Former X Factor winner backs Rage campaign!

Following yesterday’s comments by X Factor mogul Simon Cowell calling the internet campaign to make Rage Against The Machine’s hit, Killing In The Name, the Christmas Number One instead of this year’s X Factor winner “stupid”, a former X Factor finalist has leapt to the movement’s defence.

Steve Brookstein, who won X Factor Series One in 2004, said that Simon claiming that an X Factor finalist having a Christmas Number One will “will change their lives” is equally stupid.

“I had a Number One and I got dropped 12 weeks later,” he joked, adding, “I was last seen singing on a ferry with Chico! So count me in!”

The Rage Against The Machine For Christmas Number One campaign was started a few weeks ago by Rage fan Jon Morter who set up a FaceBook group.

“Fed up of Simon Cowell's latest karaoke act being Christmas Number One? Me too! So who's up for a mass-purchase of the track Killing In The Name from December 13 as a protest to the X-Factor monotony?,” read a post on the group’s page. As of this morning, they have over 600,000 members.

This year’s Christmas Number One will be revealed on Sunday December 20, so the group are urging people to purchase Killing In The Name – made famous by it’s Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me refrain – digitally through iTunes or We7 between 00:01AM this Sunday (December 13) and 11:59PM on Saturday December 19.

Join the revolution at www.ragefactor.co.uk.

Tags: Rage Against The Machine

Posted by Dan at 11:46AM | December 11, 2009

Nice one Steve! Every copy counts!

xoxo

PS: I voted for you back in '04!

Posted by Sarah | December 11, 2009 11:59 AM | Reply to this

Omg! How amazing would it be if they actually got to number one?! I joined the group on Facebook agesss ago lol.

Steve Brookstein joining the campaign? Could that be a bigger fuck you towards Simon Cowell?! xD

Im seriously keeping my fingers crossed, would be amazinggg if it happened!!

Peace out and keep rocking!!

Posted by Steph | December 11, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply to this

Omg! How amazing would it be if they actually got to number one?! I joined the group on Facebook agesss ago lol.

Steve Brookstein joining the campaign? Could that be a bigger fuck you towards Simon Cowell?! xD

Im seriously keeping my fingers crossed, would be amazinggg if it happened!!

Peace out and keep rocking!!

Posted by Steph | December 11, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply to this

Omg! How amazing would it be if they actually got to number one?! I joined the group on Facebook agesss ago lol.

Steve Brookstein joining the campaign? Could that be a bigger fuck you towards Simon Cowell?! xD

Im seriously keeping my fingers crossed, would be amazinggg if it happened!!

Peace out and keep rocking!!

Posted by Steph | December 11, 2009 12:15 PM | Reply to this

We need the BBC 2 do a report on this :)
x

Posted by Ggggg | December 11, 2009 12:21 PM | Reply to this

We need the BBC 2 do a report on this :)
x

Posted by Ggggg | December 11, 2009 12:23 PM | Reply to this

Good on you Steve!
You're backing a worthy cause... :P

Posted by Joel | December 11, 2009 12:35 PM | Reply to this

Hello,

I am not a fan of RATM; I don't own a telly and don't listen to the radio, therefore I shouldn't care a toss about the X Factor; but I am a big fan of music, so I care.

What would have been of artists like Tom Waits, Neil Young, Janis Joplin, The Cure (and many others) would they have auditioned at the X Factor? Not that I think that they would have auditioned! Of course they wouldn't; but with this way of thinking about music they wouldn't have had a chance! I am not against the music business, so I don't give a flying toss whether we give our money to Sony or EMI, or Micky Mouse! This is about music made by musicians, made by people that put energy and soul into it and not stupid puppets with funny hairdoes or nice arses; haridoes and arses that will be sent back to the dole queue once deemed used; only for the next hairdo and arse to step forward. RATM serves the purpose as much as the Sex Pistols would, or British Sea Power, or ABC or Pink Floyd. It doesn't matter. You can send a big message to the people that rule the music business, you can say: "I want music; I am sick of karaoke puppets!". Thinking that because RATM is represented by the same label as the X Factor products makes them equal to them, is the same as thinking that icecream and the t*rd you sh*t after eating icecream taste the same!!!

But our campaign would amount to nothing if you don't make use of this opportunity to the full potential. You've seen the way Cowell tried to make this about himself, and you know that whatever we do he will strike back from a telly screen, a power we do not have. But there is a way to strike back and make this BIG. You can show the that there are vast numbers of conscious people out there, generous, willing to live life with eyes open. And you can do this by donating some of you money to Shelter (http://www.justgiving.com/ratm4xmas). For every penny you spend in the track spend one donating it to Shelter, it's not much to ask. If you are willing to spend £0.79 in Itunes give the same to Shelter; if you will buy the track 3 times, then do the same. Doing this is the perfect argument to counter the "iluminati" that keep highlighting that by doing this we are giving our money to Sony or to Cowell (both who would certainly continue to be rich and powerful regardless the outcome of this campaign).

So far there's no way out of the system, the only way to fight it is from within, and by showing your generosity, together with your desire not to be imposed music or products like you were a non-thinking entity, you can begin to show a direction, start a change. It might not be a lot, but it'll be there to inspire others. And maybe next year it'll be bigger.

Love to you all! Take the time to donate and buy the track next week!

Fernando

Posted by Fernando S. | December 11, 2009 12:48 PM | Reply to this

i have nothing againt RATM, but to be honest with you so what if an X factor song gets to number one?! If people enjoy the music and they buy it then let it be!
i understand that it does get annoying when the xfactor and simon cowell whole thing takes over the charts, but i actually like xfactor and think so what?! whats the point in buying RATM for no reason! pfft!!!

Posted by stacey | December 11, 2009 1:18 PM | Reply to this

RATM are a band that preach against commercialism and capitalism, why would you spoil their cause and hard work by trying to top an insignificant track?

A true RATM fan would realize the irony of the group, "fuck you I won't do what you tell me" more like "fuck you i follow this group blindly".

Join us in stopping this hypocracy, for RATM are better than this.

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=198091405806

Posted by Dragondex | December 11, 2009 1:20 PM | Reply to this

RATM are a band that preach against commercialism and capitalism, why would you spoil their cause and hard work by trying to top an insignificant track?

A true RATM fan would realize the irony of the group, "fuck you I won't do what you tell me" more like "fuck you i follow this group blindly".

Join us in stopping this hypocracy, for RATM are better than this.

http://www.facebook.com/#/group.php?gid=198091405806

Posted by Dragondex | December 11, 2009 1:21 PM | Reply to this

...minimum donation on JustGiving is £2, IIRC. Which is more than 79p, but still not exactly a huge amount. :) Other than that I broadly agree with what you say.

Posted by Jo | December 11, 2009 3:13 PM | Reply to this

This is the best news I have heard in ages, oh dear Simon Coward is nervous awwww diddums! lets hope his days of insulting the British people are numbered!

Posted by isa | December 11, 2009 3:33 PM | Reply to this

yeah! Don't buy the X Factor winner's single (released on a Sony Music label), buy Rage Against The Machine instead (released on a Sony Music label). That'll show em.

Posted by Duncan Stott | December 11, 2009 3:39 PM | Reply to this

i havnt looked at the singles chart in almost 10 years. i love RATM but i dont give a flying fuck who is xmas number one...so fuck off and start filling my music news websites with news that is relevant and interesting rather than 2 bored tits starting a so called campaign while answering his e-mails whilst taking his morning dump!!

Posted by calum87 | December 11, 2009 3:53 PM | Reply to this

But they don't really enjoy the music! If they heard the song on its own without it being promoted by the X Factor program, then no way would as many people buy it. They only buy it the way it is because the X Factor shoves these people down their throat, then does a fuckload of promotion for the winner's song, in the hopes of making millions off the back of the number 1 slot.
The X Factor winner doesn't usually do very well at all in the weeks that follow.

The only point the X Factor goes to show is that you have to WORK HARD to make it, and have real musical and writing talent! Its not like the old days when you could be famous just for having a great voice. Nowadays you have to be original, to make a stand, and to really be talented in order to gain worldwide respect. That is what most people hunger for, not fame. Fame is merely a pretty word which lures you into thinking you should audition for shows like X Factor instead of getting a band together, writing songs, getting gigs, and working hard to get somewhere. Its HARD WORK.
X Factor is for lazy fucks, and that's why even the winners don't really make it.

Posted by Natalie | December 11, 2009 4:46 PM | Reply to this

i dont think simon relised but by commenting on the group he increased publicity : it gets more popular
ratm ftw we are all behind you lads

Posted by seb | December 11, 2009 5:12 PM | Reply to this

lol i was flicking around on tv and saw that this is on newsround (kids tv news thing, if ya didnt no ;D) and it said all about it and theres a bunch of like 8 year old kids who r gonna buy it so that ratm will get no1. how awesome!!

Posted by CJ | December 11, 2009 6:14 PM | Reply to this

It Was in The Sun Today...I Hope ratm Get No1

Posted by Rayner | December 11, 2009 10:14 PM | Reply to this

And how did Brookstein get to Number 1? After midweek figures showed Iron Maiden were on course to top the charts, he and his advisers announced the profits from his single would go to the Tsunami victims fund.

Instant sales boost.

And can you not refer to them as RATM rather than just as Rage? It really disappoints Rage fans, hoping Peavy and co are finally appearing in Kerrang for the first time in 20 years..... :D

Posted by Gorgar | December 11, 2009 10:45 PM | Reply to this

really i hope they will be singing the fuck you i wont do what i tell you part the teachers and btw to the person below tht says to call them rage i am sorry and will do that

Posted by seb | December 11, 2009 11:04 PM | Reply to this

We do not follow blindly. We opened our eyes and saw a route to something we wanted. there is no change without unity. we were not told to do this by an oracle, it was suggested by a nobody and we accepted because we chose to in the same way you did not. Rage's political outlook is irrelevant, it is also irrelevant to their methods of exposure which play the same system cowell does. We're bored of having ironies pointed out to us, we are aware of what we do, do not patronise us and do not accuse us of being counterfeit fans, this band are very well respected in this group and even if some of us don't listen to them we have a respect for them because their music is passionate and honest, something you cannot say about anything that comes out of Syco.

Posted by Tom | December 12, 2009 2:56 AM | Reply to this

Seriously you think we don't know that? Seriously you think we care where the money goes?

Posted by Tom | December 12, 2009 2:59 AM | Reply to this

Brian: Please, please, please listen! I've got one or two things to say.
RATM Fans: Tell us! Tell us both of them!
Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't NEED to follow ME, You don't NEED to follow ANYBODY! You've got to think for your selves! You're ALL individuals!
RATM Fans: Yes! We're all individuals!
Brian: You're all different!
RATM Fans: Yes, we ARE all different!
Man in crowd: I'm not...
RATM Fans: Sch!

Posted by Brian | December 12, 2009 11:14 AM | Reply to this

My Wena Is Lonely Tonight

Posted by The Jew | December 12, 2009 1:12 PM | Reply to this

It appears that the group has been taken down. Free speech is fucking dead!

Posted by Danny | December 12, 2009 1:15 PM | Reply to this

because ratm don't want you to give money to sony by buying the single. they want you to send them the money directly, so they can use it to buy weapons for jumping bean farmers in mexico so they can overthrow their evil, fairly and democratically elected non-socialist government.

fuckin commie scum.

Posted by Zac | December 12, 2009 2:11 PM | Reply to this

YEEEES. it only just started and it's already number 52 on iTunes!

Posted by emma | December 13, 2009 12:41 AM | Reply to this

I bought it on itunes!
lets do this!

Posted by kiera | December 13, 2009 7:55 PM | Reply to this

Oh, well if Steve Brookstein is endorsing it, then it's definitely got my vote.

Posted by Chloe | December 13, 2009 8:07 PM | Reply to this

i celebrate chrismas as a religious holiday, and want rage for number one because they're against commercialism , so i know that they arent trying to use religion to sell themselves some cds.

Posted by cath | December 13, 2009 8:59 PM | Reply to this

Repost:

DON'T BUY IT OFF AMAZON IT WON@T COUNT

Posted by S | December 14, 2009 9:03 AM | Reply to this

" and want rage for number one because they're against commercialism"

Are you being ironic or just plain stupid?

I'll let the posers and fairweather "fans" buy into this stupidly hypocritical idea whilst real fans like me will listen to their music because I actually like it and not to look cool, or to "take a stand against pop music". The sort of people who are supporting this are the same people who had no time for Kings Of Leon before Sex On Fire and all of a sudden decided they were massive fans.

Have fun pretending to be upset that Joe McElderry won in Topshop next week you bandwagon hoppers.

Posted by NOT A POSER | December 17, 2009 1:34 AM | Reply to this

Shut up. This is campaign is to remind folk that shit like X factor isnt always the best. That there are still musicians out there with talent and integrity and the sheer balls to tell the corporate world to "Get fucked". Im with it not to be cool but to give real music a
chance to to heard again

Posted by Ed | December 17, 2009 7:45 PM | Reply to this