What a beast. Tom has to be one of the most creative guitar players of our time.
Here's something I found interesting. Instead of learning to play songs, he spent a lot of time figuring out how to replicate random sounds using his guitar, from chainsaws to saxophones.
Another note-worthy tidbit, Tom practiced everyday, for a solid 8 hours a day. Holy shit, talk about dedication. Malcom Gladwell beleives you need to put in 10,000 hours to master something. Safe to say Tom crossed that bridge a long time ago.
For "Killing In The Name" Tom played his Stock 82' Fender Telecaster through a Marshall JCM800 2205 50-W Head and Peavey 4x12 Cabinet. He always uses this Tele for Drop-D tuning mostly using the neck pickup and this was his standard amp combo for a while.
For standard tuning he mostly, If not always records with his "homeless" which as he puts it is a Frankenstein type of guitar because he's been customizing it piece by piece.
It's equipped with a knock off Kramer neck, EMG H (neck) and EMG 85 (bridge) pickups, Floyd Rose Tremolo, a Les Paul style toggle-switch and other knob mods.
He used an Ibanez DFL Flanger for the intro and a DigiTech Whammy WH-1 Pedal set to hit the +2 octave for the solo. Other than that it's it's a pretty dry tone.
During this error Tom kept it simple, and still does. He used, in this order a Jim Dunlop Crybaby Wah, DigiTech Whammy WH-1, Boss DD-2 Digital Delay, DOD Electronics FX40B boost (mainly for solos), and an Ibanez DFL Flanger. That’s basically it.
Tom Morello wrote the riff while teaching a guitar student about Drop-D tuning.
Stock 82' Fender Telecaster
Marshall JCM800 2205 50-W Head
Peavey 4x12 Cabinet
Ibanez DFL Flanger Pedal
DigiTech Whammy WH-1 Pedal