You tend to hear Tom Morello before you see him. One of the best compliments you could pay the inimitable guitarist is that you can’t always say whether you’re listening to someone playing a guitar, or some computerised trickery creating otherworldly sounds. His towering, iconic riffs are perfectly weighted with whammy-bar wizardry, dazzling divebombs and unmistakable lead breaks – all of it inherently Morello.
Born in Harlem, New York City in 1964, Thomas Baptist Morello is best known for his time with game-changing, politically motivated rap-rockers Rage Against The Machine, but his storied career and contributions to rock at large are huge. Together with vocalist Zack de la Rocha, drummer Brad Wilk and bass player Tim Commerford, Morello manifested his political beliefs and rock’n’roll activism in the form of the now legendary RATM. Their formidable form during the 90s made them one of the decade’s defining bands. But they weren’t built for longevity, and split for the first time in 2000.
In 2009, their 1992 single Killing In The Name, so potent in its message of defiance, inexplicably became the UK’s Christmas No.1, after a guerilla social-media campaign protesting against The X Factor’s festive dominance with crap ballads. It sold a record-breaking half a million downloads, and made a ton of money for charity.
Minus de la Rocha, Morello’s second stab at the upper echelons of rock came soon after with Audioslave, featuring ex-Soundgarden singer Chris Cornell. Morello also featured as a boss alongside Slash in the videogame Guitar Hero III: Legends Of Rock. (Bravo if you managed to get past A.I Tom on expert mode.)
In recent years – without a long-term band – Morello has advanced his own brand, releasing several diverse solo albums and stamping his trademark sound on a growing number of high-profile collaborations. He was even a member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band for a time. In 2023 he featured on tracks by both Måneskin and Babymetal. Last summer he released a song with Def Leppard, and this year he’ll be directing the music at Black Sabbath’s Back To The Beginning show.
Despite reunions, the most recent in 2019, RATM rumours have continued to percolate, although Brad Wilk suggested earlier in 2024 that the band is over for good. Now 60, whatever Tom Morello does (or doesn’t do), his legacy as a trailblazing guitar phenomenon is assured.
…and one to avoid
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