I Like Rage Against the Machine, but I Wish They Stayed out of Politics

Rage Against the Machine is reuniting for some shows next year and I for one cannot wait to rock out live to my favorite rap-rock-punk-funk-metal grooves! But elephant in the room- I really hope they don’t get all political on stage.

I like the band’s music, but last time I saw them the singer was on stage lecturing the audience about the Iraq war. Can you believe that?! What authority does some singer have to talk about such a complex subject? I wish he’d shut his fucking mouth and count the band in so he can go back to singing that song about collecting seashells. Now THAT is something we can all sing along to.

Seriously, why would a band like RATM want to risk ruining a great time by polarizing concert attendees. These aren’t liberal hippy-dippy festivals where everyone believes the same exact stuff! RATM needs to consider the diverse range of political beliefs held by their fans. The same fans whose taxes pay the band’s salaries, mind you. Just something to consider.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not some square that thinks that musicians should just completely lose their right to have an opinion. It’s just- don’t force it on me, you know? Take Ted Nugent for example. Pretty outspoken but his concerts are some of the best that I’ve ever seen! He doesn’t go out of his way to say anything political. The confederate flags made out of swastikas waving behind him do the job just fine.

Hopefully with this latest hiatus they’ve been on, Rage Against the Machine has grown up. I don’t think they fully understand their audience if they think we want to be preached to about political issues. Just stand up there, play your fun message-free music, and keep politics out of it. We all will be better off if you just stay apolitical and Kick Out the Jams.