The guitarist is unsure if the band will ever make up for the dates canceled due to Zack de la Rocha’s injury
March 28, 2023 | 10:20 p.m. ET
When Rage Against the Machine canceled their remaining tour dates of 2022 and 2023 due to singer Zack de la Rocha’s torn Achilles tendon, fans probably assumed the shows would be rescheduled once he had healed. However, in a new interview, guitarist Tom Morello hints that the future of RATM is uncertain and there’s a chance the shows will never be rescheduled.
After some delays due to the pandemic, Rage Against the Machine finally kicked off their reunion tour last summer, with de la Rocha suffering a serious injury during the second show of the outing.
While the singer went on to perform the remainder of his North American summer run while sitting on stage, RATM announced that their scheduled UK/Europe 2022 and North America 2023 shows have been canceled to give him time to heal.
Rolling Stone just caught up with Morello for a new interview in which the guitarist tried to set the record straight over complaints about alleged vaccination requirements and ticket prices for RATM’s tour dates. But the conversation took a turn when Morello left the band’s future in doubt, despite many attempts from interviewer Andy Greene to get a definitive answer.
When simply asked if the band will be touring again once de la Rocha is cured, Morello replied, “We’ll see. If there are more shows, we will announce that as a band. I don’t know. I know as much as you, honestly. Right now we are in the time of healing.”
He continued, “If there’s never another show, I think this tour has proved the case. It’s not about how much you tour. It’s about how it is in those moments when you do it. Rage Against the Machine has played 19 shows over the past 12 years. And the resonance of those 19 shows, speaking to fans, feels like these are historical events that promote the idea of what this band is like live on stage.”
When asked if the band was on hiatus, Morello explained, “Rage Against the Machine is like the ring in Lord of the Rings. It drives men insane. This drives journalists crazy. It drives record industry folks crazy. you want it You want that thing and you go crazy. When there are rage shows, when there are no rage shows, you will hear from the band.”
Greene didn’t back down and asked again about the 38 shows that were cancelled, to which Morello cryptically replied, “Do Rage Against the Machine fans around the world deserve to see the band? Yes. Of course they do. Would time benefit from having a cultural, spiritual, rocking and potent band like Rage on stage? Naturally. I have no news for you there. I apologize. There is nothing internal in our discussions that says either yes or no.”
The back-and-forth continued between Greene and Morello until the reporter finally asked the musician if RATM were a band or were a band. Morello reiterated, “I would refer to the official Rage Against the Machine statement on this point, which doesn’t have one!”
If Rage Against the Machine is indeed on hiatus, it’s not the first time an injury has halted the band’s activities. In 2000, RATM were scheduled to embark on a co-headlining tour with Beastie Boys. However, that outing was postponed and eventually canceled after Beastie Boy Mike D seriously injured his shoulder while riding his bike. Not too long after that, Rage disbanded and didn’t play another show until 2007.
Photo Gallery – Rage Against the Machine at the United Center in Chicago (click to enlarge and scroll):