Rage Against the Machine lead singer Zack De La Rocha is planning a series of concerts called the Sound Strike campaign to protest Arizona’s state immigration laws. The rock star explains “In the coming weeks we are going to be organizing a series of concerts that are respectful of the nature of the boycott in its attempts to isolate the Arizona government but not isolate the people, and especially the organizations that are fighting this on the ground. Many of us have begun to plan concerts that include bands that have signed on the Sound Strike, and make tickets available so that people within Arizona can come and see these concerts as they roll out.” Participants include Maroon 5, My Morning Jacket, Ben Harper and Pitbull who have all agreed to boycott the state until the law is replaced.
Even though Paul McCartney recently performed with X Factor winner Joe McElderry, the former Beatles member thinks it would be funny if Rage Against the Machine does beat out Simon Cowell?s artist. The band is trying to take Joe down in the top spot by urging fans to download their 1992 hit ?Killing in the Name?. Paul told Sky news that he would be pleased if the band does end up on top, explaining ?Because it’s out of leftfield you know. Everyone expects Joe to do it, and he certainly will sell a lot of records. And if he gets to Number One, good luck to him. But it would be kind of funny if a band like Rage Against The Machine got it, because it would prove a point.?
Rage Against The Machine are considering crashing the U.S. political parties this year when the Republicans and Democrats hold their nominating conventions later this summer reports antiMusic.
While the band only have one U.S. appearance set for this year (Lollapalooza,) Tom Morello said in an interview “There is the possibility that we will be playing at the demonstrations surrounding the Presidential conventions. The Democrats are in Denver, the Republicans are in Minneapolis. But we’re still looking into that.”
RATM staged a protest concert outside the Staples Center in 2000 as the Democrats danced the Macarena while giving their nod to Al Gore. That protest event ended in a near riot as fans and protesters turned violent.
