Random NIN Thoughts

[zecho]

So I read this on the wiki for I'm Not From This World

Although an instrumental, the following lyrics are embedded in the digital version, and can very faintly be heard in the song. They seem to reference the additional, unsung lyrics from "God Break Down The Door".

I'm Not From This World
Not Anymore


where do you hear this in the song?

Nowhere. People convinced themselves that some of the looping samples said it during the quiet parts, but it's not there. I can't seem to find the threads now, but they also thought they could understand the quiet part of Shit Mirror which is really just unintelligible whispering.

Edit: I'd love to be proven wrong, though.

[Arcspiral]

I'm starting to wonder if the other vinyl reissues (and Patriots Day) are ever gonna see the light of day. The majority of those were announced in December '16, yet there hasn't been any news about them aside from the test pressing picture of Patriots Day from Lakeshore a few months back. I thought for sure a release day would be announced for the holidays last year, but nothing. Then I thought we might have gotten a release schedule when the tour was announced, but still nothing. I wonder if they have been put on the backburner for the time being seeing as the first round of reissues had a pretty rough rollout.

Luckily, I own original pressings of everything that's been released, but I really loved getting the DE's with the expanded liner notes/essays. That being said, I still haven't listened to Patriots Day yet. I'd really like to dig in to it, but I've been trying to hold off til it's spinning on my turntable. Hopefully we get some news soon.

[Steven]

Corey Taylor's vocals really remind me of Trent sometimes.

[Lerxto]

I'm starting to wonder if the other vinyl reissues (and Patriots Day) are ever gonna see the light of day. The majority of those were announced in December '16, yet there hasn't been any news about them aside from the test pressing picture of Patriots Day from Lakeshore a few months back. I thought for sure a release day would be announced for the holidays last year, but nothing. Then I thought we might have gotten a release schedule when the tour was announced, but still nothing. I wonder if they have been put on the backburner for the time being seeing as the first round of reissues had a pretty rough rollout.

Luckily, I own original pressings of everything that's been released, but I really loved getting the DE's with the expanded liner notes/essays. That being said, I still haven't listened to Patriots Day yet. I'd really like to dig in to it, but I've been trying to hold off til it's spinning on my turntable. Hopefully we get some news soon.

They were pretty certain that the vinyl DEs and the Patriots Day vinyl are coming out.
And I do agree we should've gotten the announcement at least around the time Asian leg was over. Patriots Day announcement is long overdue since that one is 100% ready to go.
Maybe Trent is not happy with the test pressings, or there could be stuff that should be ready to go with the next batch of vinyl reissues but we don't know yet, such as Deviations 2.

[loopcloses]

I just wanna say I'm so happy "Somewhat Damaged" has become an opening staple to the extent it has. It's the only song I'm aware of to consistently open shows across several tours, in support of several different record. It's always Branches/Bones, or before that Copy of A, or before that 1,000,000, or it could be 10+ years old Somewhat Damaged. Not bad for a relative deep cut.

[klyrish]

I just wanna say I'm so happy "Somewhat Damaged" has become an opening staple to the extent it has. It's the only song I'm aware of to consistently open shows across several tours, in support of several different record. It's always Branches/Bones, or before that Copy of A, or before that 1,000,000, or it could be 10+ years old Somewhat Damaged. Not bad for a relative deep cut.

It's tied with La Mer as my favorite song of all-time. The lyrics summed up a pretty dark period for most of my 20s and still seem to be extremely poignant to my life now for different reasons. I love the build, I love the increasing intensity for the entire song--it's like one enormous build for the entire duration--I love the rage/hate/hurt that's always teetering on the edge of a full-blown meltdown, I love how it's evolved over the years to become almost a different song while remaining the same.

I'm going to take a stand and declare the December 1, 1999 performance from Brixton Academy as the absolute best version of the song. I feel confident stating that after listening to most, if not all, known recordings of Somewhat Damaged multiple times each. Like virtually every other NIN song, the live version's human element makes it feel more organic, visceral, and engaging. This performance is so intense that I can't help but whisper-scream along, getting entirely into the ever-building energy every single time.

The guitars are so thick and have that treble edge that's so iconically NIN. Robin's guitar work during the chorus is my favorite part of the entire performance. That little hammer on/off he does for the first two bars of the chorus is kind of a background layer to the song in the studio and even live but listen to any performance from 2006 or 2007 with Aaron on guitar. He doesn't play that part and the chorus legitimately feels empty without it. I almost cried I was so happy when I heard the first performance of the song in 2009 with Robin back on guitar.

While I wish Trent's vocals were harsher in some spots to be closer to or even surpassing the album's delivery, they're just about perfect--especially in the bridge, with Trent's voice naturally progressing from a soft croon to vitriolic scream before the entire band explodes into the unrestrained reprise.

Jerome's drumming is perfect. He's never been one to deviate far from the studio drumming but he adds just enough in his interpretation to make the studio version feel incomplete to me. The double snare hits and 4- and 8- hit rolls in the chorus are minor but so necessary after hearing them in there. The kick drum during the bridge build up to the reprise is anything but flashy but it's the perfect punctuation to the vocals and helps with that restrained build. I don't like Ilan's drumming during this portion of the song from 2009 on. He just doesn't bring the same sense of rising intensity and the fact he's doing a 4/4 kick/snare beat diminishes the impact of the drumming in the reprise. In Jerome's interpretation, it's all kick the entire build and the crack of the snare is perfectly timed with the "how" in "...then my head fell apart and where were you? How could I..." And then adding a kick on every beat for the final two bars of the reprise is such a minor thing but makes the final portion of the song feel even more frenetic and out of control.

This performance simultaneously makes me so fucking angry that Somewhat Damaged wasn't included on AATCHB. I legitimately cannot believe it was skipped over but thankfully this is an FM source so the quality is amazing.

EDIT: holy shit, I am a nerd.

[ryanmcfly]

EDIT: holy shit, I am a nerd.

Trust me, I've listened to about 100 different live versions of that one and Me, I'm Not. My all time favorite Somewhat Damaged has to be the Roskilde one. The audio mix is soooo good. I also love the Made in America 2013 one as well. But that's more so for personal reasons, I was at that show, and after Me I'm not, I expected a pretty cookie cutter second half of the set. Once the chirping started, I looked at my wife with probably the stupidest smile I've ever made. Did not expect that one there at all.

[klyrish]

Trust me, I've listened to about 100 different live versions of that one and Me, I'm Not. My all time favorite Somewhat Damaged has to be the Roskilde one. The audio mix is soooo good. I also love the Made in America 2013 one as well. But that's more so for personal reasons, I was at that show, and after Me I'm not, I expected a pretty cookie cutter second half of the set. Once the chirping started, I looked at my wife with probably the stupidest smile I've ever made. Did not expect that one there at all.

Hahahaha I love it. That's what I love so much about this community: we're all so obsessive and notice things that most people never will. You're talking about this Roskilde one, right? I have to assume so:



It's fucking awesome and definitely one of the top performances. I just watched it and got full-body goosebumps at 3:18 when you can see the entire crowd jumping along with Trent.

My favorite performance for sentimental reasons has to be 5/29/2009. I drove down to Chicago with my NIN buddy (we've seen 10 shows together from 2005-2009) from Milwaukee and was so anxious about what the opening track was going to be and I lost it when the chirp started. You can actually hear me losing it on RyanJ's recording. At 0:14 I shout "YES" and then at 0:16-0:17 I kind of grunt a "YEAH" and at 0:21 let out a long "YEAH"

It was a very good night.

[Fred]

I was at that Roskilde show and will never forget that gig. The opener was just a taste of things to come. What a fucking set. That video never fails to give me goosebumps.

It was my first NIN show out of three so far, but I’m pretty sure it’ll always be my best.

[ryanmcfly]

The whole "then my head fell apart, and where were you" part is soooo good in that recording. Makes me forgive him fucking up the lyrics before that.

I know they did an onstage video of it from Webster Hall last summer. They just haven't released it, and I am dying to see that. That is my all time favorite show I've ever been to, well at least tied with the final Dillinger Escape Plan show.

[Papagolash]

That girl air drumming, you know what I'm talking about.

[nooneimportant]

Somewhat Damaged might be the best NIN opener ever.

Maybe it's Pinion, maybe it's Branches/Bones, I don't know. All three are pretty incredible.

[fillow]

Obligatory complaint: the guitar intro (from the album version) needs to return live.

[nooneimportant]

Obligatory complaint: the guitar intro (from the album version) needs to return live.

I don't know. I've seen a video of them playing the album version back in 1999 and it just doesn't seem right. The vibe changes and it becomes less of a "Fuck You" song and more of a "Fuck It" song, there's nothing wrong with that but I prefer the more angrier vibe of the live version.

[BRoswell]

Somewhat Damaged might be the best NIN opener ever.

Nah, it's definitely the version of Pinion that opened the Woodstock '94 performance. Not that Somewhat Damaged is a bad opening song. It certainly gets the crowd going when they play it first, but I like the slow, uneasy ease into the set that Pinion (on its own or combined with other tracks) offers. It's like the final warning before shit goes down.

[nooneimportant]

Nah, it's definitely the version of Pinion that opened the Woodstock '94 performance. Not that Somewhat Damaged is a bad opening song. It certainly gets the crowd going when they play it first, but I like the slow, uneasy ease into the set that Pinion (on its own or combined with other tracks) offers. It's like the final warning before shit goes down.

Pinion is great but the problem is the best version of it was from the Self Destruct era. The extended version was never a consistent thing. I know they did it back during the With Teeth era but outside of that it's been the studio version. Regardless of my opinion on that, I do think that every intro to a show is amazing anyways. Trent really knows how to play to his audience.

[3knic]

I think that record 2a (side 3) of the vinyl version of year zero remixed is the inside of the mind of a psychotic clown that has a break down at the circus and spends the rest of his days in an isolation chamber at an institution. Thinking of it like this is the only way that I can handle the thought of physically placing the record on the player and dropping the arm down for 19 minutes of wtf. I really think that putting these songs on an album had to be Trent trolling.

C1: Capital G (Switch Remix)
C2: Me I'm Not (Olof Dreijer Remix)

[r_z]

These remixes are pretty much in line with those guys' other music. TR probably commissioned Switch on the strength of his production on M.I.A.'s Kala, while Olof Dreijer's been releasing singles under his Oni Ayhun moniker, which were very similar in duration and style to the Me, I'm Not remix. And TR is known to be into strange and progressive electronic music, so...

[Ribbitman]

Now that I think about it, Play The Goddamned Part is just like anxiety attack

[botley]

I think that record 2a (side 3) of the vinyl version of year zero remixed is the inside of the mind of a psychotic clown that has a break down at the circus and spends the rest of his days in an isolation chamber at an institution. Thinking of it like this is the only way that I can handle the thought of physically placing the record on the player and dropping the arm down for 19 minutes of wtf. I really think that putting these songs on an album had to be Trent trolling.

C1: Capital G (Switch Remix)
C2: Me I'm Not (Olof Dreijer Remix)

I think that's my favourite side of the album, honestly. I actually have Rob Sheridan's promo vinyl copy of YZR, he got rid of it in that big eBay sale last year...

[katara]

Now that I think about it, Play The Goddamned Part is just like anxiety attack

This is the entire trilogy for me.

[Steven]

now that I've listened to Burning Bright and Bad Witch so much, I really need more industrial-shoegaze or industrial-jazz type music. Anyone have any recommendations?

[3knic]

I think that's my favourite side of the album, honestly. I actually have Rob Sheridan's promo vinyl copy of YZR, he got rid of it in that big eBay sale last year...

I'm sure we all have different musical preferences (besides NIN in general being there) so I could understand how people would enjoy listening to that side. I tend to skip it pretty regularly when listening to that vinyl but I'm glad to hear somebody enjoys it! My favorite side is probably record 3 side A. That fennesz remix is amazing.

Side note: that vinyl from Rob Sheridan sounds awesome. I thought I may have seen something about that sale but was not actively collecting or even active on ETS at that time. Are there any differences to the retail vinyl?

[katara]

now that I've listened to Burning Bright and Bad Witch so much, I really need more industrial-shoegaze or industrial-jazz type music. Anyone have any recommendations?

Try this:

[botley]

Side note: that vinyl from Rob Sheridan sounds awesome. I thought I may have seen something about that sale but was not actively collecting or even active on ETS at that time. Are there any differences to the retail vinyl?

Nah just bragging rights... and a strike through the barcode

[Fred]

now that I've listened to Burning Bright and Bad Witch so much, I really need more industrial-shoegaze or industrial-jazz type music. Anyone have any recommendations?

Try out Shining. Specifically their album Blackjazz.

[ultimatebdp]

After hearing TR talk about the ARG overshadowing the music on YZ, I really hope YZ gets the “Deviations-treatment.” The instrumentals on YouTube are amazing and have forced me to listen to it in a different way. It’s refreshing to just hear the music and not focus on the vocals and/or storyline. Now we just need a mastered version, TR!!
Check these out...

God Given (Instrumental)


Capital G (Instrumental)

[katara]

After hearing TR talk about the ARG overshadowing the music on YZ, I really hope YZ gets the “Deviations-treatment.” The instrumentals on YouTube are amazing and have forced me to listen to it in a different way. It’s refreshing to just hear the music and not focus on the vocals and/or storyline. Now we just need a mastered version, TR!!

To be honest, I hope it's a little more than just an instrumental version of the album, mixed slightly differently. It's easy to create your own instrumentals with the multitracks.

If this were to happen, I'd want to have the entire thing remixed by TRAR in the vein of the ARG, with pieces of narrative, morse code, etc all over the place. Stuff like ballgameOver and the Star Chamber incident interspersed between. Subtle enough that it stands more than one listen.

[zecho]

now that I've listened to Burning Bright and Bad Witch so much, I really need more industrial-shoegaze or industrial-jazz type music. Anyone have any recommendations?

100% you need to listen to Jesu and Earth. Those are my recommendations. Especially Jesu.

[fillow]

^^
post-reunion Swans. I'm telling you.