Tom Morello fills in for Rage and Bernie Taupin calls out Jann Wenner at the 2023 Rock Hall show
Taupin took a shot at Wenner's comments about not finding women or Black artists "articulate"
Aux News Jann Wenner
Last night, Disney+ streamed the annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame awards show, during which Willie Nelson, Missy Elliott, Kate Bush, Sheryl Crow, George Michael, The Spinners, and Rage Against The Machine were inducted into the prestigious Cleveland-based institution. Variety has positive things to say about the show, but there’s a chance the whole thing might’ve been overshadowed by Rolling Stone and Rock Hall co-founder Jann Wenner, who said some stupid shit about women and Black artists back in September that got him booted from the Rock Hall’s board of directors.
While promoting his new book The Masters (a collection of mostly old interviews he had conducted over his career), Wenner was asked why the book didn’t include any interviews with women or Black artists. His explanation was that none of them were “articulate” enough, and then he went on to dig a deeper and deeper hole that he later had to apologize for. Nobody at the Rock Hall show seemed willing to acknowledge Wenner, at least until Elton John came out to induct his longtime friend and lyricist Bernie Taupin several hours in, when Taupin had this to say: “I’m honored to be in the class of 2023 alongside a group of such profoundly ‘articulate’ women and outstanding ‘articulate’ Black artists,” an obvious dig at Wenner.
Elsewhere at the event (during which Big Boi called himself “the White House Press Secretary for Kate Bush, Dave Matthews talked about getting high with Willie Nelson, and Jimmy Page made a surprise appearance), Tom Morello appeared to accept Rage Against The Machine’s induction on the rest of the band’s behalf (the other members had “differing perspectives” on the honor). During his speech, he talked about how “the whole fucking aim” of music is to “change the world” and called on fans to make that happen: “If you’ve got a boss, join a union. If you’re a student, start an underground paper. If you’re an anarchist, look for a brick. If you’re a soldier or a cop, follow your conscience, not your orders.”
As noted by Pitchfork (which has a transcript of his whole speech), Morello held up a card that said “ceasefire” in the press room after his acceptance speech.
85 Comments
Elton John is still perfectly buddy buddy with Kevin Spacey, by the way.
That is not fucking true. He was subpoenaed for the trial regarding Spacey’s attendance at his party, and he testified to that fact as required. You will not besmirch my elderly gay husband.
Yeah, that’s my job!
They’ve been having lunch together out in public since the trial.
And?
Ice T’s introductory speech for RATM was pretty dope
Does “dope” still mean “good”?
LOL, follow your conscience right into Leavenworth? Easy to say mr. millionaire rock star. Fucking prick.
He was saying it when he wasn’t a millionaire rock star.
Ah, another bazillionaire socialist/anarchist RAGING against the machine that made him a bazillionaire. A true man of integrity, who has no problem keeping the capitalist cash from suburban kids he probably swims in ala Scrooge McDuck, yet wants those same kids to embrace socialism and pick up bricks and other righteous shit. If he had any decency he would commit ritual suicide. About as radical as Burger King, or BLM for that matter. I love American socialists.Orwell said after swimming in those waters that socialists don’t give a fuck about the poor; they just hated the rich. If Morello had a soul it now has permanent impotence. His speech is fucking hilarious. Cheers all around.
That’s nice. American socialists need love too.
Brother, how this made it out of the greys is wild
You know what’s wild? Fun facts: RAGE originally signed to Sony, which they would not do if they were socialists. Tom here is worth 40 million, which he would not be if he believed in socialism. And their T-shirts are made in Bangladesh sweatshops.
Obviously this clown is another brain dead brain washed WoKe Libtard that should stop talking out of his socialist commie asshole!
Yes, because I always use words like “Woke Libtards” when discussing what are actually “Terrorist Supporting Millionaires Whose Merchandise is Made in Bangladesh Sweatshops.” You got me.Perhaps if he wasn’t a, you know, Terrorist Supporting Millionaire Whose Merchandise is Made in Bangladesh Sweatshops I would take his opinions on how the machine that enriched him deserves to be replaced by socialism, which has served Bangladesh so well.
I mean, yes. You’re right. Whatever. Look, it’s this guy’s riffs that got him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, not his ideas, and his riffs are absolutely impeccable. The Hall’s a joke anyway, and I’m not a RATM fan, but I know enough to say that that old dude in a ballcap can really jam. Lots of guitarists would give up three fingers to come up with something as good as the guitar work on “Guerilla Radio.” And that’s the point. For anything else, you can make your way to Brietbart and let your I-hate-socialists flag fly or, alternately, you can shut up. The points you made above are, at this stage, pretty much obvious. They were obvious in 1999, too. Next up you’ll tell us that that John Lennon was hypocritical for writing “Imagine.” Or maybe you’ll tell me that Gang of Four were wrong to soundtrack a Nintendo ad? Either way, I don’t really care. I mean, I care about John Lennon, because he wrote good songs, though “Imagine” was not one of them. And I care about Gang of Four because every second of “Entertainment!” is pure gold. But I don’t care about your so-called ideas. Good day, sir.
So I’m right but whatever-shut-up-you-must-be-a-Breitbart-fan, etc. Brilliant.I don’t give a shit about his music or the Hall. I specifically take issue with his “issues” with a system that served him well. It’s a system that is not currently serving young people well, so they are embracing socialism, which is kind of like quitting smoking by doing heroin. And this millionaire supports that idiocy.Gang of Four are awesome.
“I don’t give a shit about his music or the Hall.” And yet. 😀 :D“It’s a system that is not currently serving young people well…” What does that tell you? 😀 😀 😀 “… so they are embracing socialism…” Name three. By name. Just three.“Gang of Four are awesome.” If you really thought that– then you would be savvy enough to realize the commenter brought them up because of the direct sonic connection to RATM. Surprise: you’re being profoundly sloppy– from kicking off with the word “bazillionaire.” 😀 😀 😀
Awesome at writing Nintendo soundtracks.And may I hear more about this revolutionary quit smoking method of yours? I think it’s finally time for me to put those filthy things down.
Look, I don’t know why I still show up here. Habit, probably. But I certainly don’t come here to hear some righteous truth about hypocritical rock stars, especially since those truths — while still true as they ever were — were pretty much apparent to everyone two decades ago. Just so everyone’s on the same page, Marilyn Manson’s a pretty good showman but also a shameless poseur who owes his success to much more innovative and interesting artists. I mostly just show up here to tell inside jokes with other aging Gen X types and complain about how awful the writing on the site has gotten. I certainly don’t come here to see posters flip out about some band’s political idealism or ideological orientation or lack thereof. Especially since the band in question always had an audience composed of equal parts clueless frat boys and irritatingly sincere polysci-majoring hard-ons, the kind that always seemed to be taking up space at your local vegan coffee shop/bookstore/performance space.So, maybe the issue is tone, or perhaps timing. It’ss likely we’ve got a lot of tastes and opinions in common. But maybe you should choose your venue: just about everything you brought up would have hardly been considered news during the second Clinton administration, never mind now. I’m a bit confused as to why you’re getting so upset about it all, though I’ll allow for the possibility that you’re twenty years old and just discovered RATM and maybe the Dead Kennedys, too. If so, have fun with that, but everyone needs to make a buck eventually, even Jello and Tom. Let’s not lose any sleep about it.
TLDRMaking fun of millionaires who praised the fucking Shining Path is never not funny.
I suppose, but nobody forces me to care about what Tom Morello thinks, much less Zach de la Rocha.
I’ll keep all my fingers and play like me, thanks.And for the record: John Lennon was a hypocrite due to his marine mammal misappropriation song. It also sampled from Shakespeare with NO clearance from him or his estate. Fuck John Lennon.
The idea that if you’re a socialist living in a capitalist system you should for some reason refuse to make any money is one of the dumber one’s out there. Socialists don’t take an oath of poverty, you know.
Socialists don’t believe in private property. How do you square that with the concept of making money? Why isn’t he giving his mansion away? Why isn’t he giving his money away?
Even ignoring the over simplification of what a socialist believes, he doesn’t live in a socialist society. A person in a capitalist society who doesn’t own things dies. You’re basically saying “He doesn’t live in the type of society he desires so he should die.”Do you think it’s a more socialist position to let companies keep his earnings? Because if he just refuses his income, that’s what would happen. And there he’d be, still living in the same system, but now without the main source of power in that system: Money.As for not giving it away, I think you’re confusing a socialist with a philanthropist.
Perhaps if he wasn’t a terrorist supporting (he praised Peru’s Shining Path) sweatshop enthusiast whose Bangladeshi slaves didn’t make his merch, I could cut him some slack because he has to live in a society that he despises in a mansion in California and I would pay more attention to his generic drivel. I’m sorry I didn’t turn in a treatise on the failing-est ideology of all time while shitting on an objectively ridiculous person. Who signed to fucking Sony.
lol
This is a constant rag against artists who are political AND popular. And these artists always have to make a choice: do it anarcho and DIY, and play to rooms where you’re preaching to the choir of tens maybe twenties of people; or “sell out” so your art is on the shelves of Best buy and Walmart, but the people who really need to hear your art, the people whose hearts you may be able to change, actually get access to your message. Not saying one is better than the other, but I definitely understand going with the latter.
Uh huh, and if you end worth 40 million and live in a mansion in L.A., so what? The message still got out to those whose lives you want to put at risk overthrowing the government or whatever the fuck Tom wants.Change hearts to what? Socialism? Better to remove the heart entirely.
Can someone, anyone, please tell me why Morello is omnipresent these days? It’s like he’s taken over multiple channels on Sirius XM too and I have no clue why.
LOL, socialists don’t believe in private fucking property. This man owns a mansion. Fuck off.
You’re confusing personal and private property.
Nope. First google result for “socialism private property”: Socialist economists are critical of private property as socialism aims to substitute private property in the means of production for social ownership or public property.
First google “socialist personal vs private property” and educate yourself.
So to your eyes, since socialism will theoretically allow you to keep your barren tenement apartment and toothbrush, there is no, say, moral monstrosity of supporting a group that killed tens of thousands of civilians in the name of your ideology, using slave labor, and living in a fucking fortress. These are the actions of a socialist, huh?
I find it interesting that you bring up personal property, which must be obtained through “fair” socialist doctrine, but still have no problem with slave labor and becoming a fucking millionaire in a capitalist system.Just thinking out loud.
I’m saying you failed to grasp the distinction between how socialism considers private and personal property.
Fine. Marxism dictates that one has to acquire personal property through “fair” socialist doctrine. This man did not do that, not by a long shot, and is heavily invested in private property to produce his fucking merch. I try not to get bogged down by minutiae of a failed failure failing fraud of an ideology when discussing shit like millionaire socialists who support mass murder. My bad.
Dude, I just pointed out you were confusing personal and private property under socialism, which you were. I’m dismissing your off-topic rants about marxism.
While socialism calls for collective or shared ownership of the means of production, it does not imply that there is no private ownership of personal property. Thus, corporations and factories would be shared among the members of society, but individuals and households would still own their own personal effects.Is there anything else about Socialism you think you know?
Yes, one can keep one’s toothbrush, I fucking understand. I’m sorry I didn’t write a treatise on the subject. This is a comment’s section. But I’m talking about a gross, ostentatious, vulgar display of capitalism by someone who is against it. Again, the dude has basically slaves assembling his merch and supports a brutal terrorist organization while living like fucking Ashton Kutcher. An actual socialist would not display such grotesqueries. Is there anything about supporting a far left terrorist group while profiting from sweatshops that you don’t understand?
There is is.
I know you only understand memes, but here’s who Morello praised from his vantage point in the Hollywood hills:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shining_Path The Shining Path has been widely condemned for its brutality, including violence deployed against peasants, trade union organizers, competing Marxist groups, elected officials and the general public.[2] The Shining Path is regarded as a terrorist organization by the government of Peru, along with Japan,[3] the United States,[4] the European Union,[5] and Canada,[6] all of whom consequently prohibit funding and other financial support to the group.
Actually, I posted this because I thought you would only understand memes.
I can’t help but notice that you are triggered by me simply mocking a moral monster and taking swipes against the losing-est ideology of all time but have apparently zero qualms with his use of slave labor and support of the slaughter of tens of thousands of civilians in the name of said ideology. Noted.I tried to find a meme that would express this, but alas, all I could find is shit about Hasan Piker. I’m sure you’re a big fan of his as well.
Yes, I’m the one who’s “triggered,” not the guy sputtering with anger like Ignatius Reilly.
You’re right, I’m totally furious and not at all killing time at work by simply pointing out that a so-called socialist did not come by his personal property following Marxist doctrine and supports mass murder in the name of his ideology and profits from slave labor. You know, things you have no problem with, as opposed to you being bitch hurt about someone criticizing said ideology. Why, I’m sputtering and spittle is forming as I calmly type that you support a total hypocrite mass murder/slavery enthusiast and the ideology which ignores such obvious contradictions.Your initial meme indicates that you think Morello’s brand of absolute horseshit socialism will improve society. Delicious. May we all improve society through (sputtering with gales of laughter) socialism. LOLLMFAOf, etc.I better go calm down by taking a shit. I’m sputtering like crazy.
Oh I see how it is. My short, measured responses are “triggered,”* but your multi-paragraph screeds are just you goofing around at work. That makes sense.“Your initial meme indicates that you think Morello’s brand of absolute horseshit socialism will improve society.”I was wrong. You don’t even understand memes. I’m surprised you have any shit left with all of it you’ve been putting down in your comments.* People who use this word unironically are morons
It’s called “writing” and it’s free and easy, you should try it at least once.Yes, I initially posted that he was a hypocrite fake socialist, and you responded with a meme featuring a character stating that society should be improved but he was shot down by a hater. So, yes, I took it to mean you approve of said fake bullshit socialism. Because that was the point of my post. Which you responded to. With a meme about how stupid it was to point out hypocrisy. And then you went on to defend socialism. So…yeah.If you can’t follow simple paragraphs I wouldn’t go around calling people morons. For using a word once. In the history of my posting history.Good talk.
You don’t understand what the meme is about.https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/we-should-improve-society-somewhat“The comic has been popularly used as a retort to people who imply one can’t make complaints about capitalism or other aspects of social life while participating in those systems.”I haven’t actually defended Socialism or endorsed any of Tom Morello’s views in any of my posts. You’re just assuming that because I’m criticizing you. Go back and read them again. They are only simple paragraphs.
I’m sorry I didn’t google the meme for its context on a fucking online meme repository . If it needs to be defined it kind of fails as a meme.You applied it directly to my comments re: Tom being a fucking hypocrite socialist asshead, so I will simply take that as the context, thanks, professor meme, keeper of memes in the meme depository.
I’m not surprised that you’re purposely interpreting this in bad faith. It’s your modus operandi.
If by “bad faith” you mean “intending to deceive” (you know, what the phrase actually means), you are obviously wrong. If by “bad faith” you mean interpreting a meme you posted directly to my comments about retarded socialists, I tend to use that immediate context, regardless of what your Internet Book of Memes states, because I don’t care about said book, you fucking pedantic fag.And even the context you provided from your scrapbook of memes is fucking braindead as it assumes all players are the same. If a put upon union dock worker was critiquing capitalism, I would listen. If a millionaire supposed socialist who supports mass murder, terrorism, the killing of homosexuals (he recommends Che a lot), the imprisonment of anti-revolutionary thinkers, etc., critiques capitalism from his mansion, I do not listen.Basic shit.
Are you doing a bit? This can’t be real.You don’t understand what bad faith means either. I feel like you looked it up before responding, but only read the first sentence of the description.
It’s also ironic that you call me pedantic while correcting my use of the term bad faith. And doubly ironic that you’re not even right.As to all players being the same, Tom Morello has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Harvard. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything he supports, but surely he’s more informed on the subject than the average dock worker. I’m not saying it’s impossible that there’s some dock worker out there that’s just as, or more, educated about the topic, but I doubt there are very many, if any.I suspect education isn’t what you were taking into account with your comparison, though. It’s a purity test where the only people who are allowed to have opinions about socialism are those who haven’t benefited from, or have suffered under capitalism. And guess what! That’s what the meme you didn’t understand is about. It’s so funny how you don’t even understand how perfectly you’re embodying the very thing you’re shitting on. I just don’t believe you’re a real person.
Most of this: TLDRYes, Tom went to Harvard. Where he most definitely learned about the atrocities of the Shining Path in Peru and the catastrophic failure of socialism there. Yet he still supports them, and other murderous revolutionaries. So I’m not entirely impressed by his education, his grasp on morality (obviously), or his basic bitch teenage politics.This is boring now. I don’t care about your fucking meme anymore. If you think someone who supports these murderous/exploitative injustices has a leg to stand on to criticize…anything, I question your grasp of morality as well. If you are more offended by me mocking him than his support for mass murder, you lack legs as well.Keep memeing, my friend. Your pictures are worth zero words.
I don’t believe for one second that you didn’t read every word. I’m sure you had some trouble with comprehension though.
No, I skimmed it, and it’s your usual complaints about me not understanding a stupid fucking meme and how it is bullshit for someone to shut down someone else for critiquing capitalism because they participate in said system, blah blah blah, etc., ad infinitum, forever and ever, amen.I’m afraid it is you who has a comprehension problem, because you refuse to comprehend that Morello is a moral monster and that your meme does not really fucking apply to my critique of his imbecility. I disagree with the fucking premise of your meme but I have far bigger issues with Tom than his hypocrisy. I’ve already explained to you his various evils, and your meme does not address them.Does the premise that I’m implying that “one can’t make complaints about capitalism or other aspects of social life while participating in those systems” apply to his endorsement of a murderer of homosexuals? Does it apply to his supporting a notoriously brutal terrorist group? Does it apply to socialism’s failure in Peru and his continued support of it? Does it apply to him using slave labor? Does it apply to the internment of wrong thinkers?No. It applies to none of those things. So find another meme, tweet it to yourself, and fuck off.Sorry for the straightforward short paragraphs. My next reply will be the Mad Men meme of “I don’t think about you at all.” Perhaps that will help it sink into your broken synapses.
You’ve written a very long reply for something you don’t think about at all.And once again, I haven’t endorsed any of Morello’s views. I’m not sure why you think I have.
Again, you comprehension level is that of algae. I’ve thought a great deal about Mr. Morello’s horrific beliefs. I think very little of you.Comprehension failure #2 in your short response: I was expressing that my issues with Morello have to do with much more than his hypocrisy—which you are fine with—but with his abject moral failings, which I have not attributed to you. Except that I suspect you’re a progressive and/or socialist nihilistic sarcastic jerk off who plays with memes all day.Tootles!
You’re so perceptive. Will you keep replying if I do?
Well, by this logic, Springsteen and Mellencamp (and all very successful people who identify as liberals) should be Republicans. There’s nothing wrong with critiquing the very real, destructive characteristics of a system that has served you well by pointing out its effects on masses of others. As capitalism is the system of the world, one we’re all living in, there wouldn’t be that many people on the outside of it to be its only critics, not to mention they wouldn’t have the reputation, power, authority for their points to be heard. And you can’t deny that modern capitalism needs serious reform. Morello may be different—I don’t know—but most advocates of socialism aren’t talking about Soviet Union communism, just the rich paying more in taxes and a government that works for the people instead of the wealthy elite. Everybody can get behind that.
Yeah, no. Morello is a fucking socialist. He should give ALL of his property and money away. He can do his critiquing from the underpass, or he can fund a revolution himself. This is a man who has praised the fucking Shining Path. Fuck him.
Based on this guy’s other comments, he apparently genuinely believes that socialism is equivalent to hardline Marxism. I’m guessing no one is going to get him to change one syllable of what he’s repeating over and over again. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Such a fresh take.
Thanks. Making fun of millionaires who praise the fucking Shining Path is never not funny.
You must have been so bummed when you found out last month about their politics.
Rage’s first shows were an exercise in capitalism. Nothing free. Promo merch wasn’t promotional despite the free labor from their early dedicated fans in assembling it all.
Quoting Adam Sandler movies. A devastating blow.
So, did Disney+ actually allow the f-bomb(s) to explode, or did they incorporate enough of a delay in their broadcast to bleep out any words that would make Martha Evangelical to faint? (Although those same words are, of course, perfectly acceptable to use when referring to Biden, Obama, or really any Democrat, leftist, centrist, or RINO.)
They censored the swear words with the Mickey Mouse “ha-HA!” laugh.
Not the South Park Mickey Mouse?!
Can we just leave the nice lady from Wye Oak out of this?
I dunno, how articulate is she?
How dare that Wenner write the book he felt like writing? What a jerk.
The problem was not the book. The problem was when he was asked a total softball of a question about the book and accidentally dropped his pants to show his ass to the world.
That I agree with.
To me, RATM is the GOAT,
Tom Morrell is a WoKe Libtard Globalist clown! He’s anti American n quite frankly his band completely sucks! Whoever made this ridiculous decision should be executed! I’d enjoy kicking Tom’s ass into next Tuesday if I ever ran into this communist clown!
You wouldn’t say shit with a mouth full of it. Nerd.
That was an Awesome message! Comrade Tom is one of the biggest anti American Globalist clowns on the planet! Someone needs to off this freak with a bunch of 9 mm bullets! Don’t like America commie Tom? Then go move to China where you belong you fucking asshole!
Look at you and your pants-pissing tantrum over a musician. Pathetic.
Nobody want to talk about Rage Against the Machine. Everybody wants to talk about Link Wray, and Jimmy Page’s fantastic cover of “Rumble.”