Rage Against the Machine Guitarist: Artists Who Don’t Share Political Views Belong in ‘Extra-Hot Layer of Hell’
Guitarist Tom Morello has openly criticized politicians, highlighting a perceived hypocrisy in how artists express political views. He emphasizes that musicians have a duty to speak out about their beliefs and should not censor themselves for fear of offending others.Morello argues that abandoning one’s opinions at work, especially when expressing them is a form of free speech, is unjust. Known for his political activism,especially through his music projects like Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave,he often advocates for justice and criticizes fascism and injustice. recently, he participated in protests in New York City, performing a politically charged song and condemning fascism. Despite his vocal stances against various forms of extremism and injustice, he has not publicly addressed recent political violence or social media censorship involving conservatives.
Guitarist Tom Morello has spent years attacking Republicans while staying oddly quiet when Democrats are in charge.
Now, the Rage Against the Machine picker says musicians have a duty to speak out about their politics.
Morello made the comments during a recent interview with the music outlet Metal Hammer.
The guitarist rejected the idea that musicians should keep their political views to themselves.
“The second that you write a song that agrees with their politics, all of a sudden they’re all for it,” Morello said.
“So one, it’s very hypocritical,” he said.
Morello added, “Why should you give away your free speech rights in the job that you do? Because it offends someone?”
The left-wing rocker also said people should not shelve their beliefs when they clock in at work.
“I think that you do yourself and your times a disservice by censoring who you are in your world,” Morello said.
“You should not leave behind who you are and what you believe,” he added. “There’s an extra hot layer of hell for people in times of great injustice who censor themselves and remain quiet when they should have spoken out because they’re afraid of some internet troll.”
Most of his music projects, including Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, have included communist political messages.
Last month, Morello spoke at a “Hands Off NYC” protest in New York City.
Rolling Stone reported that he performed Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land” for the crowd.
“If it looks like fascism, sounds like fascism, dresses like fascism, talks like fascism, kills like fascism, and lies like fascism — brothers and sisters, it’s f***ing fascism,” he said.
Morello did not comment on leftist political violence in recent years, including the killing of Charlie Kirk for using his free speech or the shooting of President Donald Trump in 2024.
He also did not speak up from 2020 to 2024 when social media platforms silenced many conservatives.
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