Rage Against Los Angeles

Riding through LA inspired me to put on some Rage Against the Machine. Rage was formed in 1991 in Los Angeles and I can't think of any city that is more representative of the music Rage makes. The culture of LA is very unique. There are a number of ethnicities that have settled in LA if you haven't noticed and they all bring their unique flavor to the culture. But they mix like oil and water. There is a distinct separation between these people that live so close to each other. There are no natural barriers between contrasting elements, just cultural and societal barriers, and some high fences.

Rage is LA. Rage is a band that borrows from a lot of different genres. The music is heavy, but not driving. Its almost dysfunctional rock. Each riff comes in staccato waves, awkwardly flowing into and out of the next riff. Tom Morello's guitar never really finds a groove, and that seems to be the point. Random guitar screams and feedback simulate the violence and tension found in poorer areas. The drums sound distant from the rest of the band, present in driving the beat, but not necessarily supporting the music. People hear the words coming from the drums, but you can never get the message from it. They're reform that is talked about. Present, but distant. Frequently, Wilk's drums drop out altogether. Then there are Zack de la Rocha's lyrics. Defiant, angry, and loud they ring. Is it rap? Is it rock? Sure the verses rhyme and run like rap, but the choruses are closer to old school punk. Its a hybrid. Its unsettling. Above all, the lyrics don't really fit with the uncomfortable music coming from the rest of the band. All of these parts, separate, forming a unique sound that is undeniably attractive. LA, at face value at least, is exactly that: a bunch of separate parts thrown together to create a vibe that is unnerving and filled with tension. I have a clear image in my mind of Rage meeting in a garage near the city and writing and experimenting with this music, just like the teenagers they want to be.

I want to be clear that I am a fan of Rage Against the Machine. They write music that is thought provoking and sounds like no other band before them. Orginality like that scores major points with me. Yes, its loud, and most likely only makes sense to our generation, but it is such a pure product of its environment that we can look at it as what happens to music when we undertake the social experiment that is Los Angeles.