Freedom (Rage Against the Machine song)
Encyclopedia
"Freedom" was a single released by Rage Against the Machine
from their self-titled album
in 1994.
The song is played in Drop D tuning on the guitars and has a distinctive riff in the intro and chorus. The band would normally close their shows playing "Freedom" due to the famous breakdown followed by an intense ending, for which they sometimes adapted parts of "Township Rebellion" (another Rage song). An example of this is featured on The Battle of Mexico City
DVD
. Since their reunion, the song has been played as part of the encore along with "Killing in the Name
".
"Freedom" was also used in an episode of the MTV
series Daria
, entitled Quinn The Brain in 2001.
Freedom made its live debut at their first public performance at Cal State in the Quad, on October 23, 1991.
On certain copies of the Freedom single (and on the vinyl), there is a track titled Freedom (Remix). There are no differences between this and the version on the album, except Zack de la Rocha
saying "Yeah, now check this out" near the beginning and slightly different mastering.
and produced by Fiz Oliver at Squeak Pictures. It premiered on MTV
's 120 Minutes
on December 19, 1993. According to CVC Broadcast & Cable Top 50 chart, "Freedom" was the Number 1 promo in January 1994.
The video is focused on the case for Leonard Peltier
, who was one of the leaders of the American Indian Movement
(AIM). The band is performing live in a small venue throughout the video. During the video, footage from the Peltier case is examined and detailed with shots of Peltier and other members of AIM. There is also a reenactment of what took place on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
. The footage of this reenactment is from Michael Apted
's 1992 documentary Incident at Oglala
.
During most of the video quotes from Sitting Bull
and general AIM information taken from Peter Matthiessen
's 1983 study of the Peltier case, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, scrolls along the bottom of the screen. The video ends with a picture of Peltier in prison and the phrase "justice has not been done".
Brad plays with his drumkit facing the back wall in this video, as he was prone to doing in 1994. He said he wanted to sit facing the same direction the audience was facing. After a while he set up huge truck mirrors in front of him so he could still see the crowd while playing.
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
from their self-titled album
Rage Against the Machine (album)
Rage Against the Machine is the debut studio album by rap metal band Rage Against the Machine. The album was released on November 10, 1992...
in 1994.
The song is played in Drop D tuning on the guitars and has a distinctive riff in the intro and chorus. The band would normally close their shows playing "Freedom" due to the famous breakdown followed by an intense ending, for which they sometimes adapted parts of "Township Rebellion" (another Rage song). An example of this is featured on The Battle of Mexico City
The Battle of Mexico City
The Battle of Mexico City is the second video release by Rage Against the Machine. The concert was recorded in Mexico City's MX Palacio de los Deportes in 1999 as part of their Battle of Los Angeles world tour...
DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. Since their reunion, the song has been played as part of the encore along with "Killing in the Name
Killing in the Name
"Killing in the Name" is a song by American rap metal band Rage Against the Machine, featured on their self-titled debut album, and was released as the lead single from the album in November 1992...
".
"Freedom" was also used in an episode of the MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
series Daria
Daria
Daria is an American animated television series produced by Paramount Television, and created by Glenn Eichler and Susie Lewis Lynn for MTV. The series focuses on Daria Morgendorffer, a smart, acerbic, and somewhat misanthropic teenage girl who observes the world around her...
, entitled Quinn The Brain in 2001.
Freedom made its live debut at their first public performance at Cal State in the Quad, on October 23, 1991.
On certain copies of the Freedom single (and on the vinyl), there is a track titled Freedom (Remix). There are no differences between this and the version on the album, except Zack de la Rocha
Zack de la Rocha
Zacarías Manuel "Zack" de la Rocha is an American rapper, musician, poet, and activist best known as the vocalist and lyricist of Rage Against the Machine.-Early life and childhood:...
saying "Yeah, now check this out" near the beginning and slightly different mastering.
Music video
The video for "Freedom" was directed by Peter ChristophersonPeter Christopherson
Peter Martin Christopherson, a.k.a. Sleazy was a musician, video director and designer, and former member of the influential British design agency Hipgnosis....
and produced by Fiz Oliver at Squeak Pictures. It premiered on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's 120 Minutes
120 Minutes
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to alternative music, originally airing on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then on MTV's sister channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003....
on December 19, 1993. According to CVC Broadcast & Cable Top 50 chart, "Freedom" was the Number 1 promo in January 1994.
The video is focused on the case for Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier is a Native American activist and member of the American Indian Movement . In 1977 he was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for first degree murder in the shooting of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents during a 1975 conflict on the Pine...
, who was one of the leaders of the American Indian Movement
American Indian Movement
The American Indian Movement is a Native American activist organization in the United States, founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota by urban Native Americans. The national AIM agenda focuses on spirituality, leadership, and sovereignty...
(AIM). The band is performing live in a small venue throughout the video. During the video, footage from the Peltier case is examined and detailed with shots of Peltier and other members of AIM. There is also a reenactment of what took place on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
Pine Ridge Indian Reservation
The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation is an Oglala Sioux Native American reservation located in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Originally included within the territory of the Great Sioux Reservation, Pine Ridge was established in 1889 in the southwest corner of South Dakota on the Nebraska border...
. The footage of this reenactment is from Michael Apted
Michael Apted
Michael David Apted, CMG is an English director, producer, writer and actor. He is one of the most prolific British film directors of his generation but is best known for his work on the Up Series of documentaries and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.On 29 June 2003 he was elected...
's 1992 documentary Incident at Oglala
Incident at Oglala
Incident at Oglala is a 1992 documentary by Michael Apted, narrated by Robert Redford. The film documents the murder of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents, Jack R. Coler and Ronald A...
.
During most of the video quotes from Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull Sitting Bull Sitting Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Íyotake (in Standard Lakota Orthography), also nicknamed Slon-he or "Slow"; (c. 1831 – December 15, 1890) was a Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux holy man who led his people as a tribal chief during years of resistance to United States government policies...
and general AIM information taken from Peter Matthiessen
Peter Matthiessen
Peter Matthiessen is a two-time National Book Award-winning American novelist and non-fiction writer, as well as an environmental activist...
's 1983 study of the Peltier case, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse, scrolls along the bottom of the screen. The video ends with a picture of Peltier in prison and the phrase "justice has not been done".
Brad plays with his drumkit facing the back wall in this video, as he was prone to doing in 1994. He said he wanted to sit facing the same direction the audience was facing. After a while he set up huge truck mirrors in front of him so he could still see the crowd while playing.
External links
- Official website
- Axis of Justice Tom MorelloTom MorelloThomas Baptiste "Tom" Morello is a Grammy Award-winning American guitarist best known for his tenure with the bands Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his acoustic solo act The Nightwatchman, and his newest group, Street Sweeper Social Club...
and Serj TankianSerj TankianSerj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer–songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, record producer, poet, and political activist...
's Activist Website "Axis of JusticeAxis of JusticeAxis of Justice is a non-profit organization co-founded by Serj Tankian and Tom Morello. Its purpose is to bring together musicians, fans of music, and grassroots progressivism to fight for social justice together.-Formation:...
" - Vietnow.org Rage Against the MachineRage Against the MachineRage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
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