The 1975's Matty Healy Regrets What He Said About Rage Against The Machine

When Rage Against The Machine was forced to cancel shows due to Zack De La Rocha's leg injury, The 1975 took their place at the Reading & Leeds festival.

At the time, Matty Healy confessed “There will be guys and girls my age who will be like ‘that’s not a replacement for Rage Against The Machine' and they’re right, it isn’t. Who can replace Rage Against The Machine," but during their set he had a much different message.

“I’m sorry we’re not Rage Against The Machine, but who’s Rage Against The Machine?" The 1975 singer said onstage at Leeds. “I mean, give it up for the greatest rock band of the previous generation, ladies and gentlemen please… Being literally in Rage Against The Machine and having a gammy leg is quite funny, though.”

During their set at Reading two nights later, Healy's tune was a little different and he clarified that he meant to say “I’m sorry we’re not Rage Against The Machine, but who can be Rage Against The Machine?”

Now a few months removed from the cringey incident, Healy spoke with NME about regretting what he said. “I watched it back and I was like, ‘That delivery was so bad!’" he admitted. “There are no records that me and George [Daniel, drummer] know more than Rage. Even Renegades. We f**king love Rage so much. I think I was so conflicted by how weird it was for me to even accept putting myself in the same league as them that I couldn’t even get my words out right.”

And then in true Matty Healy style, he noted: ”If I’d have slagged Rage off then I would have leaned into it and had a bit ready. I’m not scared of doing that!”

The 1975 recently released their fifth album Being Funny In A Foreign Language. They head out on tour in support of the album next month. Check out a full list of tour dates here.