Rage Against the Machine Breaks Up for a Third Time, Says Drummer Brad Wilk

 Posted on September 7, 2024  |  4 minutes  |  814 words  |  Jenniffer Sheldon

Rage Against the Machine has called it quits for a third time, according to the band’s drummer Brad Wilk.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, the founding member addressed a slew of canceled dates as part of Rage’s Public Service Announcement reunion tour. “I know a lot of people are waiting for us to announce new tour dates for all the canceled RATM shows,” he wrote. “I don’t want to string people or myself along any further. So while there has been some communication that this may be happening in the future… I want to let you know that RATM (Tim, Zack, Tom and I) will not be touring or playing live again. I’m sorry for those of you who have been waiting for this to happen. I really wish it was…”

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This isn’t the first time that Rage has pulled the plug on the band. The foursome, consisting of frontman Zack de la Rocha, bassist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and Wilk, formed in the early 1990s and rocked the mainstream with its reactionary and politically-charged music. But after all their success, Rocha released a statement in 2000 that he was leaving the band because “our decision-making process has completely failed.” The remaining members splintered off to form Audioslave with lead singer Chris Cornell, who would inevitably leave the band in 2007.

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That same year, Rage reunited to headline Coachella and subsequently toured in the years that followed. By 2011, they’d played their final show at L.A Rising, signaling its second breakup. But, of course, Rage caught a third wind in 2020, announcing the Public Service Announcement tour. The Covid pandemic forced them to postpone the trek, and Rage inevitably picked it back up in 2022. On the second date of the tour, Rocha ruptured his Achilles tendon, and while they finished the first leg of the planned shows, they canceled the remainder due to the severity of his injuries.

Most recently, Rage was mostly absent during their induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Morello was the sole member on hand to accept the honor, and noted that the oft-feuding group has “differing opinions on a lot of things, including being inducted.” He did pay tribute to Rage, though, and thanked the “fifth member of the band,” referring to the fans.

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