RAGE AGAINST RAGE: Mike Muir, the volatile...

RAGE AGAINST RAGE: Mike Muir, the volatile frontman of both Suicidal Tendencies and Infectious Grooves, has launched a full-scale war of words with Rage Against the Machine, branding the L.A. group’s aggressive, left-wing stance “hypocritical.”

The primary vehicle for the attack is a new song by Infectious Grooves on the album “Groove Family Cyco,” due April 1. The song, “Do What I Tell Ya,” takes its title from a Rage song line, and though never mentioning either the band or singer Zack de la Rocha by name, leaves little doubt about the target:

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Now you’re making your political statement

Or are you trying to add to you financial statement

And let’s not forget evil corporations

Then why is Sony the sponsor of your presentation?

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“Here’s a band talking about how evil corporations are, and they’re signed with one of the biggest corporations in the world,” says Muir. “If they wanted to be independent, why didn’t they put their records out on an independent label?”

The irony is that the Grooves’ album is also on Sony-owned Epic Records. Muir says he’s not criticizing the corporation--he’s perfectly happy to be part of the Sony family. He just says it makes Rage’s touted political views questionable when delivered from within a corporate setting.

And how does it sit in the Sony offices to see one of its prized, up-and-coming bands slammed by another one of its acts?

Says Alan Mintz, the label’s West Coast vice president, “I believe in peace, love and understanding as much as the next guy, but I’m not writing the lyrics. I don’t think there are any Sony problems with this, and we don’t censor our artists.”

Rage manager Warren Entner says that, for now at least, the band members have decided not to comment on the matter.