Yo james! in my school this about the same.. people which laughed at my oldies taste now listening to the bands i like, everybody leaving all this bands like korn and bizquit.. i guess you right about tom morello.. he is a flash of light in the dark, and also the RCHP which are one of the best bands probably now...
the problem is that even people that like old 70's rock like me cant compose it... it easire somehow to write metal stuff... and even i , a man who quite hate it, can't stop myself from playing it