal/Rock/Funk and HipHop and are famous for their political lyrics and Tom Morellos' Weird sounding Guitarsolos.

1990-1992: Foundation

In early 1991 Tom Morello left his former band in Illinois and moved to Los Angeles. In a local bar he saw Zach De La Rocha performing in a freestyle rap contest. Morello was amazed by De La Rocha's political and personal lyrics and asked him to join him in a band. Zach De La Rocha convinced his highschool friend Tim Commerford to join as the bassist and Morello brought Brad Wilk along as the drummer. The first twelve-track demo cassette gathered the interest of many major labels and the bany chose Epic Records.

1992:Rage Against The Machine

Rage Against The Machine's debut record featured all the trademarks that made rage famous over the years: A message Social justice, equality and revolution, Rap lyrics combined with a funk bass and a metal guitar, topped of by guitar solos that sound like anything else but not like a guitar. The record sold three million times (triple platinum) and offered the band a support spot on a Suicidal Tendencies Tour aswell as a place on the 1993' Lollapalooza festival lineup. The track Wake Up was used as The main theme for the Movie Matrix.

This record shows the vast musical styles that RATM is covering. They take a public-enemy groove, put a Red Hot Chilli Peppers beat onto it, add the spirit of Led Zepplin and combine it with the intensity of Punk. The rythm group lays down a funky basement on which Tom Morello puts his simple but effective Pentatonic Metalriffs. Zach raps and screams with his unique voice against oppression and racism with a revolutionary message. Thie intense music is topped of by Tom Morellos guitar solos; his approach to the guitar is totally diffrent, he is nicknamed the DJ of the Guitar because he reproduces turntables with his gutiar.

1. Bombtrack
2. Killing In The Name
3. Take The Power Back
4. Settle For Nothing
5. Bullet In The Head
6. Know Your Enemy
7. Wake Up
8. Fistful Of Steel
9. Township Rebellion
10. Freedom

1996: Evil Empire

1999: The Battle Of Los Angeles

2000: Renegades

Political Views

Reunion

Zach De La Rocha

Tom Morello

Brad Wilk

Tim Commerford

Discography

Albums

   * 1992 Rage Against the Machine
   * 1996 Evil Empire
   * 1999 The Battle of Los Angeles
   * 2000 Renegades
   * 2003 Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium

Singles

   * 1993 Killing in the Name
   * 1993 Bullet in the Head
   * 1993 Bombtrack
   * 1994 Freedom
   * 1996 Bulls on Parade
   * 1996 People of the Sun
   * 1996 Down Rodeo
   * 1997 Vietnow
   * 1998 No Shelter
   * 1999 Guerilla Radio
   * 2000 Sleep Now in the Fire
   * 2000 Testify
   * 2000 Calm Like a Bomb
   * 2001 The Ghost of Tom Joad
   * 2002 Renegades of Funk
   * 2002 How I Could Just Kill a Man

DVD/Video

   * 1997 Rage Against the Machine
   * 2001 The Battle of Mexico City
   * 2003 Live at the Grand Olympic Auditorium

Compilations

   * 1997 Vietnow mit Chuck D
   * 1998 Live & Rare
   * 2003 Complete Set

Video-Clips

   * 1992 Killing in the Name
   * 1993 Freedom 
   * 1993 Bombtrack 
   * 1996 Bulls on Parade 
   * 1996 People of the Sun 
   * 1998 No Shelter 
   * 1999 Guerilla Radio 
   * 2000 Sleep Now in the Fire 
   * 2000 Testify 
   * 2000 Renegades of Funk 
   * 2000 The Ghost of Tom Joad