This month marks the 20th anniversary of Rage Against The Machine’s self-titled debut album. One of the most explosive and aggressive debuts of the ’90s that remains just as powerful and relevant today as it two decades ago upon its release.
The fact that the band returned to the live stage in 2007 after their break-up in 2000 has meant the anniversary and it’s importance is even more poignant. Remaining significant with popular audiences as well as the critical weight with Rolling Stone ranking it among their 500 greatest albums of all time.
In the lead up to the anniversary, the quartet asked their fans to send in photos, memorabilia, tattoos, and memories to be uploaded onto a blog celebrating the album.
From even a quick glance at the contributions, it’s clear one of the more remarkable things about Rage Against The Machine is their ability to continue to win over new fans all over the world – all stemming from this incredible debut.
Forming in Los Angeles out of the wreckage of local punk acts, the quartet of the incendiary Zach de la Rocha, inventive guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk played their first show at a house party in Orange County, California. Even in those early days, the beginnings of Rage stayed true to the message they’ve continued to preach.
Before signing to any major record label the band started with a self-recorded 12-track cassette tape sold at their shows for $5 that helped spread word of mouth about this powerful new musical presence.
They ended up selling 5,000 copies completely independently which ultimately led to the band signing with Epic Records to release their eponymous debut.“Set against a world of modern, commercialised RnB – with the likes of Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston dominating the charts – RATM was a breath of fresh air..”
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Decrying criticism of hypocrisy over signing to a Sony records offshoot, the quartet justified their use of the machine they were raging against as a ‘necessary evil’ to spread their political message.
Recorded over the course of April and May in 1992, the liner notes of the record not only listed the influence of their social causes, but also a statement that would remain emblazoned on their entire discography: “no samples, keyboards or synthesizers were used in the making of this record.”
RATM’s debut was aggressive and confronting in every way. It has one of the most iconic record covers of modern music, using the Pulitzer Prize winning photograph by Malcolm Brown of a Vietnamese Buddhist burning himself to death in protest of the government’s oppression of Buddhism.
The confronting image perfectly captures the overall mood of the record, including the incredible impact it had musically.
Arriving in 1992, set against a world of modern, commercialised RnB – with the likes of Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston dominating the charts – RATM was a breath of fresh air even for those looking for something outside the grunge boom.
In a 1993 interview with MTV, guitarist Tom Morello described their sound as “very aggressive, very intense and combines the street credibility of hardcore with the politics of hip hop and the aggressiveness and musicianship of hard rock.”
From the opening slam and vocal grunt of ‘Bombtrack’, with a heavily overdriven doubled guitar and bass funk riff framing Zack De la Rocha’s politicised rap, these sounds would become synonymous with the group’s aesthetic, setting them apart from what had come before and create a unique blueprint that is yet to be successfully replicated.
‘Take The Power Back’ and ‘Bullet In The Head’ showcased Tim Commerford’s often-underrated tight basslines, funk that locked in with the thunderous drumming of Brad Wilk. Most of all, it showed the quartet’s effortless ability to create an incredible groove off which the heavier moments truly stand out.
The punchiest moments of their debut were always anchored by the strong influence of funk that ensured that with each meaty swing, they could also get bodies moving.The most aurally threatening moment on the album comes at its end, in de la Rocha’s metal inspired screaming of “Freedom/ Yeah right”.
Closing track ‘Freedom’ crashes in with de la Rocha’s signature grunt that warns it’s time to head bang, then coming down in dynamic for the verse before again smashing into the heavier, riff-driven chorus.
The most aurally threatening moment on the album comes at its end, in de la Rocha’s metal inspired screaming of “Freedom/ Yeah right”.
It was the band’s ability to blend their genre influences – punk, metal, and hip-hop – that created the perfect platform for the activist-come-lyricist’s combative delivery, an anti-establishment message that has stayed true since the band’s beginning.
Speaking with Billboard about the 20th anniversary of their debut, Morello makes it clear that the band’s political message has been a priority, and the driving force, since their inception.
“I will say that 20 years later we’re able to take pride in the fact that in the history of rock music there has never been a more popular band with as radical politics as Rage Against The Machine.”
Rage’s confronting sound is powerful enough on its own, as are de la Rocha’s lyrics and aggressive delivery, but it’s when these are combined that Rage Against the Machine get real force behind their fiery protests.
The content of de la Rocha’s lyrics vary greatly over a number of issues but the overriding theme is that of anti-establishment and anti-corporations. These themes have remained constant through out all of their records, but the tone was well and truly set with their debut.
As Morello stated to MTV on their first Lollapalooza tour in 1993, “we’re definitely a part of a progressive movement in music but I think we take it a step further in that we really want to see how far an artistic entity, how far a rock band can take a social agenda.”
‘Killing In The Name’ remains their definitive statement and their most popular song, and a perfect example of the pointed simplicity of their message. Accusing those in power of being inherently racist but also taking aim at the apathetic masses for simply following instructions before erupting into the famous final chorus; screaming: “Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me”.
It’s a catch cry that has come to define the band and in the context of their eponymous debut, sums up their key message – don’t submit. Taken on face value it’s something that would obviously appeal to angry disillusioned adolescents, but it’s so much more than that.
If there was anything that RATM wanted to convey to their audience it was the power in questioning what we’re told by governments, corporations, and those in authoritative positions.
‘Know Your Enemy’ continues on that theme, taking aim at education and asking the audience to question what they’re told and take a stand against it. As the band’s musical leader, Tom Morello, matches the lyrics’ power by directing the rhythmic assault with the same jackhammer force; including a bloodcurdling cameo from Tool vocalist, Maynard James Keenan.If there was anything that RATM wanted to convey to their audience it was the power in questioning those in authoritative positions.
While obviously well versed in the guitar technique attributed to heavy metal, by the time of RATM’s debut release, Morello had created his own hybrid of guitar wizardry that has now seen him firmly placed in guitar folklore.
‘Bullet In Your Head’ and ‘Know Your Enemy’ show how he was able to combine his metal chops and an obvious ear for experimentation to manipulate his guitar to produce sounds more akin to DJ scratching or electronica than the fast, technical shredding of his thrashing forebears.
These unique sounds further separated RATM from anything heard previously and excellently complimented the rhythmic rap phrasing of de la Rocha.
The tone that RATM’s debut set not just with their music but also with the videos that accompanied it, creating a manifesto they would follow to the end. Often featuring grainy live footage and images that highlighted the social causes they believed in, all which further emphasised the DIY attitude present from their first cassette demo.
As could be expected, RATM also used their live performances as an opportunity to bring attention to various social causes. It was the band’s early performances surrounding their debut that really set the tone of using the live stage as a form of political activism.
At Lollapalooza in 1993, the band walked on stage naked and stood for 15 minutes as a form of protest against censorship by the Parents Music Resource Centre. The band also refused to sell any band t-shirts as they felt festival organisers were overcharging for festival merchandise and wouldn’t let any band undercut the price for merchandise.
Rage also took part in a number of the Freedom For Tibet concerts that began in San Francisco in 1996 and continue to be held sporadically.
In a more general protest against the state of American politics, in 2000 the band performed in Los Angeles at the Democratic National Convention and again in 2008 in Minneapolis on the same night and city as the Republican National Convention.
Demonstrating that RATM’s debut continues to remain relevant today, a campaign that began in the UK saw them inspire tangible change. Briton’s Jon and Tracy Morter made the decision in 2009 that they wanted to stop another X Factor contestant taking the mantle of the Christmas #1 single in the UK pop charts, which had happened for the five years previous.
The campaign adopted the title of Rage Against X Factor, and what started as a campaign launched on Facebook ended up with a free RATM gig at Finsbury Park in June 2010 in front of around 40,000 fans.
Of course ‘Killing In The Name’ was chosen as the track to unseat the X Factor behemoth, such a clear middle-fingered salute to the pop machine that people couldn’t help but jump on board.
The song sold 500,000 digital downloads in the first week, and was announced on BBC1 Radio on Dec 20, 2009 that it had reached #1. At the Finsbury concert the band also presented a cheque for £162,713.03 (approx. $AU 250,000) from the proceeds to the radio hosts that kick-started the idea, in order to donate to charity.Of course ‘Killing In The Name’ was chosen as the track to unseat the X Factor behemoth, such a clear middle-fingered salute to the pop machine that people couldn’t help but jump on board.
While it didn’t inspire significant social change, the Christmas campaign certainly cemented Rages’ relevance and itself was a clear representation of what RATM has always stood for, gathering together in protest, showing what can be achieved when people unify their passion towards a common cause – a “cultural revolt” as de la Rocha called it when he spoke to Kerrang after the gig in 2010.
Tim Commerford also remarked on the importance in the band’s ongoing message back in 1993 in an MTV interview, “if the music can influence ten people, in ten years those ten people might influence another thousand… I think that this band could make a difference in a lot of ways, I know it will make a difference.”
Even when the group initially disbanded in October, 2000, de la Rocha’s issued statement had the touch of authentic integrity that coloured their career. Stating that, “our decision-making process has completely failed;” and that the quartet’s collective aspirations had “undermined our artistic and political ideal.”
Old and new fans of course welcomed the reformation of Rage Against The Machine seven later, having once again renewed to voice their opposition to the “right-wing purgatory” the Unite States political system had become in their absence.
Regardless, their sporadic touring since that time has given people the world over yet another taste that ensures that their back catalogue and especially their debut remains as strong as it ever was.
The newly remastered, deluxe edition of Rage Against The Machine’s eponymous 1992 debut is simply titled XX comes with a boatload of extras and archival material. As Morello stated to Billboard with regards to the plethora of extras, “I want to really give them a mother lode of Rage Against The Machine history, past and present.”
In what seems to perfectly sum up the band’s original intention, Morello summises the Rage Against The Machine’s enduring popularity and is a “lasting testament to the first shot fired by this album and how it continues to resonate with rebels around the world.”
Rage Against The Machine XX (20th Anniversary Edition) is out now through Sony.
Check out the meanings behind some of Rage Against The Machine’s biggest songs in our slideshow below.
