My names Jordan Jago, I'm 16 years old. As funny as it sounds, the first time I heard Rage, my Mom was playing their first album in the car right after she bought it. I was only about 9 or 10 years old, too young to find their meaning thoroughly. But I knew they must have something behind them because my Mom loves controversial political bands like Rage. Directly after the first song Bombtrack, I knew this band was.... what else can I say... fucking amazing. I thought it was a dream when I heard the album, seeing my mom moshing in the car to it, hearing badass guitar riffs and amazing screaming ability for the first time. It made me feel invincible. Many narrow minded parents try to be "good rolemodels" for their kids and try to brainwash them at a young age so they'd stay away from bands like Rage. I feel my Mother introduced Rage to me for a reason, so I'd grow to be open minded and not a fascist dumbfuck like many are raised to be.

Ever since that time I thought of myself as an individual, and that nothing without a meaning would influence me. I listened to that cd everyday, just couldn't get enough of it,even at a young age, I knew I wanted to be in a band like Rage. The next album, EVIL EMPIRE, then came out, I was around 13 years old, and yet, still listening to them for the guitar in Tom and Zacks screaming talent. I was skeptical about the 2nd album, because the first was unbelievable, and its hard to make a great album after a fuckin awesome one. But Rage showed they had what it took to be one of the greatest bands ever, in my opinion, Tool n Rage are the best.

Evil Empire showed even more creativity and explosiveness, than before, and stuck on my brain just as well.

After hearing that album, I looked at my future differently, first, I made a goal to go to a Rage show, and then, get a guitar and try to get a band to sound like them. I just recently saw Rage at the Denver auditorium on

Nov. 24/99 in Denver, and holy shit that was amazing!!! Not many bands can perform like that, Probably none. At this point in time, repetitive style rap was becoming more popular. The same time when MTV's music playing began to turn into a form of BET. It showed that the majority of this nation are imbeciles, and are unable to find themselves through the music they listen to. I get so pissed when I hear morons cutting down bands like Rage just because they are ignorant,and when asked what their music is about, they can't even answer.

I have been listening to the new Rage, Battle of Los Angeles, I'm wordless. It has inspired me most to produce sounds and lyrics like them. Also inspired me to absorb the lyrics, the bands history, and their thoughts. Also to look at the Mumia situation more in depth, it made me think that you don't need to be of color to understand how fucked this nation is, and how hypocritical it is, not to mention bigoted. Without Rage, I wouldn't look at situations like Mumia's as well for damn sure. I wouldn't educate myself to ensure that I keep an open mind or fight for the right things, for the right people.Before I leave I want to ask one thing:Do you want to live in a land of disgrace, where the pig is a higher race?

FUCK THA PO's, FUCK THA FOE's