A few months ago, I was cleaning out my office when I discovered an old cassette tape that was unmarked but obviously important enough to have been stored away for God knows how long. Once I was able to track down a cassette player, I realized that it was a mix tape I had made back in the 90s, and it included some random songs I’ve long since purchased as MP3s. But it also included Pearl Jam’s performance of “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” with Neil Young at the 1993 MTV Music Video Awards, and I guess that’s why I kept it, because that was such an awesome moment.
Anyway, that’s a pretty weak anecdote as it is, but it’s even less of a “Cool story, bro” now because YouTube user “CowProd” recently remembered that he had been sitting on a 21-year old video recording of Rage Against the Machine playing an in-store show at Zed’s Records in Long Beach, California.
almost 21 years ago i shot this footage of rage playing zed records. mostly been sitting on it for this long because im that lazy.
And not only is that one hell of a find and an incredible piece of music nostalgia, but the recording was actually near-perfect. Better late than never, CowProd.