Morello wages "Revolution" as the Nightwatchman

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Vocalist

Chris Cornell isn't the only former Audioslave member stepping out on his own with a solo career. Guitarist

Tom Morello has reactivated his protest singing alter-ego, the Nightwatchman.

Morello began his DIY journey to become "the black Woody Guthrie" by showing up anonymously at various open-mic nights and leading worker rallies in between Audioslave shows. On the recently released "One Man Revolution" (Epic), the Nightwatchman's debut, he strives to balance arena rocking with political involvement.

"I thought I could separate those two sides of my brain and just play rock music over here and do nonprofit political organizing over there and that would be cool, but it wasn't enough," he said.

After playing in front of 14 people in a country and western bar in Jacksonville, Fla., Morello has graduated to larger venues, including appearances at South by Southwest and Coachella. But his message remains the same.

"We need sounds for now," he said. "The future of the working class is not going to be decided in the halls of Congress. It's going to be decided in a Vons parking lot, and we need songs to play for that."

Having used filmmaker

Michael Moore's Web site to debut the video for the album's first single, "The Road I Must Travel," Morello is looking at ways to tap into the college audience. He will also hit the road this summer, including some dates with

Ben Harper and a set at Bonnaroo.

"I look forward to doing extensive touring with this," he said. "And I've got a catalog of about 55 songs and writing more all the time so, maybe more Nightwatchman records are coming."

Reuters/Billboard