Ouch. After GOP vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan cited Rage Against the Machine as on eof his favoriate bands, Rage's guitarist Tom Morello responded in an op-ed http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/tom-morello-paul-ryan-is-the-embodiment-of-the-machine-our-music-rages-against-20120816">on the Rolling Stone webiste.. Morello started with the money quote: "Paul Ryan's love of Rage Against the Machine is amusing, because he is the embodiment of the machine that our music has been raging against for two decades."
Here's more:
Charles Manson loved the Beatles but didn't understand them. Governor Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen but doesn't understand him. And Paul Ryan is clueless about his favorite band, Rage Against the Machine.
Ryan claims that he likes Rage's sound, but not the lyrics. Well, I don't care for Paul Ryan's sound or his lyrics. He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage.
I wonder what Ryan's favorite Rage song is? Is it the one where we condemn the genocide of Native Americans? The one lambasting American imperialism? Our cover of "Fuck the Police"? Or is it the one where we call on the people to seize the means of production? So many excellent choices to jam out to at Young Republican meetings!
Seriously, Ryan. This reminds me of when http://www.overthinkingit.com/2009/07/03/born-in-the-usa-our-most-misappropriated-patriotic-song/">the Reagan campaign tried to misappropriate Springsteen's "Born in the USA," helped along with a naive George Will. Message to politicians: listen to the lyrics, fools.
Read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_in_the_U.S.A._(song">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_in_the_U.S.A._(song)
Comments
donnaladd 11 years, 8 months ago
More from Morello:
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...">http://www.rollingstone.com/music/new...
BlackSheep1 11 years, 7 months ago
so refreshing to hear a heartfelt response from a musician whose music has been appropriated by this Republican Sycophant for Mitt Romney. There should be a "Rage Against the Romney/Ryan" ticket. Carry on Mr Morello. Carry on.