10 Most Dramatic Band Splits In Music History

Rage Against the Machine were one of the most militant bands of the 90's, whose lyrics exposed the more corrupt aspects of government practices. With the band creating defiant political stances throughout their tenure, it's only fitting that their last days were also met with controversy.

After the band had finished their landmark album The Battle of Los Angeles, the band's promotion cycle featured many highlights, including a video for "Sleep Now in the Fire," where the band shut down the New York Stock Exchange in the middle of the shoot. Though the band had made a groundbreaking statement, the decision-making skills between the members were fraught with tension. Once the tour started, the members began having disagreements about the way the music was presented, involving everything from the setlist to the color of T-shirts. As guitarist Tom Morello would say later, fist fights between the members over the more contentious subjects were not uncommon.

Just before going into the studio for their next record, vocalist Zack de la Rocha announced that he was leaving, unable to take the stress of the band any longer. Though the band reconvened for a covers record entitled Renegades, de la Rocha went AWOL, leaving the rest of the band to form Audioslave with Chris Cornell.