Rise Against: Behind "Hero of War" and America's "Broader Disease"

Political punks Rise Against have a lot to celebrate — a new video for Appeal To Reason single "Hero of War," a Fat Wreck Chords 7", an upcoming tour with Rancid — but success hasn't changed frontman Tim McIlrath's purpose or resolve. After a successful contribution to A Nightmare Before Christmas's soundtrack, Disney approached the band about doing a cover for High School Musical. "Needless to say, much to my daughter's chagrin, it was something that's obviously not us," McIlrath tells Rolling Stone. And despite the band's rep for being staunchly anti-Bush, McIlrath says Reason wasn't aimed at George W: "George Bush was merely a symptom of a much broader disease."

The band passed along some footage from their shoot for the "Hero of War" video — a powerful clip that examines the brutally personal effects of a young soldier going to battle. Click above to watch the band discuss the story behind the song, and for McIlrath's full Q&A — and a look at the final "Hero of War" video — click here:

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Song Stories

“Let My Love Open the Door”

Pete Townshend | 1980

A peppy, hopeful love song, "Let My Love Open the Door" became a U. S. Top Ten hit for Pete Townshend in 1980, anchored by the kind of repeating synthesizer figures that he'd used in some of the Who's recordings in the previous decade. Although Townshend brushed the song off as "just a ditty" in Rolling Stone shortly after its release, in 1996 he revealed it was about love of the holiest sort. "It's supposed to be about the power of God's love," he remarked. "That when you're in difficulty, whether it's major or minor, God's love is always there for you."

More Song Stories entries »

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