With next year being an election year in the United States, it seems like a great time for Rage Against the Machine to come back and kick some fucking ass. Could it be happening? Some rumors are swirling.
A new, unverified Rage Against the Machine Instagram account has popped up, with a lone photo taken from the Chilean protests. The caption features five dates, two of which would be next year's Coachella. They are:
El Paso, TX March 26, 2020
Las Cruces, NM March 28, 2020
Phoenix, AZ March 30, 2020
Indio, CA April 10, 2020
Indio, CA April 17, 2020
Update: Forbes is confirming the news, speaking to a longtime associate of the band. According to the story "Wayne Kamemoto, a longtime associate of the band just said, "The band's social media is accurate."
Update #2: Industry sources have confirmed to Consequence Of Sound that the posting is legit and that more shows are being planned beyond these initial dates.
Here's where the rumor has a bit of legs. ThePRP notes that the post itself was "liked" by actress/musician Juliette Lewis. How is this relevant? She is dating RATM drummer Brad Wilk currently. You would think she would have an inside source on if this was happening and if she knew it wasn't why would she like the post?
Again, this is just speculation, and should be taken with a huge grain of salt. But if it ends up happening, you bet yoru ass I am hopping on a plane for one of these headline shows.
Update #3 – A Rage Against the Machine fan Instagram account, @war_within_a_breath, posted this: "THIS IS NOT A DRILL! Rage Against the Machine announced five shows for 2020 on their new instagram. @rageagainstthemachine on November 1st, around midnight eastern time! Along with other sources close to RATM, Juliette Lewis (who is dating Brad) confirmed to me the announcement is real. Again, THIS IS NOT A DRILL. "
Update #4: The Rage Against the Machine Twitter account has confirmed the news.
Yes…it's true…2020…?pic.twitter.com/8V7juth2Wt
— rage against the machine (@RATM) November 1, 2019
Morello was asked about a possible Rage reunion in May during an interview with HardDrive Radio, and he basically said don't hold your breath:
"There's no news on the Rage Against The Machine front. The times demand people standing up. That's what I'm doing with my stuff, what Prophets Of Rage is doing. Don't wait around for Rage Against The Machine. Form your own band and get it done."
Morello also discusses the chemistry Rage Against The Machine had as a band when writing new music and performing together.
"I had some of those riffs that eventually ended up on the first RAGE record on a cassette. I was jamming with every musician in Hollywood with some of the riffs that would become 'Bombtrack', 'Freedom', 'Township Rebellion', 'Know Your Enemy'. They didn't sound like that until I played with Brad Wilk, Tim Commerford and Zach De La Rocha. Didn't sound anything like that. The second we were in a room together — it's something I try not to over-intellectualize, it's just something that happens. If you really pay attention to it, it's because I play those huge riffs with a single coil pickup, so my guitar has sort of a springiness to it that’s not very metal. Timmy C. plays with a bass sound that sounds like three Black Sabbath's playing at once, so it fills up that mid-range. Brad tends to play behind the beat; I play in front of it; Tim plays right on it, so these riffs become these huge, sort of slabs of rhythms that is only because of the natural way we play together to the first rehearsal to the last gig."
It will be curious to see what changed Zac de la Rocha's mind, to want to do this.
We'll keep you posted if something develops of this.
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