Tom Morello comes from a culturally diverse background steeped in politics and activism. The Rage Against the Machine founder is well known for championing liberal causes, bringing extreme left-wing politics to the forefront of the media, and in the process educating his young fans. Mixing politics and hard music was a formula for success for Rage Against the Machine in the 1990’s. At the peak of the band’s popularity, Tom said, "Rage heightens the contradictions: in the intensity of the live show, in the brutality of the music, in the content of the lyrics. It's a political assault which might force you to consider the ideas that are put forward." In 2002, Tom Morello and Chris Cornell of Sound Garden, formed Audioslave who have been touring sold out arenas nationwide. Recently Tom formed a not-for-profit organization with System of a Down singer, Serj Tankian, called Axis for Justice. Created to educate summer concertgoers about social issues like racism, violence, the environment and worker-related issues.