Rage Against the Machine Revolution In The Head And The Art Of Protest DVD Review by Gary Hill A lot of times these documentary videos seem a little lacking – partly because of the distance caused by not having access to the band members. This is one that doesn’t seem to be lacking at all. Sure, this isn’t the high budget all access kind of thing you might hope for, but it is quite impressive. It begins by discussing protest music in general and then moves onto how that musical trend was continued by Rage Against the Machine. From there we get a more critical and in-depth analysis of the world that was created by Rage – both musically and politically. Certainly the political protest side of Rage Against the Machine is an important one and this documentary does an excellent job of probing that in the context of their music and the musical legacy of protest music over the years. It makes for an interesting film – and one of the best rock documentaries I’ve seen in a while. I’d recommend it to fans of Rage Against the Machine, but also to anyone who is a serious music fan and is interested in the rock music art form as a tool for social change. Whether you like Rage Against the Machine’s music or not, you’ll find this one quite enlightening and thought provoking.
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2010 Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.
