In April 1996, American rock band Rage Against the Machine made a memorable appearance on "Saturday Night Live" (SNL) that has since become a storied part of the show's history. Their performance not only stirred chaos on-air but also created a whirlwind of activity behind the scenes. The band's guitarist, Tom Morello, recently recounted this event in the documentary "Ladies & Gentlemen… 50 Years of SNL Music," shedding light on the tensions and controversies that unfolded during their brief stint on the iconic stage.
The band came to SNL prepared to make a bold statement. They adorned their amplifiers with upside-down American flags, a move seen as a potential threat to Steve Forbes, a Republican presidential candidate and guest on that night's show. The SNL stage manager had instructed the band to remove the flags, but defiant roadies put them back up. In a last-minute scramble, burly New York City union workers removed the flags with just seven seconds to spare before the live broadcast.
Despite this intervention, tensions remained high. Tom Morello's bandmate, Tim Commerford, added fuel to the fire by tearing one of the flags and fashioning it into a ball. This provocative act was perceived as a symbolic gesture against the Republican Party.
"And he entered Steve Forbes' dressing room across the way to attack him." – Tom Morello
Fortunately, Steve Forbes was not present in his dressing room at the time; however, his family was.
"Steve Forbes was not in his dressing room, but his family was." – Tom Morello
Commerford's symbolic act did not harm anyone, but it caused enough alarm to prompt immediate action.
"So Timmy launches his American flag ball rocket at aunts, cousins, wives, children." – Tom Morello
"Fortunately, the kind of solid integrity of it is not so great…it flaps apart, hurting no one." – Tom Morello
The incident led to an influx of Secret Service agents flooding the hallway.
"The hallway floods with Secret Service. We're now locked in our room," – Tom Morello
In an effort to safeguard Steve Forbes and his family, the Secret Service took decisive action.
"They're protecting Steve Forbes and his family, and then we are escorted out and put on the sidewalk at 30 Rock there." – Tom Morello
Rage Against the Machine's performance was abruptly cut short. The stage manager informed them that their second number would not be aired. The band found themselves on the sidewalk of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, marking an unceremonious end to their SNL debut.
In retrospect, Tom Morello reflects on this incident as a significant moment in the band's history.
"You might notice Rage is not in the farewells on that particular show," – Tom Morello
