Chapter 01 — Today in music
On a day like today May 30
1964
Tom Morello is born, the guitarist who turned his instrument into a turntable and a political weapon
On May 30, 1964, Tom Morello was born in Harlem — the Rage Against the Machine guitarist who made his instrument sound like a DJ, a siren or a riot. A Harvard graduate and full-time activist, he proved in the nineties that rock could still be political while blowing up stadiums. Few players have expanded the electric guitar's vocabulary so much.
Tom Morello
Rage Against the Machine
1955
Topper Headon is born, the secret drummer behind The Clash's great leap
On May 30, 1955, Nicky 'Topper' Headon was born in Kent — the drummer who let The Clash push past punk into funk, reggae and jazz. He also wrote the musical bed of 'Rock the Casbah', one of the band's biggest hits. His talent was as large as his demons: heroin forced him out of the group just before the summit. A key, bitter story of punk.
Topper Headon
The Clash
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