Tom Morello has been talking up his son’s talents for some time now, previously confessing “I’ve been relegated to being the rhythm guitar player in my family because my 11-year-old can shred circles around me”.
But for the misers saying he’s just a proud parent, it turns out Roman Morello really does have red-hot chops.
The Morellos have been hitting up European festivals in the past few weeks and, as a video posted to Morello Sr.’s Instagram attests, Roman really can let it rip, given the opportunity.
Armed with a black Fender Telecaster, he shows he's been putting in his eight hours a day with a blur of bluesy turns as he fizzes across the fretboard. It isn't just mindless showboating either, there's some real flavor in the bends that break up his runs.
One witty commenter ponders how Roman will answer the inevitable “How was your summer?” question when he returns to school in September, suggesting he may nonchalantly reply : “I completely melted the faces off of the entire continent of Europe.”
Tom Morello will release his first solo rock album later this year, and it’s lead single, Soldier in the Army of Love, he says, was “co-written with my wizard son.”
It features a slew of drop D riffs and the kind of rap-infused swagger you’d expect from heavy Morello. There's also a gospel choir for good measure and the song represents the first proper taste of original music from the teenage mage.
Roman has been impressing for a few years now. He caught more than a few ears as he performed Killing in the Name at an arena soundcheck, which his dad described as one of his favorite memories.
Back on the topic of the RATM man himself, Tom Morello first spoke about his solo rock album back in 2014, and if his vision for the record hasn't changed in the last decade, we could be in for a treat.
“I want to make the craziest guitar record that anyone's ever heard,” Morello said. “The idea is that this is the Hendrix of now.”
