Zac's vocals are rooted in hardcore, not rap; he does a great job on that Inside Out 7". Rage's roots are primarily in the cross-pollination world of funk metal. There were some more hip-hop influenced songs on the demo, but they were all astutely cut from the debut. They ain't great: Zac's KRS One impression in 'Mindset's a Threat'... a bit embarrassing.

IMO the band's re-interpretation of the squealing short samples on the early P.E or Cypress Hill records was the part of their music that was MOST influenced by hip-hop. Rhythm section as foundation, guit as noise generator. The ROCK excitement / energy comes from their steller musicianship and that allowed them to function as an explosive live act in a way no other hip-hop group (either with band but ESPECIALLY with no band) couldn't.

M.H wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2024 3:37 am The ROCK excitement / energy comes from their steller musicianship and that allowed them to function as an explosive live act in a way no other hip-hop group (either with band but ESPECIALLY with no band) couldn't.

I think RAtM were a tremendous rock band but man, that's some bullshit.

A_Man_Who_Tries wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2024 7:54 am

M.H wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2024 3:37 am The ROCK excitement / energy comes from their steller musicianship and that allowed them to function as an explosive live act in a way no other hip-hop group (either with band but ESPECIALLY with no band) couldn't.

I think RAtM were a tremendous rock band but man, that's some bullshit.

Care to provide any examples of a good live recording (song/ video / whatever) to back up your claim?

All my worst experiences with live music have been at hip-hop shows. Most were embarrassingly bad.

M.H wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2024 8:25 am Care to provide any examples of a good live recording (song/ video / whatever) to back up your claim?

All my worst experiences with live music have been at hip-hop shows. Most were embarrassingly bad.

More thinking about being there tbh, but I'd rate live shows by The Infesticons, Public Enemy, Company Flow and Chino XL as having been right up there in the rock vibe stakes.

Have been revisiting, and what strikes me is that it holds up musically (you can quibble with presentation and context etc.) because of the rhythm section (especially the drums), which holds things down in a refreshingly simple, possibly anachronistic way for their era, without cringey "funky" embellishments, while managing to rock and groove.

Has some electronic band called Rave Against the Machine done a cover album of these guys at 140bpm?

If not, they should.

enframed wrote: Has some electronic band called Rave Against the Machine done a cover album of these guys at 140bpm?

If not, they should.

I'd prefer a salsa-revue style thing w/horn section, sharply dressed large backing vocalists in hats, and Latin percussion, dubbed Rage Against the Machín.

enframed wrote: Sun Sep 15, 2024 4:54 pm Has some electronic band called Rave Against the Machine done a cover album of these guys at 140bpm?

Alec Empire missed a good title for a flexidisc.

RE: Zack's flow, one of my favorite things I ever read about RATM went "Zack de la Rocha can't rap the way Bob Dylan can't sing."

NC, btw

Gotta love this post from Tom Morello.