“There’s creativity to happen, and there’s a job to get done”: Tom Morello says you have to be “professional” to be a successful rock star
Rock ‘n’ roll mythology tends to glamorise chaos – the impulsive jams, late nights, and lightning-in-a-bottle moments. But Tom Morello argues that the secret ingredient behind any lasting rock star legacy is something far less romantic: being relentlessly dependable.
It’s a belief only reinforced by his recent work with Måneskin’s Thomas Raggi on the guitarist’s new solo album Masquerade. Sitting down with Kerrang! to discuss their first fully-fledged collaborative project, Morello reflects on the quality he believes every successful rock musician needs: professionalism.
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“Thomas is just a pro,” says the Rage Against The Machine guitarist, who’s also the producer of Masquerade. “I’ve been around a lot of bands in my life, and Thomas is a young man who is tremendously professional. He goes out there and he nails those takes.”
For all its mythology, Morello argues, rock ‘n’ roll still requires showing up and delivering when it counts.
“There’s an element to rock ‘n’ roll that should be wild and free and crazy, but eventually you’ve got to go to the studio and record your song,” he says with a laugh. “There’s creativity to happen, and there’s a job to get done, and Thomas was so great and dependable and reliable in being able in the takes. He’s able to harness his inspiration through the talent in his fingers in a way that made it a real pleasure.”
That balance became the heartbeat of Masquerade. Though released under Raggi’s own name, the album is far from a solitary effort and more a supercharged gathering of rock’s extended family.
The month-long sessions in Los Angeles saw a revolving door of legends: Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith and Guns N’ Roses’ Matt Sorum dropped in to track drums, Hama Okamoto handled bass duties, while vocal contributions came from Kasabian’s Serge Pizzorno, Jet’s Nic Chester, The Struts’ Luke Spiller, Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos, The Prodigy’s Maxim and alt-pop standout UPSAHL. Morello himself picks up the six-string too, trading riffs with Raggi across the eight-track set.
As Tom explains, the project also serves as a chance to help usher the next generation of guitar fans into the fold.
“You know that the younger audience that Måneskin has have already been exposed to the glory, the power, the sexiness, the appeal of rock ‘n’ roll,” he says. “This project takes that even one step further in helping Thomas to forge a record that honours his influences and brings new, exciting rock into 2025 and beyond.”
“It’s an opportunity,” he continues, “to be a missionary for rock ‘n’ roll.”
Masquerade is due for release on 5 December.
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