When Rage Against the Machine came to Salt Lake City on November 23, 1999 I was possible the happiest person alive. I wished I had some pictures. Me and my friends got at the E Center early enough to watch Morello test out his equipment on Bulls on Parade. I didn't stop jumping until the end of the concert. It was my first concert, and my favorite concert. Me, Kevin, and his friend Vanessa went together. David was also there, but I didn't know him at the time. So he doesn't really matter. Some lame rappers opened, but no one realy paid them any attention. When Rage walked on too the floor, the E Center erupted. I remember being smashed against the fence several times after fleeing mosh pits (hey I was only like 100 lbs at the time), but it didn't matter because everyone there had to be having a great time. When they played their last song, we all started yelling for them to keep playing. Too bad it didn't work.

Why is Rage the best fucking band in the universe? For one they can throw a kick ass concert, and I love the electronic sounds Tom Morrello puts out. Rage also has some booming bass, but what I like most about Rage is how they speak the truth. Zachs lyrics are full of knowledge, you just got to open up your mind.

Testify from the Battle of Los Angeles is a perfect example of this:
The movie ran through me
The glamour subdue me
The tabloid untie me
I'm empty please fill
Mister anchor assure me
That baghdad is burning
Your voice it is so soothing
That cunning mantra of killing"

To me this is about how the media destroys individuality, and makes us want to be something we aren't "The movie ran through me, the glamour subdue me." It also is an example of how the media is used to coerce our perception of the world towards the governments advantage like our current war on Iraq which is all about his chemical weapons and such, however the mass media rarely tells you have the 500,000 (this is from the U.N.) Iraqi children that have died as a result of bombings and embargos "Mister anchor assure me, that Baghdad is burning."

"On a bed of fire I'm choking on the smoke that fills my home
The wrecking ball is rushing
My witness your blushing
The pipeline is gushing
While here we lie in tombs
While on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
Amd its right outside your door
Now testify"

The bed of fire are the automobiles which fills the world (our home) with smoke. The pipelines are gushing with the oil needed to run our cars, which may as well be tombs. On the corner are pedestrians, and that is pollutions weakness. The solution is right outside your car door so change it.

Incase you can't tell I really enjoy Rage.