Rage Against the Machine recently took to Instagram to share a joint statement, expressing their gratitude and amazement at being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The band members confessed their astonishment in the message, citing their long history of activism and their fight against injustice as reasons for their surprise. They detailed their struggles over the years, pointing out that despite the challenges they faced, they were now being welcomed into the Rock Hall.
The statement ended with a heartfelt thank you to their ‘fans, co-conspirators, and fellow activists’ who made it possible for their music and mission to be acknowledged. Rage Against the Machine also thanked the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for recognizing their impact and music.
The musicians started their message by mentioning their origin and delving into their history by stating:
“It is a surprising trajectory for us to be welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1991, four people in Los Angeles formed a musical group to stand where sound and solidarity intersect. We called ourselves Rage Against the Machine. A band who is as well known for our albums as we are for our fierce opposition to the US war machine, white supremacy, and exploitation.
A band whose songs drove alternative radio to new heights while right-wing media companies tried to purge every song we ever wrote from the airwaves. A band who wrote rebel songs in an abandoned, industrial warehouse in the valley that would later dethrone Simon Cowell‘s X Factor pop monopoly to occupy the number 1 spot on the UK charts and have the most downloaded song in UK history.
A band who funded and organized delegations to stand with Mexican rebel Zapatista communities to expose the Mexican government’s war on indigenous people. A band whose experimentation in fusing punk, rock, and hip-hop became a genre of its own. A band who shut down the NY Stock Exchange for the first time in its history.
A band who was targeted by police organizations who attempted to ban us from sold-out arenas for raising our voices to free Mumia Abu Jamal, Leonard Peltier, and other political prisoners. A band who sued the US State Department for their fascist practice of using our music to torture innocent men in Guantanamo Bay.”
Before signing it with the four members’ names, the band continued the statement as follows:
“Many thanks to the Hall of Fame for recognizing the music and the mission of Rage Against the Machine. We are grateful to all of the passionate fans, the many talented co-conspirators we’ve worked with, and all the activists, organizers, rebels, and revolutionaries past, present, and future who have inspired our art.”
It is worth noting that Rage Against the Machine had been nominated for the prestigious Rock Hall five times before they were finally inducted this year. They now join the ranks of fellow inductees Kate Bush, Missy Elliott, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, Willie Nelson, and the Spinners. The eagerly awaited ceremony is scheduled to take place on November 3 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Photo Credit: Tom Morello – Instagram