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Tom Morello just loves his "Arm The Homeless" guitar. So much so that he uses it all over his new Nightwatchman album, World Wide Rebel Songs. © Andrew Goetz/Corbis

"I like so many aspects of the guitar hero culture," says Tom Morello, who's certainly made his mark in groups such as Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave and Street Sweeper Social Club. "Getting on stage and rocking an arena is an experience that so few get to realize. When you see waves of people involuntarily reacting to the vibrations coming from your guitar and amp, it's the answer to countless teenage dreams."

In the guise of his acoustic-folk alter ego The Nightwatchman, however, Morello has always dialed down the six-string feats of wizardry, adopting a modern-day Pete Seeger meets Woody Guthrie sound and spirit. "At first, it was very important for me to let the songs and the lyrics speak for themselves," he explains. "The guitar wasn't supposed to the focal point. It was more like the engine that drove the words."

Much of that has changed on Morello's brilliant new Nightwatchman album, World Wide Rebel Songs. Due out 30 August on New West Records, it comes hot off the heels of Morello's Union Town EP and sees the singer-guitarist working with a full electric band, the Freedom Fighter Orchestra (comprised of Dave Gibbs on bass, Carl Restivo on guitar and piano, Chris Joyner on keyboards and Eric Gardner on drums). Not only that, but on many a good portion of the record's dozen cuts, Morello expands (or revisits) his sonic range by strapping on his familiar "Arm The Homeless" and "Soul Power" guitars and letting loose with badass riffs and solos on tracks such as It Begins Tonight and Speak And Make Lightning.

"At its heart, this is still very different from a Rage record or an Audioslave album or what have you," Morello explains. "The same guy who nervously yet bravely stepped up to the open mic nights with an acoustic guitar is definitely there. But I felt fine with bringing out the heavy artillery when needed. Sometimes big messages need a big sound."

MusicRadar sat down with Morello recently to talk about World Wide Rebel Songs and how the guitarist is connecting the bridge between his Rage persona and that of The Nightwatchman. In addition, we discussed his collaboration with Ben Harper (who guests on the cut Save The Hammer For The Man), his guitars and gear, and what the future might hold for RATM.

Brendan O'Brien produced your previous Nightwatchman albums, but you helmed the new one yourself.

"That's right. A few years ago, I built a studio in my house, Veritas Studios, and I've become much more comfortable doing things by myself. I produced the Street Sweeper records here, I worked on the Iron Man 2 soundtrack here… It's really a good situation, and it allows me to take my time and get things done without all kinds of distractions.

"Through the years, in working with Brendan on Rage Against The Machine and Audioslave and The Nightwatchman, I've learned so much about production and making the hard decisions. In fact, he solicited me to do the first Nightwatchman album. He called me up and said, 'Hey, I hear you're writing some protest songs…' But this time out, I felt it was time to do it myself and follow my own vision, as it were."

As a producer, what is Tom Morello like to work with?

[laughs] "He's interesting! In truth, I'm just as bossy on myself in the studio as I am outside of the studio. But I did give myself more time to get things done. The luxury of having a studio at home allows me to raise a family by day and raise hell by night."

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