'Rage' guitarist rages against Paul Ryan

Paul Ryan's claim that Rage Against the Machine is among his favorite bands did not poll well with the rap metal group's guitarist Tom Morello.

"He can like whatever bands he wants," Morello wrote in a Rolling Stone opinion piece on Friday about the Republican vice presidential hopeful. "But his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage."

Ryan lists the anti-establishment group along with Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Hank Williams Jr. and Beethoven among his favorite music choices on his Facebook page.

Rage Against the Machine is widely known for its anti-war, anti-establishment lyrics with songs titled "Bulls on Parade," "Killing in the Name of," and "Renegades of Funk."

"I wonder what Ryan's favorite Rage song is?" Morello wrote, "Is it the one where we condemn the genocide of Native Americans? The one lambasting American imperialism? Our cover of "F--- the Police"?"

Morello, who was a vocal supporter of the Occupy Wall Street movement and is well-known for supporting union rights, railed against the Romney-Ryan ticket which he sees as supporting the 1%.

"This unbridled rage against those who have the least is a cornerstone of the Romney-Ryan ticket," Morello wrote.

The Ryan campaign did not respond to repeated request for comment, so it's unclear why he likes the band.

Morello makes the point that the music can overpower the message behind Rage's lyrics and that the music can affect people differently.

"Some tune out what the band stands for and concentrate on the moshing and throwing elbows in the pit," Morello wrote.

Joe Levy, editor at Billboard magazine, believes it is possible Ryan listens to Rage for the music and not the lyrics. But Levy still finds the pick odd.

"It's weird because he's forty-two years old and you cannot possibly be a genuine Rage Against the Machine fan without understanding what they stand for," Levy told CNN.

Still, Morello remained cynically hopeful, suggesting in his piece that perhaps some of his politically charged lyrics sank in with the Wisconsin congressman.

"My hope is that maybe Paul Ryan is a mole," Morello said.

But he wasn't counting on it. Instead, Morello had a suggestion for Ryan.

"Perhaps Paul Ryan was moshing when he should have been listening."