They're no slaves to the past

By PETER GRIFFIN

When Los Angeles rap-metal group Rage Against The Machine called it a day a couple of years ago it was the demise of the most political band in 90s rock. For Rage guitarist Tom Morello, who describes himself as "a political musician and a musical politician", what drove the band through a series of politically charged albums drives him still.

"A good motto to live by is that if you don't like what you see on the news, then make some news of your own," he advises on the website of his socio-political mouthpiece, Axis of Justice. And what better time to be making news than now, when the Dixie Chicks can gain international exposure for berating President Bush?

With former Rage bassist Tim Commerford and drummer Brad Wilk, Morello teamed up with Chris Cornell, the huge voice of Soundgarden, to form Audioslave, a vehicle more for music than politics.

Apart from the odd track here and there, Cornell hasn't been seen in action since his Euphoria Morning solo effort three years ago. The bellowing return has been greeted warmly by fans, who lamented Soundgarden's break-up at the height of their popularity.

Audioslave was touring the United States as Saddam's eviction deadline passed and coalition forces invaded Iraq. Morello marched and protested his way across the country as the tour and the war progressed, caught up in a groundswell of anti-war sentiment.

"In the US there's a propaganda barrage that you wouldn't believe and which definitely does influence public opinion. Even with that being the case, there is a really strong anti-war feeling."

On stage, Cornell delivered the verbal rhetoric. Banners explained how Audioslave felt about their President: "Somewhere in Texas a village is missing its idiot", read one; another asked: "How many Iraqis per gallon?"

Morello says the stance was taken not to polarise fans turning up to the gigs, but make them think about where they stood. "It's only by encouraging that thoughtfulness and debate that people can get to the bottom of their true feelings and emotions and decide to take some action, hopefully against the war."

They have been relatively political shows for new songs with a surprisingly apolitical feel to them. But for the Zeppelinesque Cochise, which takes its name from the last American Indian chief to make a bloody stand against the US Army, Audioslave's material is driven by Cornell's more introspective, brooding lyrics.

The Cornell-Rage alliance was suggested by superstar record producer Rick Rubin, who put the singer-less band in a room with Cornell for an ice-breaking jam session. They hit it off and ended up penning 21 songs in 19 days. That was the easy part. Music industry big business got in the way after that as the respective management teams and labels of Rage and Cornell fought to secure their shares in the venture. It was all too much for Cornell, who briefly abandoned the project.

But it was too good an opportunity to pass up and the labels settled on a deal. Rubin ended up in the producer's chair and put the band through its paces, making them perform dozens of takes in his quest for heavy rock perfection.

The articulate Morello doesn't see the remnants of two of the biggest bands of the 90s uniting as the birth of a supergroup - "just four friends coming together and making the type of music we love".

"We didn't want to rest on our laurels or do some sort of super-group hobby project or something like that," says Morello of the period following the departure of RATM frontman Zack De La Rocha.

Morello won't give Soundgarden hits like Rusty Cage or Burden In My Hand his distinctive guitar treatment, though the results would probably be impressive. Nor does Cornell add his vocals to Rage's back catalogue. This is no greatest-hits show. Audioslave has too much respect for the music their former bands created to take that path.

"It's in no way a nostalgia act. We play all new music at these shows. We play Audioslave songs and we play cover songs. No Soundgarden. No Rage Against the Machine."

Covers in the style of Rage's swansong album Renegades have been getting an airing. The music doesn't have the same cutting political overtones these days, but Morello is keeping his political convictions alive through Axis of Justice, which he formed with System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian. He says the organisation, which hosts lively debates on its internet message boards (www.axisofjustice.org), links grass-roots political groups with those seeking to join worthy political causes.

"Whether you live in Wellington or Washington, if you're interested in stopping the war in Iraq, or you're interested in environmental issues, workers rights, or you are being physically or sexually abused, you can join an organisation and get help today.

"The reason I started playing rock guitar was heavy metal - Kiss, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath. But the reason I picked up a guitar to begin with was because of the Sex Pistols and the Clash.

"The raw, unsophisticated force of punk showed that getting a band together and making a musical statement wasn't such an unattainable goal after all. If Sid Vicious could do it, anyone could.

"You could make music that mattered without having a great deal of technical expertise and expensive equipment. Or without owning Alistair Crowley's mansion," quips Morello.

His effects-laden guitar technique is a concoction of metal, punk and hip-hop. "In Rage Against the Machine I was basically DJ of the band so my influences were DJs like Jam Master J from Run DMC or Terminator X from Public Enemy."

Morello's tastes moved into the realms of electronica in the mid-90s with the Chemical Brothers, the Crystal Method and Prodigy catching his attention. "I tried to emulate some of the sounds and textures of that electronic music on organic instruments like the electric guitar."

Last month, Morello paid tribute to some of his musical heroes in style, inducting the Clash into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "I have never been more nervous about anything in my life than when I heard I was going to be doing that. I spent a lot of time working on the speech."

Supergroup or not, the pulling power of two of modern rock's most enduring acts has led to Audioslave selling more than one million albums in the US. Touring commitments will keep the band busy for the next few months.

Lollapalooza, the alternative American rock festival that used to draw the masses in the early 90s, will have Audioslave on its bill, with the festival founders Jane's Addiction.

Audioslave's New Zealand shows will be the first for the band members since Rage Against The Machine and Soundgarden passed through on the obligatory Big Day Out tours in the late 90s. "The people, the geography and musical climate were so welcoming," says Morello."We're looking forward to getting back."

Performance

* Who: Audioslave

* Where: Auckland Town Hall

* When: Easter Saturday, April 19