Tom Morello revolutionizes music labels with his own Firebrand Records

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Tom Morello, guitarist of Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave and solo artist under the moniker Nightwatchman, has created his own record label to help others present their music to the world. It's called Firebrand Records. Morello co-created the socially-conscious label with Ryan Harvey of Riot-Folk Collective and has a very specific mission for it. "The label gives you one-stop shopping for all your rebel-music needs", he says. "I think in these troubled times successful social movements always require a great soundtrack – we aim to provide it. It’s the kind of label that I wish had existed my entire artistic life."

The new company has released its first compilation, sampling the artists on the label. Songs include "It's Like That", a track about police violence written by Baltimore rapper Son of Nun, a bluesy, folk, rock song "Let's Live Like We're Dying” by Ike Reilly and more. You can check out the compilation here.

When asked by interviewers how his label will favour artists, Morello explained their strategy like this: "Well, we are not a non-profit label. We may be more accurately described as an anti-profit label. We have a very clear mission and that is to bring global revolutionary music to everyone who wants to hear it. As someone who’s spent a couple of decades with various labels, I see it exclusively from the artist's perspective. We’re not trying to get rich off Firebrand Records, we’re trying to enrich people’s hearts and minds."

Morello has no plans to release a full length album of his own with Firebrand, as he's already signed to Mom & Pop Records, but he is featured on several tracks from Firebrand artists.