Rock and metal stars co-writing books is pretty par for the course these days. Usually, it’s just a chance for a musician to tell their side of the story, show off some funny old photos of them at 15, and clear up all the rumors about that time onstage in Topeka. But now, Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello is releasing a new photo book–and it looks like the kind of thing that might blow away all competition.
The book is called Whatever It Takes, and is a massive photo book collecting pictures, notes, and memories from across Tom’s storied career.
“This book is a photo memoir of my life in music and activism,” says Tom in the YouTube trailer for the book, “from my very first show in my mom’s basement to rocking stadiums with Rage Against The Machine; from the frontline activism of the Nightwatchman to traveling the world with Audioslave and my dear friend Chris Cornell.
“I didn’t choose to be a guitar player,” he continues. “The guitar chose me. And once saddled with that blessing and that burden, it was my job to find a way to use that guitar as a divining rod for truth and justice. The message in the music, in the studio, on the albums, and the concert stages and in the streets, is, ‘Whatever it takes.'”
Well, obviously this book looks awesome — Tom Morello has the kind of career that will spawn an entertaining and insightful photo memoir, and he has always been dedicated to fighting the good fight.
Not only that, but the book comes in two versions — a basic bookstore edition, and a signed, limited-edition version that comes with a songbook full of notes and lyrics, as well as a rare 7″ record. That second one only has 2,000 copies made, so get on that preorder.
Tom Morello’s Whatever It Takes comes out this October via Genesis Publications. More information about the book can be found at the publisher’s page.
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Words by Chris Krovatin
