Tom Morello Launches ‘Rebel Music’ Label Firebrand Records

Tom Morello is no stranger to the music business. The guitarist has been a member of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave, and has released music under the Nightwatchman moniker. Now he’s created his own record label to help others present their music to the world.

Morello has high hopes for his label, which is called Firebrand Records. He tells Rolling Stone, "I think in these troubled times successful social movements always require a great soundtrack – we aim to provide it.”

The guitarist co-created the socially-conscious label with Ryan Harvey of Riot-Folk Collective and has a very specific mission for Firebrand. "The label gives you one-stop shopping for all your rebel-music needs," states the musician. "It's the kind of label that I wish had existed my entire artistic life."

The new company has released its first compilation album, sampling the artists on the label. Songs include "It's Like That," a track about police violence written by Baltimore rapper Son of Nun, a bluesy, folk, rock song "Let's Live Like We're Dying" by Ike Reilly and more. You can check out the compilation here.

When asked by Rolling Stone how his label will favor artists, Morello explained their strategy as follows: “Well, we are not a non-profit label. We may be more accurately described as an anti-profit label [laughs]. We have a very clear mission, and that is to bring global revolutionary music to everyone who wants to hear it. As someone who's spent a couple of decades with various labels, I see it exclusively from the artist perspective. We're not trying to get rich off Firebrand Records, we're trying to enrich people's hearts and minds.”

Morello has no plans to release a full length album of his own with Firebrand, as he's already signed to Mom & Pop Records, but he is featured on several tracks from Firebrand artists.