Tom Morello has created a playlist to drive ICE out of neighborhoods, and posted a photo of a trash can that says ICE. The Rage Against The Machine guitarist is strongly opposed to the administration’s immigration policies.
In 2022, Rage Against the Machine embarked on their first tour in 11 years. Unfortunately, part way through the tour, frontman Zack de la Rocha suffered a leg injury. Despite Zack’s attempts to push through – performing some of their North American shows while seated – the band was eventually forced to cancel more than half of the scheduled shows.
Now, in a new interview with radio station Q101, guitarist Tom Morello reflected on Rage Against the Machine’s decision to scrap the remainder of their “Public Service Announcement Tour.”
“Well, the irony was, leading up to that tour, I ruptured my Achilles. So I was in rehearsal on crutches. I was, like, I would have open-heart surgery on stage and not cancel a show. The show must go on,” Morello said. “So then Zack — he was in such good shape. Everybody was doing their best to make this thing happen. And sometimes it just happens. And he popped the Achilles and he had sort of seen my journey with it. And we finished the U.S. tour and then sadly canceled all the other stuff after that.”
Morello then went on to address the future of Rage Against the Machine:
“Here’s the way that I look at it, Rage Against the Machine was always sort of a volatile situation. And the fact that we got four great records, the fact that we played shows in 2022 and a new generation got to… Even when [Zack] was sitting down at those shows, those were some of the best Rage Against the Machine shows that we ever did and really connect to people.”
“We finished with five sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden. So if there’s never another show, then that’s quite a way to go out.”
He continued, adding that even if the band never gets back together again, he is doing his best to honor their legacy during his solo shows.
“But in the meantime, cross my heart and hope to die, I am carrying the torch for every one of those riffs and all of the meaning in those songs as well as the other things that I’ve been in. That music matters so much to me, and what it’s about matters so much. And I am bringing that sh*t to Chicago, baby.”
In 2024, drummer Brad Wilk dashed all hope that Rage Against the Machine may one day get back together, writing on social media that they will “not be touring or playing live again.”
