 |
||||
  
 
 |
'Battle of Los Angeles' could be angels' music for our troubled times
By Julie Sulunga
I remember the first time I saw Rage. I was a sophomore in high school living in Hawaii. I never thought the band would last because its music had such a raw intensity. The musicians sang about issues that mattered to them and because of this, I cared about them too. I didn't think they could ever last in this fraudulent world surrounded with Mariah Carey and the Hanson brothers who sang sappy love songs. They have. After eight years they are only on their third album, but they have chosen to put out music and words that are close to their hearts, that mean something and that stand for something. This has probably prolonged the creation of each album, but you always get good, hard-core music when you buy a Rage CD. Battle of Los Angeles is no exception. This album takes you through many gut-wrenching issues that tear at your heart and make you want to do something. One of the songs that really touched a heartstring was Maria. It is about a woman who works in a U.S. sweat-shop in Mexico and sees the end of her life in that sweat-shop. It makes me want to check what products I buy and where they are manufactured. That woman could be your relative, friend or lover. Rage has always been my favorite band for this very reason, and they do not stop fighting for these issues when the music is over. I was recently watching a special on the music television station (MTV) and saw that lead singer Zack De La Rocha had made a documentary in support of the non-violent protests going on in Mexico to outlaw the paying of school tuition -- to keep it free. He does this to benefit others, to educate this generation on what is really going on. The music that backs Zack's vocals up is just as powerful as his words with Tom Morello knowing how to create art with his guitar and the accompaniment of Tim Cummerford on bass and Brad Wilk on drums. It is amazing that so much talent can come from four men. They might as well be angels. You will not be disappointed if you buy this album, even if you don't buy it for the music. Buy the album for the issues, and the knowledge you will receive, because the only way not repeat the negativity of our world is to know about it.
|
Archived Months:
September
1998 |
||