*Ahem* Not everyone thinks that Blink are punk. Some of us are intelligent.

Ringo said, quote " RATM arent entertainers, they're politicians"
-Guess what, they are entertainers. They are there to entertain us. They will use any kind of gimmicks they need to be famous. Want an example? The girl band TATU. Are they really lesbians? No. Their producer said it should be a good to pretend being homosexual. And looks like it worked a bunch, because they are (russain?) singers, and they're famous in the USA. Thats pretty damn famous.
Music is made for your ears. For entertainment. Rarely do the lyrics mean anything. They write the words only so that they rhyme and sound good.
"What ryhmes with Death? Oh, 'Meth'"
Thats how bands write songs if you didn't know.

PS. if RATM were polititions... When they split up, why did Zack De La Rocha started making solo raps and the bass/guitar/drummer Form a christian band known as Audioslave?
Hmm, All of a sudden they went from politically active and rioting to Christian rock.
--They are entertainers. Lyrics don't mean anything. They make music only for the money / popularity. I honestly don't think they were very political.

P.S. I love RATM. they are a great band. I listen to them all the time.
another PS. audioslave /is/ a christian band. look at the lyrics if you don't believe me.

1 Reply

Lice, you are a moron that knows jackshit about RATM, Audioslave or why the hell they are polticial.

Firstly, the whole "gimmick" arguements works if the band were manufactured. Which they weren't. Moreover, considering RATM regularly participated in political acts, not to mention Tom Morello and Zack De La Rochas both having politics in their bloodline due to the actions of their parents, your arguement falls flat on its face.

Secondly, I'd like you to go take a look at some of the Bad Religion lyrics, and look at how people have explained them. Moreover, take a look at some of the interview excerts of the band explaining the lyrics themselves. Lyrics rarely mean anything? Either you don't listen to a lot of music, or you have no idea what you are talking about.

As for the last paragraph - Audioslave aren't a christian rock band. Chris Cornell who writes their songs maybe a Christian, but that doesn't make them a christian band. Also, Tom Morello is touring as "The Nightwatchman" where he performs his own political folk songs and formed a political alliance with Serj Tankian known as the "Axis Of Justice".

ZDLR on the other hand recently contributed to a soundtrack inspired by Fahrenheit 9/11, and last year released a song for free on the net bashing the war in Iraq.

So are RATM polticians? Nope. They never said they were either. They are musicians who write about politics. And if the "political band" thing is boring now, then go listen to some pathetic emo band whining about getting dumped. Because we all know the topic of love hasn't been exhausted yet. Right?

I agree with TNOX, especially the bit about lice being a moron.

Rage weren't politicians, but they weren't merely entertainers either. They were politically-actiive musicians.

LICE. FINALLY SOMEONE TALKS SENSE. read my post at the bottom of killing in the name for more lice-wing argument. this guy is exactly right. rage are part of the very machine they claim to be against. in fact, im gona copy my post here now. lice has inspired me.

""rage against the machine" are a good band with good music and zach de la rocha is a talented rhymer. but they are a part of the very "machine" they "rage against". they were on a major record label, and sold merchandise, and charged shitloads for concerts. cedric bixler of 'at the drive-in' once said in an interview that his own band, although they sing left-wing political lyrics, can never consider themselves a left-wing band, because, and i quote, "we sell t-shirts". amen to that. rage against the hypocrites.

oh, and yeah, aside from these grievances i have, this song is fuken rad, as is their whole catalogue.

oh and another thing. has anyone noticed that audioslave sing religious songs? werent ratm anti-the Christian Right? so are tom, brad and the other guy christian or what? do they hate the machine, or was that just zach? because tom was pretty political as well - he wore clothes with the red star stiched on, and had a cap that said "commie".

oh, and yeah, theyre a good band as well though.

too bad ratm gave up and have to try something else on there own

Apathetic Tragedy, im pretty sure by Guan, Zack means.. Lim Guan Eng, an opposing malaysian politician who was sentenced to 3 years in prison for speaking out against a rape of a school girl by a government minister. So before you call somone a moron, get your facts straight.

*someone

I like what Lice says for the most part, except lyrics hardly ever mean anything? Are you crazy? Imagine - John Lennon (make that about any solo Lennon song), Bob Dylan, Neil Young! U2 and RATM have some meanings to their songs even if they are predominantly for entertainment. Also whoever said RATM are politicians, really? where have they been running for office of anything? Maybe activist would be a better word, but it is certainly also a part of their "gimmic"

I like what Lice says for the most part, except lyrics hardly ever mean anything? Are you crazy? Imagine - John Lennon (make that about any solo Lennon song), Bob Dylan, Neil Young! U2 and RATM have some meanings to their songs even if they are predominantly for entertainment. Also whoever said RATM are politicians, really? where have they been running for office of anything? Maybe activist would be a better word, but it is certainly also a part of their "gimmic"

95% of people that have comented on this song have, instead of write about Guerilla Radio, have bitched at each other shitting on each others thoughts and oppinions. Who gives a fuck about blink? if you want to talk about blink, piss of to there section for fuck sake.

Oh goodness me.
Now I'm not a huge fan of rage, but I was wondering what people say about political bands when they're on mtv etc. And it confirmed my suspicions that you end up with half of them being meatheads "yeah man that riff is so dope, makes me wanna beat up some fags" and the other half interpreting it as anti-society in general and not anti-imperialist anti-authority political commentary "yeah fuck the world man, rage tell it like it is people=shit lol". Both listen to ratm and miss the message they are desperate to get out through mass media, which i guess they would expect when it comes with corporate shit that waters everything down to an image. So to most people they are an image, a t shirt.

I listen to punk music. In fact, rage against the machine were going to release their first album on ebullition ( www.ebullition.com/ ), a brilliant independent political hardcore label. Of course pop-punk bands you see on mtv aren't political, that's why they're on mtv. Try listening to the majority of the world's music, independent music where people want to keep their artistic integrity and dignity instead of contributing to the four corporations controlling the music world. Try punk bands like fugazi, propagandhi, born against, minor threat, mission of burma, the minutemen (omg jackass theme dude), etc. See the intelligent discussions about them on songmeanings. Of course not all punk bands are political and not all are anti-authority (though ridding a small percentage of the world of their power over the rest is a fundamentally good idea is it not? read chomsky), but who cares, it's just a word. I call things punk by both musical and cultural themes, you might differ, it doesn't matter. The point is that rage share common ground with so much independent music in the last half century, and I assume they tried to get a message out to people being brainwashed by mtv (black-clad 'i hate everything' people included, that's a huge market) I guess it doesn't work too well, but thank god theres bands like that to open up a few young people to a more just and humane way of living. And this song is about that too, about ideas opposed to capitalist structures that control the media subverting it to reach the mainstream. Thanks for listening.

Do you think the video suits the lyrics well?...If so, why and how?

OK i will be the only person to actually state the meaning of the song since everyone else is bickering, First of all i can actually tolerate others opinions i think rage is a great band and i like the metal rap, also i think morrello is one of the best guitar players alive right now, but i will let you state your own opinion. THis song is about THe goverment oppressing us and not telling us stuff but guerillas (people who fight agianst there own goverment) are telling us the truth telling us what really happened and we should be listening to the people that are really telling us what happens

Why the HELL are you guys on here bashing RATM? Why do you care sooo much about what type of music other people like? Do you hate knowing that we recieve pleasure from listening to this?

I think I know why the demised...Morello wanted to stay in the foreground and De La Rocha wanted to back under. RATM is one of the first real bands that really caught my attention to music and I think Battle of Los Angeles is one of the best albums ever made. If you are a purist from the start, I can see why you maybe flipped when this album came out, but this is still a RATM album and that connotation alone makes it worth listening to. I really Morello's distorted guitar hooks and that how he got fans in the first place. Nowadays, he plays for a lesser incantation who shall not be named which proves that money may now be his ultimate motivation. I came on board as a fan in their sunset of existance and I consider it one of the best musical journeys I ever seen on videotape. They produced some of the best music videos of all time proving to me that the truest of political battles is not between left and right, it's between haves and have-nots. Considering that they couldn't overcome this battle, they brought their own demise. Why wouldn't surprise me if any fans of Rage since then have become nihilists and laugh at the propaganda that artists like Eminem put out. I see the light and it says to me that the system will always win. In a country like this, it's hard to get anybody politically motivated and it was a miracle that Howard Dean got as many young people as he did to back him. I don't foresee the young people of this nation upheaving the Western democratic system. This isn't Eastern Europe 1989, even then before RATM our young people were pretty stuck in their ways. In the future, don't expect the youth vote to complete the house because it won't happen. The 35+ age range outnumbers those under 34 by a couple of landslides. Besides, if we tried to block the beltway and move on DC, the Secret Service would call in reinforcements faster than SR-71 going at mach 5. I lament the demise of RATM, but I still listen to them and think about the good old days. They are gone now and I must become a cog in the machine. That's our destiny.

I am not bashing them...I'm just accepting reality.

1 Reply

Fuck RATM. Their music was uninspiring and hardly intelligible nor intelligent. Behind them (Oscar) was just an vile, hateful and bitter person with no respect for anything. It's easy to bash this country for things we have done wrong. But to blow them out of proportion and twist the truth is ignorant.

Where were their songs about how the British, French, Spanish, Mexicans, Canadians, etc. contributed to the current state of Native Americans throughout the continent? There weren't there because they didn't suit De La Rocha's need of hatred.

this song is about censorship, I am positive, and this band was known before they're break-up in 2000, for their sophisticated political standings

FUCK YOU Z1z. Saying that Zach had no respect for anything is fucking bullshit he has no respect for bullshit authority like your fucking goverment. What Kind of idea is that to write songs blaming Fucking Mexico for kicking out the fucking natives of america???

Man what's this big debate about.First of all give Nothingface a fuckin break.He has the right to express his own opinions.You can't call him names or fuckin abuse him.So what if he doesn't like rage or this song.There are thousands of people who don't like rage.You can't go on pickin a fight with everyone.You shouldnt call him names...yeah you can say that you disagree with him for this and this reason cuz that would be your conviction.But yeah Nothingface should also calm down.He need not reply or justify himself defending his opinion cuz when people disagree with you its their fuckin opinion.Second thing I am a huge Rage fan but I have to agree on sum points with nothingface.Their Self Titled album was the best and BOLA the worst but it was gud that is to say i found their worst album good.Yes Tom's guitars sometimes get repetetive but nevertheless he is one of the most distinctive skilled and innovative guitarists of the 90s.As far as Rage and this song is concerned I feel that they were one of the best bands of the 1990s cuz they are sound and talented both lyrically and musically.They don't only sing bout 'Fuck Authority' but also on serious issues like war,racism,greed,revolution,Police brutality,Manifest Destiny,media influence etc.With regard to this song i feel it's great especially the lines "It has to start somewhere......".Judging by these lines i can say this song's about Revolution....Yo many punk bands also speak on political issues but nowadays you hardly get ny shade of it.Bands like Sum41,Blink 182,Yellowcard,Simple Plan,Green Day(with the exception of American Idiot),Good Charlotte only speak bout their girlfriends,how much they miss em etc.There are no Sex Pistols,Ramones, or the Clash now.But Rage speak with more seriousness and anger than punks.Punks like you know not-caring-bout-the-government or how the government is gonna fall to pieces etc.Rage is more involved you know.But yeah Bands Like American Head Charge,SOAD etc also do speak on em powerfully.

More for Gore or the son of a drug lord
None of the above fuck it cut the cord

where does he get such stuff man!fuckin' awesome!

- what does this song mean - here is my opinion, I think alot of the lyrics stem from Marxism:

Transmission third world war third round


- Maybe this is going to be the 3rd world war by the revolution that follows

A decade of the weapon of sound above ground

- Im not quite sure about this line

No shelter if your looking for shade
I lick shots at the brutal charade

- i think this is kind of saying to politicians, and big coporations you cant use "spin" and the media to hide your agendas - Zacks going to expose you with his lyrics


As the polls close like a casket
On truth devoured

- This is basically saying something has been covered up and and the people who have voted have locked away the truth

Silent play in the shadow of power

- Probably talking about hidden agendas and sly malicious movements in the corridors of power (that we the public dont always see because it is confidential) - an example some would perhaps give is the war in iraq, is it really to “free” the iraqi people or for America to seize oil fields

A spectacle monopolised

- Maybe talking about something like the white house and how there is only one kind of person (i.e who has the same Ideologies) who can get in there

The cameras eyes on choice disguised

- How the mass media only shows us one perspective and false choice

Was it cast for the mass who burn and toil?

- Was this media made for people like the working class and also people in poverty and suffering (
Proletarian)

Or for the vultures who thirst for blood and oil?

- or for the people at the top of corporations and people in power like politicians who seek oil (i.e wealth)

Yes a spectacle monopolised

- (see above)

They hold the reins, stole your eyes

- I think this is talking about people in power having a large stranglehold on the media and how they control the masses to see in a certain way of beliefs


All the fistagons the bullets and bombs
Who stuff the banks
Who staff the party ranks

- maybe talking about how a lot of people high up in power in America have ties with the arms trade

More for Gore or the son of a drug lord

- More votes maybe? More money? (im not sure)For Presumably Al Gore or whoever is the son of a drug lord (i dont know who that is suppose to be)

None of the above fuck it cut the cord

- Zack says neither of the two people (Gore or the Son of the drug lord) cut them off (i.e the radio/tv etc)

Lights out guerilla Radio
Turn that shit up

- Turn up the Radio (i.e turn up this song and listern to the lyrics)

Contact I highjacked the frequencies
Blockin the beltway
Move on DC

- Sounds like it is referring to a Ku or military uprising

Way past the days of bombin MCs

- Does this mean way past the days of one of there songs??

Sound off Mumia guan be free

- shout Mumia guan (the wrongly imprisoned man) be free

Who gottem yo check the federal file

- Im not sure about this line maybe it is refering to the files of the case

All you pen devils know the trial was vile

- I presume pen devils means either people who work for the newspapers or lawyers( and they know deep down the trial was a mis judice)

Army of pigs try to silence my style

- A bunch of cops try to stop zacks music?

Off em all out that box its my radio dial

- Im not sure about this line


Lights out guerilla Radio
Turn that shit up

It has to start somewhere
It has to start sometime
What better place than here

- a revolution or uprising should start now its the perfect time?

What better time than now All hell cant stop us now
All hell cant stop us now All hell cant stop us now
All hell cant stop us now
All hell cant stop us now
All hell cant stop us now

- No one will be able to stop rage or the revolution?

thank you...finally someone that decides to talk about the lyrics and thier meanings rather than talk all this bull shit here about someones post and thier opinions.

Am I the only one how likes this song?