I first heard about RATM through some friends at Secondary school and ever
since then I've been hooked. The first instance I heard of the band was
through a copied tape of their debut album made by a friend, it had a sort
of pop sensibility to it while remaining intense and ferocious. I hadn't
heard any rap/rock crossover acts before so it was something very different,
unique and partly alien to me. It was a change from listening to purist
white rock and I was glad to have stumbled upon it.
Not long after, I bought it on CD followed by a Rage shirt with the 'Fuct'
sign emblazoned on the front as a Ford logo and 'Bullet In The Head' written
on the back. My parents were slightly worried...
Anyway, ages later along comes the single for 'Bulls On Parade' and I'm like
'Wow! I can't wait for the new album', yet when 'Evil Empire' came out it
didn't seem as in-yer-face as their eponymous debut, in fact it's more
funkier and a little chilled out, but underlying that it was still Rage,
unclustered by any signs of corporate diminishment...Though Rage beanies
were in demand! I love both albums equally the same, 'Evil Empire' slightly
more though for not being so anal.
I'm not politically inclined in anyway, I just like the music though their
subject matters do make me sit up and pay attention but other than that I
just like the unique guitar style that is Tom Morello, the shoutiness of
Zack and the cool foundations that Tim and Brad lay down.
I've seen the band three times at Reading '96, Brixton Academy '96 and the
Kaos In The Park Festival '97 (where I met Tom and Brad and got my ticket
signed and pictures taken with them. - Tom's nice, friendly and talkative;
always happy to sign shit and take pictures, while Brad's quiet and seems
hermetic. Those of you who haven't heard him speak, let me tell you; he
talks like Clint Eastwood whispering) and I can't wait for the new album,
new shows and new merchandise...
The band have taken ages to return with some new stuff so my dedication to
the band had weened a little, but the momentum's building up again and I
know I'll be as excited picking up album #3 as I was listening to their
debut...
I'm also the bastard that a lot of people hated in a recent-ish RATM.com
chat with Tom Morello for getting almost all of my questions answered. And
yes, I am British...