Soundboard: Rage against Zack de la Rocha

Soundboard blogger Ann Powers sat down with Rage Against the Machine vocalist Zack de la Rocha to discuss his music.  But when De la Rocha delved into the political beliefs that have inspired the music of both Rage and his new project, One Day as a Lion, some readers felt that he overstepped his rock star boundaries.   

Ragin' Bull wrote: "I've been a valid Rage fan since '93 but then 'Battle for LA' comes out and here they are playing the MTV VMAs and David Letterman ... it was almost a side novelty joke; like the Republican Nazis were sitting there jamming to 'Guerilla Radio' while burning the constitution... For a hypocritical band comes hypocritical fans."

In the interview itself, De la Rocha attempted to give a history lesson: "When settlers fleeing the South after the Civil War came into San Antonio, primarily because they wanted to practice slavery, an altercation took place and James Polk used it as an excuse to invade, to fulfill Manifest Destiny in the Southwest, which is really a misnomer -- this is really Northeastern Mexico."

But his chronology was a little off.  bdasht patiently corrected the singer: "ummm, zach? i love your political enthusiam a lot more than your music, but it's probably worth pointing out that the alamo and subsequent war with mexico took place BEFORE the civil war." 

And history man explained that "Polk died 12 years before the Civil War even occured."

A few readers claimed to have first-hand knowledge about De la Rocha's lifestyle and car of choice.  Pancho Tortilla wrote: "I met Zack one day as I passed a nice little cafe on La Brea. Although he was very kind and spoke with me for about a half hour it was hard to take all his rage against the machine comments seriously. I clearly saw his car keys (BMW) and some fresh Nike's in a bag next to him."  And then Saul retorted that "I've seen him plenty of times and he drives a Prius."

Though there was a fair amount of accusations and speculation, the majority of readers came to the musician's defense. 

Knowledge Addict had sentiments shared by many: "For every one of those folks yelling on about how Zack sucks because he has nice things, because he's made a living out of doing something he loves, while also promoting awareness of various political issues across the globe - you need to ask yourselves some questions. What are YOU doing about the current problems in your neighborhood or city or country? What kind of awareness are YOU raising for causes around the world?"

Can celebrities call attention to a political cause without sounding hypocritical or condescending? 

-- Amy Silverstein

Photo: Ed Jones / AFP/Getty Images

Photo: Ed Jones / AFP/Getty Images

Comments

[Sophie]

No, the comments are never the best part. This is like sensationalizing something and then discussing the sensationalizing as newsworthy.

Zack De La Rocha is always a sublimated target by the white media and whites in general because he dares question the paradigm. He may have been off about saying it was James Polk, when it was probably someone else, who did invade the South. Everyone who is attacking his historical inaccuracy really wasn't listening to his message. They had an ideological axe to grind. Goody for you.

Zack rocks on. This is probably why he shouldn't bother with the LA Times. You need him more than he needs you.

[Pooky]

Zack has always struck me as a mad little boy whose self-promotion skills exceeded his musical talent substantially. Except now he's a mad little adult. He reminds me of one of those annoying children on a flight that just won't shut the....up.

The commercial success of RATM does exhibit one thing: the importance of a band's name. A great name can carry a marginally talented garage band band further than substance.

I have to laugh when "Sophie" says QUOTE "Everyone who is attacking his historical inaccuracy really wasn't listening to his message" END QUOTE. She sounds like a Neocon Bush operative excusing Dubya's ramblings.

But hey, who needs historical accuracy if it provides a platform for the promotion of a rock band?

[Dion]

O.K. Ann may have corrected Zach but I'm not impress. Now if Ann was sitting in a John McCain press conference and correct all the lies he been sprewing lately then I give her points. But correcting a rock star, I'm not imressed. I just find it funny that reporters never had the nerve to asked the hard questions against Bush & Cheney during the last two elections, the war & everything but I really getting sick & tired of reporters asking hard hitting question to celebrities.

[GEAH]

It's not difficult for an entertainer to preach to the little people. All he has to do is practice what he preaches.

Hmmmmmmmm, maybe it is difficult after all.

[Don One]

Terrible pan handling journalism...you idiots should be ashamed of yourselves.

None of you have a real grasp on history, at least he is trying to send a positive message. The rest of you just want to pick it apart.

[JUSSTICEOR DEATH.]

Everyone has to chill !!!zack de la rocha is an american/chicano brother who grew up in white america standing his ground against a country that oppresed his people for centuries de la rocha noticed this in childhood and then found intrest in a whole lot of eye opening injustices we live in .He chaneled his rage agianst this fasicist society we support every day with amazing lyrics and emotions of his. Through age and years of rebeling he has come down to the mainstream ,his rage is still there but in less he has foucs now on himself more than ever he has found his support pollitically is low so he now is back but in the mainstream wearing nikes! who gives a what did you think every ,commie leftist never wears capialist material when he happens to live in a capitalist country! does this mean hes fake? NO he is not fake or hipicrtical to any extent watch an older rage concert live it is no show i was at pinkpop 94 zack was literally crying and screaming the rage against this terrible world we live in you other commenters need ta get your heads under the blanket and find the love in your hearts to stop people from being oppresed in the land of the free? wake up or die asleep zack realizes this he can do whatever he wants so stop critising a political genius and WAKE UP AND TRUELY LIVE DONT PUT DOWN ZACK HE STANDS FOR THE STRONG ONES NOT THE MASSES OF IDOT CONFORMISTS SITING, WE STAND....