Guitarist Tom Morello takes the mic for the first time on “One Man Revolution,” his debut album as the Nightwatchman. Due April 24 via Epic, the 13-track set was produced by Brendan O’Brien and sports acoustic-based compositions that are a far cry from the heavy guitar rock Morello has purveyed in Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave.
The artist has been utilizing the Nightwatchman moniker for the past three years for performances, and has of late been hosting a Tuesday night residency at Los Angeles’ Hotel Cafe. Among the guests that have dropped by recently are System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian, Cypress Hill’s Sen Dog and Perry Farrell.
Morello will tour this spring, including an appearance at South by Southwest in Austin, Texas, in mid-March. But perhaps of most interest to hardcore fans are rumors that Rage Against The Machine may be reuniting for the first time in six-plus years to play the Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival this spring.
An event spokesperson was not available for comment on the possibility of a Rage performance.
After Rage split in 2000, Morello formed Audioslave with his old band’s rhythm section of Tim Commerford and Brad Wilk. However, Audioslave is on hiatus while frontman Chris Cornell records a solo album and has no plans to tour in support of its third album, “Revelations,” released last fall.
And while Audioslave refused to play Rage songs live on its early tours, the band eventually began incorporating them into its sets in summer 2005.
As for Rage frontman Zach de la Rocha, little has been heard from him since the breakup, although he is said to be on good terms with his ex-bandmates.