RATM Re-Unite

[tristy]

...for one night only.

Rage Against the Machine, the seminal L.A. band that made heavy music into political manifesto, will reunite after a seven-year lull for one show as the headliners at the 2007 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

Sources say Rage, which played the main stage at the first Coachella in 1999, will be joined by other familiar faces for the eighth edition of the festival, which covers three days this year and begins April 27: Red Hot Chili Peppers, which headlined in 2003, are back, as is Björk, who topped the bill in 2002.

Organizers were mum this weekend and it was not clear which day Rage or the other acts were slotted to play; that announcement is expected in the next few days. Other acts expected in the eclectic lineup: Arcade Fire, Interpol, Willie Nelson, the Roots, Manu Chao, the Decemberists, Arctic Monkeys, Sonic Youth, Crowded House, Air, Tiësto and Kings of Leon.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, via Ticketmaster. Three-day passes will cost about $250 and there will be a limited number of single-day passes available.

The headliners are not novel, but they are potent. The Peppers are up for their first best album Grammy right now, and Björk remains a mesmerizing figure to fans of avant pop. But in Southern California rock circles, there is very little that could compete with the excitement of a Rage Against the Machine reunion. The quartet's hybrid of funk, rap, metal and leftist ideology was as subtle as a Molotov cocktail; in the 1990s, its aggro-anthems made it the only band that mattered to a fan base that included East L.A. protest kids as well as those in Hollywood punk circles, college dorms and mainstream rock festival mosh pits, where politics were secondary to the group's feral energy.

The band is vocalist Zack de la Rocha, guitarist Tom Morello, bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk. Their split came amid rumors of bad blood between De la Rocha and his mates, who went on to work with Chris Cornell in Audioslave. However, Morello and De la Rocha appeared together at a 2005 rally for the urban farmers of a South Los Angeles community garden.

[Scruffy The Janitor]

When I heard this I almost orgasmed. RATM is the band that got me into everything heavy. I just wish I could get over there. I hate everyone who is going.

This better either:

(a) have a DVD release

(b) lead to an eventual final album.

[Psicosis]

I'm mighty tempted to blow a bit of my savings and just make the trip (excuse to check out Disneyland and DCA before the show too). I was going to see the Roots in April locally, but when you add in Air who apparently play an incredible show, plus Tiesto who my mate raved about when he saw him in Germany last year, plus the Arctic Monkeys the Chilli Peppers. But yeah, RATM would have to be the major drawcard for me too simply because they would be incredible to see in person. Live cds and dvds are good, but they wouldn't do them justice.

[Ananas]

This is awesome news, if only for the possibility to lead to something else. Of course we said that about A Tribe Called Quest reforming...

[PkmnTrainerJ]

This will surely cause Benji to have a heart attack...HIS DEATH IS ON YOUR HANDS!

[Lint]

Dammit..not a full time reunion but one night only? Shit...I guess Zack still has to work on that solo rap album thats been in production about as long as Chinese Democracy

[Gene Kiniski]

Please, bury me next to Benji.

I second the DVD hopes.

[zero]

One night only doesn't rule out the possibility of a full-time reunion, they may enjoy Coachella and decide to keep going. I hope it happens, just because I don't ever want to hear Audioslave again.

[Benji]

This will surely cause Benji to have a heart attack...HIS DEATH IS ON YOUR HANDS!

I died over a year ago now. RIP Benji.

Please, bury me next to Benji.

I second the DVD hopes.

I'd second the DVD hopes, but only if anyone can tell me when Coachella tickets go on sale, if I fail to get tickets to this I'll turn up and kill everyone there except the acts.

[Iain76er]

Jesus Christ, these guys will do anything for money

They better like touring and come over to the UK or I won't be happy.

[gunnar hendershow]

We need a DVD and more importantly a fucking reunion tour.

[Cactus Drags]

I second the notion for the world tour. I love RATM, it sucks that the first time I heard of them was the week they broke up

[THEXTREMIST]

w00t awesome, Zach De La Rocha back in the limelight again, hopefully after he's finished his solo work or even if he doesn't I don't really care as long as RATM gets back together for good. Audioslave needs to just quit...Cornell rules just not with them. Hopefully he either sticks to solo stuff, forms a new band or ya know...perhaps...something with Soundgarden. But that'll probably muck up the bands legacy so best leave it to rest, and I doubt Matt Cameron would be willing to give up his job with Pearl Jam.

[Psicosis]

To drag this slightly off topic, the full Coachella lineup was released:

April 27

Arctic Monkeys, Benny Benassi, Björk, Gogol Bordello, Brazilian Girls, Brother Ali, Busdriver, Circa Survive, Jarvis Cocker, Comedians of Comedy, Digitalism, DJ Shadow, El-P, Evil Nine, Faithless, Felix da Housecat, David Guetta, Interpol, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Stephen Marley featuring Jr. Gong, Nickel Creek, Noisettes, Peaches, Peeping Tom, Silversun Pickups, Sonic Youth, Tilly and the Wall, Tokyo Police Club, Julieta Venegas, Rufus Wainwright, We Are Scientists, Gillian Welch, Amy Winehouse

April 28

!!!, Erol Alkan, The Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, The Black Keys, Blonde Redhead, Bojones, CocoRosie, Cornelius, The Cribs, The Decemberists, Roky Erickson and the Explosives, Fields, Fountains of Wayne, The Frames, The Fratellis, Ghostface Killah, Girl Talk, The Good, the Bad and the Queen, Gotan Project, Hot Chip, Jack's Mannequin, Justice, Kings of Leon, LCD Soundsystem, MSTRKRFT, The New Pornographers, The Night Watchman, Ozomatli, Peter Bjorn and John, Pharaohe Monch, The Rapture, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mike Relm, Sparklehorse, Regina Spektor, Travis, Tiësto, VNV Nation

April 29

Against Me!, Air, Lily Allen, Anathallo, The Avett Brothers, Manu Chao, The Coup, Crowded House, Explosions in the Sky, CSS, Fair to Midland, The Feeling, José González, Grizzly Bear, Richie Hawtin, Happy Mondays, Infected Mushroom, Junior Boys, Kaiser Chiefs, Klaxons, Konono N°1, The Kooks, Amos Lee, Lupe Fiasco, Mando Diao, Mika, Willie Nelson, Placebo, Rage Against the Machine, Ratatat, Damien Rice, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Roots, Soulwax, Spank Rock, Tapes 'n Tapes, Teddybears, Paul Van Dyk

[Liam]

To drag this slightly off topic, the full Coachella lineup was released:

April 27

Arctic Monkeys, Benny Benassi, Björk, Gogol Bordello, Brazilian Girls, Brother Ali, Busdriver, Circa Survive, Jarvis Cocker, Comedians of Comedy, Digitalism, DJ Shadow, El-P, Evil Nine, Faithless, Felix da Housecat, David Guetta, Interpol, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Stephen Marley featuring Jr. Gong, Nickel Creek, Noisettes, Peaches, Peeping Tom, Silversun Pickups, Sonic Youth, Tilly and the Wall, Tokyo Police Club, Julieta Venegas, Rufus Wainwright, We Are Scientists, Gillian Welch, Amy Winehouse

April 28

!!!, Erol Alkan, The Arcade Fire, Andrew Bird, The Black Keys, Blonde Redhead, Bojones, CocoRosie, Cornelius, The Cribs, The Decemberists, Roky Erickson and the Explosives, Fields, Fountains of Wayne, The Frames, The Fratellis, Ghostface Killah, Girl Talk, The Good, the Bad and the Queen, Gotan Project, Hot Chip, Jack's Mannequin, Justice, Kings of Leon, LCD Soundsystem, MSTRKRFT, The New Pornographers, The Night Watchman, Ozomatli, Peter Bjorn and John, Pharaohe Monch, The Rapture, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mike Relm, Sparklehorse, Regina Spektor, Travis, Tiësto, VNV Nation

April 29

Against Me!, Air, Lily Allen, Anathallo, The Avett Brothers, Manu Chao, The Coup, Crowded House, Explosions in the Sky, CSS, Fair to Midland, The Feeling, José González, Grizzly Bear, Richie Hawtin, Happy Mondays, Infected Mushroom, Junior Boys, Kaiser Chiefs, Klaxons, Konono N°1, The Kooks, Amos Lee, Lupe Fiasco, Mando Diao, Mika, Willie Nelson, Placebo, Rage Against the Machine, Ratatat, Damien Rice, Rodrigo y Gabriela, The Roots, Soulwax, Spank Rock, Tapes 'n Tapes, Teddybears, Paul Van Dyk

They are not mucking around here, that is an absolutly kickass lineup. Jose Gonzales, Klaxtons, Lupe, Soulwax, Tapes 'n Tapes, Peter Bjorn and John, Pharaohe Mohe, Travis, Ghostface, DJ Shadow, GIRL ~! TALK ~!, plus several others I haven't mentioned. It's like they made this festival just for me.

Does someone wanna explain the bolded part to me?

[Skummy]

They've got a rarities album coming out this year, I know that much, but I've heard nothing of a reunion. Curiouser and curiouser...

[Liam]

...sounds awesome from where I'm standing.

To the research-mobile.

[Ash J. Williams]

Fuck. Yes.

Amazing line up otherwise.

But....goddamn, it's about time.

[Ananas]

They've got a rarities album coming out this year, I know that much, but I've heard nothing of a reunion. Curiouser and curiouser...

[Liam]

They've got a rarities album coming out this year, I know that much, but I've heard nothing of a reunion. Curiouser and curiouser...

It's now been confirmed by the official website:

Breaking News 01/22/07:

Rage Against the Machine will reunite for Coachella!!

You may have heard the rumors, it was confirmed by the L.A. Times and KROQ Monday morning. Rage Against The Machine will be headlining Coachella. New information will be posted here shortly, please check back soon!

RATM.com

If nothing else, maybe we'll see Tom doing collabos with Zack for his solo record. I'll accept that. Hell I'll take anything Rage related I can get. It's why I stuck around for two meh albums before Audioslave got good. >_>

I think he meant Crowded House.