Tom Morello brings son Roman on stage to close Kimmel in Brooklyn
Tom Morello closed ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live on Tuesday, 29 September, with "Soldier in the Army of Love" and gave the final solo to his teenage son Roman, who played it on electric guitar behind his back. Billboard
Morello led a full band with backing vocalists for the end-of-show slot. The performance was part of an organised week of episodes broadcasting from the Brooklyn Academy of Music, known as BAM. The 29 September edition also listed Howard Stern and Amy Schumer as guests.
Roman's moment came mid-song. He stepped forward for the solo, played without looking at the fretboard, then stayed on stage for the finish. His guitar carried a written call to action for homeless rights.
That message links to Morello's wider work off stage. His official website promotes the Fender Arm The Homeless Guitar alongside his current releases. The site identifies Everyone Gets Everything They Want as the new album and states it is out now, with purchase and streaming options listed.
"Soldier in the Army of Love" comes from that collection, which is released via Mom + Pop Music. It is described as Morello's first rock full-length as a soloist. The song had earlier arrived as a solo single with a runtime of about three minutes. Rolling Stone
It is built over a funky, heavy riff and packs in references to New Testament apostles, the Clash, Black History Month and a coming earthquake.
For viewers meeting Morello through late-night television, his main band history is with Rage Against the Machine. He is a founding member of the group, which entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. The band has seven entries on the Billboard 200, the US national albums chart that ranks titles by sales and streaming, including No. 1 albums Evil Empire in 1996 and The Battle of Los Angeles in 1999.
Morello has also recorded as The Nightwatchman, under which name he has placed three titles on the same chart.
What makes this stand out for a general audience is the simplicity of the set-up. One song. One family guest. A late show in Brooklyn closing with guitars up front.
