Maps of Music

Rage Against the Machine (1992)

Where the lyrics of Rage Against the Machine take you, and where it was really made.

The cover shows a monk's self-immolation in Saigon in 1963, and the band chose that photograph as the album art.

Key places

Most of the album recorded in Van Nuys (1992)

Recording site Sound City Studios — Most of the album was recorded here in Van Nuys, California, mainly in April and May 1992. Many takes were played live with all the musicians together in front of a small audience of friends. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Additional recording in Studio City (1992)

Recording site Scream Studios — Additional recording for the album was done at Scream Studios in Studio City, California, after the main sessions in Van Nuys. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Bullet in the Head recorded in North Hollywood (1992)

Recording site Schnee Studio — The track Bullet in the Head was recorded at Industrial Recording in North Hollywood. The point marks the city centre, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Saigon, where the cover photograph was taken (1992)

Album cover Saigon — The cover uses a crop of a 1963 photograph of a monk's self-immolation in Saigon. The point marks the city, not the exact street. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Debut studio album by the American rock band Rage Against the Machine
• Released November 3, 1992, by Epic Records
• Based largely on the band's first commercial demo tape of the same name, completed 11 months before release
• The tape held earlier recordings of seven of the ten songs
• Political, revolutionary lyrical content runs through the album
• Cover: a graphic photograph of Vietnamese monk Thích Quảng Đức self-immolating in June 1963

Background

• The Rage Against the Machine Tour followed, running from January 15, 1993, in Chicago to December 31, 1993, in Detroit
• Some concerts had hip hop opening acts, House of Pain and Cypress Hill
• The band refers to itself as "Guilty Parties" on each album

Recording

• Mainly recorded in April and May 1992 at Sound City Studios in Van Nuys, California
• Additional recording at Scream Studios in Studio City, California
• One track recorded at Industrial Recording in North Hollywood
• Mixed at Quantum Sound Studios in Jersey City; mastered at Masterdisk in New York City

Cover

• The cover is a crop of Malcolm Browne's famous photograph of the 1963 self-immolation in Saigon

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · fr.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1991.
• Formed after Tom Morello's former band Lock Up broke up; the name came from a song Zack de la Rocha wrote for his former hardcore punk band Inside Out.
• Signed with Epic Records after releasing a self-released demo cassette.

Members

• Zack de la Rocha (vocals), Tim Commerford (bass), Tom Morello (guitar), Brad Wilk (drums).

Career

• Debut album Rage Against the Machine (1992) was a critical and commercial success; ranked 221st on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020).
• Commercial breakthrough came after the 1993 Lollapalooza performance.
• Evil Empire (1996) and The Battle of Los Angeles (1999) both topped the Billboard 200.
• Disbanded in 2000 after de la Rocha quit; Morello, Wilk and Commerford formed Audioslave with Chris Cornell.
• Reunited in 2007, toured internationally, went on hiatus in 2011, and formed Prophets of Rage in 2016.
• Second reunion in 2019 led to the Public Service Announcement Tour, cut short by de la Rocha's injury in 2022.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023; Wilk confirmed in 2024 the band had disbanded again.
• Sold more than 16 million records worldwide as of 2010; influenced the nu metal genre.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics received the album well on release
• Several critics noted its politically motivated agenda
• Critics praised frontman Zack de la Rocha's strong vocal delivery
• NME praised the band's lack of pretension and said the results burn with an undeniable conviction
• Q magazine called it a record of real attitude and energy
• Los Angeles Times critic Robert Hilburn called it a striking, politically conscious debut
• Robert Christgau in The Village Voice summed it up as metal for rap-lovers and opera-haters, naming Know Your Enemy and Wake Up as highlights

Reappraisal

• AllMusic reviewer Eduardo Rivadavia called it the first album to merge rap and heavy metal, and essential
• Q named it one of the 50 Heaviest Albums of All Time in 2001
• It is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die
• Rolling Stone ranked it 368th in 2003, 365th in 2012 and 221st in 2020 on its 500 Greatest Albums list
• Rolling Stone ranked it 24th on its 100 Greatest Metal Albums list
• BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe included it in his Masterpieces series in December 2008
• Guitar World ranked it fifth on its top ten guitar albums of 1992 in October 2011

Records

• Peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard Heatseekers chart
• Reached number 45 on the US Billboard 200
• Triple platinum sales certification from the RIAA in the US

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The booklet printed lyrics for every song except Killing in the Name, whose lyrics were left out and whose title line is followed directly by the next song.
• The sleeve notes state that no samples, keyboards or synthesizers were used in making the record.
• Bullet in the Head was recorded before the band had played any live concert, according to the French article.
• Wake Up was included in the end credits of The Matrix as one of its soundtrack songs.
• Band members refer to themselves as Guilty Parties on every album.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · es.wikipedia.org

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