Message

Tom_Morello

There is no release date yet for the new Rage album, nor has there ever been

an official release date.

Tom_Morello

Timmy, Brad, and I finished our instrumental parts on Oct.1 Zack is still

working on the lyrics and is about 1/3 of the way done.

Tom_Morello

We do not know how long it will take to complete. The tracks so far sound

awesome and as soon as it's done, the band will issue an official release date.

Tom_Morello

We are as eager as all of you are for the new Rage record to be out and we

want to make sure that it not only lives up to the standards of our previous

releases but that it is by far and away the best Rage record to date.

Moderator

Q: Are you planning on touring in Canada?

Tom_Morello

We have several shows booked for the summer regardless of the release

date. Including Woodstock.

Tom_Morello

(in July) and New York City sometime in June.

Tom_Morello

Those are the only shows booked to date. More dates and touring plans will

be finalized and announced upon the completion of the album.

Moderator

Dan Lockhart, Rehoboth MA. Hello Tom, are you aware of the condition

Leonard Peltier is in now and has been in since 96? If so I would like to

know what you are doing to put pressure on the BOP to get him treatment at

the Mayo Clinic. I am part of a mailing list for Peltier, and there was a hunger

strike on his behalf. We were wondering if you could do a concert on behalf

of Leonard to raise awareness as you did for Mumia? Thankyou

Tom_Morello

We've done a massive benefit concert for Leonard Peltier in '95 with the

Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill and X.

Tom_Morello

Because Leonard's health has worsened, it is now more important than ever

for those concerned with his plight and those concerned with human rights in

general to pressure President Clinton and their local Congressman not just to

allow Peltier to receive

Tom_Morello

adequate medical treatment, but also to pressure Clinton to grant him

Executive Clemency and release that innocent man from jail.

Moderator

Leo Ross: London, England: From Timmy C to Tim Bob, what's Tim's

pseudonym now?

Tom_Morello

Well Tim's not here with me in the room today.

Tom_Morello

He seems fond of the Simmerin'T moniker.

Moderator

Karen in Pittsburgh. Tom--are you guys really playing at the Mumia rally on

4/24? i'm gonna be there regardless, but seeing you guys again (i saw the

benefit in Jersey) would just be rad!

Tom_Morello

It is unlikely that we will play April 24 in Philadelphia as we are doing our

best to complete the album.

Tom_Morello

Some of us may be in attendance and we're encouraging everyone who can

get there to go and show their support for a new trial for Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Moderator

Ryan Clausing-- what kind of guitar teaching have you had previous to joining

RATM?

Tom_Morello

I'm a self-taught guitar player. I took a couple of lessons when I was 13 and

was very turned off by the rigidity of the musical doctrine.

Tom_Morello

Four years later when I purchased the Sex Pistols album Never Mind the

Bollocks, I picked up the guitar and was in a band that same week. I didn't

know how to play a single note or chord.

Tom_Morello

It was the do-it-yourself, amateur spirit of the punk bands like the Sex Pistols

and the Clash that made me decide that I could do it too.

Tom_Morello

Perhaps with an inexpensive guitar, limited amount of musical knowledge, I

could still make powerful music.

Moderator

Q. Steve from Baltimore...Tom-would you compare the new Rage material to

anything you have released before, or is it completely new and original?

Tom_Morello

It's difficult when you work so closely with the songs for such a long time to

have an objective perspective on how the new material fits into the Rage

catalog.

Tom_Morello

But from a visceral standpoint of standing in that studio playing those songs, it

feels like the most exciting music that we've ever made.

Tom_Morello

It's harder and heavier and funkier than anything we've ever done and we

can't wait to let all you Rage fans in on it.

Moderator

Jason from Phoenix AZ, I found some song that supposedly Rage and Tool

did together back in '95 is it real or a fake?

Tom_Morello

Yeah that song is real.

Tom_Morello

We rehearsed that song with Tool for the Judgment Night soundtrack and

due to internal band differences, tragically it never saw the light of day.

Tom_Morello

At least, until now.

Moderator

Question from Holly. Do you call yourself a feminist and if so, why did you

decide to tour with Wu-Tang when so much of their music degrades women?

Tom_Morello

We never had an ideological litmus test that we've used as a yardstick to

judge the bands that we tour with.

Tom_Morello

If we were only going to tour with bands that shared our exact philosophical

perspective, we would certainly be touring by ourselves.

Tom_Morello

I very much disagree with the misogyny found in a lot of rap and rock and

country for that matter. But the Wu Tang Clan are one of the most formidable

and groundbreaking hip-hop acts of all time,

Tom_Morello

and that is why we chose to tour with them.

Moderator

Steve in Boston. Tom- I have been following your playing since the first time I

heard you, you have changed my life and you are the man.

Tom_Morello

Thanks very much, Steve.

Tom_Morello

It's heartening to know that all that practice and all of my poor mother's

sleepness nights, kept awake by the racket I was making in the basement

paid off.

Tom_Morello

So, thanks.

Moderator

Mike: Riverside, CA...Tom, why do you wear a hat at all your RATM's

concerts?

Tom_Morello

Mike, I also wear pants, shoes, and socks at all ratm concerts.

Tom_Morello

Are you not curious about that as well?

Tom_Morello

I've always been a baseball cap wearer.

Moderator

Q. A lot of people have asked how you feel about the fighting in Kosovo.

Tom_Morello

What business does NATO have bombing a soverign nation?

Tom_Morello

I think that the United States policy in this case is unbelievably hypocritical.

Tom_Morello

Where were the stealth bombers when hundreds of thousands of Rwandans

were being massacred?

Tom_Morello

Where were the missiles when death squads in El Salvador and Guatemala

were committing atrocities against people in those nations?

Tom_Morello

This is clearly a matter for the United Nations to sort out and shouldn't be a

Gulf-like weapons display by US arms manufacturers.

Moderator

James Curtis from Michigan. What was it like being the musical director for

The Wall with the class of '99

Tom_Morello

That was a curious experience.

Tom_Morello

It's always great to play with Stephen Perkins and Martyne from Porno for

Pyros and I've always been a fan of Layne Stayley's singing.

Tom_Morello

The track, though, was difficult to put together because the lineup of the band

kept changing as the deadline approached.

Tom_Morello

It made me have a great deal more respect and admiration for the "musical

director" from my High School band.

Moderator

Jeff Mancini, Pottsville PA - I know at times there is tension between the

band members, have you guys ever been close to breaking up? Do you think

that it may occur in the future?

Tom_Morello

Geez. There have been well-documented tensions between different band

members for some time. I've always thought that it's the music and our fans

and the band's potential political impact that has been a North Star and has

steered the way through the personal petty differences.

Tom_Morello

I hope that in the future we can make a lot more great Rage Against The

Machine music, play many more shows and keep the personal drama to a

minimum.

Tom_Morello

Though it's hard to say.

Moderator

Charlie, Oakland CA- Tom, do you object to people bootlegging your work

and circulating it as MP3's

Tom_Morello

I have no objection to people listening to Rage Against the Machine music for

free.

Tom_Morello

I'm not that familiar with MP3, but some friends have run off some great

bootleg albums for me which I enjoy.

Tom_Morello

When a shadow company takes the reigns though, and is profiting at the

expense of the band and their fans, that's when I have a problem with it.

Moderator

Q. Hey, I've always followed you since I first heard of you. Then I always

helped you in your political issues and have all of your CDs, posters, t-shirts,

etc. Every time I wrote you I never got a response, now I was SO EXCITED

to meet you online, I was wating for AGES, and now it seems you are still

ignoring me. I don't know what it is. Still, I listen to your CDs every day,

please can you respond once-

Tom_Morello

Here it is at last, my friend, Rage Against The Machine is reaching out to you.

You didn't give us your name or the city you are residing in.

Moderator

Matt from Jersey... Tom how was the experience of getting arrested for

protesting a clothing manufacturer who is dispicable

Tom_Morello

Guess Jeans, the despicable clothing manufacturer, is still a company worthy

of boycotting.

Tom_Morello

They continue to operate sweatshops here in Southern California, grossly

underpay workers, and sabotage union activities.

Tom_Morello

We attempted to purchase billboards in major cities around the country a

couple of years ago asking people to boycott Guess.

Tom_Morello

Their attorneys got to the billboard owners and succeeded in blocking our

legal attempts to buy billboard space.

Tom_Morello

We then attempted to purchase radio commerical time on alternative rock

stations around the country exposing Guess' abuses.

Tom_Morello

Again, Guess was successful in intimidating radio stations (with the notable

exception of KROQ in Los Angeles) into not playing our anti-sweatshop

spots.

Tom_Morello

At that point, it seemed that our only recourse to get news of the boycott out

was to perform some sort of civil disobedience.

Tom_Morello

Myself and some 30 activists and organizers and student supporters were

arrested for blocking the entrance to a Robinson-May Company store in

Santa Monica to protest Guess Jeans.

Tom_Morello

We spent about half a day in jail and it was pretty painless and helped to

spread word about the boycott.

Tom_Morello

U.N.I.T.E., the garment workers union, in the aftermath of the boycott

achieved some major gains.

Tom_Morello

Workers who were fired for their union organizing activities were forced to be

rehired and many Guess workers received back pay for being gipped by the

company.

Tom_Morello

You all should please continue to boycott Guess products until they treat all

their workers with the respect and dignity they deserve.

Moderator

Q. Which bands have influenced you the most?

Tom_Morello

When the band first formed I used to describe our music as a cross between

Tom_Morello

Soundgarden and Public Enemy. There's obviously a healthy dose of punk

rock

Tom_Morello

in our sound as well. The Clash are my favorite band of all time. And let us

Tom_Morello

not forget the mighty Black Sabbath.

Moderator

Q. Which current bands do you admire the most?

Moderator

Andy Suh, Silver Spring, MD: In your opinion, who makes the best guitars?

Tom_Morello

I think that the brand of the guitar or the guitar manufacturer is immaterial to

the quality of music that can be made with an instrument.

Tom_Morello

One of my favorite guitars is a $60 piece of crap I picked up in a pawn shop

in Toronto.

Tom_Morello

Another one is a mongrel guitar put together with odd scraps through the

years.

Tom_Morello

Ibanez has been kind enough to make me some excellent specialty guitars, but

what makes great music comes from within the player.

Tom_Morello

An aspiring guitar player should not be tricked into thinking that the name on

the headstock is going to translate into the emotion and ability of the player

holding the guitar.

Moderator

Ryan Cazares (cattlehead)... Did you follow the Clinton impeachment

closely? What did you think of it

Tom_Morello

It was incredible how much attention was paid to the stains on an intern's

dress and how little attention was paid to the blood stains caused by Clinton's

mid-scandal bombings of Sudan and Afghanistan.

Tom_Morello

These war crimes went unobserved and uncommented upon by a media

feverish for every sweaty detail of Clinton's Oval Office romps.

Tom_Morello

It just further demonstrates how anesthetized the allegedly objective media is

when faced with a choice between covering sexual hi-jinks versus the

slaughter of Third World people.

Moderator

Chris Herrera:Montreal Canada: Was Jimi Hendrix an influence for you?

Tom_Morello

I had a Jimi Hendrix Greatest Hits record growing up and loved it.

Tom_Morello

But I've never really cited him as an influence in part because as a black rock

guitar player, at practically every gig in my entire life pre-RATM, some dope

in the audience would scream out "Red House" or play "Foxy Lady" or "play

with your teeth!"

Tom_Morello

Until Vernon Reed came on the scene and the popularity of Living Colour,

every black rock guitar player was pigeonholed as a Hendrix clone.

Moderator

Tom, what ever came of the incident on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE?

Moderator

Q. If asked, would you play Saturday Night Live ever again?

Tom_Morello

Only as a regular cast member with an exorbitant salary and expense account.

Tom_Morello

And if they ask real, real nice.

Moderator

Marco from Los Angeles: How would you describe your lifestyle? My

impression is that you probably don't drink heavily or mess with drugs (aside

from weed) or hook up with groupies after your concerts.

Tom_Morello

I've been lucky to have the same circle of friends since when I was in High

School back in Illinois.

Tom_Morello

Many of them live in Los Angeles now too and so they very much help to

keep any 'rock excess' to a minimum by reminding me that I'm just a

recovering D&D player from Lake County, Illinois.

Moderator

Tom, do you really think that Music and Politics should mix? don't you think it

should just be about playing the music and having fun?

Tom_Morello

It is naive to think that culture and politics are two separate things.

Tom_Morello

The Romans effectively used "bread and circuses" to lull their population into

accepting poverty and injustice.

Tom_Morello

Escapist music and escapist culture functions in much the same way in that it

diverts people's attention from more important issues.

Tom_Morello

All music is therefore political.

Tom_Morello

From bands who have a misogynist, escapist bent to those who have a more

radical agenda, all of them are contributing to a cultural fabric that has an

impact on the people who are exposed to it.

Moderator

Q. Will you be releasing any more live albums in the future?

Tom_Morello

Well, we haven't released any live albums yet. Any live recordings out there

Tom_Morello

are strictly bootlegs. We have recorded hundreds of shows over the last 6

Tom_Morello

years, and one day some of those live recordings will probably see the light

Tom_Morello

of day.

Moderator

Kody, Dallas Tx. Where there any events in your life that dramaitcally

influenced it into the life that you now lead as a protestor and such?

Tom_Morello

There were many incidents.

Tom_Morello

One formative one was when I was 13 years old, going to school in the

morning and saw a noose hanging from the beam in my family's garage.

Tom_Morello

It made me realize how even then in the late 70's in peaceful suburban Illinois,

there was still a violent and vicious racism present.

Tom_Morello

Another incident was when I went to an anti-KKK demonstration in Boston

in the mid-80s.

Tom_Morello

I noticed the behavior of the cops on that particular day. When the crowd

began chanting anti-Klan slogans, the clown-like Klan members were

whisked away to safety and the cops turned on the crowd.

Tom_Morello

Dozens were beaten, the PA equipment was destroyed, and basically they

ran amuck getting their yaya's out, beating and punishing the reds, long hairs,

and minorities who turned out to protest the KKK.

Tom_Morello

I got to witness first-hand some of the things I had been reading about.

Moderator

Jon in Amherst: Tom: How do you feel about being recognized as the most

innovative guitar player of the nineties?

Tom_Morello

Part of the reason people mistake me for being an influential guitar player is

that there really aren't too many guitar players left in the post-Nirvana era that

are willing to even play no-holds-barred guitar solos.

Tom_Morello

Let alone experiment with different sounds and textures in a 90's that has

been dominated by a stripped down pop rock formula.

Moderator

Marco From Los Angeles: do you personally read fan email and letters?

Tom_Morello

I do read all of the fan mail and letters that are specifically addressed to me.

Tom_Morello

We receive such a huge volume that it's not possible for each of us to read

every letter, though we are tremendously appreciative of the mail that we get

from our fans.

Tom_Morello

Hopefully everyone who writes gets a response.

Moderator

Leo Ross: London, UK - Even though you're really creative on guitar, would

you ever use digital equipment to further enhance the Rage sound - or is that a

forbidden area?

Tom_Morello

In my own guitar setup, I'm not particuarlly interested in 'going digital'.

Tom_Morello

Not out of any Luddite stubborness, but merely from a "I can barely change a

battery" point of view.

Tom_Morello

I've been content with the same amp and effects set up for the last 10 or 12

years, and continue to find exciting new sounds and textures and riffs within

that limited setup.

Tom_Morello

I don't really feel the need to add anything to it at this point.

Moderator

Tom, not a cue, but use a remote for a TV on the pickup selector, cool sound

Tom_Morello

Uh, okay.

Moderator

Tom, I'm here in London, and its 3 AM, please, ive stayed up for you man,

just answer me this.....the situation in Iraq is really critical, yet, with

impeachment and Yugoslavia...everyone just forgets...could you please do

some thing in recognition of the situation? Innocent people live under an evil

Saddam shelter...

Tom_Morello

The situation in Iraq is critical, the US-lead embargo continues and those who

suffer are the innocent children and the elderly of that nation.

Tom_Morello

Foods, medicines, and other health supplies are denied to the civilian

population of Iraq due to the United States barbaric "starve 'em out" policy.

Tom_Morello

Cuban children as well go without basic medical innoculations and many die

there as well because of the United State's insane and hypocritical foreign

policy towards these countries.

Moderator

Steve in Boston...---Tom what kind of marshall head do you have, I am

trying to duplicate your exact setup and I can't seem to find out what kind of

head you have on your stack

Tom_Morello

It's a Marshall 2205 channel switching 50 watt head.

Tom_Morello

Though I gotta tell you, Steve, that it's really not the amp head that is what

gets those sounds.

Tom_Morello

I'm not sure that they still make the 2205.

Tom_Morello

Best of luck to you.

Moderator

Tom, sorry to mention this again; I wrote a multi-genre research paper on

RATM and have been meaning to get it to you guys because it would be an

honour. Is there anywhere I can send that so you all can take a look at it?

Tom_Morello

Adress it to me. RageEmail@aol.com

Tom_Morello

I'd love to take a look at it.

Moderator

Ric from London: How do you manage to play a whole concert. Where do

you get the energy from to do what you do on stage - You and the rest of the

band?

Tom_Morello

I'm Snapple-fueled.

Tom_Morello

It's not the amp head, it's the Snapple.

Moderator

What's Mumia Abu-Jamal's current status? Is he going to get a new trial or

what?

Tom_Morello

The concert was a tremendous success. We raised enough money to fund the

Tom_Morello

entire Federal Appeals process. The governor of Pennsylvania has not yet

Tom_Morello

signed a death warrant, but when he does, the Federal Appeal will kick in

Tom_Morello

and Mumia has a much better chance when his case comes before judges

who do

Tom_Morello

not have to answer to the Fraternal Order of Police.

Tom_Morello

A great deal of awareness was also raised and we are very thankful to the

Tom_Morello

Beastie Boys, Bad Religion and Black Star, as well as Chuck D who helped

make

Tom_Morello

the concert a success.

Moderator

(Ryan from Omaha) What is your typical show set up for all of your pedals?

Tom_Morello

I've used the same amp and pedal set up for every Rage song on stage and in

Tom_Morello

the studio. The effects pedals are a Cry Baby Wah Wah, and the original

Tom_Morello

Digiteck Whammy pedal, an EQ pedal, a Flanger, and a delay.

Moderator

Moderator: This question is from my dying brother, please..he's Toms biggest

fan. I have my laptop with me by his hospital bed... His question is: Tom, why

do you seem so hesitant on giving out information about your effects?

Tom_Morello

See my previous answer.

Tom_Morello

That's pretty straightforward.

Moderator

David Harris WA: I just finished reading Mumia Abu-Jamal's book "Live

from Death Row" I want to know what you think about the book.

Tom_Morello

It's an excellent book. It's a shocking, scary and accurate portrait of what life

is like on death row.

Tom_Morello

We've been involved in the Mumia case since 1995, and as he approaches

his twentieth year behind bars, it's all the more necessary to organize for a

new and just trial.

Moderator

Leo Ross: London, UK: I heard that you and Brad did a Kiss covers project,

what was all that about?

Tom_Morello

That was years ago for a KISS tribute album.

Tom_Morello

We performed the song "Doctor Love" with Maynard from Tool and one of

the guys from Faith No More.

Tom_Morello

We originally wanted to call our little tribute band "The KISS Owes Me An

Apology For 'The Elder' Band"

Tom_Morello

'The Elder' being one of KISS's less remarkable outings.

Moderator

I'd like to know if the fans on the Rage mailing list are going to receive

anything before the new album please

Tom_Morello

We always like to shell out the free crap before a new release.

Tom_Morello

I'm not sure what exciting goodies we'll be shoveling your way, but I'm sure

it'll be something.

Moderator

Mike in Portland, OR. Tom- what guitarists had the most influence on your

style of playing?

Tom_Morello

I was drawn to the instrument by the guitar heroics of guys like Jimmy Page

Tom_Morello

and Randy Rhoades. But more eccentric players like Andy Gill from Gang of

Tom_Morello

Four or Alan Holdsworth have also been an influence. These days my guitar

Tom_Morello

playing is much more greatly influenced by DJ's, techno wizards, and odd

Tom_Morello

noises around the house.

Moderator

Matt Schreiber, CT. What do you think about working for a corporate giant

record label?

Tom_Morello

This is a question which is curiously only asked by rock journalists and music

fans who have little acquaintance with real-world activism.

Tom_Morello

The Leonard Peltier defense committee, U.N.I.T.E., the garment workers

union, the Anti-Nazi League, the Zapatistas, Rock for Choice and of course

death row inmate Munia Abu-Jamal have been entirely supportive of our

efforts to aid their causes through the medium of our music which receives

exposure to a global audience due to us being on Epic Records.

Tom_Morello

I don't agree with Ted Nugent about much, but I do agree with him when he

says that you'd better be a vegetarian if you're going to criticize his hunting.

Tom_Morello

If you have no experience in the field as an activist, you have no idea what it's

like to try to get an article about your cause in the newspaper or to try to raise

$100 for your important grassroots issue.

Tom_Morello

Due exclusively to our affiliation with a major label we're able to provide

important, and according to these organizations, invaluable assistance which

they would otherwise not have access to.

Moderator

Al Dallas Tx. How do you feel about "selling yourself out" by putting music

videos on MTV and such, a breeding ground for all the money makers out

there today?

Tom_Morello

Again, this is a question that is only asked by upper-middle-class white kids.

Tom_Morello

When we got the thumbs-up from Leonard Peltier from his jail cell at

Leavenworth Penitentiary on our video for the song Freedom, we decided to

go ahead with it despite some nagging and whining from elitist indie rock

circles.

Tom_Morello

When we got the thumbs up from sub-commandante Marcos from the jungles

of Chiapas because he approved of our MTV video for the song People of

the Sun, we decided to go ahead with it and braced ourselves for whatever

whining was to come.

Tom_Morello

We sleep well at night knowing that we have forced into 50,000,000+

households the case of Leonard Peltier and the struggle of the Zapatistas.

Moderator

RRic from London UK: Tom, I was just interested as to wether the band

prefer playing larger arenas or smaller venues. Is either more difficult?

Tom_Morello

I enjoy them both.

Tom_Morello

Recently we played a show at the Troubadour here in Los Angeles in front of

about 500 people and that intimacy was exciting.

Tom_Morello

But I also love nothing more than when the floodlights come on at the Arena

or the European Festival and 60,000 or 160,000 people are all bouncing in

time to Killing in the Name.

Moderator

Tom- boxers or briefs?

Tom_Morello

At last, I can finally expound on an important topic!

Tom_Morello

Hold your breath, fans.....

Tom_Morello

BOXERS!

Moderator

Reid from Ontario: is it frustrating to know that a large percentage of Rage

fans do not pay attention to your lyrics and political ideas?

Tom_Morello

No, that's not frustrating at all.

Tom_Morello

There are so many who do.

Tom_Morello

It has always been our intention to cast the nets wide and try to reach as

many people as possible with a radical message.

Tom_Morello

Some people are drawn to the music first and are then turned on to the issues

and causes contained in Zack's lyrics.

Tom_Morello

Others are maybe initially drawn to the band's politics and then have their

asses rocked in the process.

Moderator

Mike in Portland, OR. Tom- does it sound to you like the moderator is

making a pass at you?

Tom_Morello

The Moderator claims he's married and is just trying to do his best.

Moderator

The tablature book says that you use an eraser tipped pencil in the solo to

revolver, is this true?

Tom_Morello

It's actually a ball point pen, though I suppose an eraser-tipped pencil would

work as well.

Moderator

Brent, Glasglow Scottland. I'm wonder what you're motives were for

choosing brendan obrian as the producer again. i know Garth and he wishes

the band the best.

Tom_Morello

We loved working with Garth.

Tom_Morello

But Brendan has a free and easy way about recording that we like and since

it's sometimes difficult to get all four of us in the same room at the same time,

Brendan can maximize the production that we get out of that time.

Moderator

Jim from Nova Scotia: Tom, how do you feel knowing that a lot of people

have a picture of you naked with your mouth taped over? And how do you

feel knowing that someone, somewhere might be masturbating to this picture?

I think I would be a bit embarassed.

Tom_Morello

You people in Nova Scotia obviously have a lot of time on your hands!

Tom_Morello

Let's just leave it at that.

Moderator

Steve in Boston... This is definetly a highlite in my life, it is so cool to be

talking to you and finaly to have you know that there is a little punk in boston

that is morbidly obsessed with you guys

Moderator

Tom- I met you at Roseland in NYC back in '96 and i dropped your bottle of

Kahlua, I never got a chance to apologize, just had to get that off my chest

Tom_Morello

You son of a bitch.

Moderator

Tom from Long Island: At the Mumia benefit and at other shows where Zack

mentions the case of Mumia, how do you feel when half of the fans boo, or

when Pam Africa made a speech and she got booed? Does it piss you off at

all to see how some fans tell you to "shut the fuck up" and start cheering 2 min

later when you guys start to play?

Tom_Morello

With regards to Mumia's case, I believe that anyone who spends any time

with the facts will join Amnesty International in demanding a new trial for this

important political dissident.

Tom_Morello

Often, people who are ignorant about that case and have been force fed the

Fraternal Order of Police's biased and untruthful version of events simply

don't know any better.

Tom_Morello

You can only hope that our bringing it to their attention might encourage them

to find out more.

Tom_Morello

It will be an incredible tragedy and setback for human rights if Mumia

Abu-Jamal is executed.

Tom_Morello

In light of recent events in the New York area, i.e. white cops raping a

suspect with a plunger, white cops riddling an unarmed innocent African

immigrant in Brooklyn with bullets, and the dismissal of the highest-ranking

New Jersey police officer for racist remarks,

Tom_Morello

Also in light of the many Pennsylvanian prisoners recently released from jail

due to racial bias at their trails,

Tom_Morello

it's a shock that the specifics of Mumia Abu-Jamal's case can't be seen in this

light by anyone with half a brain.

Moderator

Phoebs from Boston. Do you think that the media is controlled by the

government

Tom_Morello

No. The media is owned by big corporations.

Tom_Morello

They do not necessarily have an objective viewpoint.

Tom_Morello

For example, rarely will you find a major city daily who will run an article or

an expose on the misdeeds of one of its major advertisers.

Tom_Morello

That of course is just the tip of the iceberg.

Tom_Morello

When corporate interests are so interwoven with US domestic and foreign

policy, it's not surprising to find that the media often trumpets the "party line"

with regard to world events.

Moderator

Chaz from NY: Do you plan on doing more collaborations with hip hop

crews or hooking up with fresh revolutionary independent groups like

Ozomatli and Ricanstruction?

Tom_Morello

My primary focus and principle interest is Rage Against the Machine. I'd

prefer to do nothing but write Rage songs and make Rage albums and go on

Rage tours.

Tom_Morello

Within the band, each of us has a different creative metabolism which leads to

a lot of down time.;

Tom_Morello

When we have that down time, I start looking for other projects to occupy

myself.

Moderator

Jesse, Limestone, ME - Tom, do you plan on working with Liam Howlett

from Prodigy in the future? You guys did an excellent job on the Spawn

Soundtrack together.

Tom_Morello

It was great working with Liam and I would gladly do it again any time.

Tom_Morello

I love Prodigy and I think Liam is a genius as a producer, arranger, and

songwriter.

Moderator

How come you don't do backup vocals, like you have done in other bands

you were in???

Tom_Morello

From our earliest rehearals, the other guys in Rage have kept the microphone

well away from me.

Tom_Morello

They felt my tuneless baritone honking apparently didn't add much to our

sound.

Moderator

Dan:Tucson,Az-Why is the moderator passing these meaningless questions?

Tom_Morello

Because you people are asking them.

Moderator

John from BC: what are your views towards the incredible problems of

homophobia?

Tom_Morello

I grew up in a small Illinois town where homophobia was rampant.

Tom_Morello

At the time, I shared some of those ignorant views.

Tom_Morello

I think it's critical to accept and show respect for all people, regardless of

their color, sexual orientation, etcetera.

Tom_Morello

Idiotic homophobes and gay bashers are no better than overt racists.

Moderator

Leo Ross: London, UK: I met you at Finsbury Park in '97 - I nagged you for

an autograph relentlessly! Thanks for signing my ticket! =)

Tom_Morello

You're welcome.

Moderator

Scott from Boston. Have you always been able to play guitar like now or

were you interested in blues back then.

Tom_Morello

No, I believe that I have no natural ability whatsoever to play the guitar.

Tom_Morello

Honestly.

Tom_Morello

I had to practice, practice, practice and fight for every inch of ability that I

have.

Tom_Morello

I worked on my guitar playing relentlessly, and my college roomates would

say obsessively.

Tom_Morello

I understand that a lot of people are insulting the moderator. He's doing the

best that he can sorting through your questions, many of which are even more

"fart-oriented" than the occasional glib ones that are posted.

Moderator

Have you seen the ABC documentary on Mumia, and why do you think they

provided such an unfair slant on the story?

Tom_Morello

ABC put that show together with the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police

in an attempt to address what they viewed as a media bias towards Mumia.

Tom_Morello

It was an attempt to counter the growing international outcry for a new trial.

Tom_Morello

If only they had allowed Mumia's attorney, Leonard Weinglass to speak

unedited or had spoken to representatives from Amnesty International -- or

Rage Against the Machine for that matter -- they would have gotten a much

more accurate picture of the case.

Moderator

Leo Ross: London, UK: What do you think about kids getting expelled from

school for wearing band shirts with explicit words on them?

Tom_Morello

I'd recommend that the principal and the school board from those

communities take a basic Civics class and learn about the First Amendment

and the rights of US citizens regardless of their age to be able to express

themselves freely.

Tom_Morello

Those stupid T-shirt bans might present an oppurtunity for young rebels in the

making to organize against them.

Moderator

Jimmyjazz asks. Are you realy there?

Tom_Morello

Are any of us really here.

Tom_Morello

Damn, Zen boy, yes I'm really here. There's no small, little Sony wizard

behind the curtain.

Moderator

Have drugs influenced your career in any way?

Tom_Morello

Absolutely not.

Tom_Morello

Once I had a few too many Kahlua's before a show, my playing was crappy.

Later upon reflection I figured out why, and have shied away from any sort of

drinking anywhere around rehearsals or shows.

Moderator

Ragegarden asks: Tom, is the new album titled yet?

Tom_Morello

No, it is not.

Moderator

Huck from St. Louis. Did you come up with any new guitar techniques for the

new album, or use the same ones you have used before?

Tom_Morello

One advantage of taking so much time between albums is that it gives me

plenty of time to mess around on the guitar and come up with new sonic

flavors.

Tom_Morello

I still keep what I call my "Noise Chart" where I document any new sounds

that I come up with and then as we're writing songs or I'm trying to come up

with solos, I consult my Noise Chart and see if there's an appropriate hoot or

howl that might fit in.

Tom_Morello

On this record, I'm pretty sure that I've done my best hooting and howling to

date.

Moderator

Dan Lockhart, Rehoboth MA: Do you have a favorite political leader in

history? Is there any US Presidents that you admire a lot? Thank You for

your knowledge and light, it's been an honor to talk to you.

Tom_Morello

The engine of history isn't political leaders, it's the people who do the

grassroots work and the struggling on a day-to-day basis.

Tom_Morello

Movements produce leaders who come to the fore, it's not the other way

around.

Tom_Morello

Having said that, as a teenager, I was inspired by Huey P. Newton of the

Black Panther Party.

Tom_Morello

But he was just one of many.

Moderator

Matthew from Australia: Tom, I love RATM and TOOL, I wish I saw a

concert when the two of you were touring, are there any more plans to tour

with TOOL in the future? How often do you get to get together with them,

seeing how Adams is a good friend from high school right? How come your

collaboration song never got released?

Tom_Morello

There are no immediate plans to tour with Tool, though they are one of my

favorite bans too.

Tom_Morello

I see Maynard occasionally and sadly that collaboration never saw the light of

day because of internal band problems.

Moderator

Ben from London: Tom, what is your viewpoint on the fine line you tread

between entertainment and propaganda? Hasn't that formula failed too often?

Tom_Morello

Failed? I'm not sure exactly what you mean.

Tom_Morello

That combination of politics and entertainment in groups like the Clash and

Public Enemy was very successful in firing up teenagers like myself to explore

activism, rebellion, and rock and roll.

Tom_Morello

On a concrete front, a significant amount of money and more significant

amount of awareness continue to be brought to organizations like the

Anti-NAZI League in your own country to help in the real day-to-day

struggles against neo-nazis. Helped in part by some rock and roll bands who

are not afraid to mix a little politics in with their entertainment.

Moderator

Ric from London, Uk: Tom, have you ever been suprised by anything Zack

or any of the rest of the band has done or said at a concert? Have you ever

done anything out of the ordinary in a gig that surprised the others?

Tom_Morello

Years ago, we were playing a show at the Hollywood Palladium and my

guitar rig shorted out. I was left standing there with a dead guitar in my hands.

Tom_Morello

This was during a phase of our career when Brad was playing with his drum

set facing away from the audience.

Tom_Morello

So I threw down my guitar and jumped up on the drum riser to help Brad

finish the tumultuous end of Bullet in the Head by whacking on a cymbal.

Tom_Morello

When I jumped up on the riser, Brad wheeled around and thought that I was

attacking him and tried to fight me in the middle of the song!

Tom_Morello

I was shocked and declined to fight him, but by that time both the guitar

player and the drummer had stopped playing and the song came to a horrible,

pathetic whimpering conclusion as Zack and Tim turned in bewilderment and

dismay to look at us squaring off while the crowd stood, mouths agape.

Moderator

Do you think such teenagers can change anything without a global revolution ?

Tom_Morello

Teenagers change their world every day.

Tom_Morello

It's teenagers who are the Zapatistas in the jungles of Chiapas.

Tom_Morello

It's teenagers who helped bring an end to the Vietnam War, both on the

streets of Chicago and in the jungles of the Me Kong Delta.

Tom_Morello

Whenever someone of any age stands up for their rights, that act of courage

in a small way changes the world.

Moderator

Matt Schreiber, CT: What's your opinion on curfews for minors which are

present in towns across America?

Tom_Morello

Curfews are another stupid infringement on the rights of young Americans.

Tom_Morello

Like adults aren't up to no good after 9PM?

Tom_Morello

Curfews are nothing but a bullying tactic to keep young people from enjoying

their lives. Maybe it's trying to ready them for the mundane existence of the

workforce so that when they turn 18 or 21, they're already prepared for their

cubicle and getting up at 8AM every day.

Tom_Morello

Two more questions, then Tom's going home.

Moderator

Keith Moore/Birmingham,Al- Tom, who was the elderly woman on the Rage

home video that called you the best fucking band in the whole universe?

Tom_Morello

That's my mom. Mary Morello.

Tom_Morello

She is more of a rebel than I could ever hope to be.

Moderator

B.J. from Toronto,Canada- How do you guys react to people saying you

sold out?

Tom_Morello

What specifically do you mean?

Tom_Morello

I've always felt that a band sells out if their actions contradict previous

statements or positions.

Tom_Morello

If by "selling out" you mean "what are we doing on a major label," we've been

on a major label since 1992 and that's never been an issue.

Tom_Morello

If you have something specific that you want to talk about, B.J., I'd be happy

to answer your question.

Tom_Morello

Thank you all very much for participating in this online chat.

Tom_Morello

I look forward to doing this again very soon. It seems like it's a great, though

imperfect, way to get direct feedback from Rage fans and communicate

directly with you.

Tom_Morello

We'll let you know when to come back.