'One part Dylan, one part Hendrix'

Tom Morello turns Nightwatchman up to 11

PROFILE. Many musicians would get annoyed if an interview dwelled more on their politics than their new record. Not this fellow Tom Morello, though. After all, his politics and his music -- as guitarist in recently revived agit-rockers Rage Against the Machine and currently defunct arena rock troupe Audioslave, not to mention his solo acoustic project, The Nightwatchman  -- are inextricably intertwined. 

“I’m not trying to sell ring tones or look for additional income streams doing this,” says Morello. He laughs. It’s a dry chuckle that, metaphorically, wags a finger at commerciality.  “I believe in this music with all my soul.”

We speak just after the election results have delivered Barack Obama to the White House. Morello is stunned, joyous, and hopeful, but adds a note of caution about the road ahead.
“For a country that is so inextricably wound-up with racism, for Obama to be elected President is an enormous step towards civilization,” he says.

Right now though, the 44-year-old Harvard grad is simply having a blast on the new Nightwatchman tour, this time accompanied by a band in order to mix the thoughtful acoustic and funky electric parts of his second solo album, “The Fabled City.”

“The template is one part Dylan, one part Hendrix,” he says. “The idea is to combine the acoustic folk minstrel with the unbridled fury of the Marshall stack.” He laughs again, but this time at his own fluffy rhetoric. Unlike his 2007 debut, “Fabled City” bears both his own name and The Nightwatchmen because, says Morello, the record bridges the gap between his rock guitar playing and his acoustic singer songwriting. So, Tom Morello is the rock god and Nightwatchman is the troubadour?

“The Nightwatchman creeps around at night, whispering tales of bitterness and revenge,” jokes Morello, who first adopted the name several years ago when he started
performing at open mic nights at coffeehouse. This tour is a far cry from the latte circuit.

“On the first record, I think it was very important for me to establish that I was doing something different. Now I feel comfortable mixing it all up and the guitar shredder fans will be well satisfied. I guarantee it.”

Tom Morello
With Boots Riley
Tonight, 9
Middle East Downstairs
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MBTA: Red Line to Central
$25, 18+, 617-864-EAST
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