Rage Against the Machine – Revolutionary Riffs and Relentless Truth

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Riffology!

We're back!

*Dramatic Music*

You're still very poorly.

Well, I was...

Yeah, it's a long story, but I was very poorly.

And then I had to go away and do some work in Ireland.

And now I'm poorly again.

*Dramatic Music*

Well, to be fair, I've been poorly all week, and now I'm less poorly than I was.

Yeah, but you still sound rubbish, mate.

Oh, honestly.

You know, like, I came back from Ireland, and we should have recorded a show last week.

And we had a plan.

Yeah, we had a plan and everything.

And I landed at Birmingham International Airport, which always seems a little bit exotic a name for Birmingham's finest airport.

And my car had a flat tire.

Yeah.

Made me really sad.

Yeah.

I wasn't feeling very well.

And I got home eventually.

And I just kind of went face down and I, you know, just filled myself full of...

You went off-grid.

...paracetamol and all the things.

Yeah.

And I did my case, everything, literally just by the door.

Yeah.

Just didn't even do...

I don't even think I locked the door.

I just kind of literally walked in, face down.

And it wasn't until, like, Monday lunchtime.

Yeah.

That I, like, sat up in bed.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Just, like, you know, the fever and the shaking and the...

Just honestly awful.

Because we, like, regularly message.

Yeah.

Like, most days.

Fairly regularly, yeah.

There's at least some memes.

There's always a meme of something.

And, like, and, you know, commentary on the ongoing things that are happening in the world and the life of the universe and everything.

Yeah, we do.

We have insightful commentary on the world.

And, like, that stopped for a few days.

And I said to Gemma, I was like, I think Neil's dead.

I felt just...

I've never...

I mean, so I had the flu the week before.

Yeah.

And that knocked me for, like, four days.

But still, I was still able to text.

Yeah.

Do you know what I mean?

And then I think this was just my body kind of going, don't do that again.

Yeah, yeah.

Do you know what I mean?

We told you, we did the making you ill thing.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And now you...

No, so stop.

So this episode is going to go out on Sunday the...

No, Monday the 24th of March.

Yeah.

Today is Sunday the 24th.

I wanted to tell people about our process a little bit.

Oh, right, go on then.

So what happens is...

I'm looking forward to learning how this works.

I was talking about time, you see.

Yeah.

And basically, we arrived, I want to say, in the studio, about half six, 6:30 p.m.

It doesn't, it's half past eight, isn't it?

It's now half past eight.

I don't know what we've been doing.

We faff.

What it is, is that we, like our process is generally two hours of faffing.

Yeah.

Around various things.

Yeah, that's true.

Before we hit record.

But I actually think that's like, I think that's part of our warm up.

I've been learning.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We're diving into blogs.

Yeah, you've been faffing.

I've been faffing with editing.

I did a blog about the history.

Well, I wrote it before I got really sick.

Yeah.

And then finished it while you were faffing.

I have no idea what you were doing to me.

I was just ignoring you.

And I was drinking my Diet Coke.

And so, yeah, we do, don't we, muck about?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

But it's about an hour or it's somewhere between an hour and a half or an hour to two hours

of faff before we even hit record.

It's quite relaxed though, isn't it?

Oh, it's nice.

Yeah, yeah.

It's like we just kind of come in.

It's like we're going into a cave for a bit.

Well, we know what we do.

So, in case anyone's lost, we're doing Rage Against the Machines debut.

And we, this has been one we've wanted to do for a long time.

We've said it for months.

We have.

And this is one I've got on vinyl.

And I love this album.

It wasn't, again, it's another, there's quite a few.

There's another album that I didn't fall in love with at the time.

It wasn't one that I kind of, oh, I've got to get, you know what I mean?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It wasn't like, this one like grew on me over the, over the years.

But it's cool.

We kind of come into the studio and just like chill out.

You do your things.

I do my things.

We kind of chatting about random stuff going, oh, did you know about, and I'll be reading

stuff.

Did you know this?

And did you know that?

And I can hear you doing the interviews in the, in like, in the background.

Yeah, yeah.

And then, then there's a point where it's like, okay, we're ready.

Yeah, yeah.

And it just all comes together.

I don't know what that point is.

No, no, no.

Nobody knows.

Nobody knows.

But then this happens.

So, yeah.

It does.

Yeah.

It's very good.

It's very good.

It's very good for being a little bit.

I don't know.

I feel like I've got a lack of energy.

I felt like when we came in, I described myself as feeling really pathetic.

And that's kind of how I feel.

Do you know, like if it was really windy outside, I'm not, I don't think I'll be safe out there.

So I'm feeling a bit pathetic and a bit weird.

I have to be honest.

I've not listened to much music.

I normally listen to like music is like such a big part of what I do every day.

And I just haven't.

I've had this ringing in my ears, like just really, really heavy duty ringing.

It's made me feel really nauseous.

I've not listened to much music.

Yeah.

But there are two albums that have hit me this week.

Yeah.

One was the Wild Hearts.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Which I've loved.

And Stephen Wilson's new album as well.

Both of which you've said numerous times.

Yeah.

You've definitely got to get on these, mate.

And I've not.

And you haven't.

No, no, I haven't yet.

So, but those two, there's probably, I've not listened to that much.

And those two have really kind of hit me.

That Stephen Wilson record.

You know, when you're feeling a little bit under the weather.

Yeah.

That's lovely.

It's like space rocky.

Yeah.

It's really weird to pin down.

It's like two tracks.

Yeah.

As all good albums should be.

They're like 20 minutes long.

And you know what I'm like?

I'm like three minutes.

You know what I mean?

And I have no idea what's going on.

If that album's longer than 20 minutes, I'm not listening to it.

I've got no idea what's going on.

And it's brilliant.

Yeah.

And, and the Wild Hearts record has just been, it's brilliant.

It's to hear Ginger, you know, especially with the band breaking up and like disappearing

and then Ginger having to, you know, he goes through these like breakdowns, meltdowns almost,

but he does it on social media.

So you kind of see it's happening and you're like, you just kind of want to go and give

him a hug most of the time Ginger.

You can't, you know, and you can see when the world's not going his way.

Um, and he did, he's had, he's had like a, uh, some, some rough times, bless him.

And to see, listening to the album, you can hear that in the record.

Yeah.

But it's brilliant.

It's so him and it's just, it's, it's so good to hear.

Yeah.

You had it on, on the way here and I, you know, and I've listened to the single, uh, when

that first dropped a couple of weeks ago and he's, yeah, it's just on form.

And it is brilliant.

I saw a bunch of video clips of him at rock city as well.

Um, yeah, over the past week.

So yeah, he's, he's mega, but should we, should we get back on track?

That's unlike us veering off, isn't it?

Um, I love this album, Rage Against the Machines, Rage Against the Machine.

Um, and the main reason for that is that despite it's quite aggressive sound, it feels like an

album that's a bit of a warm hug for me.

And I, it's, it's quite a comforting album.

And I think it might've been just because of, it's one that I would list, would be listening

to when I was finding my identity.

And right.

You know, it was one that I really connected with, with this kind of challenging of authority

and the, the kind of hierarchical power structures that exist.

So this was 92.

Yeah.

So what, how old?

No, no, I, I, I must've discovered it later then.

You think so?

Yeah.

Cause I would have been about 10 then.

So, so I would have found it.

I would have found it whilst I was doing the green day thing and the offspring thing.

So probably 96, 97, maybe.

Oh.

So that kind of, that kind of time.

That's where I would have found it.

So it would have been, it would have been about the time where evil empire came out.

I think.

Right, right, right, right.

That was like, that was like, wow.

I'm looking at 99.

So maybe a bit before that then, but it was, it was, it was, yeah.

Yeah.

I didn't catch it when it came out.

I was too young.

Oh, 96.

Yeah.

So that's probably about right.

It was Battle of Los Angeles, 99.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So no, it was a definitely evil empire.

Cause I remember being in the maths classroom and people talking and looking at the cover.

I remember.

Yeah.

Um, and yeah, that I just remember hearing this and I dunno, this is, it's got a vibe to it.

This record has, it's got a sound, you know, the, one of the things I really wanted

to speak about, but this record is the sound of it is really unprocessed.

Like what you're getting is the raw thing through the mix.

It's the thing that I really like, which is, it's the instruments, mics, not lash into reverb,

put through a nice preamp, nicely mixed, everything in its right place, shoved through a bust, shoved

onto tape, and then everyone's apping.

And then, you know, the, one of the things I really like, which is the sound of the sound of the sound of the sound.

The sound of the sound of the sound of the sound of the sound of the sound of the sound of the sound.

I'm sick, cause silence can be violent, sorta like a split wrist.

The vibe was suicide, then you would push the button.

But if you're bowing down, then let me do the cutting.

Some speak the sounds, but speak in silent voices.

Like radio is silent, though it fills the air with noises.

Just missions bring submission, and you're all to be unreal.

And Mad Boy grips the microphone with a fist full of steel.

And Mad Boy grips the microphone with a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

With a fist full of steel.

And a fist full of steel.

Cause I'm the bastard son

With the visions of the move

Vocals not destroyer to ignite and put in flight

My sense of militants grooving

Playing that game called survival

The status, the elite, the enemy, the rival

The strangest sheep slipping, ripping, tripping

Give you a glimpse of the reality I'm gripping

Stepping into the jam and I'm slamming like Shaquille

That one dips the microphone with a fist full of steel

Yeah

And mad boy groups the microphone with a fist full of steel

With a fist full of steel

I can't make the power of a machine

With a fist full of steel

With a fist full of steel

Cause I need the power of a machine

Oh shit

And I won't stop

Cause I know the power of a machine

If you fight for suicide then you would push the button

But if you're bowing down then let me do the cutting

Yeah

Yeah

Come on

44 full of bullets

Base full of pale

Eyes full of empty

Stand full of nails

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Don't do that part of the world

Well it was Garth Richardson wasn't it

It's a g-g-g-garth

Yeah yeah

At Sound City

So Van Nooy, California

Yeah yeah

Analog desk

Yeah

The Sound City sound

You know

Yeah it's really interesting

Because it's

If you

You know you think the Sound City sound

You kind of think rumours

And stuff

Yeah yeah yeah

But then actually

As we've discovered

Doing this

Iowa was recorded

Yeah yeah yeah

From Slipknot

And that didn't sound like rumours

No

And this doesn't either

But what they've all got in common

Is that authenticity

Yeah

And I also hadn't realised with this

Only when

Like prepping for the show

They basically did these live

Yeah yeah

So these were live

Absolutely feels like a live recording

Yeah like live recordings

And the other thing

That I think is really interesting about this

Is it sounds like

Like nothing else

Yeah no yeah

There's nothing

Like

We did

Skunkinancy's Stoosh

Yeah

Which was

1996 I think it was

And they referenced this record

Specifically

And said that

This album

Gave them two things

It gave them

Like a blueprint

Of how they wanted to be

It was like

They were like

That's

That's what

That's the sound inside

Is that we need to get out

Yeah

And the permission

To be political

Yes

And I think that

It can't be understated

That

What

What this album did

And kind of gave permission

To a bunch of other bands

Yeah

To go and do that

But like you said

It wasn't

There was no

There was nothing

That sounded like

It was that melting pot

Of where they came from

Yeah

And

You know

The

That

That kind of blending

Of rap

And then

You had kind of

Tom Morello

From the metal side of things

And then

You know what I mean

That kind of melting pot

It all sort of came together

Yeah

But it's it's own beast

You don't listen to it

For me

You don't listen to it

And you don't go

Oh oh that's

That's rock mixed with rap

You don't

You don't hear that

You hear

That's Radio Against the Machine

Yeah

That's totally

It's own identity

Where I was going to get to

With it is like

When you hear

Often with this stuff

What you

What you kind of get

Is when someone says

Oh that you know

They

You know

Tom Morello

Was into metal

You know

It just means

It's in like

Drop D

And it sounds a bit

Like Black Sabbath

And then

Do you know what I mean

Then you've got some

A rapper

Yeah

Do you know what I mean

There's a danger

Of that here

But you don't

You get this

You

I mean

There's clearly

A metal

Element to it

But in the tone

And in the attack

But you get this

Kind of

I won't say

I don't think of the right

The right word

But it's

It

It feels like

There's innovation

Yeah

That's exactly what it is

There's stuff here

That Tom does

With the guitar

That I don't think

Any

And he always

Whenever you see him

You know

He always

Has the guitar

Really high

Like a ukulele

You know when you see

Ukulele players

And they've got

The thing around

Their neck

Yeah

It's always really high

Yeah

And you just think

He just looks so uncool

Do you know what I mean

That's not

Do you know what I mean

The kids

The kids have really long

Straps

And the guitars

Around their ankles

Kurt Cobain didn't wear

His guitar like that

Do you know what I mean

And the strings are all

Flopping everywhere

And like Tom Arell

He does do floppy strings

He does

Yeah

He does do floppy strings

He's just all like

Kind of

It looks all really stiff

And rigid

Do you know what I mean

Yeah

And then he starts to play

And then it's just like

Whoa

It's a masterclass

Isn't it

Yeah

But he's using the guitar

As something more

Than the guitar

Yeah

Yeah

Absolutely

And I think

But I think

That was the third thing

That I think

That he gave

Right

I think the band

They kind of gave

This

This tone

Yeah

Like you said

That kind of authenticity

And then

They were like

Do you know what

You can be political

And still be successful

Right

And not everyone

Has to agree with you

Yeah

You know

You don't have to

Talk about like

It doesn't have to be

About love songs

You can talk about

Whatever you want

Yeah

And then that ability

To

Or not the ability

That

You know

Extending the instrument

To make it

Make it you

Yeah

And you've talked about

This on the show

Loads of times before

But

Nobody sounds like

Tom Morello

No

You can play the same

You can play exactly

The same riff

Exactly the same stuff

But you can tell

It's not Tom Morello

And you can tell

It's Tom

I saw Tom Morello

Playing with

Steve

Steve Fye

And Joe Satriani

Part of the

What was it

The GA

G3

G3

Yeah

Something like

And it was fascinating

They were all

Like playing each other's

Stuff

Or not each other's stuff

But they were all playing

You know each other's songs

If you like

Yeah yeah

And there was a

Lovely interview afterwards

Where they were saying

That the

Like the hardest thing

Is playing

Like somebody else's

Material

Yeah yeah

And especially from those three

Because they were like

There's just so much

Of their DNA

Yeah

In it

Yeah

That when they play it

It sounds

Amazing

Sounds effortless

Yeah

But for you to try and play it

Like

Because you know

You try and play it in the best way

That you can do

Yeah yeah

It's you know

You just can't do it

And he's one of those players

I think that's kind of almost

Inimitable

Yeah he is

I saw a thread on X

A few weeks ago

Probably three weeks ago

And somebody

Put a Tom Morello thing up

And it was one of the

Classic rock

Channels

Or accounts

Yeah

Saying that you know

Is this real guitar playing

And it was kind of

You know

You know when he kind of

Starts hacking around

With the strings and stuff

And it was fascinating

Watching you know

The old men

Going

It's not proper guitar playing

Is it

But he managed to get sounds

Without using effects

That you'd ordinarily

Need to get effects on

And I remember

That was the biggest

The biggest thing

Was like

That you know

He doesn't use

His thing is that

He manages to use the guitar

As something

To create a

Soundscape with

But without the use of

Loads and loads of pedals

And effects

And I think he's probably got some

But that was kind of

His thing you know

Yeah

It was like

A time where everyone

Was using wah pedals

Or flanges

Or you know

That kind of thing

That was

Come on at a time

You never really did that

Yeah

We're coming back in

With another bomb track

Then you know

It's all of that

Hey yo

So check this out

Yeah

Yeah

Come on

Boy with inside

And a raised fist

A witness to the slick fist

As we're moving to 92

Still in a room without a few

You've got to know

You've got to know

And when I say

Go, go, go

Amp up and amplify

Define

I'm above all the furious

Mind

Action must be taken

We don't need the key

We'll crank it

Something must be done

About vengeance

Or badge

And a gun

So rip the mic

Rip the stage

Rip the system

I was born to range

Against the fist

And you're facing the place

And I'm about to stop

Clearly

Know your enemy

Know your enemy

Yeah

And they'll get with this

Fuck

One is born

Fight the war

Fuck the norm

Now I got no patience

So sick of complacence

The D, the E, the F, the I

The A, the N, the C

The E, the mind

Of a revolutionary

So clear the lane

Put the finger

To the land of the change

What?

The land of the free

Whoever told you

That is your enemy

Now something must be done

About vengeance

Or badge

And a gun

So rip the mic

Rip the stage

Rip the system

I was born to range

Against them

Now action must be taken

We don't need the key

We'll break it

I got no patience

Sick of places

Now

I got no patience

Now

No sick of

Kind of places

Now

Sick of

Sick of

Sick of

Sick of

Sick of

Time has come

To

To

To

You're your enemy

Yeah

guitar solo

Yes, I know my enemies

Then the teachers have taught me to fight me

Compromise

Conformity

Assimilation

Submission

Ignorance

Hypocrisy

Brutality

The elite

All of which are American dreams

All of which are American dreams

All of which are American dreams

All of which are American dreams

Living in the States, you're living in one of the most brutal societies in the history of the world. You know, the country who inherited the genocide of the Native American peoples. A country which participated in chattel slavery. You know, the only country in the world.

You know, the country who inherited the genocide of the Native American peoples. A country which participated in chattel slavery. You know, the only country in the world to use and drop an atomic bomb on another country, society.

The country which murdered and enslaved millions in Southeast Asia as a result of the Vietnam War. And we drew from the people who resisted. We were inspired because we feel that any society or any government or any system that is set up solely to profit a wealthy class.

While the majority of the people toil and suffer and sell their labor power, so long as that system's only true motive is profit interest and not the maintenance and betterment of the population to meeting human needs, then that society should not stand.

It should be challenged and questioned and overthrown.

Waking up to the long legacy of brutality of American history, subjugating the world's population has been something we wanted to challenge through music, you know.

One thing I wanted to talk about was how little credit the rhythm section gets for being so good, you know, and holding the thing down, really holding the thing down.

Because what you've got is this raw vocal, this sort of innovative kind of stylistic guitar stuff going on, and then you've just got this absolutely locked in bass and drums, just holding the thing together, holding it down, you know.

I always find the description of Rage really weird. So, um, Zack De La Roca gets this, um, always, you know, rapping.

Yeah.

But it's more punk to me.

Yeah, it definitely is.

It's kind of got this kind of punk-ass, it's kind of spitting, it's kind of what I'd expect from like the Sex Pistols or, do you know what I mean, or the Ramones, it's this kind of like vitriolic, like rage and anger, right?

I mean, I know this kind of, the rapping is kind of there as part of that, but I get more of the punk ethos from that.

And then you've got-

It is punk, there's definitely a punk thing going on here.

Yeah, it's-

But it's punk with like, it's like punk rock, but sort of like hip hop insensibility.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

In some way, shape or form.

Yeah.

There's something there of like old school hip hop, proper old school hip hop, you know.

Yeah.

The stuff where it meant something, and it was, it was, it was, hip hop was punk in itself, right?

Yeah, that's a good point.

It's a good point, actually.

Yeah, yeah.

And like, people had something to say.

It was, it was the voice of the oppressed.

If I was taught, growing up, my contributions as a Chicano, and who I was, it would have empowered

me earlier on.

I would have been able to orient myself, and to have a stronger sense of my identity.

Maybe not take so many like, paths that got me into trouble and shit, you know.

And really, that hurt myself as a person of self esteem.

I know that how it affects a lot of Chicanos, man.

They, we've been colonized and oppressed for over 500 years.

It's, it's confused us, and it's, it's enraged us.

And unless we recognize what has happened to us, you see manifestations of violence against

our own people, because of that misunderstanding, because we don't understand what's happened.

We just find ourselves confused and mad.

We have a weak sense of our own identity.

And so, um, until we begin to recognize that, you know, we're not going to solve any of our

problems.

And it's so much a part of why we can't organize as a community either.

We need to, we need to tackle that.

And I think an anti-bias curriculum, you know, a perfect way for our children to grow

and not become disoriented so early on.

I mean, it's said that by the time children are in the fourth grade, they're already disoriented

from where they are, being part of a Eurocentric educational system.

And that's probably the first thing I would attack in a Jurassic, definitely.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

It was an outlet, wasn't it?

The bit that Skin was talking about is the bit of like the permission.

Yeah.

And because she talks about being, yeah, and Skin talked about Skunk and Nancy being a punk

band, essentially.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

But then, and then you've got Tim Comerford, who was bass and Brad Wilk on the drums.

Neither of them get enough credit.

No.

I don't think.

No.

It's all in every single really big track that Rage has ever done.

Yeah.

It's the baseline that is, that without the baseline.

Yeah, it's not Rage.

It wouldn't.

Yeah, it wouldn't.

It wouldn't work in the same, wouldn't work in the same way.

And again, and I think it would be so easy for the percussion to fill the gaps.

You know, there's a lot of gaps in these songs.

Yeah.

And I think there's a skill, isn't there, in leaving the space?

Yes.

You know, and I think, I think that Brad does this incredible job of kind of letting

that be rather than feeling the need to fill it, you know, with like whizzy drums.

You know, you could imagine a lot of drummers would put stuff there.

Yeah.

And I think that it's kind of, for me, it's what makes the tone of these albums.

In fact, all of the Rage albums do it.

Yeah, yeah.

Where you've got this, like, you have this beautiful bass lines.

Production is just dead simple.

Yeah.

So you can hear, you can, there's the spaces there.

And then, and then everything's kind of got its place.

Yeah, yeah.

You know, it just kind of fits and it's, and I love the way the tracks ebb and flow a little

bit.

I love the way you end up with, you know, it often feels to me like there are many more

guitars.

Yes.

Than are actually, you know.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, they do, they do so much with so little.

Yeah.

And then it will kind of come back down, right?

Then it kind of, then, then it comes back down and this is this kind of ebb and flow in

the tracks as the energy rises and forth.

There's something that you just said there that really hit it on the head for me, which

is that everything fits.

Yeah.

There is nothing in any of these songs that feels out of place or wrong or, hmm, I wonder

if they do that now, if they recorded that now, you know, it's things like that.

Yeah, that's interesting.

Every, every little, every little moment, every little nuance, every little bit of this is

just the right thing.

They do feel very, it does feel very deliberate.

Yeah.

Everything from the album cover through to the lyrics through to the, you know, the choice

of content.

Obviously they, you know, they were making a statement and they were, they were telling stories,

right?

Yeah.

They were, they were finding things that they were passionate about and then writing songs

and stories about them.

And like every, I think every single track has a fairly significant story of meaning behind

it, which got them in trouble.

I mean, there are people kind of railed against them.

Um, and, uh, you know, the, um, album cover itself, you know, kind of the immolation.

I'm not even going to attempt to, uh, say the name of who was being immolated in there,

but you all know the album cover I'm talking about.

Um, you know, it, it, it caused, uh, you know, big backlash against them and you know,

it was like, it's absolutely deliberate for all their album covers.

Yeah.

It looked empire.

Yeah.

Um, yeah.

Yeah.

Everything just feels so.

It's a band with something to say.

I look at the system that we're living under right now as a machine.

I view it as a system, which wants to do anything to, to keep itself afloat.

It fronts as a democracy.

It fronts as a system who claims to represent people and represent freedom.

all these quote, unquote, moral actions.

Like in reality, we'll just do anything simply to keep it afloat.

And I see this machine is like an engine that has been fueled and run off the blood of oppressed

people like all over the world.

like all over the world.

So it's, it's a name that I use to describe, you know, more to describe my frustrations and

my anger, being a Chicano, being, having indigenous blood and being part of a, of a culture, which

has been completely colonized.

And there's been this dominant culture that's been, uh, breaking our minds for years.

So, uh, you know, I want to express my frustrations toward it.

It's not like, um, Faith No More is where they're, they're a collection of songs.

Yes.

You know, and they're, and they're, and they're pushing the envelope of what's, you know, what,

what can go into lyrics and what things can be about.

And they're the challenging convention and the challenging attitudes.

But this is like, we are, we, we exist to, to challenge authority.

We, we exist to dismantle power structures and we exist to be a voice for the oppressed.

And that's what you hear through the records, all of them.

I feel all of them are spiritual, all of them are pretty emotional.

Some people don't see the difference between, uh, or, or, or differentiate the political songs

and spiritual songs.

And I feel like so much is connected in the political environment we stand in with, with how

we feel spiritually as, as, you know, I consider myself a spiritual person.

Uh, initially I never made that connection when I was with Inside Out.

It just wasn't, uh, as prevalent within our music.

I was dealing with just like personal ideology, personal struggle.

and now that I'm seeing how, um, like in America, for instance, the political system has so much

an effect on how we are spiritually.

I mean, growing up in this capitalist society has been very, um, detrimental to us having compassion in our lives.

And, and being, just being spiritual was thrown into this rat race in life.

And so, uh, yeah, I'd say every, every one of our songs is political and spiritual as well.

I just want to write confrontational music, you know?

Music that uplifts consciousness as well as confront and, and, and inform and help people to become more aware.

It's what, it's, it's part of my own evolution as a human being.

I, I'm trying to become more aware.

I'm trying to hide my own awareness.

I have to do that first before I can, you know, do that for anyone.

So, uh, it's all about living a simple conscious life, man.

Trying to help people do the same.

And, and recognize how still very volatile, and just the system that we live under is.

I don't know what it is.

And some of them be thinking that they can fake this.

But I'mma drop it at a higher level.

Cause I'm inclined to stoop down.

Hang out some beatdowns.

Go on a train.

I'm one folks that think they run the game.

But I've learned to burn that bridge.

And delete those two compete.

At a level that sucks to lead.

Instead I warm my hands up on the flames of the flag.

Don't recall a downfall in the businesses that burn a stall.

See through the news and the views that twist reality.

Enough I call a fuck for better than destiny.

That loads in power holes.

All my people they took turns.

Just build a suit, die at night.

And then watch them burn.

With the thoughts from a militant mind.

Hard line, hard line after hard line.

That loads in power holes.

All my people they took turns.

Just build a suit, die at night.

And then watch them burn.

Burn! Burn!

If you're gonna burn.

Burn!

If you're gonna burn.

Burn!

If you're gonna burn.

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Burn!

You're gonna burn!

Burn!

You're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Yes you're gonna burn!

Burn!

Burn!

Burn, burn, yes I'm gonna burn Burn, burn, yes I'm gonna burn

Check it out

Burn, burn, yes I'm gonna burn

Burn, burn, yes I'm gonna burn

The Faith No More is a really good comparison

because they didn't have any involvement with the album cover, the album artwork

I can't imagine that flying with rage

No, no, we're having that dude who set himself on fire

You can imagine that animated discussion

No, no, no, no, no, this is what it's gonna be

And then the label go, you can't do that, that's too violent

And then it's like, well we've already done it

The bit I wanted to get to was the, and you just hooked on it

but it was the Rage Against the Machine in the name

and then they went, they kind of got back together didn't they

They did, they got back together in 2007

Seven, yeah

I think that was till 2011 around that time

That's right, yeah, yeah

And then they recently got back together again

Yeah

So we're now in 2025 just for those who like time

If you're time travelling

And the tickets for that show

Before everything goes wrong

That's the bit we're at now

Yeah, well it's all a bit weird

No one knows what's going on, do they?

No

No one's got a clue

No

Do you know, usually, you know, usually one of your mates

They've got an idea, haven't they?

They're like, yeah

No, do you know what's actually going on?

Yeah, yeah, yeah

You might not be in the know

No one's got a clue

No

I don't know

I normally like the chaos

But I'm a bit

Yeah

Can someone just get a grip?

If anybody's, I don't know

Switch it off and back on again

Yeah

That would be good

But yeah, so

The recent reunion

The tickets were like quite expensive

Or some of them were quite expensive

Yeah

You know, Ticketmaster are really good at gouging, aren't they?

But they were charging a lot of money

And there was a ton of articles written about the hypocrisy of Rage Against the Mission

Yeah, yeah

And it was really interesting to me

Because I remember reading it thinking, oh God, yeah

How can you be so anti-capitalist?

Yeah

And then, oh, by the way, this is quite a capitalist attitude to tickets all of a sudden

Yeah, can we have 400 quid, please?

Yeah, yeah

And it was interesting

And I was, as I was reading, I was reading Tom Morello

I wasn't reading, it was an interview

And he said, we never were anti-capitalists

We're kind of, you know, we're encouraging you to challenge authority

You know, and to question authority

That was what we were about

That's what we were bothered about

We weren't bothered that somebody made loads of money

We were really bothered that, you know, that people were being lied to

Or that something was being covered up

Or, you know what I mean, Martin Luther King

And Martin Luther King was being targeted by the FBI for his

Stance on the Vietnam War

Yeah

You know what I mean, we were bothered about that

With Che Guevara, we were bothered about, you know

We were bothered about this kind of stuff, right?

Yeah

It wasn't necessarily that people are getting, you know, wealthy

And it was interesting listening to him talk about that

And I'm sure there's like a little bit of, you know, the young Tom

If the young Tom Morello could see the Tom Morello today

Yeah

What he'd think of that, you know?

Yeah, well, I mean, the good news is that Rage Against the Machine, you know, came back between 2007 and 2011

And we were 15 days away from, you know, our first show, you know, 10 years since then

And, you know, I treasure that chemistry and those relationships

And, yeah, you're right, but rock bands are right

Like, have you ever, like, rock bands are rock bands, you know what I mean?

And they're made up of creative people who sometimes have differences

And sometimes those differences sort of outweigh the moment

There was a great quote from Joe Strummer of The Clash

Where they top her head and the drummer had a heroin problem

And they fired him from the band

And Joe said, like, we never played another good show again, you know?

And so, like, the chemistry is something that everybody in any band should greatly, greatly treasure

And that's something that we have treasured

And that the fact that, you know, that we've, you know, reunited and are reuniting again

And, you know, especially I think the world needs, not just Rage

But needs, like, bands that speak with a voice of authenticity

Which bands that speak in an unapologetic way

You know, about what's going on

And in a way that connects with an audience

In order to aim for real sort of substantive change

At an important historical juncture on our planet

And so, I have been so, like, I have been in a band with Zach De La Rocha

One of the greatest frontmen of all time

I've been in a band with Chris Cornell

One of the greatest singers of all time

I've been in a band with Bruce Springsteen

One of the greatest, you know, rock and roll artists of all time

And, in addition to that, I've been able to have a

A very meaningful solo career

Which has been completely fulfilling

Now, those opportunities were allowed to happen

Because bands come and go

You know, like the rich mosaic

Of what, I've made 20 records

And four of them are Rage Against the Machine records

I made 20 records that, you know, that I stand behind like children

You know, each one's a child

And each experience has been like a really significant and precious one

That I've attacked with like all of my creative power

And that's just the way that the, you know, the dice have rolled

And I wouldn't change it for anything

When we did the Slipknot show

Yeah

But when Corey was talking about

Corey Taylor talks about this

Yeah, I think he was

He was so much more eloquent and transparent with this

Just by saying, look, we hated ourselves

We absolutely hated the music industry

We hated the fact that it was commercial

And our stuff was, you know, buying people Rolls Royces and stuff

We hated it

And then we were sitting there in the same room with Rolls Royces

Yeah

Do you know what I mean?

And we absolutely despised ourselves

I kind of don't think that Tom Morello's in that same

No

But I do think that the young Zach and the young Tom Morello

Yeah

Seeing the $400 ticket prices

What else have we to say about it?

Would be like, are you sure?

Yeah

You know, and I get it

I kind of get that, you know, that wasn't the message

The message wasn't, you know, don't spend $400 on a ticket

And, you know, be anti-capitalism

Yeah

But it kind of is in the same area, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely

Same thing, so I kind of get it

I get why people were a bit grumpy

I get why people were grumpy in general

About these big, you know, the Oasis stuff

And the Oasis ticket prices

And getting back together

I get it

I saw Noel talking about it

Kind of going, look, it's not us

But then it's like, well

Who is it then?

Who is it?

Yeah, and it was interesting

Because Noel gave this interview

Saying that we're like

Yeah, we're the band

And we're doing the things

But we don't set the ticket

Well, you can kind of set

How much you're going to charge for the ticket

Or you can set your fee as an artist

Yeah, exactly

But we can't decide how much

The venue and all these things

Are going to put their prices

And stuff on top of that

And this weird

Ticketmaster surge pricing

You know

Like the Black Sabbath

Yeah

Stuff as well that came

That was running in July

You know, the demand outstripped supply

So the ticket prices get really, really high

Yeah

And he was like going like

You know, I don't know

There was the Cure as well

Did the same thing

They had exactly the same

He forced them to give the ticket back

Yeah, he did

Yeah, yeah, yeah

So I kind of

I don't know

I kind of feel that whole

It just feels really broke

There's a really interesting thing

That the Music Venue Trust

Have been working with

With the government

To implement this kind of like

Levy

Yeah, I was reading that

In the same way that

I think football

Football's

Big football teams do it

So there's like a certain levy

From big football teams tickets

That then goes into this big pot

That then serves

Kind of grassroots football

Yeah

And I might have made that up

But I think

Something like that exists

So the music industry

Doing the same thing

Yeah

So when you're Beyonce

Or you're Taylor Swift

Or you're Sabbath

Or you know

Whatever Oasis

And you're doing these huge things

That are costing loads of money

And you know

There's this kind of

Ticket levy

Mandatory thing

That either is already in

Or will be coming in

At some point

Which is where some of that music

Filters back into the Music Venue Trust

Yeah

To keep

And to kind of

Smaller venues

Yes, grassroots music venues

Going

Because it's the ecosystem

Yeah

It's like

If you don't do that

You've got no music ecosystem

So you don't get another

Black Sabbath

You've got nowhere to play

Have you?

You've got nowhere to

Go and practice

And play

And the other thing

That's happened recently

Is the bit where

We're looking

Looking at

There's always been a conversation

Around

Like because we

Live quite close to downloads

So you know

There's always that thing

Where you've got Iron Maiden

Or Kiss

Or you know

The conversation is

Well who's going to do that

Who's going to do that

And then you see

What Sleep Token are doing

Yeah

Architects

Spirit Box

Yeah

There's tons

There's tons

We'll be alright

But if

If that

You know

That chain's got to end somewhere

And if there's nowhere

For these artists

To kind of start

And grow

And be supported

And learn their craft

And cut their teeth

And if that disappears

Then you don't get it

Bottom rung of the ladder

Is like a supporting

You know

Supporting architects

Yeah

Do you know what I mean

That's a pretty big

Yeah yeah yeah

It's a pretty big leap

To go

I mean like as you

I mean you've done that

Supporting stuff with

You were supporting the charlatans

And all kinds of

Haven't you

But you know

You have to be

Reasonably

Yeah yeah yeah

Established

Yeah

To get a supporting gig

Or you have to buy

Your place

Yeah that was the other thing

I was going to say

Yeah

Because that's part

Part of the modelling

And you can't do that

If you've not

If you've not been able

To go and get in

In you know

Your local music venues

And learn how to

Play in front of people

Yeah

And all right

They're mostly drunk

And dicking a bit

Yeah

But you know what I mean

And also it's about

The community

And the culture

You know

The amount of

Of these shows

That we've done

Where actually

These incredible bands

And albums

Came out of community

They came out of

Scenes

Yeah

And that scene

Will start by

Like two or three

Music venues

Where the band

Would go and play

And then muck about

With the other bands

That we're playing

And then they would

All be sitting there

You know

Getting drunk in the bar

Mucking about

And that would be

The melting pot

Of where that

Yeah

That scene came from

Yeah

Yeah

Well if there aren't

Any of those venues

Then

Yeah

It doesn't happen

Does it

Doesn't happen

No

You end up with

Like weird scenes

Like

You know

We talked about

Britpop

Yeah

Which kind of

Existed as a scene

But not as a

Do you know what I mean

Yeah

There wasn't

It didn't come from

A place

Do you know what I mean

It's just

They were the bands

That were popular

At the time

But you know

What you want is

Or what I think

You want is

You know

Those kind of

The punk scenes

That happened

In and around London

Yeah

Madchester

Yeah

Like the 70s

The 70s stuff

With kind of

You know

Those massive rock bands

That kind of

All came in and out

Of London

And you know

The LA scene

For

Yeah

The

The Beatles thing

With Liverpool

Oh god yeah

The Bay Area

And Thrash

And you've got like

Seattle for Grooms

Yeah

You've got like

The death scene

Out of Sweden

Yeah yeah

I think these things

Are important

And there's a danger

That

Without a bit of

Nurture

Yeah

And investment

And yeah

Yeah

So I like that

And anyway

I

I don't know

It's

I think it's really difficult

I can totally see

Why people were

Disenfranchised

By the $400 ticket prices

I think the media

Stoked it

Way beyond what it was

Because I don't think

The ticket

They made it out

Like you had to pay

$400 to go and see them

And you didn't

Could have done

If you wanted

If you wanted to go

And get your VIP

Yeah yeah yeah

Whatever

But you know

The tickets for

Lounging about at the front

Were the same prices

As anybody else

But yeah

Yeah yeah yeah

Anyway

Here's what it is

Definitely

Should we do facts

Yeah we can do

Yeah

Let me go and do some facts

For you

Released November 6th

1992

10

I was

Were you

I

So I was 74

So 6

18

18

Yeah

And I do remember

This coming out

I

This wasn't an album

That I kind of reached for

I didn't have this

In my Vauxhall Cavalier

For a while

I had a Vauxhall Cavalier

As well

Mine was

Mine was

Brown

I had a brown one

Did you

And then a green one

And a blue one

I had a few

I only had one

It was lovely

Total run time

Have a guess

55 minutes

Oh 52

Number of tracks

10

Record label

Epic

They weren't

A massive fan

Apparently epic

So I read

So I read

In and around

The making of this

They funded it

But they weren't prepared

To give them much money

Really

So they weren't like

They were a bit

Yeah

A bit political

Is this going to wind people up

They want to put like

You know a burning dead body

On the

Yeah

Cover

You know what I mean

Yeah

You could just see

They were like

Here's some money

As they were stepping

Towards the door

A little bit

Thinking how do we

Let's see what happens guys

Reminded me a little bit

Of

If you remember

Slayers

Reign in Blood

Same thing

Yeah

The record label

Never put it out

It was distributed

But it was never released

Wow

Because they were really

Concerned of

Pushback

Yeah

So they were concerned

It would alienate people

So they never really

Did a big push

I think this did get

A proper release

Yeah

Recorded at Sound City

Which we've talked about

A lot in the past

Yeah

I am going to do

A blog about the history

Of Sound City

I've kind of started

The draft of that

But there's just so much

There's just so much

Yeah

I mean it's just epic

Isn't it

Yeah

Producer was

Garth

Garth

The thing for me

With this album

And the production of it

And I hadn't realised

It was the

Connecting the dots

When we did

Skunkin' and Stoosh

How similar

Yeah

In tone

Yeah

They are

Again produced by Garth

And yeah

Energy as well

Yeah

I know there's

The band's a lot to do

With that

But certainly

The producer

Getting that out of them

Is a

I think so

Largely recorded live

They would do like

20 takes

Just bang them through

It was recorded in

Eight weeks

Yeah

Like start to finish

Absolutely phenomenal

The band only formed

In 91

And recorded this

In 92

Made up of four people

Zach LaRocca

Tom Morello

He was a Harvard graduate

Wow

Which is incredible really

Zach famously came from

Like the punk rock scene

Yeah

Yeah

I grew up in a very

You know

I was a Mexicano

In a part of the country

Where I was the exception

To the rule

Because most

Mexicanos

In Orange County

Were there

Because they had a broom

Or a hammer

In their hands

Or were picking

Baskets of strawberries

You know

There was a deep

Sense of

Frustration

Alienation

I experienced

Growing up

In a very

Conservative community

Very racist

Very conservative community

And I think that

That's what initially

Attracted me

To punk music

And punk culture

It spoke to me

In a way

That no other music

Until that point

Could speak to me

So

It kind of happened

It was spontaneous

It was

A lot of thought

Put into it

You know

We were very

Excited about the idea

Of playing

Hip hop

With live

Instrumentation

You know

And fusing the music

That we loved

So much

That we felt

Drawn to

So I don't know

It was very spontaneous

There's no way

To say exactly

How the sounds

Came together

Or why

Tom Metal

And then you had

Tim Comerford

On bass

And Brad Wilk

On drums

Yeah

Financing was

A challenge

So

You know

The record label

Kind of

Bunged him

A few quid

But then

Was a little bit

Unsure

Famously recorded

In analogue

On that

Neve 8028

At

Santa City

Which I found out

I've got a plug-in for

That's so exciting

I've actually got a couple

I've got a couple of plug-ins

That do that

The other interesting thing here

Apparently

I don't know how true this is

But there's an anecdote

That I found

In the recording

Saying that

Tom Morello

Used a cheap

20 watt

Solid state amp

To record

Timey

And

You know

There's a lot of that

Kind of stuff

I think

Where they

Just kind of

Did their

You can get a good

Sound out of them

If you want

For a particular

Purpose

That chunky

Guitar thing

Yeah

You always talk

About this

But it's kind of

It's not what you play

It's how you play

Yeah yeah

Totally

And Tom's a genius

Of that

Sales figures

For this album

Rage Against the Machine

5.3 million

Bonkers

Evil Empire

Was 3.4

Battle of Los Angeles

2.5

And Renegades

Which is like a covers

Yeah

Thing they did

For 1.1

I think the band

Was pretty much

Collapsing by the point

They did that

In 2000

Other albums

Released in the same year

Dirt by Alice in Chains

Wow

Yeah

Angel Dust by Faith

It was a grungy

Rocky era

Wasn't it

Yeah

Call by Stone Temple

Pilots

And Countdown to

Extinction by Megadeth

So there's some

Very very big

Heavy music around

And this is

Like kind of

We

We talked about

Didn't we

Where

This was

This was a time

Where if a band

Released an album

That you didn't

Particularly like

You just listened

To something else

Yeah

You didn't

You didn't

You didn't

Go complaining

About it

You just

Like oh

I'll listen to

Yeah

I like this one

It's on tons of

Best of lists

This one

Normally when you

Search for this

It's really difficult

To find it

But it's on

All of them

You name a magazine

And this is in there

I think it's like

It's one of those

Things where it's

Quite edgy and cool

So everyone

Wanted to be part of it

Singles from

The album

The killer

Was Bomb Track

Yeah what

Killing in the name

Right

They were

They were

They were

Huge

I think Killing in the name

Became this

Like

Anthem

I was going to say

Exactly the same word

Yeah

Were you

Yeah

Great minds

Great minds

Yeah

But it was

It was just

I mean extraordinary

That

That song

Sometimes these songs

Become

You know

And we've talked about this before

Like

They're not yours anymore

No

And Killing in the name's not

No

Absolutely

Rage don't own that anymore

That's owned by a generation

Yeah

And

You know

It gets used in

Like

I mean

You name it right

If you've got a

A movement

And you're angry about something

Yeah

That's your song

Yeah

Go and use that

You don't even need to use the sweary bit

No

You just use any part of that riff

And everyone gets the connotation

Yeah

Absolutely

And all that sort of stuff

But then

And then Bomb Track

I think

Bomb Track might be one of the most covered

Track sevens

It's so riffy

I mean the groove on that

It's so cool

The groove

Oh

Brilliant

It's just awesome

Yeah

Bullet in the head

But yeah

And Freedom

With the other two singles

As an album of tracks

There's not a dead bit of time

No

Everything's there

Everything's

You said it earlier

Everything's in its right place

As an arrangement

And as the performance

But also

You know

As a body of work

As a sequence of songs

Jail says freedom

From the pain in my home

Hatred passed on

Passed on

Passed on

A world of violent rage

But it's one that I can recognize

Having never seen the color of my father's eyes

Yes I dwell in hell

But it's a hell that I can grip

I tried to grip my family

But I slipped

To escape from the pain

In an existence mundane

I got a night

A sign

A set

And now

I got a name

Read my writing on the wall

No one's here to catch me

When I fall

Darkness on my side

Suicide!

She'll sell us freedom from the pain in my home

Hatred passed on, passed on, and passed on

A world of violent rage, but it's one that I can recognize

Having never seen the color of my father's eyes

Yes, I dwell in hell, but it's a hell that I can grip

I tried to grip my family, but I slipped

To escape from the pain in an existence mundane

I've got a nine, a sign, a set, and I've got a name

Read my writing on the wall

No one's here to catch me when I fall

Climb between my culture and the system

Genocide

Read my writing on the wall

No one's here to catch me when I fall

Your fingerprints is bliss

They knock the smile off my face

Yeah!

Yeah!

If we don't take action now

Settle for nothing later

Settle for nothing now

And we'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing now

And we'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing now

And we'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

If we don't take action now

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

If we don't take action now

If we don't take action now

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

Let's settle for nothing later

Let's settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

We'll settle for nothing later

Yeah, it's phenomenal

And they quite like Killing in the Name's five minutes

Yeah

Is it really?

Yeah, it is

It's getting on for prog rock

Yes, that's nearly a meatloaf intro

Influences from the band

So looking at bands they've quoted as influencing them

Public Enemy makes tons of sense

The Clash, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath

Okay

Which

Yeah, that makes tons of all of that does

Yeah

It kind of does, doesn't it?

Yeah

And then artists that claim influence by Rage

Linkin Park, System of a Down, Korn and Slipknot

Yeah

Yeah

Which again, I think again is interesting

Things that I learned about when we were doing this

The cover art is a Pulitzer Prize winning photograph of Dick Quang Duk

Oh nice, well done

Is that, did I get close?

That sounds good to me

I mean it's interesting now, you see that record today

Mm-hmm

And it's weird, you kind of know what it is

Yeah

So you don't get, you don't like, oh

And Tony, when you stop and think and think, oh what

Yeah

And you realise what it is and then the backstory to it

You can, you know, it did cause a significant uproar at the time

Mm-hmm

No samples were used

No

No keyboards, no synthesizers

Mm-hmm

Mostly done live

Mm-hmm

So yeah, filled with political messages

So there isn't a single track on there that's not, not got some like a significant political story

Um, and, uh, yeah, a certified triple platinum in the, in the United States

Um, it's been used in, in tons of, uh, interesting, uh, TV and media as well

So it was in Natural Born Killers from '94

Yeah

Which, um, I don't remember it being in there

I don't remember it being in there

But then saying that, that was one of those films I always used to, like people used to say like

Oh you need to watch this cause it's a really important film and then I'd watch it and fall asleep

So, there were a few of those

Stanley Kubrick's 2000, well loads of them

Like loads of films that I should, I should have watched

You should watch

From start to end because they're important historical

Yeah

Moments in time and these wicked films get about

I tend to get a bit bored

I just fall asleep

You know when people say, oh, you should watch this cause it's, it's, it's, it's got important

I look like I've been bored already

Um, do you know, do you watch, watch Severance?

I need to watch that, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I like that a lot, it's really dark

Yeah

There's no music in it

Well, actually the theme tune, you'll love it

The theme tune for Severance is like really split

There's loads of weird dissonance

Okay

And the way

Yeah

Severed

Yeah, it's bonkers that is

But the whole thing is just, oh, just fantastic

I have to be honest, I probably was off my face on

Paracetamol and cold drugs and whatever else

It's probably the straightest song

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah, yeah

But I, I, I really enjoyed that

Um, reviews of this album

I think because it was a bit edgy and cool

Yeah

No one dare say anything bad about it

Yeah, yeah, yeah

So when you go back and look at it

This is an album that I don't think got any poor review

And it's interesting because it says the, the critics talk about innovative fusion of rap and metal

Yeah

Well, I mean, you don't have to look very far to see the, you know, the, the same critics deriding bands for, you know, merging rap and metal

Yeah

I guess it was 92, so it's kind of a little bit early, but, you know, the, the same stuff can't be said of like, you know, the, the

Well, it's the way people, the, we did Faith Know All, wasn't it?

Yeah, yeah, yeah

So it sort of happened with a bit of that, where people were like, oh, you know, don't, don't know what it is, just doesn't make any sense

No, exactly, exactly

And then, but I think, I think, I think rage, rage almost got like a free pass, right, for the politics and being edgy and being, do you know what I mean?

Yeah

They were, they were clever as well, and they were good in front of the camera, they were good in interviews

Mm, Tom Rello in particular

Oh, yeah

Yeah, very eloquent guy, yeah

Just, I mean, incredibly articulate

Yeah

But anyway

And Zach obviously had fire and passion and, yeah, had, had something to say

Yeah, they, they were, they were pretty cool

Um, um, yeah, so all, all, all of the reviews were like super positive

Um, eventually, obviously, uh, uh, broke up, right?

So, so they kind of got to that point where they did, um, uh, so they did Evil Empire

And then, I'm just looking at my list of, um, uh, of things that we did

So it was Renegades in 2000, um, and then, that was it, then the, that, that was just kind of the band just, just stopped and it was kind of Zach Della Rocco and the rest of the band just not agreeing on the, the right way to, to go

Um, and that, that's where Audioslave came in, right?

Yeah, it is, yeah

I mean, essentially, it was just, they just got together with Chris Cornell

Yeah

Um, in fact, we should probably, that would be a great one to do

That's next

Yeah, 'cause that's a, um, it is basically just, just rage with Chris Cornell

I mean, it's, you, you, Chris Cornell's one of those people where you, you, you could just copy and paste him into any band and he would just like rock up and be like, yeah, whatever

And, and, and they will be better for, for him being there, you know, um, so, um, but yeah, it's an absolutely phenomenal, um, uh, uh, debut from, um

It was a massive album, I worked in music retail at the time

Oh yeah

I remember it came, came out and it was

That's a shop, right?

Yes, yeah, I worked at a music shop selling records and it was, there was that and there was, um, there was one other that just set everything on fire, like every, like everyone had it, um, it's gone

Strokes, This Is It

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Those were the, there was around that era

The music press just gushed over the strokes

Yeah

I remember that

Yeah, um, but yeah, no, the Audioslave one, I think, uh, we should definitely

Or is it, Is This It? Not This Is It, Is It, Is This It?

Oh, is this it, isn't it?

Yeah, is this it, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

I'm with you

Um, there was a few remasters and that, um, the original sounds better

Mm, mm, mm

I don't, there was no need to book about with it

Yeah

It sounded great

Yeah

Um, so, uh, yeah

If you can get hold of it, that is the thing

That's the one

Yeah, it is the same with all of these things, they pay a producer, they go and make it louder, and then that's the only one you can listen to

But if you have the original, I've got the original vinyl of this one, and I've got an original CD as well

Um

And that's the one

Yeah, I don't know, this just, it just sounds better

It sounds good

It was better as

It's, it's right, it's from the time, it's what it should, it's what it should have sounded like

It doesn't, I don't think they improved

Yeah, yeah, yeah

The shortening of these songs doesn't improve with the remaster

Yeah

Some they do

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Um, I think, I'm trying to think of albums that have, you know, Ride the Lightning's a good example of that, Metallica's Ride the Lightning

Yeah

I think I prefer the remaster of Ride the Lightning than the original

Um, but I don't know, I think this one was just so good, I think this one did not need a, and I think that we see more of this now, where they, what they do is they get someone to remaster it

Yeah

They compress it a bit

Yeah

And then they sell more vinyls

Yeah

Do you know what I mean? Yeah

Because like, they're no dickheads like me, we'll go and buy it

Do you know what I mean?

Yeah, yeah, yeah

And, and, and there's tons of that, I think, with, with this stuff, and, um

Yeah, nostalgia capitalism, yeah

Yeah

Yeah

And I think, I just, do you know what, just skip the remastery bit, just, you know, we'll buy it anyway

Yeah

We're absolute idiots, we'll just go and buy it, so just dish it out, you know, I'd rather, rather than spend the money on the remaster

I'd rather get some background stuff, or some better liner notes, or something from the studio

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Do you know what I mean? Yeah

I'd rather get some, something that I've never seen before, some, some background photography from the studio, or something like that

But, um, anyway, um, not that it doesn't, to be fair, they didn't ruin the remaster

It's not, like, I don't, I wouldn't turn it off

Yeah

Um, but I just don't think it needed to be done

Which is a shock for me, isn't it?

Um, and that is it for facts for this particular album

Yeah

Um, 1992

Yeah, yeah

I, I, um, as we're doing these, uh, obviously my kids see what I'm reading

You know, you're sitting there, and they're like, oh, what are you doing now?

Um, and they still don't believe that 1992 was real

Do you know what I mean?

They're like, they're like, did you have electricity?

Dad, dad, did you have electricity?

Was TV black and white then?

Yeah, did you have TV?

TV didn't, did TV exist?

And you think, um, yeah, you dickheads

But, I then, there's that lovely thing, isn't there?

Where, you know, back to the future

Yeah

Where they went, where did they go from? 1985 to 1952

Yeah

That's the equivalent of us going back to 1995 today

Is it? Oh my god

And, and that, and my eldest said that to me

And it, like, crushed me inside

Absolutely, totally, and utterly

Because when you're sitting back to the future

When they go back to the 50s

That's the old days

You're like, what?

Yeah

And, and yet, when, I mean, they were, they were

They had pistols, and they were doing

Do you know what I mean?

They rode horses

Well, and then, well, what?

What?

What's going on?

Yeah

Anyway

Yeah

They're the facts

And

We've already decided what we're doing next

So

Yeah, let's just do Audio Slave

Yeah, yeah, yeah

In fact, let's just listen to Chris Cornell

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Like, forever

Yeah

And I do, I do want to talk

I want to sow a seed

Yeah, okay

I've been listening

As I was in Ireland

I started listening to, like, a bunch of British albums

That I'd not listened to for a long time

So, Guns, Gallus, and Swagger

Yeah

And then that sent me down this, like, British albums of that time

Yeah

Yeah

So, Thunder

Yeah

The Almighty

Yeah

And I just thought, might be quite nice to do

Go, go to that scene for a little while

Yeah, just do a handful of those kind of 90s, like, British albums

Because some of them were just unreal

Yeah

Like, that gun record

Yeah

So, they did, they did Gallus and Swagger

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Which were just incredible

Swagger was the one with Word Up on it

Yeah, yeah, yeah

And, you know, but Gallus was the, Gallus was like the songwriting album for me

It was incredible, really, you know, incredible songs on there

You know, Thunder did Backstreet Symphony

Yeah

And I just think there's a ton of albums around that time

Mm

That we could meander our way through

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Might be quite good fun to be a bit nostalgic

Yeah

For those

But I think let's stay in America Land

Yeah, let's do audience live

Yeah, and then that might

I'm trying to think where that's going to send us next

Because Chris Cornell did a bunch of stuff

Yeah, yeah

Well, we've never done a Soundgarden one

No, that's true

So we should do a bit of Super Unknown or something like that

Something like that

Oh, good God, that's incredible, isn't it?

It's hard to, some albums are kind of still

Mm

I, you kind of can't

You think, how did that happen?

Yeah, yeah

Do you know what I mean?

Yeah, yeah, Super Unknown's definitely one of those

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

There's that one

There's the Radiohead's Okay Computers

Yeah

A bit like that for me as well

And Dillinger did Ayer Works as well

There's a few albums

And I just think, how did you do that?

Yeah

You know, like some albums you think are brilliant

Mm

But you can kind of see how the magic works

Yeah, yeah, yeah

You know what I mean?

You can kind of think

I can imagine them doing that

Yeah

Super Unknown's one that I just

It's just

Where did that come from?

How did you

Do you know what I mean?

How did that

It's just absolute

Black Sabbath as well

They're a bit like that for me

Some of the early Black Sabbath stuff

You just think

Like what was feeding in

Yeah

That led to that coming out

Yeah

And I

Almost like you can't see the

Yeah, yeah, yeah

Do you know what I mean?

You can't see the magic

You can't see where it's coming from

But I think

That's been good

And I'm glad that

We've got through that

Yeah

Because I'm still here

Still upright

I'm sure next week

I'll be more energetic

It's a good one

It's a good one

This is good for me

This is a good

Good album

Yeah

And

Go listen to it

Go find it again

Yeah

If you've not listened to it for a while

It's one of those I think isn't it

Where it's easy to

Think

This is an album I think

It's easy to think you know

Yeah

Because of the singles

That's a great point

Yeah

There's more than

The Alanis Morissette one

Is one that

Reminds me massively of that

Well I thought I knew that

And it was only when we sat down to prep

That I realised I'd never listened to it

Yeah, yeah

You know

And actually

I didn't know it

I knew the big singles

But

I didn't know the rest

And

This is definitely worth a

Bit of time

I think it's a

It's an iconic monster

This one

So

Audio Slave next

Audio Slave

Yeah, Audio Slave

A nap in between

Yeah

And

Love you, bye

Love you, bye