Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello Not a Fan of Paul Ryan

2012-08-17

Story by Anne Erickson

Rage Against the Machine guitarist responds to Paul Ryan digging band’s music

Earlier this week, vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan dropped the news that he’s a Rage Against the Machine fan. As it turns out, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello isn’t a Paul Ryan fan. This isn’t really a surprise, since Rage’s music is as far left as possible.

In an op-ed piece for Rolling Stone, Morello made it clear that he won’t be voting for the Romney/Paul ticket. “Paul Ryan’s love of Rage Against the Machine is amusing, because he is the embodiment of the machine that our music has been raging against for two decades,” Morello says.

“He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage,” he added. “…Don’t mistake me, I clearly see that Ryan has a whole lotta ‘rage’ in him: A rage against women, a rage against immigrants, a rage against workers, a rage against gays, a rage against the poor, a rage against the environment. Basically the only thing he’s not raging against is the privileged elite he’s groveling in front of for campaign contributions.”

Morello added that Rage Against the Machine’s rock sounds for some fans has “changed their minds and their lives” about political issues the band covers in their music. “Perhaps Paul Ryan was moshing when he should have been listening,” Morello states.

Ryan’s camp has yet to respond to Morello’s letter. To read the full statement from Morello, visit Rolling Stone.

 




Anne Erickson
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Posted by Anne Erickson | Alternative, Music, Rock, Rock News

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