Skillet’s John Cooper has claimed that he “got in a lot of trouble” for his comments about Rage Against The Machine in 2021 over coronavirus vaccines.
In 2021, Cooper made comments about the rap-rock band, questioning the authenticity of the band’s political opinions. In an interview with Apologia Radio, Cooper – who is unvaccinated – elaborated on his thesis that vaccines are a tool of government control “more about tyranny than they are actually keeping people safe”, while taking a pot shot at RATM in the process.
“You’re in an entertainment industry that’s largely driven by social media and media at large,” he said. “You’re not allowed to speak anything against… I mean, you’ve got Rage Against The Machine telling people that if they don’t get a vaccine… Rage Against The Machine has become the machine.
He added: “It’s crazy. I’m, like, wait a minute – I’m the revolutionary here? I’m the revolutionary and Rage Against The Machine is just ‘government rock’ now.”
Now, in a recent interview with Real Talk With Zuby, Cooper claimed that his 2021 comments landed him in hot water. “I remember I got in a lot of trouble in 2021 because I was, I think rightly, making fun of Rage Against The Machine,” he said.
“‘Cause Rage Against The Machine’s anti-government and they were doing these, like, vax-only shows. And I just was, like, ‘Well, it’s just crazy that me, the Christian rock star, that I’m the punk rock revolutionary now.’”
In a tweet earlier this year, Morello refuted claims that the band required fans to be vaccinated in order to attend their recent concerts: “NO Rage fan was EVER required to present anything other than a ticket to see the band”.
Rage Against The Machine performing at Madison Square Garden, New York in 2022. CREDIT: Theo Wargo/Getty Images
Rage Against The Machine first announced their second reunion back in 2019, and were set to kick the tour off in March 2020.
Ongoing complications surrounding the pandemic, however, forced the tour to be rescheduled several times over; half of the US leg was postponed from April to July 2022, and the other half was pushed into 2023. Despite Cooper’s claims in 2021, the band did not perform a single show that year.
The 2023 dates were then cancelled due to a leg injury Zach de la Rocha sustained on tour. In January this year, the band’s future was put in doubt when drummer Brad Wilk released a statement claiming that they “will not be touring or playing live again”, with bassist Tim Commerford then saying he is unsure if the band will continue.
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