Hoping to see finally see Rage Against the Machine live in 2024? I have some very bad news
Rage Against Machine’s live comeback had the potential to be one of the most explosive of the century. But then frontman Zach De La Rocha got injured and the whole reunion was thrown into limbo with zero news on what the band planned to do.
I’ll tell you what the plans are: Rage has broken up for the third time. Drummer Brad Wilk posted this on Instagram yesterday (January 3)”
Wilk wrote “I know a lot of people are waiting for us to announce new tour dates for all the canceled RATM shows,” he wrote. “I don’t want to string people or myself along any further. So while there has been some communication that this may be happening in the future… I want to let you know that RATM (Tim, Zack, Tom and I) will not be touring or playing live again. I’m sorry for those of you who have been waiting for this to happen. I really wish it was…”
Like I said, this is the third time the band has pulled the plug. The first time was in 2000 when De La Rocha quit. He went on to attempt a solo career (it never happened) while the other three stuck together and formed Audioslave with Chris Cornell, an arrangement that lasted for three platinum albums.
In 2007, Audioslave disintegrated and Rage reformed to play a bunch of shows, including a headline slot at Coachella. In 2011, they called it quits again.
But then in 2020, they decided to try again, only to have that reunion thwarted by the (a) the pandemic and (b) Zach’s tore Achillies tendon, which caused the tour to be canceled after its first leg. Fans have been waiting for make-up dates ever since. Those dates will not happen.
We should have seen the signs, too. Remember when Tom Morello was the only person to show up for Rage’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in November 2022? Here’s what he said: “[We] have differing opinions on a lot of things, including being inducted.”
Dammit.
Meh! I’m about to quit this job too, over a difference in opinions. Namely, how much I’m worth.