Won't chew what you feed me

In an effort to end a string of #1 Simon Cowell generated hits in the UK over the last 5 Christmases,  fans across the internet are promoting Rage Against the Machine’s legendary anthem from 1992, Killing in the Name—but  this isn’t about getting a number one hit. No doubt referring to the line in the song when lead singer Zack de la Rocha gradually works himself into a frenzy screaming “F@#! you I wont do what you tell me,” guitarist Tom Morello told the BBC that this is about “real fans of music” taking back “their own charts” from being forcibly “spoon fed one schmaltzy ballad after another.” In the live BBC interview on Dec 17th, de la Roche and Morello said that the song “reflects the tensions people are feeling” from having “the [music] business shoved down their throats.”

Effectively saying, “F!@#  you, I wont chew what you feed me,” fans across the UK are buying the single en masse, giving the Simon Cowell machine a run for its money.

Recent X-Factor winner, Joe McElderry is in a very close race with RAtM for the #1 UK single this Christmas and by most accounts, he is expected to win.  As for Cowell and his fellow judges from the X-Factor, they aren’t amused.  Cowell told The Mirror that “Joe doesn’t deserve to be stuck in the middle of this. A campaign aimed at harming his chart position is unnecessary.”  Louis Walsh, another X-Factor judge said "This is taking the fun out of the race for Christmas number one”

We disagree.

And so does Sir Paul McCartney who told the UK’s Sky News “I like the idea of this Rage against the Machine thing that's happening…I think that's kind of interesting." Of McElderry he commented "He's just some kid with a career ahead. I've got nothing against that, but it would be kind of funny if Rage Against the Machine got it because it would prove a point."

McElderry says he isn’t taking this too personally, but would be very disappointed if he weren’t to win the number one slot come this Sunday: “I’m not really seeing it as a personal attack, because I think if any other person would have won it would’ve been the same case. And it’s more against The X Factor than the actual winner.”  But another X-factor judge, Chery Cole, is the least entertained saying, “I cannot bear to see him lose out to a mean campaign that has nothing to do with his efforts. If that song, or should I say campaign, by an American group is our Christmas number one I’ll be gutted for him and our charts.”

Bah. Humbug.

Adding insult to injury, video mash-ups have been appearing on Youtube, that have the likes of McElderry, Cowell, fellow judges and other talent show contestants rapping to Killing in the Name. Particularly hilarious is Susan Boyle around half way through… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6M_IYPUWd8  

With the help of fans, RAtM has definitely made a point, both in making more visible this scourge on the music industry, as well as by donating all of their profits from these sales to Shelter, a homeless charity organization in the UK - http://www.shelter.org.uk .  Calling this “an excellent lesson for people” Morello reemphasizes the RAtM ethic, saying “whether its in a small matter, like who’s at the top of the charts, or bigger matters like war and peace and economic equality—when people band together and make their voices heard, they can completely overturn the system as it is.”

In spite of their philanthropy, the band was cut short in its live BBC appearance, when de la Roche wouldn’t do as he was told and censor the swearing during the performance of Killing in the Name.