Rage Against The Machine began its long-awaited “Public Service Announcement” tour this past weekend in Wisconsin. The trek marks the first time the band has toured since 2011, and shows run through mid-August. The band opened its first show in 11 years with “Bombtrack,” and the set also included “Bulls On Parade,” “Guerrilla Radio,” “Wake Up,” “Testify” and “Sleep Now In The Fire,” among others, and the band closed with “Killing In The Name.”
During Monday night’s show in Chicago, Rage frontman Zack De La Rocha apparently injured his leg forcing him to perform most of the set while seated on a monitor. It appears the injury occurred during the song, “Bullet In The Head,” and video has surfaced of the incident. De La Rocha told the crowd: “I don’t know what happened to my leg right now, but you know what? We’re gonna keep this f*ckin’ sh*t goin’. If I have to crawl across this stage. We’re gonna play for y’all tonight. We came too f*ckin’ far.” The singer tried to stand at numerous points during the show, but was unable to put weight on the injured leg. De La Rocha was also carried off the stage at the end of the set.
Rage Against The Machine has long resisted a reunion tour, with De La Rocha apparently being the lone band member to hold out. Guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Will teamed up with Public Enemy’s Chuck D. and Cypress Hill’s B-Real in Prophets of Rage. Rage Against The Machine recorded three albums and a set of covers before disbanding in 2000. The band re-formed in 2007 but only for sporadic gigs. The band has been nominated four times for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but have yet to be inducted.
In September of 2020, Morello was asked by Interview Magazine if he saw any newer artists that could be a current version of Rage Against The Machine. “I would have to admit that I do not exactly have my ear to the pavement, as I once did, but I do know that there are always artists of every genre, whether it’s hip-hop or folk music or rock and roll, who are making music to confront the status quo,” he said. “And they may not always be at the top of the charts, but my take is that the one responsibility that you have in order to be truly authentically human is to bring your convictions into your vocation. And that applies whether you’re in a rock and roll band or whether you’re a journalist, whether you’re a high school teacher or whether you’re in the carpenters’ union. Don’t leave behind who you are in what you do. That’s a kind of censorship and negation of free speech and of your own authenticity. You’re short-changing yourself in the world if you leave behind who you are with what you do for a living.”
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