I’m probably going to get a lot of grief for this, but I’m going to bat for Rage.

They are a rock band. They are a very good rock band. I listened to the debut album for the first time in years (decades?) and was surprised how good it was.

To address the “message”, they’ve always been right and considering the current state of the world their message of worker solidarity and anti imperialism is as relevant as it was in 1992.

Morello’s playing was pretty innovative in his soloing and noise parts.

I’ve always listened to Evil Empire. Down Rodeo is phenomenal. Their cover of Springsteen’s The Ghost of Tom Joad gives me shivers. I’m voting a solid Not Crap based on their recorded output.

I couldn’t care less about boneheaded fans or their possible responsibility for Limp Bizcuit.

This comes of the back of listening to the 1,001 Record Complaints podcast review. They randomly review albums off the 1,001 Albums to Listen to Before You Die.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/1 ... 0550296509

That debut album was awesome. Haven't listened to them in years, though

NC

They earn a NC from me solely based on

FREEDOMmmmmmmmmmmmmm

YEAHhh

RIGHT

Gramsci wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2024 10:35 am This comes of the back of listening to the 1,001 Record Complaints podcast review. They randomly review albums off the 1,001 Albums to Listen to Before You Die.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/1 ... 0550296509

This podcast always amazes me. Never have so many utter squares gathered to dissect music.

Barring FM Conan's guest spots, obvs.

NC for RATM. One of the great power trios in my book, even if they're one-note with it.

Jesus, no. Sorry.

At the time, this band really irritated me, gave me the fuckin' hives. I'd have been much less charitable about it. Nowadays, I'm content to just say it's totally not my thing.

The politics seem strident, cartoony, and sloganeering. (Granted, from the Clash to Crass, that's how you get the kids interested, I suppose.) The singer is just fucking annoying, merging the worst aspects of meathead hardcore and whining post-Beasties rap, but sans flow or cleverness.

But let's put all that—and the nü metal this band helped spawn—aside for a minute. I can't stand the funkier moments of Helmet and don't much care for the Rollins Band tracks that tried to groove. Both, however, are superior to RATM. Let's not even speak of the Chili Peppers, ok? Even my beloved Blind Idiot God gets questionable when entering this territory.

Along w/my extreme dislike of Revelation Records/youth crew/Krsna hardcore, I suppose the aforementioned predetermined me not to enjoy this music at all. I did go to college w/an interesting girl who thought Zack was "hot," however. Does that count as a waffle?

A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2024 12:18 pm

Gramsci wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2024 10:35 am This comes of the back of listening to the 1,001 Record Complaints podcast review. They randomly review albums off the 1,001 Albums to Listen to Before You Die.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/1 ... 0550296509

This podcast always amazes me. Never have so many utter squares gathered to dissect music.

Barring FM Conan's guest spots, obvs.

NC for RATM. One of the great power trios in my book, even if they're one-note with it.

Yeah. They’re kind of funny. It’s good when they’ve done their research. The Black Album review is pretty funny.

I have caught FM Conan’s guest spots yet. His latest with Denison is a treat. I often forget how good his show is. It’s like listening to “one of us” interviewing band “we like”

I thought they were stupid, meat-headed crap when they released that first record. But later on I realized, "wait, this kind of rocks." I don't like everything they've done - but songs like Killing in the Name, Bullet in the Head, Freedom, Down Rodeo, Calm Like A Bomb and Testify are more than enough to earn them a NOT CRAP.

I've mentioned this before here, but I went to see U2 on their Popmart tour in '97. RATM were opening the first dozen or so dates, and we just missed having them as the openers. Instead, we got Fun Lovin' Criminals. They were crap.

Man...

I just happened to be in that corner of things where someone I knew had the Inside Out EP and was listening to it around me before I heard Rage.

Once they brought up that the guy fronting Rage was the same guy singing on the Inside Out stuff?

No way I can give 'em a break.

Zach in Rage was a pale moon cast shadow of the guy singing on that Inside Out EP.

OrthodoxEaster wrote: Sat Sep 07, 2024 12:27 pm Jesus, no. Sorry.

At the time, this band really irritated me, gave me the fuckin' hives. I'd have been much less charitable about it. Nowadays, I'm content to just say it's totally not my thing.

The politics seem strident, cartoony, and sloganeering. (Granted, from the Clash to Crass, that's how you get the kids interested, I suppose.) The singer is just fucking annoying, merging the worst aspects of meathead hardcore and whining post-Beasties rap, but sans flow or cleverness.

But let's put all that—and the nü metal this band helped spawn—aside for a minute. I can't stand the funkier moments of Helmet and don't much care for the Rollins Band tracks that tried to groove. Both, however, are superior to RATM. Let's not even speak of the Chili Peppers, ok? Even my beloved Blind Idiot God gets questionable when entering this territory.

Along w/my extreme dislike of Revelation Records/youth crew/Krsna hardcore, I suppose the aforementioned predetermined me not to enjoy this music at all. I did go to college w/an interesting girl who thought Zack was "hot," however. Does that count as a waffle?

Huh.

My reaction was almost the exact opposite.

It felt like a completely clean break from the stuff you mentioned(which I, clearly, like a whole lot more than you did...)