A couple of things you may already know about Tom Morello: he plays guitar for a band called Rage Against The Machine, holds a doctorate in effects pedals, and is an undisputed champion of human rights.
What you may not know about Mr. Morello: he recorded the guitar parts for ‘Come With Me,’ not Jimmy Page; he will release his debut comic series “The Orchid,” about a street prostitute, this fall via Dark Horse; and World Wide Rebel Songs marks his FOURTEENTH album release in his career thus far.
This will be his fourth full-length release as The Nightwatchman, his politically-charged solo project that leaves the effect pedals behind for the trappings of a folk troubadour, akin to Guthrie and Dylan. Though unlike past albums, Rebel Songs isn’t just Tom and his acoustic guitar: for the first time under the Nightwatchman guise, he’s plugged in with a full backing band. Rather appropriately, then, that Tom is done preaching. The man is fed up and angry with the state of the world, and he’s taking it out on his guitar.
In a time when too few individuals (creative and otherwise) fail to overcome gadget-induced social apathy and put aside the myriad distractions of the modern age, we need more musicians like Tom Morello. Not those celebrities that support the politician du jour or license classic hits for campaigns, but those storytellers like Guthrie and Dylan. Singers with something to sing about, and a cause bigger than themselves to write for. Thank you, Tom, for reminding us of the importance of taking a stand (with a trusty electric guitar).
