Rage Against The Machine’s Zack de la Rocha reportedly tore his Achilles

Last week, Rage Against The Machine announced that they would be cancelling their UK and European tour dates “per medical guidance”, with frontman Zack de la Rocha needing to head home “for rest and rehabilitation”. Now, a photographer and good friend of the band has seemingly shared exactly what happened to Zack.

Snapper Glen E. Friedman headed to New York’s Madison Square Garden (for RATM’s five-night residency that wasn’t scrapped) and took to Instagram afterwards to post about how Zack still “‘brought’ it like few others ever have or ever could” – despite, Glen reports, having a torn Achilles (a diagnosis not officially announced by the band).

This injury seems to stem all the way back to July 11, when Zack hurt himself onstage in Chicago and told the crowd: “I don’t know what happened to my leg right now. We’re gonna keep this fucking shit going. I can crawl across this stage. We’re gonna play for you all tonight.” Since then, he had been performing while seated for Rage’s Public Service Announcement U.S. run.

See Glen’s full post below (featuring a killer photo of Zack back in the day in 1996):

“Before I review for you the story of the 1st image, i want you to know that i am posting this today because I went to see my good friend Zack (with his torn Achilles) perform last night at Madison Square Garden, one of the most hallowed venues in the modern world. RATM sold out FIVE nights. Even having to sit during the performance Zack De La Rocha showed the world what they had been missing in all the years he had been away from this incredible group of musicians. Zack ‘brought it’ like few other ever have or ever could. Integrity, and heart, the touchstones of the most important and greatest. I had a great fucking time and was going off like a spoiled child up in front of the barricades because that’s how i’m used to it, being close and feeling it and letting it go through and move me.

“I was inspired! Even used my iPhone to a make a few shots & video clips, i’ll add them here when you swipe left. I think i may even go back with some film and shoot OG style tonight, problem is the size of the venue and stage, for me, takes away the intimacy of closeness i usually go for, and the inconsistent lighting can be more than challenging when you go all analog/manual like I do. Maybe one day i’ll figure out how to use one of those digital cameras.”

On Friday, following Rage pulling out of this month’s Reading & Leeds, the festival confirmed that they would be replaced by alt. pop-rock stars The 1975.

Read this: 10 bands from the ’90s who have kept their original line-up together