Stars on a Log Week 2 (Tom Morello)

While it takes most guitar legends a lifetime to etch out a place for themselves among the pantheon of guitar gods that came before, this week’s star on a log Tom Morello  gained mainstream success after only one album, Rage Against the Machines self-titled debut. This feat is made even more impressive by the radical aspect of Rage’s music, something that normally would prevent a band from achieving success on the radio.

IMHO, Morello will go down as a legend, if he cant already be considered. Case in point: the rock and roll 25^th anniversary concert. With a setlist containing acts like Metallica (Kirk Hammet), The Rolling Stones (Keith Richards), and Jeff Beck among others, Morello was still able to stand out with a guitar duet with Bruce Springsteen. The song was the Springsteen classic “The Ghost of Tom Joad”. Springsteen put on an impressive performance, but a few seconds into the Tom’s part it was clear who was the real boss.

Tom has been in four major bands over the last twenty years. They are: Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his solo project The Nightwatchman, and most recently Street Sweeper Social Club. His technique is truly unique. What could only be described as a mixture of shred guitar and hip-hop.  His shred guitar playing is subsidized by a variety of effects pedals, creating a purely unique sound that is unparalleled by any other guitarist on the guitar scene today.

In addition to his electric styling’s, Morello’s solo career shows his talent on the acoustic guitar. When he is stripped of his pedals and his electric skills, and left with only his own voice and an acoustic guitar, Morello proves that he is not all electronics. His solo career is an effective way of showing off his acoustic skills and his songwriting

Tom has been in four major bands over the last twenty years. They are: Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, his solo project The Nightwatchman, and most recently Street Sweeper Social Club. His technique is truly unique. What could only be described as a mixture of shred guitar and hip-hop.  His shred guitar playing is subsidized by a variety of effects pedals, creating a purely unique sound that is unparalleled by any other guitarist on the guitar scene today.

-Steve