Thursday, August 11, 2011
Nine Inch Nails
What I was concerned about when I wrote the Downward Spiral record was being a self-centred destructive force. The point was tearing down everything in a search for something else. I had a little experiment in my life in my early 20s where I knew what I wanted to do but I was afraid to do it. I was afraid it wouldn't be any good. I'd always been smart and knew I could get by. But I'd never pushed myself to see what I was capable of because I didn't have to. Then I thought 'what would happen if I get rid of all the shit I don't need?' I don't need friends or girls or a band. It was like 'fuck you' and I became autonomous and turned inward and found all this hatred and 'me against the world' attitude.
And that hatred and isolation found expression in your music?
I found I could turn that into something. Instead of punching the wall and having my hand hurt, I could write it down. Strangely things came out of that seemed to have this catharsis. There was a beautiful element to it and it made me feel good. So I decided to keep doing that. When I wrote The Downward Spiral in 1993 I was five or six years into that experiment and it still worked.
The record was exploring a narrative about someone who systematically examines every aspect of their life and then destroys it on a path to trying to find some other solution. I'd started with that theme and fitted songs into the storyline, dealing with religion and sex and drugs and the record ended with some sort of conclusion that could have been suicide, but certainly wasn't a positive place.
The one song on that record that doesn't fit that description was Hurt, How did you write Hurt, which Johnny Cash famously covered...
And that hatred and isolation found expression in your music?
I found I could turn that into something. Instead of punching the wall and having my hand hurt, I could write it down. Strangely things came out of that seemed to have this catharsis. There was a beautiful element to it and it made me feel good. So I decided to keep doing that. When I wrote The Downward Spiral in 1993 I was five or six years into that experiment and it still worked.
The record was exploring a narrative about someone who systematically examines every aspect of their life and then destroys it on a path to trying to find some other solution. I'd started with that theme and fitted songs into the storyline, dealing with religion and sex and drugs and the record ended with some sort of conclusion that could have been suicide, but certainly wasn't a positive place.
The one song on that record that doesn't fit that description was Hurt, How did you write Hurt, which Johnny Cash famously covered...
Nine Inch Nails
Biography
Nine Inch Nails was formed in Cleveland, Ohio, United States in 1988 by Trent Reznor, the only constant member of the band. He is generally credited for popularizing the genre known as “industrial rock”.
Born Michael Trent Reznor, he was raised by his maternal grandparents in Mercer, Pennsylvania, USA. Reznor took up piano at the age of five and in high school took up the tuba and saxophone. During the early to mid 80s Trent played with various synthpop and new wave groups such as Exotic Birds andOption 30 before beginning his solo project. As a member of Exotic Birds, he appeared in the Michael J. Fox & Joan Jett film Light of Day.
Nine Inch Nails has issued eight major albums. With the inclusion of Broken EP, the band’s primary releases are:
1. Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
2. Broken EP (1992)
3. The Downward Spiral (1994)
4. The Fragile (Left) / The Fragile (Right) (1999)
5. With Teeth (2005)
6. Year Zero (2007)
7. Ghosts I-IV (2008)
8. The Slip (2008)
Born Michael Trent Reznor, he was raised by his maternal grandparents in Mercer, Pennsylvania, USA. Reznor took up piano at the age of five and in high school took up the tuba and saxophone. During the early to mid 80s Trent played with various synthpop and new wave groups such as Exotic Birds andOption 30 before beginning his solo project. As a member of Exotic Birds, he appeared in the Michael J. Fox & Joan Jett film Light of Day.
Nine Inch Nails has issued eight major albums. With the inclusion of Broken EP, the band’s primary releases are:
1. Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
2. Broken EP (1992)
3. The Downward Spiral (1994)
4. The Fragile (Left) / The Fragile (Right) (1999)
5. With Teeth (2005)
6. Year Zero (2007)
7. Ghosts I-IV (2008)
8. The Slip (2008)
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