Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello revealed why you’ll sadly never see another Zack de la Rocha and company in a new APTV interview, as transcribed by Ultimate-Guitar.
On social media changing the world:
“In a way, it democratizes information. Whereas before, there were a couple of funnels – there was NBC News, ABC News, and CNN, the only places you can kind of like get the info – now, information is everywhere.
“Some of it is absolutely untrue, but at least it allows people… it’s a marketplace of ideas for people, and for music too. You, me, and Metallica all have one Instagram, you know what I’m saying?
“So, like, if you’re a band in rural Illinois, where I grew up, there was no way that anyone was ever going to hear your music outside the people that came to your garage to hear it. Now, people can hear your music in Pakistan and in Peoria, wherever, and so I think that it helps with the democratization.
“One of the things, there was something to be said, a little bit of music for the funnels – you will never see another YouTube, you will never see another Rage Against the Machine, you will never see another Tool, bands like that because those were bands that made it through the funnel and had this kind of global apparatus that was letting everyone around the world know about them to a large extent.
“People are not going to bed before they had sold 250 million records in Belgium – that doesn’t exist anymore, so I think there’s pluses and minuses obviously.”
On reviving a 90’s riff for a new song:
“I’m, like, a riff hoarder, so if I come up with a riff… To me, a good music idea is a good music idea whether it happens today or 20 years ago.
“And one of the riffs on this record, for ‘Vigilante Nocturnal,’ I came up with during the ‘Evil Empire’ sessions for the Rage Against The Machine record in 1994 in Atlanta.
“It didn’t find fertile grounds in which to flower then, but I always had it in my back pocket, like, ‘One day I know this is gonna kick people’s asses,’ and that day is today.”
Advice for young bands and guitarists:
“The band that actually I’m on tour with right now is called the Last Internationale, they’re from NYC and it’s a tremendous band, Delilah is a singer, sort of one part Joan Jett, one part Janis Joplin, and they’re a kickass band, has both meaning and depth and passion.”
What’s the one band that you could see play three albums in their entirety?
“Well, they don’t exist anymore, but it would be The Clash. That’s my all-time favorite band and I would love for them to be able to do that, but they can’t. I’d go – first album [1977’s self-titled], [1979’s] ‘London Calling,’ and [1982’s] ‘Combat Rock.'”
