Rage Against the Machine, Rise Against and System of a Down have all been, at some point, big names in politically-charged rock, and up until now, one could only guess as to what would happen if members of all three bands got together – either society would collapse or some kick-ass tunes would be created.
Well the latter may well just have happened, as Rage guitarist Tom Morello, Rise Against singer Tim Ilrath and System frontman Serj Tankian have all joined hands (presumably interlocking middle fingers) to create an anthem for the Occupy Wall Street protests, of which Morello in particular is an outspoken supporter.
Playing at rallies since the movements beginnings last autumn, Morello recently told Rolling Stone that he tired of the ”earnest folk songs” (i.e. hippy wailing) of Occupy, and wished to create “a huge riff-rock anthem”. With its refrain “selling souls to pay the rent / we are the 99%”, the song certainly achieves what it sets out to do. And as with every fist-pumping anthem, the tune is completed with recordings of real life protestors in Zuccotti Park and Liberty Square.
While it remains to be seen in the song will Mitt Romney to spontaneously burst in to flames, it should at least do something to satisfy Morello’s wish to “re-energize” the movement, which he sees as capable of “[injecting] into the global dialogue the horrific economic inequality that plagues the planet”.
The song can be streamed on Rolling Stone here, and will soon be made available through the Axis of Justice site. Romney better fire-proof his toupée.
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