A clock on Rage Against The Machine’s official Web site has begun counting down to Aug. 24, presumably marking the date for a new release or an as-yet-unannounced concert, rumored to be held in East Troy, Wis. There is also speculation that the reunited band will issue either a live album taped during its late April set at the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., or, less likely, a new studio effort.

I am pretty sure all those who have been stopping by this small but humble blog were having a chuckle or two with all these little predictions I was making about RATM. Yet, each one has come true. I am not some type of Nostradamus when it comes to this, it is all about reading between the lines.

Here is a Rage Against The Machine Video, enjoy.
Freedom

Click here to view the embedded video.

After seven long years, [tag]Zack de la Rocha[/tag], [tag]Tom Morello[/tag], Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk finally took the stage on April 29th for the first of several shows. In the mist of last weeks chaos, people suddenly forgot Zack de la Rocha’s political message in which Fox News host John Gibson has decided to take advantage by doing their usual spin. Even they could not beat out the horrific events that occurred at MacArthur Park.

The RATM have said they regrouped because of the current political environment and that was no joke. De la Rocha make it clear how enraged the group is about what’s going in the world, particularly in Iraq. De la Rocha delivered a short sermon the middle of “Wake Up” about the complete social breakdown and how it needed to fixed. It was reported that de la Rocha never said a thing between songs and the only time was during “Wake Up.” I think, de la Rocha’s rant about the Bush administration really showed how many of us really feel about the Bush administration, but are not willing to say it the way he did that night. His rant went further than comparing the Bush administration to Nazi’s or how they should be “tried, hung and shot.” I think a lot of people missed, it was about how we have become zombies to allow the culture of corruption to get away with the things they did when we as a society would not have allowed to occur and it is time for this society to WAKE THE FUCK UP. This is exactly what he said that night:

“A good friend of ours said that if the same laws were applied to U.S. Presidents as were applied to the Nazi’s after World War II, then every single one of ‘em, every last rich white one of ‘em from Truman on would have been hung to death, and shot. And this current administration is no exception. They should be hung, and tried, and shot. As any war criminal should be. But the challenges that we face, they go way beyond administrations. Way beyond elections. Way Beyond every four years of pulling levers. Way beyond that, because this whole rotten system has become so vicious and cruel, that in order to sustain itself, it needs to destroy entire countries, and profit from their reconstruction, in order to survive, and that’s not a system that changes every four years, it’s a system that we have to break down generation after generation after generation after generation after generation. Wake up.”

Watch the video:

It was reported that Tom Morello told Launch that there are no plans for a new Rage album. I think I will make another prediction, I think a new album is in the works. Remember that gig de la Rocha and Morello did at Chicago’s House of Blues in mid-April, to celebrate the Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ victory over McDonald’s in the tomato fields. I was looking at the video that was posted up on YouTube, de la Rocha sang an original song penned in honor of the CIW’s McDonald’s victory. The song was still in de la Rocha’s notebook. May be it is wishful thinking, but I like to think a new album is in the works.

Click here to view the embedded video.

We are at a point where we need to come together. Unity is fragile and in a time like this, it is important it does not fall apart. I think the raids are finally getting to put communities are about to erupt. In Chicago, another ICE raid occurred, according to Richard at The Mex files. However, the people in that neighborhood had just about enough of this shit because soon after the raids, people took to the streets to protest. People untied will never be divided.

Residents of a predominately Hispanic Chicago neighborhood took to the streets in protest after heavily armed U.S. immigration agents raided businesses.

“Soldiers bombarded our neighborhood,” Baltazar Enriquez told the Chicago Sun-Times. “It looked like they were marching into Iraq.”

Heavily armed federal officers in bullet-proof vests, locked down a strip mall Tuesday in a Southwest Side neighborhood known as Little Village, Enriquez said. The raid triggered a protest of 250 to 300 people that lasted into the evening, the newspaper said.

The uprising will begin and they can not stop. So Saturday’s vid is Mas Maiz by Chingo Bling.
H-Town Representin’!

Mas Maiz – Chingo Bling

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Because on April 14, 2007, Morello and [tag]Zach de la Rocha[/tag] reunited for the first time on stage in downtown Chicago at a Coalition of Immokalee Workers rally in support of fairness in the fast food industry. This is what Morello told Launch Radio Networks:

“We worked the entire set up 20 minutes before we went onstage, but it went pretty well. It was very exciting for everybody in the room, myself included. I mean, the place was just packed to the rafters and even the stage was packed with this ring of 25 photographers two feet away from us while we were playing, so it was kind of a trippy, you know, way to do our first show. But it was a great cause and we were happy to be a part of the Immokalee farmworkers victory.”

It looks like the reunion has been planed since last year, and this bit of information is now coming out. In an interview at the end of MarchMorello said that the Rage rebirth occurred last fall “when it was clear there was not going to be any Audioslave touring in the immediate future.” And also talked about how they patched things up and how rehearsals are going.

Bassist Tim Commerford and Rage frontman Zack De La Rocha “had re-established a friendship,” and after some discussions, the band – which also includes drummer Brad Wilk – “all got together and decided (playing some shows) would be great.”

The group has already started rehearsing, Morello says, and “it sounds awesome in the room. We remember how to play those songs; it’s pretty much like riding a bike.”

But here is the cherry-on-top on how I that they would regroup. This is what Morello told Billboard:

“Right now there are four shows booked… that’s all that’s on the docket.” However, he adds that, “These times, I think, demand a voice like Rage Against the Machine to return. Rage was certainly the most outspoken radical voice in music in the ’90s, and the seven years that Rage was away the country went to hell. So I think it’s overdue that we’re back.”

Here is “Sleep Now in the Fire”

Click here to view the embedded video.

So I was browsing through the Google and I seems I am correct when I predicted that prediction, “Rage will be getting back together.” One week after I made my prediction, the the LA Times reported that Rage Against the Machine will be adding more dates.

It turns out Rage Against the Machine will play more than one show after all–the seminal L.A. band will join the Wu-Tang Clan for three shows under the banner of Rock the Bells, the acclaimed hip-hop festival that kicks off in New York on July 28 and hits Southern California on Aug. 11.

The reason for their comeback, [tag]Tom Morello[/tag] said: “that the reunion is driven in part by politics and a desire by him and his compatriots to rally young people against President Bush, the war in Iraq and the Republican Party.” All we had to do is spread the rumor, and they would regroup. Yes, I just love it when a plan comes together!

I have noticed a bunch of hits from the California area, could it be…. nah!!! To celebrate time for a good [tag]RATM[/tag] tune to Wake Up to this morning (or afternoon depending the time of day you are reading).

Click here to view the embedded video.

In a recent 93X Rock News report about Tom Morello interview with MTV News there were BIG hints that they will be reuniting. First off, the concert this spring is meant to knock down the Bush Administration. Not my words but his.

Morello told MTV News they hope to “deliver a knockout blow to the Bush administration. And hopefully, one night in the desert is all it will take. They’re teetering, so …”

But here is the cool thing he said.

“Is it coincidence that in the seven years that RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE has been away that the country has slid into right-wing purgatory? I think not. It occurred to all of us that the times were right to see if we can knock the Bush administration out in one fell swoop, and we hope to do that job well. This administration has done enough damage that it may take generations to undo. This is an administration that believes it’s beyond the laws of the land, which is fine for emperors, but not so great for presidents. One thing this president isn’t above is the laws of physics, and there is no action without reaction. And we’re part of that reaction.”

Now, that sounds like they really missed the doing what they did best. Why else would they get back now. One show, come on. If there was a right time, it was right after Katrina. Nope even then. But it is this statement that really convinces me they will be reuniting for good.

And while the performance is currently a one-off gig, Morello wouldn’t rule out the possibility of more RAGE activities in the future.

Given his statement about how the country went to pot right since RATM has been “AWAY” and that he is not ruling out the POSSIBILITY of MORE RAGE ACTIVITIES. That sounds like a comeback. Why would he say that RAGE was AWAY, making it seem, they just took a break when we all know they split…..hmmmm…..interesting word choice, Tom.

Here is my prediction, Rage will be getting back together. And when they do, the wingnuts better watch out. So for right now enjoy [tag]Tom Morello[/tag]’s beautiful song from his solo album The [tag]Nightwatchman[/tag], One Man Revolution that will be released on April 24.
The Nightwatchman’s No One Left

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If there is ever a time to make up, now is the time.

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… Zach de la Rocha if you happen to come across my humble blog by chance, please take note – we need your voice again to wake people up.

Hey a guy can dream, can’t they, right?

Anyway, found this cool video of the same song posted about. The song is used in a music video for Joy Batchelor and John Halas’ 1954 animated movie of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Since we are living in Orwellian times, hey why not. Without further adieu, Rage’s Killing In the Name of

Click here to view the embedded video.

I think Zach was ahead of his time. I think if he had a little more patience the political action from the mass he hoped for would have eventually come. Unfortunately, a lot of people were still hypnotized in the 90s and I can see why he felt frustrated. So, Zach de la Rocha if you happen to come across my humble blog by chance, please take note – we need your voice again to wake people up.

That being said, for right now, my Friday’s Rage Against the Machine vid pick is Renagades Of Funk. Enjoy

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Renagades Of Funk
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop us now
No matter how hard you try, you can’t stop us now

We’re the renegades of this atomic age
This atomic age of renegades
Renegades of this atomic age
This atomic age of renegades

Since the Prehistoric ages and the days of ancient Greece
Right down through the Middle Ages
Planet earth kept going through changes
And then no renaissance came, and times continued to change
Nothing stayed the same, but there were always renegades
Like Chief Sitting Bull, Tom Paine
Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcom X
They were renegades of their time and age
So many renegades

We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk

From a different solar system many many galaxies away
We are the force of another creation
A new musical revelation
And we’re on this musical mission to help the others listen
And groove from land to land singin’ electronic chants like
Zulu nation
Revelations
Destroy our nations
Destroy our nations
Destroy our nations
Destroy our nations
Destroy our nations
Destroy our nations

Now renegades are the people with their own philosophies
They change the course of history
Everyday people like you and me
We’re the renegades we’re the people
With our own philosophies
We change the course of history
Everyday people like you and me
C’mon
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk

Poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop
Because where we’re goin’ there ain’t no stoppin’
Poppin’, sockin’, puttin’ a side of hip-hop
Because where we’re goin’ there ain’t no stoppin’
Poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop
‘Cause we’re poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop
Poppin’, sockin’, rockin’ puttin’ a side of hip-hop

We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk
We’re the renegades of funk

We’re teachers of the funk
And not of empty popping
We’re blessed with the force and the sight of electronics
With the bass, and the treble the horns and our vocals
‘Cause everytime I pop into the beat we get fresh

There was a time when our music
Was something called the Bay Street beat
People would gather from all around
To get down to the big sound
You had to be a renegade in those days
To take a man to the dance floor

Say jam sucker
Say jam sucker
Say groove sucker
Say groove sucker
Say dance sucker
Say dance sucker
Now move sucker
Now move sucker
(x2)