Classic work mentioned by the guitarist was the necessary spark for the development of his career in music
A band like Rage Against the Machine It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the kind of situation that takes many years of preparation for everyone involved — and a little fate or luck for them to meet at some point.
In case of Tom Morello, In addition to his studies in Political Science (he graduated from Harvard University) which strengthened the group’s ideology, it was necessary to be subjected to different references in the world of rock. And one album in particular was decisive for him to pursue music, enabling the creation of RATM.
According to his own statement to the Louderthe album in question is one of the most emblematic in the history of rock: Never Mind the Bollocks… Here’s the Sex Pistols. Released in 1977, it is the only studio work in his career. Sex Pistols, seminal band in punk rock. The simple sound and unfussy look showed him that it was possible to enter this universe without being “spectacular”.
“I was swept away by the majesty of rock. As a child, I had posters of Kiss It’s from Led Zeppelin on my bedroom wall. I couldn’t believe there was something as exciting and moving as rock ‘n’ roll. In 1976, when I was 12 years old, I saw the Kiss in Chicago, and that show was the most emotional two hours of my life. But the majesty of it was beyond my comprehension. I was a kid in a basement in Illinois and these people were fabulous and spectacular. I wasn’t spectacular. But then I read about the Sex Pistols in the magazine Believe. And I started playing guitar in a band 48 hours after hearing Never Mind The Bollocks.”
The period was so impactful on the lives of Morello that to this day he remembers, in detail, how it all happened.
“I was in Honda Accord from my mother, at a friend’s house, and I bought the cassette tape. As soon as I put it on, I didn’t get out of the car until I finished. It was my punk rock revelation moment. The moment when the heavens open and you think: ‘oh, a lot of those songs I liked until now aren’t that important anymore’. And it also made them accessible. I couldn’t play like Jimmy Page and I had no hope of living in a castle on a Scottish lake, but I could make that sound Sex Pistols later today. And I did. I went to my drama club and announced that a band was being formed, and I was the guitarist. Guitarist because I had a guitar in my closet for four years that I had never played. My rock ‘n’ roll journey started right there.”
Tom Morello, from Electric Sheep to Rage
The band formed by Tom Morello at the time it was called Electric Sheep. This, according to him, happened in 1981. Another future well-known musician joined the project: Adam Jones, Known for his work with the Tool.
“There were three bands at our school. One was a pretty boy pop band, the second was a bad boy metal band, and then there was us. The others played covers, but we did our own thing. To be honest, we weren’t good enough to do covers! We sounded like a mix of Owe, The Clash It is Sex Pistols. But it didn’t last long.”
In 1986, Tom moved to Los Angeles with the intention of “following his rock and roll dreams”. According to him, it was “horrible”. Even though he graduated, he was a hell of a mess. Without finding a job, he ended up working as a gogo boy.
“I thought Los Angeles would be a mecca for brilliant musicians, an island with lots of musicians like Steve Vai [guitarrista virtuoso]but it was an island of several Faster Pussycat [banda glam da década de 1980]. Nobody wanted me in their band. ‘How long is your hair?’. But I discovered that there was another scene in Los Angeles: the Jane’s Addiction, Fishbone, Red Hot Chili Peppers. The rules were completely different there. It was a world of eccentrics into which I was welcomed with open arms. And that was a path that eventually led to Rage Against the Machine.”
Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
