Rage Against the Machine to Reform

Jon Ashley · 22nd January 2007, 12:26am

HOLY POO.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment...ck=1&cset=true

Quote:

Rage Against the Machine will reunite for Coachella
Red Hot Chili Peppers and Björk also top the bill for the three-day music festival.
By Geoff Boucher, Times Staff Writer
January 22, 2007

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Rage Against the Machine, the seminal L.A. band that made heavy music into political manifesto, will reunite after a seven-year lull for one show as the headliners at the 2007 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Sources say Rage, which played the main stage at the first Coachella in 1999, will be joined by other familiar faces for the eighth edition of the festival, which covers three days this year and begins April 27: Red Hot Chili Peppers, which headlined in 2003, are back, as is Björk, who topped the bill in 2002.

Organizers were mum this weekend and it was not clear which day Rage or the other acts were slotted to play; that announcement is expected in the next few days. Other acts expected in the eclectic lineup: Arcade Fire, Interpol, Willie Nelson, the Roots, Manu Chao, the Decemberists, Arctic Monkeys, Sonic Youth, Crowded House, Air, Tiësto and Kings of Leon.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, via Ticketmaster. Three-day passes will cost about $250 and there will be a limited number of single-day passes available.

The headliners are not novel, but they are potent. The Peppers are up for their first best album Grammy right now, and Björk remains a mesmerizing figure to fans of avant pop. But in Southern California rock circles, there is very little that could compete with the excitement of a Rage Against the Machine reunion. The quartet's hybrid of funk, rap, metal and leftist ideology was as subtle as a Molotov cocktail; in the 1990s, its aggro-anthems made it the only band that mattered to a fan base that included East L.A. protest kids as well as those in Hollywood punk circles, college dorms and mainstream rock festival mosh pits, where politics were secondary to the group's feral energy.

The band is vocalist Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk. Their split came amid rumors of bad blood between De la Rocha and his mates, who went on to work with Chris Cornell in Audioslave. However, Morello and De la Rocha appeared together at a 2005 rally for the urban farmers of a South Los Angeles community garden.

geoff.boucher@latimes.com

*LesMTS* · 22nd January 2007, 12:29am

Glad the socialist, anti-capitalist, ultra-leftwing superheroes recognise a money making opportunity when they see one.

Tool_ogt · 22nd January 2007, 12:42am

Aye this is on blabbermouth.net as well, could that possibly mean a UK festival date as well...possibly rage, tool and pumpkins for leeds!

*blaine* · 22nd January 2007, 12:43am

if rage play leeds my plan for a proper holiday are out the window

Petey · 22nd January 2007, 1:53am

Leeds?! Bah! Download all the way!

Tool_ogt · 22nd January 2007, 1:55am

Can't see it being download to be honest. RATM are far more a leeds and reading band.

*blaine* · 22nd January 2007, 2:00am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petey

Leeds?! Bah! Download all the way!

id rather they didnt to be honest, went in 2005 and found the whole thing needlesly hostile half the time

triggerhappy · 22nd January 2007, 2:26am

Could a proper mod shift this to Band and Music chat please?

**djtoast** · 22nd January 2007, 2:54am

Could do, but there's no reason for... well any topic to get discussed within a hosted forum...?

Petey · 22nd January 2007, 3:43am

Quote:

Originally Posted by *blaine*

id rather they didnt to be honest, went in 2005 and found the whole thing needlesly hostile half the time

I've been there the past two years and always found people to be really friendly. I can't wait for June again! I must think about Download every day at least once... not sure if that's healthy or not!

Tool_ogt · 22nd January 2007, 6:54am

This has now been confirmed by the festival runners with RATM closing the festival Bjork on the sat and the Red Hot Chili Pepers on the friday.

Confirmed at www.pitchforkmedia.com who are pretty much spot on with their news.

Zippy · 22nd January 2007, 8:03am

Damn, so much for my not going to a festival this year. If RATM play one in the UK I'll be trying my hardest to be there.

Warped · 22nd January 2007, 9:05am

Bring back soundgarden while yer at it.

Dec · 22nd January 2007, 9:12am

Quote:

Originally Posted by LesMTS

Glad the socialist, anti-capitalist, ultra-leftwing superheroes recognise a money making opportunity when they see one.

Bingo.

According to Saul Williams, De La Rocha was the only person in the band opposed to releasing the cash in that was "Renegades", which is apparently one of the reasons for his departure. So it's pretty disappointing that he seems to have folded to get where the green's at.

Syxx · 22nd January 2007, 9:18am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Warped

Bring back soundgarden while yer at it.

Yes, yes a million times yes.

Sure, this is for the one-night payoff, but i see no reason not to enjoy it. Especially if they play the UK somewhere.