Ongoing History Daily: Tom Morello, exotic dancer

Tom Morello is a guitar god.  His work in Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave and Street Sweeper Social Club has been highly influential on several generations of guitarists.  But back in the late 80s, it didn’t look like this were going to turn out so well for Tom. 

After graduating from Harvard he moved to California, hoping to establish some kind of music career.  By his own estimation, he was unemployable.  Starving and desperate, he had to take whatever menial jobs he could find. 

At one point, he worked as an exotic dancer. His specialty was dancing to the Commodores’ “Brick House” at bachelorette parties.  But he apparently didn’t give them the Full Monty.  Boxer shorts are where it ended.  But he made some decent money–enough to tide him over until he was able to get something better. 

Hey, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do, right?