Thomas Morello was born on 30 May 1964, in Harlem, New York City USA, of Italian, Irish and Kenyan descent. He is well known for being a guitarist for popular bands Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. Tom is a well-established musician and songwriter, with his music accounting for most of his current net worth.
How rich is Tom Morello? Sources estimate that his net worth is at $30 million as of early 2016. Most of this has been attributed to his earnings with Rage Against the Machine and Audioslave. He’s also made music for numerous movies and has been playing solo under the name The Nightwatchman. Success in the music industry and a unique style has put him where he is now.
Tom Morello Net Worth $30 Million
Even at a young age, Tom became very interested in both music and politics. He developed a leftist perspective early, and it defined most of his future endeavors. He was educated at Libertyville High School, and attended Harvard University as a political science student. He graduated in 1986, and then moved to Los Angeles to pursue his music career. To make ends meet he worked as an exotic male stripper, then as a political secretary. His experience in politics didn’t really work well with him, and he realized he didn’t have much interest in that kind of career.
With influences from rock, rap, metal and punk bands, he formed the band Lock Up which went on to produce one album, but sales tanked, and the group soon disbanded. Eventually he met Zack De La Rocha and liked his freestyle rapping, so they formed the band Rage Against the Machine and added drummer Brad Wilk as well as Tom’s childhood friend Tim Commerford on the bass. This would be the start of Morello’s rise in net worth. The band released a self-titled debut album, which was well received and became a hit in many music circles. It was a revolutionary fusion of rock and rap which inspired many similar bands in years to come.
Tom Morello became well known for his unusual style of playing the guitar, using feedback and effects to create unique sounds that fit the band well. Rage Against the Machine went on to make three more studio albums, performing in large, crowded stadiums all around the country. After some disputes during the late 2000s, a disgruntled Zack De La Rocha decided to leave the band just before their fourth album was released.
The remaining members of the band went on to collaborate with Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell. The new band which was originally named Civilian, became Audioslave and released a triple-platinum debut album. The second album from the band in 2005 achieved a number one Billboard status as well as platinum status. But in 2007, the band broke up due to some conflicts on Cornell’s side. The remaining members reunited with Zack de la Rocha and Rage Against the Machine was formed once again. They continued to tour and perform until 2011.
For Tom’s solo career, he is called The Nighwatchman, and his music is a great contrast to what people are used to. He played folk music, which Tom considered an extension of his political views. He went on to collaborate with many artists during his solo run, but also made appearances for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which many believed contributed to that band’s success. He is currently part of the band Street Sweeper Social Club.
Tom Morello keeps his personal life very private. He is married to Denise Luiso and they have two children. Aside from this he’s known to be an activist, joining various groups and also playing music for them. He’s known to always customize and modify the guitars he uses, having different preferences for each one.
