‘If You Support Anything, Let It Be Justice': Tom Morello Talks ICE Protest Song ‘Pretend You Remember Me'
Recent ICE raids in and around Los Angeles, as well as the federal government sending National Guard troops and U.S. Marines into Los Angeles as part of its campaign only stroked the guitarist/activist's, well, rage.
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'I was on the front lines in the battles of the Marines and cops and ICE in the streets of Los Angeles,' he says, 'and blasting out of every car were Rage songs. On placards held up at every rally are the lyrics from Rage songs — some of the Nightwatchman music I played in the streets, too. So playing this music at this time felt like it was absolutely appropriate to do.
'Like anybody else, I'm all in favor of violent criminals being arrested — but I think we should start with the violent criminals who the International Criminal Court is seeking for their wars overseas rather than hard-working people who are just trying to make a decent life for their families here. If you support anything, let it be justice.
'The reason why you saw one of the biggest protests in the history of the U.S. (against the ICE raids in Los Angeles) is there is a real fear that American fascism is about to kick down our door. We're not at the brink of it; we're in the middle of it. The good news is tens of millions of people were out in the streets protesting it. The band news is it's real. Fortunately there are a lot more of us than there are of them — that's something we tend to forget.'
'Pretend You Remember Me' is slated for what Morello — who served as musical director for the recent Back to the Beginning Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne farewell concert in England — calls 'my first solo rock album,' which he expects to have out next year via Mom+Pop Music. It follows 'Soldier in the Army of Love,' which came out during June of 2024. 'I continue to write and record,' he says. 'I definitely want to have more new music out this year as I continue to tour. My rock albums have mostly been band efforts (with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave) or they've been hybrid albums, like the three Atlas Underground records with a lot of guest artists and weaving in kind of EDM threads. I've made four acoustic Americana records under the name the Nightwatchman that are near and dear to my heart. And I've made rock albums with Bruce Springsteen and Prophets of Rage.
'The reason why this (rock album) is manifesting now is that over the course of the last three years I've been touring and embracing the totality of my catalog. That's steered me towards making (rock) music of my own.'
Morello says to expect 'some shredding guitar solos on it. On the one hand is the big Morello riffage of Rage and Audioslave; on other hand is a kind of Springsteen, Darkness on the Edge of Town vibe. ('Pretend You Remember Me') falls comfortably in between those.'
Morello — who played on Springsteen's Wrecking Ball and High Hopes albums and toured as an E Street Band sub during 2013-14 — is also backing The Boss' critical concert comments about Trump and his administration during his recent European tour. 'Bruce and I have texted about the ongoing stuff. I know he's stood strong while he's performing overseas, that he stood strong every day, and I'm very supportive of that.'
Morello is currently playing shows in Canada, with two shows at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom coinciding with the release of 'Pretend You Remember Me.' He'll also perform at the Rocklahoma Festival on Aug. 30 in Pryor, Okla., with more Canadian shows on his schedule in October and November.
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So trying to find that balance, trying to accept that I'm going to have some smile lines that maybe aren't going to completely go away, but that's OK. It's a part of life, and it's because I've laughed a lot. So trying to see it from that perspective instead of just harping on lines on my face. That's still a work in progress. Did turning 40 feel like a milestone for you? I had the most amazing party with no drama, no cameras other than the photographers I hired. So many of my Valley and Vanderpump Rules castmates and a ton of friends from my daughter's school. It was the perfect way to ring in 40. I was a bit depressed from November until May. I've upped my meds now, and I am feeling better. I was a combination of things that were putting me in a slump: getting kicked off The Masked Singer first, feeling like I'm not good enough. Then Vanderpump Rules gets rebooted, and as happy as I was, it was still a huge change in my adult life and career. It was just like so many little things: turning 40, new hormones coming through your body. I'm like, am I in perimenopause? What is this? But I did up my meds. What's something that you love about yourself now that you didn't when you were younger? All of the things that I think are wrong with me — my anxiety, my OCD, things that I just battled with in my head as a kid and adolescent and even an adult. I appreciate those things now on a different level. I think at times my intrusive thoughts suck, but my OCD does keep me safe. My anxiety shows me, Here are the potential threats and things that can go wrong. I do appreciate that I am cautious. How has becoming a mom changed how you see yourself? I have always known I'm a strong person. But this just extra shows me how strong I am. I was terrified to become a mom. I have to keep this human alive every single minute of the day? Then, when they go to school or there's a nanny, and you have to release control. It was a total battle for me. But now she can tell me when her tummy hurts and we can communicate like that, it has gotten easier. But it's really made me realize that I am a good mom. I am a strong person. I just want to give her the best life. I had an incredible childhood growing up, and I want her to have the same thing. And I feel like I've changed in a way where I look at friendships and relationships differently. If someone hasn't asked about my kid, if they have no interest in how she's doing, I have no interest for you in my life. When you become a mom, you really learn who your real friends are, who care not just about you and themself, but care about your kid. So that's been really eye-opening for me as well. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Solve the daily Crossword
