Rage Against the Machine released their third album,
The Battle of Los Angeles, in 1999. Once again debuting at #1,
The Battle of Los Angeles - arguably the band’s most influential album - soon reached double-platinum status, with standout tracks
"Guerilla Radio",
"Testify", and
"Calm Like a Bomb" fueling the album’s runaway success. Famously, the music video for single
"Sleep Now in the Fire" was filmed live and without a permit on Wall Street right outside the
New York Stock Exchange, a stunt that almost got the band arrested.
Though the new millennium saw the band at the pinnacle of their success, brewing tensions between Zach de la Rocha and the rest of the band soon led to the band’s demise. Rage released one more album in 2000 -
Renegades, a collection of covers by artists like
MC5 and
Bob Dylan - before breaking up, with Zach de la Rocha quietly pursuing a solo career in Los Angeles while the band’s remaining members went on to form hard rock supergroup
Audioslave.
Though for a time it looked like Rage Against the Machine might never pick up their guitars again, rumors circulated that the group was reforming after Audioslave’s nasty 2007 breakup. The rumors were put to rest in late April 2007 when Rage Against the Machine headlined the last day of the
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, playing their first show in seven years. Since then, Rage Against the Machine has continued to tour (albeit sparingly) across the United States, Australia, and Europe, usually playing at major festivals and events. By the looks of things, Rage Against the Machine is alive and kicking!
From Discogs:The legendary alternative metal quartet Rage Against the Machine was formed in 1991 in Los Angeles, California. They are noted for their blend of hip hop, heavy metal, punk and funk as well as their revolutionary politics and lyrics. So far, Rage Against the Machine released four albums between 1992 and 2000.They split up in October 2000 after Zack de la Rocha decided to leave the band for a solo career, then the rest of the members of the band joined Audioslave (with former Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell).After seven years of absence, Rage Against the Machine reunited in 2007 for a number of shows, but there has been some confusion over whether the reunion is full. At this moment, the band has no plans to make a new album.
From Lastfm:Rage Against the Machine is an American alternative rock band, formed in 1991 in Los Angeles, California. The band's line-up comprises vocalist Zack De La Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk. Critics have noted Rage Against the Machine for its "fiercely polemical music, which brewed sloganeering leftist rants against corporate America, cultural imperialism, and government oppression into a Molotov cocktail of punk, hip-hop, hard rock, and funk." Rage Against the Machine drew inspiration from early heavy metal instrumentation, as well as rap acts such as Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy and Urban Dance Squad.
In 1992, the band released its self-titled debut album, which became a commercial success, leading to a slot in the 1993 Lollapalooza. The band did not release a follow-up record until 1996, with Evil Empire. The band's third album The Battle of Los Angeles was released in 1999. During their initial nine year run, they became one of the most popular and influential political bands in contemporary music.
Shortly after breaking up in 2000, the band released the cover album Renegades. De la Rocha started a low-key solo career; the rest of the band formed the rock supergroup Audioslave with Chris Cornell, then-former frontman of Soundgarden, which disbanded in 2007, and in April of that year, Rage Against the Machine performed together for the first time in seven years at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The band has continued to perform at many live venues and festivals around the world since 2007 but have not recorded any new studio material, as of yet.
From Wikipedia:Rage Against the Machine is a Grammy award winning American rap metal band, formed in 1991 in Los Angeles, California. The band's line-up comprises vocalist Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk. Critics have noted Rage Against the Machine for its "fiercely polemical music, which brewed sloganeering leftist rants against corporate America, cultural imperialism, and government oppression into a Molotov cocktail of punk, hip-hop, and thrash." Rage Against the Machine drew inspiration from early heavy metal instrumentation, as well as rap acts such as Afrika Bambaataa, Public Enemy and Urban Dance Squad. They have sold over 14 million records worldwide.
In 1992, the band released its self-titled debut album, which became a commercial success, leading to a slot in the 1993 Lollapalooza. The band did not release a follow-up record until 1996, with Evil Empire. The band's third album The Battle of Los Angeles was released in 1999. During their initial nine year run, they became one of the most popular and influential political bands in contemporary music.
Shortly after breaking up in 2000, the band released the cover album Renegades. De la Rocha started a low-key solo career in One Day as a Lion; the rest of the band formed the rock supergroup Audioslave with Chris Cornell, then-former frontman of Soundgarden, which disbanded in 2007, and in April of that year, Rage Against the Machine performed together for the first time in seven years at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. The band has continued to perform at many live venues and festivals around the world since 2007 but have not recorded any new studio material, as of yet.