Rage Against the Machine reveal Zack de la Rocha’s injury
Zack de la Rocha reportedly suffered a torn Achilles tendon during the early stages of Rage Against the Machine’s now-cancelled Public Service Announcement tour, a friend of the band has reported.
During the second show of the North American part of the tour in Chicago, de la Rocha appeared to have injured his leg onstage, leaving for a short time before continuing the performance from a chair. “I don’t know what happened to my leg right now,” the singer told the audience. “We’re gonna keep this fucking shit going. I can crawl across this stage. We’re gonna play for you all tonight.”
In an Instagram post on Saturday, photographer Glen E. Friedman revealed that the injury was a torn Achilles heel tendon. “I went to see my good friend Zack (with his torn Achilles) perform last night at Madison Square Garden [August 12th],” he wrote. “Even having to sit during the performance, Zack De La Rocha showed the world what they had been missing in all the years he had been away from this incredible group of musicians”.
Adding: “Zack ‘brought it’ like few other ever have or ever could. Integrity, and heart, the touchstones of the most important and greatest.”
On August 11th, Rage Against The Machine announced they had been forced to cancel their 2022 UK, and Europe Public Service Announcement dates due to “medical guidance” given to de la Rocha following his injury. These dates included their headline shows at the Reading and Leeds festival over the bank holiday weekend in two weeks’ time. The band have since been replaced on the bill by The 1975.
Following an 11-year absence, Rage Against The Machine’s North American shows were met with delighted crowds as they brought new life to classics. The night de la Rocha was injured also saw the rap metal group perform ‘No Shelter’ for the first time in 15 years. The band also played ‘Born Of A Broken Man’ for the first time in 14 years at their show in Cleveland, Ohio, on July 27th.
While performing at Bluesfest in Ottawa, the band issued an impassioned protest message, condemning violence against Indigenous Canadians. During the Toronto show on July 23rd, Tom Morello was caught in an unthreatening wrestle between a security guard and a fan who had made it up onstage while the band played ‘Killing In The Name’.
Watch the Toronto stage invasion below.
