Tom Morello on Ted Nugent: We Actually Have Very Similar Views

When it comes to some of the more odd couplings in music, there might be none more surprising than the unlikely friendship between Tom Morello and Ted Nugent. But the Prophets of Rage guitarist insists the two share a like-minded approach, not to politics, but the idea of freedom.

“Ted Nugent’s a good friend to me. We have very similar views on freedom of speech,” Morello tells the Guardian. “His libertarian edge and my anarchist edge overlap considerably. Sometimes, if he says something outrageous that will fire up his racist base, I’ll text him to say, ‘Dude. What are you on about?’ We’re able to talk about it as friends as opposed to people on the opposite sides of the barricade.”

Morello has been writing about social justice for nearly his entire music career, standing on a platform that has some calling Prophets of Rage "commie rockers," which he debunks, "That's not inaccurate."

Nugent, on the other hand, has been at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, championing the right-wing agenda, even spending time with President Trump at the White House alongside fellow Republicans Kid Rock and Sarah Palin. He was also once given a talking to by the Secret Service after what some construed as a threat to former President Barack Obama, whom he called a "psychopathic America hating liar" among other things.

Although, following a recent interview with Loudwire, it's probably not a total shock Morello might have an affinity for the Nuge, even thought their political views wildly vary.

"Well, first of all, there’s no political litmus test to listening to the music," the former Rage Against the Machine member says. "I’m a fan of bands whose points of view is one that I don’t agree with because I’m a fan of rock ‘n’ roll. Many people were drawn to Rage Against The Machine. People will be drawn to Prophets of Rage because of the space-tacular guitar solos and the aggression of the music and the power of the band when they may not care about the politics. They may completely disagree with the politics. But I cannot tell you that every day that I run into people who either had their minds changed or been to open to a new set of ideas by music. That happened to me with The Clash and Public Enemy, where great music introduced me to a set of ideas that were not a part of my world that made me re-examine my world."

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