Cincinnati Babyhead

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Quick Hit : Rage Against The Machine – The Battle Of Los Angeles

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CB likes loud aggressive hard rock played this way. He also likes loud distorted guitar the way Tom Morello plays it. He likes killer bass and drums that lay it down and vocals sung with passion, commitment and energy.  I got all that and more when I was introduced to this music. These guys have their feet planted and deliver.  New sounds that totally captured my music head.

This is explosive music with lots of punch and a little funk. It doesn’t let up. These guys were not pretending.  Songs like  ‘Born Of Broken Man’  have a restraint and a release. I love it.

A lot of new music doesn’t catch my ear but Rage Against The Machine were a new band at the time that did catch it. They still do. I like all their albums but I really dig this one. (1537 says I can listen to this kind of music until I’m 86.9 years old).

I always wanted to break into a radio station and start playing the music I like. I’d wear a gorilla costume while I did it.

“Turn that shit up”

 

 

37 comments on “Quick Hit : Rage Against The Machine – The Battle Of Los Angeles

  1. Tony
    December 9, 2018

    Three stonking albums and out. Bish, bash, bosh. I need to go spin this one again. Loud

    Liked by 1 person

    • cincinnatibabyhead
      December 9, 2018

      Throw ‘Renegades’in there also. I noticed your PJ and Springsteen producer was involved with this album. Because I’m a lazy shit and don’t investigate like I should. Is there other good acts this guy puts his touch to?

      Liked by 1 person

      • Tony
        December 9, 2018

        Oh blimey, yeah. Brendan O’Brien’s produced a huge amount of good stuff.. some Aimee Mann bits, all the first run of Stone Temple Pilots records and Paul Westerberg’s second solo record spring to mind

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 9, 2018

        I like that Westerberg record. Looks like he attaches himself o quality people.

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Jim S.
    December 9, 2018

    I was late to the party with these guys. I like ’em but to this day they’re more of a “enjoy ’em when I hear ’em on the radio” band for me. I wouldn’t do a piece on them but probably a song or two at some point.

    Liked by 1 person

    • cincinnatibabyhead
      December 9, 2018

      Love the sound. It all works for me. At the time I found these guys there was so much new music (in all genres) that just didn’t do it for me. Rage just plucked my ear. It wasn’t just noise to me. Zachs delivery worked and I don’t lean towards that style. Commerford and Wilks are a great rhythm section. I loved their work in Audioslave also. Morello is the cherry.
      Try giving ‘Renegades’ some time.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Jim S.
        December 9, 2018

        I’ll give it a Spotify spin tomorrow in the car.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 9, 2018

        Driving with Rage could be dangerous especially if ‘Kick Out the Jams’ comes on. It will be ‘Lead Foot Doc’. Actually that would be cool to see some older dude with the windows down cranking out ‘Jams’.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jim S.
        December 9, 2018

        I prefer to think of myself as a ‘mature’ dude.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 9, 2018

        I have to get the right word when talking with you. Keeps me on my toes.

        Like

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        Man of a ‘certain age.’

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        I listened to ‘Renegades’ today. CB is a closet rap-rocker! I’m not a big rap fan but when you put a rock beat (Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys) to it, I dig it. I think a few young’uns heard me listening to it and immediately threw their records away because I made it no longer cool. Definitely already know the ‘Tom Joad’ one. Never thought Morello was a good match with the E Street band. Too raucous for their sound plus they already have a hundred guitarists in that band. Totally dug Rage version of Stones’ ‘Street Fighting Man.’ I’ll give ‘Maggie’s Farm’ a spin later. It would be fun to play in a band that did some of this stuff.

        Liked by 2 people

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 10, 2018

        Every once in a while I need a kick in the ass with some of that loud stuff. Rap? Bits and pieces. Like any music if it strikes a chord or hits my mood I’ll give it a go. A lot of that and “New Country” doesn’t make it with CB.
        As far as “closet” I prefer Ray Davies I’m out of the “wardrobe” if were’ talking language.
        On the Bruce thing I have not kept up with him like I did at one time (and I’m a cad carrying BS guy). So yeah I thought it was cool Tom was in his band (I think we discussed this before. Politics). I get you on the abundance of guitarists. Maybe Bruce collects them.
        Last thing. I’m listening to the original Ten Years After album. Fantastic!

        Like

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        Well, that dude is definitely rapping in there, no two ways about it. Original TYA? First album?

        Like

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 10, 2018

        Yup the original

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        Haven’t heard that in a while. That’s some good, bluesy shit. Combo of the jazzy stuff like “Undead” and the Brit R&B stuff. Funny to think how it came out within a few months of Sgt. Pepper but it’s like a parallel universe where the Beatles never happened. Two tracks – the poppier Brit Invasion guys (Beatles, Who, Hollies, Kinks) and the blues guys (Stones, Yardbirds, TYA, Cream.)

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 10, 2018

        It is some good “shit”. It caught me with those things you mentioned. The “jazzy” stuff was a surprise. Nice to revisit and get surprised at how good it really was. Not dated at all. I lean more to this than I do the “poppier” side. But you know I’m a Kinks/Who freak.

        Like

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        Right, me too. And I’m a diehard Beatles fan. So I can go either way. But this stuff goes down like smooth bourbon on a cold winter’s night. Hey, I’m a poet and I don’t know it.

        Liked by 1 person

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        BTW, listen to “Kick out the Jams” and then Steve Miller “Space Cowboy.”

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 10, 2018

        I just did the experiment. I like them both and hear similarities but fill me in on what you’re haring.

        Like

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        The similarity in that repetitive riff. It’s more prominent in “Space Cowboy” but I hear it in both.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 10, 2018

        Yes but slower on the Cowboy cut. I guess it’s things like that that catch my ear. Being the musician you are it’s easier for you to pick up.

        Single : Space Cowboy – Steve Miller Band

        Like

      • Jim S.
        December 10, 2018

        Yeah, I do a shitload of learning songs, almost on a daily basis. So much written music gets it wrong I have to rely on my ear.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        December 11, 2018

        Nice to see a man with a passion.

        Like

      • Jim S.
        December 11, 2018

        Boy I lovs it. That and the blog keep me going.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. 1537
    December 9, 2018

    86.9 eh? you don’t want to be listening to him!

    I have a lot of time for their covers LP too – I’m hoping that Vinyl Claus brings it to me for Christmas.

    Liked by 1 person

    • cincinnatibabyhead
      December 9, 2018

      Usually one of my offspring gets me a little vinyl surprise for Xmas. Last year it was a Grinderman. Maybe this year a Rage.
      When I get a quote like yours I run with it.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. BuriedOnMars
    December 9, 2018

    I really didn’t start listening to them until Renegade came out. Went back and grabbed all of their albums. Was happy that this was one of them.

    Liked by 3 people

    • cincinnatibabyhead
      December 9, 2018

      Cool thing about music (and film), you don’t always have to be the first at the party. My kids would tell their friends that their dad (me) listened to Rage. I think it blew their minds. Like I said in the bit, 1537 has given me the OK to listen to this loud stuff into my 80’s.

      Liked by 2 people

      • BuriedOnMars
        December 10, 2018

        Agreed! Doesn’t matter when you get there so long as you get there!

        Liked by 2 people

  5. J.
    February 5, 2019

    Aw man, seems that regardless of the style of music we’re often in complete agreement. Rage was a huge huge band for me… I still remember hearing them for the first time and having my mind blown. Morello took guitar to another level and Zack was proper angry and disenchanted and spat words like bullets. Loved them. Then they released Evil Empire and I was convinced it was the greatest album of all time. I still play that one often. And this, of course, is a helluvanalbum too. Such a great band.

    Liked by 1 person

    • cincinnatibabyhead
      February 5, 2019

      That’s pretty good stuff J. Rage has that effect. They play hard with energy and passion. Did you follow the core to Audioslave?

      Liked by 1 person

      • J.
        February 5, 2019

        I did, aye; though I never fully dug Audioslave the same. Never seemed quite as strong as it could / should have been, y’know.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        February 5, 2019

        I get ya. But still worth listening to. I love that rhythm section and of coarse Tom’s chops. I might like them a little more than you.

        Liked by 1 person

      • J.
        February 6, 2019

        Definitely a lot of good songs, but they just never hit me the same. Always made me want more from Rage and Soundgarden.

        Liked by 1 person

      • cincinnatibabyhead
        February 6, 2019

        Rage was pretty special.

        Liked by 1 person

      • J.
        February 6, 2019

        One of the best.

        Like

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This entry was posted on December 9, 2018 by in 1999 Album, Rage Against The Machine, Rock N Roll, Uncategorized.

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