What's On My Mind

I work for attorneys (although, come fall, I will work for attorneys a little less and stand in front of a classroom and pretend to be a teacher, that is when not squeezing in time at the NU writing center), one of whom is perplexed by my taste in music. He can’t understand why I have no interest in the White Stripes, for example. Today, before getting halfway through the door, he asked me if I liked Rage Against the Machine. I told him that they’re fine, I guess. No real opinion. He seemed to think their music was up my proverbial alley.

“Their politics are a little too radical at times, but they’re good,” he said.

I told him they’re politics were not radical enough for me. I was joking, but the more I think about it…

Consider this:

The first Rage album was released on Epic records, not exactly an indie label. They have played at Lollapalooza, which, if I am correctly informed, has stages sponsored by corporations. And they let their music be used in the Matrix films, the last two of which were little more than extended commercials to sell sunglasses and cell phones. (These items were marketed in conjunction with the films, seriously.) To me, these examples run contrary to the behavior of a truly radical organization—musical or otherwise. So, fuck them.

Anyway, are they even a band anymore?

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On a not-at-all-related note, I have begun reading Eduardo Galeano’s Memory of Fire trilogy. I am all of 20 pages into the first book and I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to pick it up.

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Haruki, I’ll be seeing you tonight. Your mother has to work late, so it’ll be you and me and Gato. Don’t give me any trouble, please.