Thread: Rage Against The Machine News

from music news



THE BBC have been forced to apologise after Rage Against The Machine swore in a live performance on Radio 5 Live.

The American rockers, who are battling with X Factor winner Joe McElderry to the Christmas number one, said "****" four times as they performed their 1992 hit Killing In The Name

The Breakfast show linked live to a studio in California to speak to singer Zack de la Rocha and guitarist Tom Morello about the chart battle.

They then performed the song live but were cut short after the band ignored pleas not to swear.

The song was abruptly faded out during the controversial closing bars of the song and listeners heard presenter Shelagh Fogarty say, "get rid of it".

Their live expletives also forced Fogarty to immediately back McElderry for the Christmas number one and

She added: "Sorry. We needed to get rid of that because that suddenly turned in to something we were not expecting.

"Well, we were expecting it and asked them not to do it and they did it anyway - so buy Joe's record."
A BBC spokesman said: "We had spoken to the band repeatedly beforehand and they had agreed not to swear.

"When they did, we faded the band out and said sorry immediately. We apologise again to anyone who was offended."

Hmmm...I don't like censorship of art, and Rage wouldn't be Rage without the attitude. But if they agreed not to curse, yet did anyway, that's not standing up for freedom of speech; that's lying to appease The Man so you can play for him. It comes across more as juvenile than principled.

Years ago, they used to leave the curse words in songs on the radio, and I think it was the right thing to do, because it's a matter of respect for art. Bleeping out songs like "Who Are You" and "Money" is like covering up the parts of famous statues.