It hits you like a sledgehammer. It’s just two notes, one an octave above the other, played over and over again. It thunders on for nearly 30 seconds, and it’s been a centerpiece of many a mosh-pit over the past 15 years. It’s the opening to Rage Against the Machine’s “Bulls on Parade,” and it’s a great example of what a 12 string electric guitar can do. Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello is one of the most accomplished guitarists making music today, and many will contend that his greatest work is on that particular track. In it he uses the 12 string electric guitar to create a furious, driving beat that moves the song into dangerous, vibrant and some would say violent territory.
08-18-2009