Rage Against the Machine bassist Tim Commerford made headlines earlier in the week by apologizing for his band influencing the likes of rap-rock goons like Limp Bizkit, but now he's revealing even more controversial statements. Namely, the self-described "conspiracy theorist" is claiming that the terrorist organization ISIS doesn't actually exist.
Commerford's claims come from an interview with Rolling Stone that touches on, among other things, his current work in the Wakrat project, who apparently weigh in on the organization on various songs. According to Commerford, the series of beheading videos that have surfaced through ISIS were staged.
"I don't believe ISIS is real. ISIS has been an inspiration for a lot of the songs that I wrote with Wakrat," he said. "I don't believe that all the different factions in the Middle East have gotten together and said, 'Okay, we all hate each other and we all hate America, so let's all put on the ISIS uniform and join forces and just become ISIS.' That's a bunch of shit. I don't believe the Jihadi John beheading video. Go look at those videos and study them, and see if you don't think they're fake."
He goes on to question the production values of the leaked videos, from their inclusion of soundtracks to editing tricks like fade-outs. He adds that the victims purported to be killed in the beheading videos "were already dead." In his opinion, the videos were made to rally the U.S. into supporting Middle Eastern conflict.
"At first, I thought it was edited out by our government so our kids wouldn't be seeing it on the Internet, but no. That's the way those videos came. The knife starts to cut the neck, and then it fades out. There's too much stuff that doesn't look real. They've edited out the parts that would be too hard to fake. We created Jihadi John and ISIS so we can go drop bombs."
The interview goes on to have Commerford describing a heated argument he had with U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin over the legitimacy of the 1969 moon landing. This apparently took place "at a John Cusack movie premiere."
He also discussed Donald Trump's presidential campaign, which he suggests is a fake-out that will lead to a Jeb Bush win.
On the more musical side of things, Commerford spoke on the possibility of Rage Against the Machine making it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, notes that Rage vocalist Zack de la Rocha is still working on a proper LP as One Day as a Lion, and that Rage Against the Machine are still technically a band that "still might play again."
Commerford added: "We don't have anything scheduled right now, but you never know what the future will bring."
Rage Against the Machine have not performed onstage together since 2011. Their Live at Finsbury Park DVD/Blu-ray release hits stores October 16 via Eagle Rock Entertainment.
Commerford's claims come from an interview with Rolling Stone that touches on, among other things, his current work in the Wakrat project, who apparently weigh in on the organization on various songs. According to Commerford, the series of beheading videos that have surfaced through ISIS were staged.
"I don't believe ISIS is real. ISIS has been an inspiration for a lot of the songs that I wrote with Wakrat," he said. "I don't believe that all the different factions in the Middle East have gotten together and said, 'Okay, we all hate each other and we all hate America, so let's all put on the ISIS uniform and join forces and just become ISIS.' That's a bunch of shit. I don't believe the Jihadi John beheading video. Go look at those videos and study them, and see if you don't think they're fake."
He goes on to question the production values of the leaked videos, from their inclusion of soundtracks to editing tricks like fade-outs. He adds that the victims purported to be killed in the beheading videos "were already dead." In his opinion, the videos were made to rally the U.S. into supporting Middle Eastern conflict.
"At first, I thought it was edited out by our government so our kids wouldn't be seeing it on the Internet, but no. That's the way those videos came. The knife starts to cut the neck, and then it fades out. There's too much stuff that doesn't look real. They've edited out the parts that would be too hard to fake. We created Jihadi John and ISIS so we can go drop bombs."
The interview goes on to have Commerford describing a heated argument he had with U.S. astronaut Buzz Aldrin over the legitimacy of the 1969 moon landing. This apparently took place "at a John Cusack movie premiere."
He also discussed Donald Trump's presidential campaign, which he suggests is a fake-out that will lead to a Jeb Bush win.
On the more musical side of things, Commerford spoke on the possibility of Rage Against the Machine making it into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, notes that Rage vocalist Zack de la Rocha is still working on a proper LP as One Day as a Lion, and that Rage Against the Machine are still technically a band that "still might play again."
Commerford added: "We don't have anything scheduled right now, but you never know what the future will bring."
Rage Against the Machine have not performed onstage together since 2011. Their Live at Finsbury Park DVD/Blu-ray release hits stores October 16 via Eagle Rock Entertainment.
