Skillet’s John Cooper recently revisited his controversial 2021 remarks about Rage Against The Machine (RATM), which he claims led to significant backlash. His comments centered on the band’s alleged support for vaccine mandates and their connection to government directives, according to NME.
Cooper, who is unvaccinated, criticized RATM in 2021, accusing the band of abandoning their rebellious ethos. During an appearance on Apologia Radio, he referred to vaccines as tools of “tyranny” and labeled RATM as “government rock.”
“You’re in an entertainment industry that’s largely driven by social media and media at large,” he said. “You’re not allowed to speak anything against… I mean, you’ve got Rage Against The Machine telling people that if they don’t get a vaccine… Rage Against The Machine has become the machine.
In a recent interview on Real Talk With Zuby, Cooper reflected on the controversy, stating he “got in a lot of trouble in 2021 because [he] was, [he] think[s], rightly, making fun of Rage Against The Machine.”
RATM guitarist Tom Morello later addressed these claims, clarifying in a tweet earlier this year that no fan was ever turned away from their shows for being unvaccinated.
The band is known for their politically charged music but faced significant disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their 2020 U.S. tour was postponed multiple times and further complicated by a leg injury sustained by lead vocalist Zach de la Rocha in 2023.
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