Rage Against The Machine have commented on claims that Republican politician Paul Ryan is a fan of their music.

Music and politics is a strange mixture. Clash well remembers David Cameron's attempts to win over the indie crowd, naming The Smiths as one of his favourite groups. We also recall fondly Johnny Marr's response, bluntly demanding that the politician stop listening to his music.

Now Republic candidate Paul Ryan seems to have made a similar mistake. The Republican politician recently revealed the contents of his iPod, which seemed to centre on riff heavy rock such as Led Zeppelin and Rage Against The Machine.

Famed for their left wing stance, the news that a rising Republican was vibing out to their music soon reached Rage Against The Machine. Writing in Rolling Stone, guitarist Tom Morello mused on the politician's musical preferences.

"Paul Ryan's love of Rage Against the Machine is amusing, because he is the embodiment of the machine that our music has been raging against for two decades" he wrote. "Charles Manson loved the Beatles but didn't understand them. Governor Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen but doesn't understand him. And Paul Ryan is clueless about his favorite band, Rage Against the Machine."

Continuing, Morello wrote: "Ryan claims that he likes Rage's sound, but not the lyrics. Well, I don't care for Paul Ryan's sound or his lyrics. He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage."

Elsewhere, the guitarist poked fun at the politician's expense. "I wonder what Ryan's favourite Rage song is? Is it the one where we condemn the genocide of Native Americans? The one lambasting American imperialism? Our cover of "Fuck the Police"? Or is it the one where we call on the people to seize the means of production? So many excellent choices to jam out to at Young Republican meetings!"

Paul Ryan has yet to respond. Here's 'Killing In The Name'.