Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello reacts to fan who criticized the band for being 'political'

Tom Morello, guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, set a fan straight on Twitter after being criticized about the band's "political opinions."

The Twitter user took to the social media platform to share his disgust with the group's "political bs" in a now-deleted tweet.

"I use to be a fan until your political opinions come out," wrote Twitter user Scott Castaneda, whose account no longer exists, according to the Detroit Metro Times and AV Club. "Music is my sanctuary and the last thing I want to hear is political bs when i’m listening to music. As far as i’m concerned you and Pink are completely done. Keep running your mouth and ruining your fan base."

Morello responded by sharing Castaneda's tweet, pre-deletion, and commented.

"Scott!! What music of mine were you a fan of that DIDN’T contain “political BS”?" he wrote. "I need to know so I can delete it from the catalog."

Morello's comment to Castaneda prompted a rampant response on Twitter, with his tweet garnering well over 100,000 likes, nearly 20,000 retweets and countless replies, many of which were also in response to Castaneda.

"Scott have you ever listened to the lyrics of ANY Rage Against the Machine song?" user Paolo Masini replied. "Hell even the name of the band is political. Your feigned outrage is very phony."

Vox senior politics reporter Jane Coaston also replied, referencing Rage Against the Machine's 1996 track "Down Rodeo."

"What did he think you were rolling down Rodeo to ... do," she tweeted to Morello.

Castaneda tried to clarify his tweet in an interview with the Detroit Metro Times.

"I understand they've always been political, but it's getting worse and worse and worse," he said, adding he was "tired" of hearing "political stuff" from bands and that it "kills the mood."

Rage Against the Machine broke onto the national radar in the mid-‘90s with a hard-hitting amalgam of hip-hop, funk and metal, releasing four critically acclaimed albums before disbanding in 2000. It made its name through politically contentious, revolution themed, rap-metal.

And their activism continues.

In 2020, the Rage Against the Machine had been scheduled to embark on a global reunion tour with Run the Jewels, which has since been postponed. Their "Public Service Announcement" tour will now be held in 2021, according to their website.

As in 2008, when RATM reunited for a handful of festivals and European dates, the band was scheduled originally to be be touring during the heat of a presidential election season.

All proceeds from concerts in El Paso, Phoenix and La Cruses, New Mexico were to "go to immigrant rights” efforts, the band said in a statement when the tour was announced in February. Activist groups in other tour markets were also to benefit.

On their website, Rage Against the Machine has a bio section in which a timeline is plotted out for anyone curious about their history. Certain points on the timeline highlight their more political moments.

One point, "07/18/1993," notes the band's protest at Lollapalooza III.

"Appearing at Lollapalooza III in Philadelphia, Rage create a silent protest against censorship by standing naked on stage for 15 minutes without singing or playing a note," the bullet reads. "Each band member has duct tape across his mouth and a letter scrawled on his chest, spelling out "P-M-R-C."

Less than two months later, the band headlined an Anti-Nazi League benefit in London, which sold out, according to the timeline moment. The timeline continues through 2015 putting different benefits they put on or headlined, money they raised, big performances and other important moments in the band's career- but throughout, one thing is clear: the group has been active, politically.

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Contributing: Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello set a fan straight