Tom Morello's guitar harms the gormless

For the record let me put it up front that I think Tom Morello is one of the most imaginative guitar players alive

His decision to adopt DJing and foley sound as influences are bold creative choices, particularly as music was undergoing rapid changes in the early 1990s.

Recently I was watching Rick Beato interview Brendan O'Brien and the latter said the beginning of Rage Against The Machine's 'People of the Sun' has Morello using an Allen key to play his instrument.

 

It reminded me how awed I was watching the band play at the Big Day Out in Melbourne, where the earth actually shook.

 

And the moment when he unplugged his guitar to play a solo on the tip of the lead left me speechless.

A few months ago I watched a bunch of Morello videos where he shared his techniques and appreciated how open and encouraging he seemed to be for others to use them.

Then, about a month ago, I noticed a lot of copies of his iconic "Arm The Homeless" guitar being sold on Aliexpress.

It seemed to epitomise Morello's attitude somehow, although really I think it'd be better if people designed their own slogan and drew it on a guitar they built.

So I was surprised when Fender announced a signature model of this instrument and have been amused by the responses.

 

I mean, let's leave aside the question of buying something from a dominant brand as a statement against the "establishment" since it's clearly going to end my discussion from the outset.

The signature model trend mystifies me in some ways, partly because many people will say the secret to copying a player resides in their fingertips.

It used to be enough to have a guitar the same shape and colour as your idol, particularly if it was something distinct.

When Fender made a version of the "Soul Power" guitar it was understandable that an investment-driven company would want to promote their brand with a hero like Morello.

 

As I searched for it just now I found that it's on display in a museum!

However, the reason to copy a partscaster like the "Arm The Homeless" guitar is much less clear, particularly given it has little relationship to the Fender brand.

Even more surprising is how it seems to bring into question Morello's own personal brand. 

So his justification in the Fender promotional video that making an approved copy available is surprising since it is prohibitively expensive and about ten times the cost of the model from China, which is even more curious as the flag of that nation is part of the design.

It contrasts with the answer he gave when people asked why RATM were on a major record label:

“Would Noam Chomsky object to his works being sold at Barnes & Noble? No, because that’s where people buy their books. We’re not interested in preaching to just the converted. It’s great to play abandoned squats run by anarchists, but it’s also great to be able to reach people with a revolutionary message, people from Granada Hills to Stuttgart.”