Tom Morello was a guest on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show yesterday to promote his new streaming channels, weekly show and podcast on SiriusXM. More information on Tom Morello’s new SiriusXM content here.
Throughout his conversation with Howard Stern and co-host Robin Quivers about everything from his very nearly unique backstory and multi-faceted career as a founding member of acts like Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, Prophets of Rage, and the Nightwatchmen to side jobs ranging from exotic dancer in Hollywood to touring guitarist for Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band.
“I’ve been in a band with [Rage Against the Machine’s] Zack de la Rocha, one of the greatest frontmen of all time. I’ve been in a band with [Audioslave’s] Chris Cornell—one of the greatest singers of all time. I’ve been in a band with Bruce Springsteen, one of the greatest artists of all time—and, in addition to that, I’ve been able to have a very meaningful solo career that’s been completely fulfilling. Now, those opportunities were allowed to happen because bands come and go” he told Howard. “That’s just the way the dice have rolled and I wouldn’t change that for anything.”
Talking to Howard Stern on how he worked as a bachelorette party stripper: “To enhance our dating lives we thought the thing that would help was to have a hot tub in our living room, so … we figured out how much it would take to buy this indoor kiddie pool, a water heater, and this, that, and the other to sort of simulate an indoor water activity—and then we worked toward that with this extracurricular activity in mind,” he told Howard.
Co-host Robin Quivers saying “You could have Tom Morello come to your bachelorette party?”
“You’re wearing a suit, you knock at the door, ask for a cup of sugar, ‘Brick House’ comes on the stereo—it wasn’t awesome,” he recalled “We were just making a certain amount of money to get that horrible hot tub in our place. Then we did. Then we retired.”
Tom Morello on that time he played with Ozzy Osbourne and Slash: “We kind of slink around to the back of the stage so now we’re sitting behind the amplifiers … waiting for him to play the song,” Tom remembered, along with the frantic crew member who tried to get their attention. “There’s this guy … gesticulating wildly … I can’t hear him because it’s super loud.”
“He runs over and he says, ‘You’re sitting on the pyro,” the guitarist said with a chuckle. “Ozzy Osbourne is about to blow up me and Slash and this guy like won’t even come across. I’m like, ‘Bro, next time, you know, me and Slash are sitting on the pyro you might want to just come right over and let us know that.’”
On performing and touring with Bruce Springsteen: “With Bruce … you have no idea what the next song is going to be … sometimes he’d change the first song in the set,” he revealed before noting the measures he took to be ready. “Before the tour … I learned 250 songs just to be prepared, you know, for whatever would come and it wasn’t enough. He would take requests from the audience … and it could be a song that’s not by Bruce Springsteen.”
Tom proceeded to praise the E Street Band and his time being a part of it, though the solo artist admitted he didn’t shy from giving Bruce input every now and again. “I like to be in a band of equals or to be a solo project where I’m calling the shots … I could not restrain myself,” he said before recounting a question he asked after visiting original AC/DC frontman Bon Scott’s grave during an Australian tour stop in 2014. “Bruce, do you think that there is somewhere where the intersection of the circle of the E Street Band and the circle of AC/DC overlap?”
It was a suggestion Bruce took to heart. “The next day we rehearse AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’ … one of my favorite concert moments in history,” Tom beamed of an eventual performance.
The Howard Stern Show, which airs on SiriusXM channel Howard 100, is broadcast live Mondays through Wednesdays starting at 7:00 am ET. The full show is also available on the SiriusXM app.
Video clips below courtesy of SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show.
Tom Morello and Slash Almost Got Blown Up at an Ozzy Osbourne Show; Tom Morello tells Howard Stern about the time he and Slash picked the wrong place to sit during a show with Ozzy Osbourne:
Tom Morello on His Days as a Stripper and Rage Against the Machine’s Naked Protes; Tom Morello told Howard Stern why he became an exotic dancer in his early 20s and explained Rage Against the Machine’s naked protest at Lollapalooza 1993:
Tom Morello Reflects on the Chemistry of Rage Against the Machine; Tom Morello speaks to the unique chemistry of Rage Against the Machine and the creative opportunities he’s been able to pursue outside the band:
Tom Morello Remembers Meeting Chris Cornell for the First Time; Tom Morello tells Howard Stern about meeting Chris Cornell for the first time and speaks about the talent of the late Soundgarden and Audioslave singer:
Tom Morello Surprised Bruce Springsteen During “The Ghost of Tom Joad” Performance; Tom Morello tells Howard Stern how he surprised Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band with an 82-bar guitar solo during “The Ghost of Tom Joad”:
Tom Morello Couldn’t Even Play Guitar When He Formed His High School Band; Tom Morello tells Howard Stern that he didn’t know how to play the guitar when he formed his first band in high school and recalls the moment he knew he wanted to be a rock musician:
Press release courtesy of SiriusXM
