Tom Morello shares his Rock Hall 2023 speech after Rage Against The Machine retire from touring

While Tom Morello hasn’t overtly commented on this week’s shock update that Rage Against The Machine sadly “will not be touring or playing live again”, the guitar hero has made a social media post since drummer Brad Wilk broke the news.

And it’s a powerful one, with Tom sharing his full speech from last year’s Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame ceremony, during which RATM were inducted by Ice-T. Though his bandmates – Brad, plus Zack de la Rocha and Tim Commerford – weren’t in attendance, Tom accepted the award on everyone’s behalf.

Captioning his post with the final line of his speech, which is a quote from his mother Mary Morello (“History, like music, is not something that ‘happens’. It’s something you make”), the video hears Tom initially reflecting on the “differing perspectives on a lot of things” within the band, but nevertheless celebrates “the music and the mission” of Rage Against The Machine.

“The lesson I learn from Rage fans is that music can change the world,” Tom says. “Daily, I hear from fans who have been affected by our music and in turn have affected the world in significant ways. Organisers, activists, public defenders, teachers, the presidents of Chile and Finland have all spent time in our mosh-pit.

“When protest music is done right, you can hear a new world emerging in the songs skewering the oppressors of the day and hinting that there might be more to life than what was handed to us. Can music change the world? The whole aim is to change the world or at a bare minimum, to stir up a shit-load of trouble.”

Watch the epic speech in its entirety below:

Brad’s note from earlier in the week announcing Rage’s future plans (or lack of) reads: “I know a lot of people are waiting for us to announce new tour dates for all the cancelled RATM shows. I don’t want to string people or myself along further. So while there has been some communication that this may be happening in the future… I want to let you know that RATM (Tim, Zack, Tom and I) will not be touring or playing live again. I’m sorry for those of you who have been waiting for this to happen. I really wish it was…”

Read this: Tom Morello: My life in 10 songs