An Open Letter to Rage Against The Machine — Can We Have a New Album?

Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello recently deflated fans' hopes that the long dormant rap-rock quartet were planning a new album, something that band mate Tim Commerford recently teased by vaguely stating "maybe" when questioned about the band's current plans. We decided to take it upon ourselves to jump-start this thing by straight up asking the guys, "Can we have a new album already?"

Dear Rage Against the Machine,

As long time fans of your band, we would like to thank you for your vital contribution to rock music in the 90's, early 2000's and beyond. The combination of rap and hard rock was a formula that was essentially non-existent when you first broke onto the scene with your landmark self-titled debut album in 1991.

You spent the next decade inspiring a whole new sect of artists, musicians and activists with your powerful grooves and intelligent, yet rebellious lyrics. There had never been a band like Rage and there hasn't been one since, although many have copied the formula with lukewarm results (and that's putting it mildly).

When your band split in 2000, it left a hole in the world of rock (and music altogether) that has yet to be filled and will remain that way until you decide to pick up the hammer and get back to work.

We know you have all been keeping busy since then -- Tom with several different endeavors including his folk-rock persona The Nightwatchman and Street Sweeper Social Club, Zack with One Day As a Lion and of course there was the Audioslave era, in which Tom, Brad and Tim all partook. Not to take away from any of these projects, which have all produced some incredible music, but your message was never more effective than it was when all of you delivered it together as Rage Against the Machine.

We understand that not all things are meant to be and there are probably reasons for the 12 year absence that none of us can understand. However, the shows you've played the last few years have reignited our hopes that the four of you can co-exist in a working environment. So why not give it another go for the fans' sake? There are plenty of us who are still waiting to see where the chapter following 'The Battle of Los Angeles' will take us.

It's true that you can't force creativity and perhaps it is not yet the time for Rage to return. But life is short. As a fan, I sincerely hope that you will suit up one more time before you wake up one day, realizing it is too late and for whatever unforeseeable reason, you missed your window. We hope to hear from all of you (together) before that day comes.

Sincerely,

Every Rage Against the Machine Fan Ever.

P.S. We are truly sorry if this letter offends you in any way. That is not our intention.

If you agree with our plea to the band, please share this letter with your friends and fellow fans of Rage Against the Machine. Chances are that it won't make any difference, but maybe we can make enough noise for the band to seriously consider throwing new ideas around.