Rock star Tom Morello occupies SXSW

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The hot ticket in town Friday night could be the Official Occupy South by Southwest Show.

It will be at Swan Dive on Red River, and Grammy award-winning guitarist Tom Morello will be performing at midnight.

The rock star, best known for his run with Rage Against the Machine, has put on a show for many of the Occupy groups around the world.

Morello sang "World Wide Rebel Songs" at the W Hotel Friday during KGSR Radio's SXSW live morning broadcast. The song has become the Occupy anthem. The audience stood up and starting singing the words with him.

The release was inspired by a performance at a protest to an anti-union bill put forward by the governor of Wisconsin. Extremely active in the Occupy movement, Morello performed at Occupy Wall Street and also made appearances at Occupy sites in London, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Seattle and San Francisco, distributing free tickets to his performances.

"I've been involved in activism my whole life and this is really the first time where a global activist movement, in my view, has identified the correct villain," said Morello.

Morello said he is no stranger to Austin, and visits even when he's not performing.

"I don't get enough sleep when I'm here. I don't pace myself particularly well, but it's really one of the great musical hubs of the entire country and it's a great place for people to come and gather," said Morello.