After police banned them from playing a political rally in Minnesota yesterday, Rage Against the Machine whipped out the loudspeaker and went a cappella.
The band's original plan was to play an impromptu gig at left-wing rally Ripple Effect. Sadly, the police had other ideas, leaving Zack de la Rocha to address some angry fans.
"Rage Against the Machine is a band that has never, ever advocated violence," he, er, rages. "We've always advocated a direct opposition to unjust wars like the one started by John McCain and the Republicans and Bush and all of them."
He continues: "Why the fuck are these cops so afraid of us? Are they afraid of us?"
The crowd shouts: "YES!"
Zack shouts back: "No!"
The crowd shouts: "NO!"
Zack shouts back: "They're not afraid of us, they're afraid of you!"
The crowd shouts: "YES!"
Although you get the sense that, by this point, the audience would agree that the police were afraid of pink papier-mache clowns, so long as it meant they got to hear Bulls on Parade and Killing in the Name performed without any instruments.
http://blogs.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/09/why_are_these_cops_so_afraid_o.html