Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond Broken Record with Rick Rubin, Malcolm Gladwell, Bruce Headlam and Justin Richmond

Tom Morello

Sep 8, 2026 · 1h 0m

Summary

Tom Morello discusses his new solo album, "Everyone Gets Everything They Want," and his journey from a high school punk band in Illinois to co-founding Rage Against the Machine. He shares anecdotes about his early struggles in the LA music scene, a pivotal performance that defined his artistic identity, and his collaborative history with Bruce Springsteen. The conversation also touches on his discovery of folk music, the political roots of his work, and the unique chemistry that made Rage Against the Machine a groundbreaking band.

Topics discussed

Tom Morello's background and solo album introduction Discussion on Van Halen's 1984 and early influences Learning guitar and forming The Electric Sheep High school band dynamics and first live performance Discovering the 'vibe' and feeling of rock and roll Touring with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band Ideological alignment and diverse musical influences Failure in Hollywood and the birth of Rage Against the Machine Lock Up's early success and the L.A. punk scene Navigating the L.A. music scene and meeting Slash Perception of race in the music industry Family heritage and political roots Collaborating with son Roman on the new album Themes and authenticity of 'Everyone Gets Everything They Want' Album structure and the 'Date Night' single Touring plans and the Power of the People festival Memorizing Springsteen's setlist and peak performance moments Closing remarks and sponsor segments
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