Rage Against The Machine’s Most Incendiary Moments

The SNL Incident

Saturday Night Live executive producer Lorne Michaels has a great sense of humor. In 1996, on the release of Rage’s sophomore album Evil Empire, SNL booked the band and billionaire media magnate and ex-presidential candidate Steve Forbes on same show. Like most SNL musical acts, Rage was to play two songs (“Bulls On Parade” and “Bullet In The Head”) but the show’s producers asked the band to play censored versions of the songs and to refrain from displaying the American Flag upside down, as Forbes’ family was in attendance. Angered, the band tore through “Bulls On Parade” (with profanity and unfurled flags intact) and left the show, but not before tossing torn flag pieces in Forbes’ dressing room.