Tom Morello

Tom Morello
Tom Morello
	Morello in 2024
Background information
Birth name	Thomas Baptist Morello
Also known as	The Nightwatchman
Born	May 30, 1964 (age 60); New York City, U.S.
Origin	Libertyville, Illinois, U.S.
Genres	Alternative metal; funk metal; heavy metal; rap metal; nu metal; hardcore punk; crossover; folk; EDM;
Occupations	Musician; singer; songwriter; political activist;
Instruments	Guitar; vocals;
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Sony BMG; Epic; Interscope;
Member of	The Nightwatchman; Street Sweeper Social Club; Axis of Justice;
Formerly of	Rage Against the Machine; Audioslave; Lock Up; Prophets of Rage; Class of '99; Bored of Education; Joey Thunder and the Electrical Storm; The Deviates; The Zoo;

Thomas Baptist Morello (born May 30, 1964) is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and political activist. He is known for his tenure with the rock bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Between 2016 and 2019, Morello was a member of the supergroup Prophets of Rage. Morello was also a touring musician with Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.^[4] Under the moniker the Nightwatchman, Morello released his solo work. Together with Boots Riley, he formed Street Sweeper Social Club. Morello co-founded Axis of Justice, which airs a monthly program on Pacifica Radio station KPFK (90.7 FM) in Los Angeles.

Born in Harlem, New York, and raised in Libertyville, Illinois, Morello became interested in music and politics while in high school. He attended Harvard University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Committee on Degrees in Social Studies. After his previous band Lock Up disbanded, Morello met Zack de la Rocha. The two founded Rage Against the Machine, going on to become one of the most popular and influential metal acts of the 1990s.

He is best known for his unique and creative guitar playing style, which incorporates feedback noise, unconventional picking, and tapping, as well as heavy use of guitar effects. Morello is known for his socialist political views and activism; creating the Nightwatchman offered an outlet for his views while playing apolitical music with Audioslave. He was ranked number 18 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of greatest guitarists of all time.^[5] As a member of Rage Against the Machine, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.

^ Prato, Greg. "Tom Morello biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 4, 2015.
^ Harvilla, Rob (May 30, 2019). "Tom Morello, the Last Rap-Rock God Standing". The Ringer. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Sun, Kevin (May 25, 2011). "Tom Morello – Musician". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved October 5, 2022.
^ "Exclusive: Tom Morello on Touring and Recording with Bruce Springsteen". Ultimate Classic Rock. January 10, 2014.
^ "The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.

[1] Prato, Greg. "Tom Morello biography". AllMusic. Retrieved September 4, 2015.

[2] Harvilla, Rob (May 30, 2019). "Tom Morello, the Last Rap-Rock God Standing". The Ringer. Retrieved November 6, 2019.

[Harvard_Crimson-3] Sun, Kevin (May 25, 2011). "Tom Morello – Musician". The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved October 5, 2022.

[4] "Exclusive: Tom Morello on Touring and Recording with Bruce Springsteen". Ultimate Classic Rock. January 10, 2014.

[5] "The 250 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". Rolling Stone. October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.

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