Day 4: Nine Inch Nails

^Trent_Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor, born May 17, 1965, is Nine Inch Nails. Raised by his grandparents in rural Pennselvania, he began playing piano at the ripe age of five years old. Compared to Harry Connick, Jr. by his piano teacher (how odd, right?), he excelled at music. In High School he played the saxophone and tuba in the school jazz and marching band and played Judas in the school's rendition of Jesus Christ Superstar (is this seriously the same guy who's known for singing "I want to f**k you like an animal?"). He attended Allegheny College for a brief stint before moving to Cleveland.

In Cleveland Reznor really began pursuing music. He worked as an assistant studio technician and janitor during the day and played local clubs with his band Option 30 during the night. The band dissasemmbled, Reznor met future tourmate Chris Vrenna, Reznor recorded his demo tape Purest Feeling, TVT Records likes what they hear, yadda yadda yadda, NIN is born (more about NIN later).

Fast forward to Woodstock 1994. After an incredible mud-covered performance, Reznor skyrockets into national recognition. Add to that the release of the masterful Downward Sprial and Reznor is top dog in the world of music. With his newfound fame and pressures from the diabolical recording companies, Reznor devolops a Kurt Cobain-esque complex. Reznor plunges into addiction and writers block. After completing several side projects (Manson's Antichrist Superstar, Lost Highway Sountrack, and some others) he is able to complete The Fragile.

After overdosing while on tour in Europe and hearing the news of a close friend's gang-related death, Reznor checks himself into a New Orleans rehab center on July 11, 2001 and becomes clean (awwwww). Since then he's been getting buff (then and now), making hot records, bashing the government, leading the battle against the RIAA and still rocking as hard as ever.

^Nine_InchNails[/size][/i]
Rumors claim that the name "Nine Inch Nails" was based off of the nails that Jesus was crucified with or on Freddy Krueger's long nails. Reznor says, "I don't know if you've ever tried to think of band names, but usually you think you have a great one and you look at it the next day and it's stupid. I had about 200 of those. Nine Inch Nails lasted the two-week test, looked great in print, and could be abbreviated easily. It really doesn't have any literal meaning. It seemed kind of frightening. [In his best he-man voice] Tough and manly! It's a curse trying to come up with band names."

Trent Reznor is the creative force who writes, records and produces Nine Inch Nails. Other band members are used primarily for touring and sometimes for recording help.

From Wikipedia:
"Underground music audiences warmly received Nine Inch Nails in its early years. The band produced several highly influential records in the 1990s that achieved widespread popularity: many Nine Inch Nails songs became radio hits, two NIN recordings won Grammy Awards, and the band has sold over thirty million albums worldwide, with 11 million sales certified in the US alone. In 1997, Reznor appeared in Time magazine's list of the year's most influential people, and Spin magazine described him as "the most vital artist in music." In 2004, Rolling Stone placed Nine Inch Nails at 94 on its list of the 100 greatest artists of all time. Despite this acclaim, the band has had several feuds with the corporate side of the recording industry. In 2007, these corporate entanglements resulted in Reznor announcing that Nine Inch Nails would split from its label and release future material independently.

Since 1989, Nine Inch Nails have made eight major studio releases. The most recent releases, Ghosts I?IV and The Slip, both released in 2008, were released under Creative Commons licenses. Both were initially released digitally, with physical releases coming later. The digital release of The Slip was made available completely free of charge. NIN has been nominated for twelve Grammy Awards and won twice for the songs "Wish" and "Happiness in Slavery", in 1992 and 1995 respectively."

^Touring _Band
Trent Reznor - Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard, Lights, Everything
Robin Finck - Guitars
Justin Meldal-Johnsen - Bass
Ilan Rubin - Drums
List of former touring bands

Discography and Suggested Listening

^Major_Discography
Pretty Hate Machine] - Released 1989. NIN's major debut used many songs from Purest Feeling. The album helped introduce Industrial Music to the mainstream. Singles: Down in It, Head Like a Hole, Sin
Broken - Released 1992. An EP with lasting influence on NIN's future direction. Loaded with heavy and distorted guitar oriented and anger fueled songs. Singles: Happiness in Slavery, Wish
Downward Spiral - Released 1994. NIN's Dark Side of the Moon. A musical journey of pain, despair, anger, failure, self loathing, fear, etc. An album that is loaded with great tracks that are expanded in greatness when the album is listened through completely. Singles: March of the Pigs, Closer, Piggy, Hurt
The Fragile- Released 1999. After five years without a major NIN release, the double-disk album was released to positive critical acclaim. Based on the theme of "things sort of falling apart," the album is filled with eerie strings and experimental sounds. Singles: The Day the World Went Away, We're in this Together, Into the Void, Starf**kers Inc.
With Teeth - Released 2005. Created by a recently sober Trent Reznor, the album revolves around the themes of getting sober and begins to inch into his anti-Bush Administration messages. A very song oriented album compared to other NIN albums. Singles: The Hand That Feeds, Only, Every Day is Exactly the Same
Year Zero - Released 2007. "Year Zero is a concept album that criticizes contemporary policies of the United States government by presenting a dystopian vision of the year 2022." Mostly produced on Reznor's laptop, it utilizes noise as its overlaying instrument (got to listen to it to get it). The album was promoted through an alternate reality game (see ninwiki for more). Singles: Survivalism, Capital G
Ghosts I-IV - Released 2008. Two discs of non-vocal soundscapes as only Reznor can do.
The Slip - Released 2008. A song oriented album that was completed within a month. Was released on NIN.com without notice and for free. Singles: Discipline (technically...)

^Suggested_Listening
In my opinion: With Teeth is probably the most song oriented album in the NIN arsenal and may be a great place to start. You've probably heard The Hand That Feeds from Rock Band and possibly With Teeth from its heavy radio airplay. If you're interested in jumping into NIN full throttle, then purchased or download (Trent doesn't mind) Downward Spiral and play it through again and again. Puruse through the singles for a decent introduction to NIN.



^Live_Show
NIN's live performance is characterized by its energy and visuals. Many songs are reinterpreted from their studio versions and often times given a more aggresive edge. Although full out mosh pits are not common at concerts, heavy bumping between neighbors is to be expected. NIN's visuals are always incredible (see this thread for more). Set lists range from all different albums. Explore Echoing the Sound for more concert information.

^NIN_and^Bonnaroo
For the casual fan, hater or indifferent spectator: expect NIN to be a hard rocking late night set. The lights will be blaring, the guitars will be blasting and people will be bumping.
For the fan: This tour may be NIN's last (Trent said that it'll be the last for a while). Bonnaroo is the last big festival on NIN's bill in the States. Expect an incredible show. Trent and the gang always play up to their crowds and this will be no exception. To make things a little bit more interesting, NIN has played live on stage with...
Dillinger Escape Plan
TV on the Radio, TV on the Radio, TV on the Radio (note: The old guy is Peter Murphy)

• Richard Patrick, NIN's touring guitarist from 1989-1993, is the frontman of the Alternative Rock band Filter.
  
• Trent Reznor composed the soundtrack to the 1996 computer game, Quake. The NIN logo can be seen on wooden crates.
  
• Trent Reznor was part of a collaboration dubbed Tapeworm with Maynard James Keenan among others. The project was scapped due label issues, splitting of members, Keenan's obligations with A Perfect Circle and Reznor's decreasing interest. A Perfect Circle's Passive is a remake of Tapeworm's Vacant.
  
• Dave Grohl drummed on several of With Teeth's tracks.
  
• NIN has recorded several original songs/covers for motion picture soundtracks. These include Dead Souls for The Crow, Burn for Natural Born Killers and The Perfect Drug for Lost Highway
  
• The opening quote to this description is a joke by Reznor describing his epitath. It was made after Wish won a Grammy for Best Metal Performance.
  
• Reznor recorded The Downward Spiral in the house where Charles Manson murdered Sharon Tate.
  
• Click here to see an interview with Reznor in his pre-NIN days. Quite entertaining .