Rage Against The Machine - The Battle of Los Angeles (#5801)

Satan's Anus · **Joined:** Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:37 pm **Posts:** 1046

rio wrote:

Satan's Anus wrote:

The point is, Rage did rip off their style. From lyrical content to the way the lyrics were sung, to the quirky little vocal mannerisms, and so on. Downset was doing that--in the same area, mind--when Zack was still singing for Inside Out.

It's completely missing the point to say the type of lyrics both Downset and RATM have are the kind of things that can be "ripped off". Both bands seem to see themselves as activists almost as much as they see themselves as musicians, and activists don't (shouldn't) give a shit about who said what first. What matters is that as many people as possible are saying it.

I mean, you could easily say that both of them are ripping off Karl Marx, or Noam Chomsky, but that would just be stupid.

I understand that completely, but I'm talking about this as a whole. All kinds of lyrics are similar, from countless different bands, and it doesn't matter. But coupled with everything else, it changes things.

rio · **Posted:** Fri Oct 23, 2009 7:47 pm

Fair enough, but you really see RATM as just a ripoff of Downset?

If RATM had tried to claim that they were this unique original statement, then sure I would have a problem with them personally. But musically, they took that template and added some changes. Zack's vocals aren't the same as the Downset fella, and the riffs take a very different approach, etc. Of course, there is still a huge resemblance, no doubt.

But that is what music is, to me: someone standing on the shoulder's of another person and adding to it bit by bit.

Xinen · **Joined:** Sat Mar 04, 2006 9:50 am **Posts:** 409

I bought a few Rage albums for a friend YEARS back. Never really got into them much but there were some ok songs. The only thing I recall is that the guitarist ripped off Dio riffs or something for the song that was played during the Matrix credits and they were sued because of it, and I was turned off for good from them. I know for sure this isn't my thang now though.

rio · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:06 pm

Xinen wrote:

The only thing I recall is that the guitarist ripped off Dio riffs or something for the song that was played during the Matrix credits and they were sued because of it, and I was turned off for good from them.

Sorry, but.... what?

khelek@metalreviews.com · **Joined:** Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:02 pm **Posts:** 214

rio wrote:

Xinen wrote:

The only thing I recall is that the guitarist ripped off Dio riffs or something for the song that was played during the Matrix credits and they were sued because of it, and I was turned off for good from them.

Sorry, but.... what?

Umm no. If you listen to the Dio song in question, Rock & Roll, it is off the album Killing The Dragon which came out in 2002, a full ten years AFTER the RATM song. So if anything Dio was inspired by RATM and not the other way around. Personally I think both songs have similarities to Kashmir by Led Zeppelin.

heatseeker · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 6:02 pm

khelek@metalreviews.com wrote:

rio wrote:

Xinen wrote:

The only thing I recall is that the guitarist ripped off Dio riffs or something for the song that was played during the Matrix credits and they were sued because of it, and I was turned off for good from them.

Sorry, but.... what?

Umm no. If you listen to the Dio song in question, Rock & Roll, it is off the album Killing The Dragon which came out in 2002, a full ten years AFTER the RATM song. So if anything Dio was inspired by RATM and not the other way around. Personally I think both songs have similarities to Kashmir by Led Zeppelin.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the intro riff is taken from Kashmir by Led Zeppelin, but if I'm not mistaken they must have acknowledged Led Zeppelin on their album because there's never been any controversy about it.

noodles · **Posted:** Sat Oct 24, 2009 6:19 pm

It's a similar idea but definitely different rhythm from Kashmir's riff so that's probably why

rio · **Posted:** Sun Oct 25, 2009 12:27 am

noodles wrote:

It's a similar idea but definitely different rhythm from Kashmir's riff so that's probably why

Yeah. They're similar but they really aren't THAT similar.

Fatpom · **Joined:** Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:23 am **Posts:** 171

Or more than likely Led Zep would be embarrassed bitching that someone ripped them off. Considering the career based on theft they crafted.

RATM's debut is an all time classic. A masterpiece. This is just a very good album. Thats their whole career though. Nothing else of note.

I personally don't care at all about bands "ripping off" others. If you take an idea and make it better ( as both these bands in question did IMO ) then more power to you. Everybody's ripping off somebody.

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