Since 6 am PST Wednesday morning, Vancouver radio station KISS FM, Rage Against the Machine‘s “Killing in the Name” has been playing nonstop. Is it an overzealous fan? Perhaps someone who can’t enough of the song? Considering that the British Columbia station is a pop and soft rock contemporary station. This isn’t quite the reunited Rage’s demographic.
So why now? According to the Vancouver Sun, three popular radio hosts— Kevin Lim, Sonia Sidhu, and Tara Jean Stevens—were released from the company after a more than five-year run.
“KiSS is changing and, unfortunately, we were informed that we won’t be part of this new chapter,” said Lim and Sidhu in their final broadcast on Tuesday and on a message posted on social media.
What better way to protest than to play Rage Against the Machine’s signature song. Now, 30 years old, the message of defiance continues to be strong, which is probably why this was their choice (albeit the clean version with Zack de la Rocha singing “Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me”). The Sun reports that a listener requested that the station play another song, but was ignored.
Not surprisingly, Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello was all for the symbolic gesture. Morello retweeted a fan who said that the one-song playlist was due to the DJs being let go.
As noble as this may seem, it could have another meaning: the station is getting ready to switch formats. In the past, stations have pulled this type of stunt before switching formats. According to the Sun, a spokesperson for the station said that details about the station’s future will be revealed on Thursday morning.
Rage Against the Machine’s much-anticipated reunion tour will kick off on July 9 in Wisconsin. Run the Jewels will open for them.
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