Rage at the RNC: "It's Important to Call Out the Economic Crimes at Home and the War Crimes Abroad"

"It's so insulting, it's so outrageous for [the Republican Party] to open their convention on Labor Day," Tom Morello said backstage after playing Monday's Take Back Labor Day Concert. "It's the party, not that the other party isn't like this too, but it's the party that just rubs labor's nose in it. I think it's important for people who feel differently to be right across the river and let them know."

While Zack de la Rocha had previously hinted at possible actions related to the Rage Against the Machine concert tonight in Minneapolis, Morello had insisted there were nothing planned. "No, that's what we did in Denver," he said. "We want [the show] to represent for all the protesters who came here. I think it's important to call out the economic crimes at home and the war crimes abroad, while they're here. Not let them get away with it while the world's media is focused here. It's important to get that message out ... to have that amplified alongside the B.S. messages being spouted from the podium."

Of course, the band had different plans: On Tuesday they attempted to play an already-in-progress festival that was swiftly shut down by cops. In response, Morello and de la Rocha led fans in a march to the RNC, where they got as far as the police barrier before mild clashes began.

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Song Stories

“(We're Not) The Jet Set”

George Jones and Tammy Wynette | 1973

George Jones and Tammy Wynette were still married when they recorded the tongue-in-cheek "(We're Not) The Jet Set." The lyrics, written by Nashville songwriter Bobby Braddock, who also penned Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E" and Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today," make fun of the good life by declaring, "We're not the Jet Set/We're the old Chevrolet set." Braddock recalled that while writing the song, he needed the name of a city that evened out the rhyme he had with "Riviera" and "Missourah." “I got out a Rand McNally atlas," he said. "In the first part are the maps. The last part is an alphabetical listing of cities. I wanted a rustic, small-time sound. I went to the listing for Missouri. And I found 'Festus.' I loved the sound of it."

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