Last Friday Billboard reported that Audioslave guitarist Tom Morello hinted at a possible reunion of his former band Rage Against the Machine at this year’s Coachella Festival. Quickly coming off the heels of the rumor came the L.A. Times which reported that “(Rage Against the Machine) will reunite after a seven-year lull for one show as the headliners at the 2007 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.” The band is one of my favorites and it would be amazing to see footage (lord knows I can’t afford the trip out there) of a reunited line-up playing together again, but wasn’t it just last year that the Smashing Pumpkins, The White Stripes and, even at one point in time, My Bloody Valentine were rumored to play the very same festival?

Though this announcement comes with perfect timing, seeing as Chris Cornell is pursuing his now possibly reborn solo career, it may be presumptuous to believe that Zach de la Rocha would jump on board for such a prevalent, non-cause-driven showcase. Not because of any ongoing disputes with other band members, but rather because his once anticipated solo release, now almost eight years in the making, serves as evidence that he may not be truly interested in releasing or performing music for a widespread audience, especially for a festival charging $200 (though they did play Woodstock) which supports a few limited causes (again, Woodstock). A small part of me hopes that the reunion doesn’t pan out however, because if it does Kid Rock might start thinking that his rap-rock turned country-rap days are numbered and return with a new album while thinking that rap-rock is indeed back, Jack. Time will tell, time will tell.

edit: This is one of those situations where despite confirmation on the band’s official web site…I’ll still have to see it to believe it. This reunion still comes off as less believable than the Smashing Pumpkins…or even The Police for that matter.

Rage Against the Machine “Darkness”
Rage Against the Machine “Clear the Lane”
Rage Against the Machine “Fuck tha Police (live NWA cover)”
Rage Against the Machine “How I Could Just Kill a Man (live Cypress Hill cover) (Feat. B-Real & Sen Dog)”
Rage Against the Machine “Bulls on Parade (live Woodstock 1999)”
Additional Rage Against the Machine Audio Here

Rage Against the Machine – Official Site