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JAKARTA – Tom Morello recently reflected on four major career failures. He called these moments the main pillars of his career, and he feels proud of every single one.
Today, fans and fellow musicians respect Morello immensely. For example, the Osbournes asked him to assemble a star-studded lineup for Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath’s Back to the Beginning show. Most people know his huge successes with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. However, Morello credits his lowest points for shaping his character and career.
During an interview with Guitar World, Morello outlined these four key failures.
First, he tried to learn songs by Led Zeppelin and KISS at age 13. He failed immediately, so he quit playing. He told his mother that music was not for him, and he left his guitar in a closet for four years. Afterwards, a Sex Pistols cassette inspired him to pick up the instrument again. Therefore, he determinedly taught himself without taking formal lessons.
Second, he bought an overpriced custom guitar in Los Angeles, but the instrument played terribly. He spent a full year replacing the neck, pickups, electronics, and whammy bar. Additionally, his amplifier sounded awful to his ears. Because he struggled to find his ideal sound, he stopped making music and wasted time worrying about gear. Consequently, he locked in his amplifier settings and accepted his current setup. That setup included his famous Arm the Homeless guitar, a 50-watt Marshall head, and a Peavey cabinet that he later used on 22 records.
Third, his early band Lock Up lost their record contract shortly after signing it. During that project, the record producer forced him to play a softer and smoother style. Because of that negative experience, Morello promised himself that he would never play insincere music again. As a result, he began writing heavy riffs for Rage Against the Machine.
And the last, he could not keep Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave together. Both massive bands earned billions of streams, yet both groups eventually broke up. However, those breakups opened new doors for his creative journey. The end of those bands led directly to his current musical projects.
Ultimately, these four major setbacks built a career that Morello truly loves and cherishes.
Photo doc. Ultimate Guitar
