NIN Spotting 2018

[spahn]

New interview with Trent regarding Bad Witch and other interesting things : http://ew.com/music/2018/06/20/trent...tch-interview/

After reading that article, this does not seem like a man who is ready to give up on writing/releasing music.

[Someone asked me “Why are you making albums and touring? Is it for the same reasons you did years ago?” In some ways yes, in some ways no. We’re not making any money from putting albums out, but the other side of that is freedom. I’m not worried about charts, I’m not worried about trying to appeal to playlists on radio stations. I just want to make the most challenging, best music I can. And there’s nobody whispering in my ear saying, “Make a nice hit single,” or “Appeal to this sponsor.” And that’s incredibly freeing. I’ve seen what it feels like when you put out music that didn’t work with that machine, and the record label didn’t promote you. The kind of music we’re playing, I don’t see anybody else doing that sort of thing. And I think there’s an appetite for it, and it feels good to us to do it, and it feels like it has purpose and intent. And okay, that’s a pretty good reason to do it. That’s a pretty good reason to be away from home for a while. It’s a good reason to be in the studio and try things that don’t feel comfortable because when it does turn out well, I got something
out of that. I feel a little bit better about myself.

[Pbgut]

After reading that article, this does not seem like a man who is ready to give up on writing/releasing music.

Yeah, I never felt like this was the end. Adding Atticus just to release one last concept album split in three parts would be really strange.

I also don't think Trent is capable of not making music. Not releasing it as Nine Inch Nails, maaaaybe, but I can't believe he'll ever voluntarily stop. If NIN was gonna stop after releasing a song with over and out in the title, FTDS v1 would have been the end of NIN

Edit: also, remember, uh, "Closure"?

[Helpmeiaminhell (is now in hell)]

Didnt take long for the interwebs to turn this into a Trent V Taylor Swift thing

"Trent Reznor calls out Taylor Swift"

https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/...lent-on-trump/

https://www.stereogum.com/2002664/tr...ir-brand/news/

[BRoswell]

Didnt take long for the interwebs to turn this into a Trent V Taylor Swift thing

"Trent Reznor calls out Taylor Swift"

https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/...lent-on-trump/

https://www.stereogum.com/2002664/tr...ir-brand/news/

Of course they are. It's easier to turn what he said into some sort of stupid feud between them in order to draw in readers than to actually listen to what he said.

[Tom]

"There’s some sax on Pretty Hate Machine too."

Come again?

[scorpiusdiamond]

Rob Sheridan: "This Mario/NIN crossover event is intense"

[GibbonBlack]

"There’s some sax on Pretty Hate Machine too."

Come again?

Probably referring to Purest Feeling by mistake

[spahn]

I was looking into a side project of Paul Barker, Lead Into Gold and came across this nugget. Maybe it's been mentioned before, but it's the first I've heard of it.

In the video for "Faster Than Light", Nine Inch Nails' vocalist Trent Reznor can be seen playing the guitar. He was rumored to have been in the area for the "Head Like a Hole" video shoot when he made his cameo.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_into_Gold

[BRoswell]

New interview with Alessandro:
http://straylandings.co.uk/interview...sandro-cortini

[piggy]

New NYTimes interview from Reddit:

https://nytimes.com/2018/06/20/magaz...speak-out.html

I like how he's wearing what are essentially parachute pants. I guess real men DO wear parachute pants, after all.

[sinspots]

I like how he's wearing what are essentially parachute pants. I guess real men DO wear parachute pants, after all.

They look to be leather. Whenever I think of leather pants I recall that Friends episode with Ross in the bathroom at his girlfriend's place and he can't get his leather pants back up so he tries baby oil and when that doesn't work baby power (or vice versa). Such a funny clip!
Edit:

[Neon]

Front page of nin.com just changed. It features an in-depth interview of Trent with Lizzy Goodman. Good read.

[Fred]

This is it. This is the interview that finally uncovers the concept.

The first record, Not the Actual Events, was more of an internal fantasy of what if I lit a match to my life and just embraced burning the whole fucking thing down. You know? All of this is an illusion and I really should be dead or lying in a ditch somewhere. Who I really am is an addict that self-destructs. That’s my true nature and this is an illusion and some borrowed time. It wasn’t a pleasant thing, but it felt like, that’s a story to tell. And if felt like something I needed to internally process.

[...]

With the second one, Add Violence, the idea was, loosely, to zoom out, to be more global and to imply that maybe we’re all in a simulated reality. And that might introduce the concept of meaninglessness but also provide a safe container to explain why everything feels off.By the time we got to the third one, we had an idea in mind but it felt … rehearsed. Predictable. In the end, what felt true was to say that we as a society and as a species are probably an accident, a mutation. Really what we are is fucking animals. And the illusion was enlightenment. The more we’ve connected with each other the dumber we’ve gotten and the more we decide we want to kill each other. We’re not some elevated transcendent beings, we’re bacteria in a jar. I wanted the art direction of Bad Witch to feel like shadows on a cave wall and we’re trying to figure out what it is and really there’s no nice, clean, safe scientific explanation. We’re just an accident. String theory and quantum physics is a fucking trick. And we’re not going to suddenly elevate ourselves into transcendent beings. We’re kidding ourselves. I know this will be an unsatisfying conclusion for some people. It isn’t what they want. They want it to be full matrix virtual reality, and this is the opposite of that, this is dirt and a broken computer chip and everything you believe in is really just bullshit.

The clues are ultimately all meaningless. We're hunting for truth where there is none. It's an anti-ARG. An exercise in pure nihilism.

Jesus fuck, Trent. That's bleak.

[ninjaw]

This is it. This is the interview that finally uncovers the concept.



The clues are ultimately all meaningless. We're hunting for truth where there is none. It's an anti-ARG. An exercise in pure nihilism.

Jesus fuck, Trent. That's bleak.

I love his phrase about the shit we are, kinda like the Fight Club one, gonna translate it.

[HWB]

Yup, go read that interview, really good stuff, especially surprised at the Hesitation Marks mention.

Holy shit is the EP trilogy dark as fuck though

[Tom]

"AND THAT SUPPORTED OTHER THINGS THAT WERE INTERESTING TO US LIKE AGGRESSIVE MUSIC AND A SENSE OF THE SELF-REFERENTIAL, LOOKING BACK AT OTHER ALBUMS AND PILFERING BITS OF THE ART DESIGN TO CONFUSE PEOPLE"

Touché, Reznor. Touché.

[Mr. Ill Intent]

Rob Sheridan: "This Mario/NIN crossover event is intense"

[GavinCollins420]

https://www.theguardian.com/music/20...all-of-america

The big man was interviewed by The Guardian.

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk

[cdm]

This is it. This is the interview that finally uncovers the concept.



The clues are ultimately all meaningless. We're hunting for truth where there is none. It's an anti-ARG. An exercise in pure nihilism.

Jesus fuck, Trent. That's bleak.

I, for one, find this extremely satisfying. I like how they went to a less safe place to tell a dark story. I like how he tried something and when they saw it wasn't turning out as expected they pivoted instead of forcing the issue. And I like how he still had some time to troll.

Unrelated to the trilogy: I really hope the reason why WT is front of mind is they are preparing a Deviation.

[JessicaSarahS]

"WE’RE NOT GOING TO SUDDENLY ELEVATE OURSELVES INTO TRANSCENDENT BEINGS. WE’RE KIDDING OURSELVES. I KNOW THIS WILL BE AN UNSATISFYING CONCLUSION FOR SOME PEOPLE. IT ISN’T WHAT THEY WANT. THEY WANT IT TO BE FULL MATRIX VIRTUAL REALITY, AND THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT, THIS IS DIRT AND A BROKEN COMPUTER CHIP AND EVERYTHING YOU BELIEVE IN IS REALLY JUST BULLSHIT."

I love this. Going to use this to fill out all of my "about me" profile bios.

[Pbgut]

Really good interviews, especially the NIN.com one. It's cool that he admits there's some nostalgia involved in the sound of the trilogy, as an "influence on the present." That's kinda ... exactly what the trilogy sounds like: the old pushing on the new, and vice versa. Also interesting to hear him give a little bit more explicit background on his motivations for making music than he ever has before (specifically, the "abandonment issues," which I'd always kind of wonder about whenever he mentioned the situation with his parents).

[buckaroo]

"AND THAT SUPPORTED OTHER THINGS THAT WERE INTERESTING TO US LIKE AGGRESSIVE MUSIC AND A SENSE OF THE SELF-REFERENTIAL, LOOKING BACK AT OTHER ALBUMS AND PILFERING BITS OF THE ART DESIGN TO CONFUSE PEOPLE"

I find it hard to believe the intention all along has been "hey lets intentionally confuse the hardcore fans and make them think we are doing something we aren't." If so, that just seems kind of pointless and cruel for no reason. From the interview it sounds like they had this big plan initially and as they went along they decided not to complete it how they originally intended, which is probably for the best if they were not into it. This explains the lack of a third physical component in my opinion, but it kind of makes me wish they had just released one album rather than three smaller releases so we weren't aware of or part of something that changed in the end.

I love the music and art, it is some of the best in years. This revelation has no impact on that and I personally don't care about hidden messages and ARG's. However, it seems like a lot of the hardcore fans do and it really seemed like they were giving that vibe on purpose saying the art would make sense as they released more material and the back cover really matters, etc.

I might just still be bitter about The Last Jedi.

[paul_guyet]

"WE’RE NOT GOING TO SUDDENLY ELEVATE OURSELVES INTO TRANSCENDENT BEINGS. WE’RE KIDDING OURSELVES. I KNOW THIS WILL BE AN UNSATISFYING CONCLUSION FOR SOME PEOPLE. IT ISN’T WHAT THEY WANT. THEY WANT IT TO BE FULL MATRIX VIRTUAL REALITY, AND THIS IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT, THIS IS DIRT AND A BROKEN COMPUTER CHIP AND EVERYTHING YOU BELIEVE IN IS REALLY JUST BULLSHIT."

I love this. Going to use this to fill out all of my "about me" profile bios.

"It's time to get back on LinkedIn."

[Pbgut]

I find it hard to believe the intention all along has been "hey lets intentionally confuse the hardcore fans and make them think we are doing something we aren't." If so, that just seems kind of pointless and cruel for no reason. From the interview it sounds like they had this big plan initially and as they went along they decided not to complete it how they originally intended, which is probably for the best if they were not into it. This explains the lack of a third physical component in my opinion, but it kind of makes me wish they had just released one album rather than three smaller releases so we weren't aware of or part of something that changed in the end.

I love the music and art, it is some of the best in years. This revelation has no impact on that and I personally don't care about hidden messages and ARG's. However, it seems like a lot of the hardcore fans do and it really seemed like they were giving that vibe on purpose saying the art would make sense as they released more material and the back cover really matters, etc.

I might just still be bitter about The Last Jedi.

I don't believe there was ever an ARG planned. I think there was a concept to the whole story that was being explained through the cover art, and they enlisted 42 Entertainment to help them tell that story, because it was more complicated than a Pink Floyd kind of thing and had more narrative to it. But yeah, it seems like the concept was changed slightly: originally, AV wasn't an alternate explanation, it was *the* explanation - we're in this simulation together! But as it is it's just a possible angle on why things feel off and the reason things feel off is because many people are deluded into thinking we're better than we really are.

I still think that's a legitimate three act work, but instead of the acts being narrative, they're broken up by perspectives. NTAE and BW mirror each other because both deal with more personal illusions: what if I'm really a self destructive addict (thus the teasing Still cover art - it's not just a misdirect, it's also about the subject matter and bringing you back to where he was during that time), and what if we're really just animals who evolved by mistake. Of course, Trent has always said he felt like he became the TDS guy, but it seems like here he's playing with the idea: maybe that is him underneath it all.

I don't think it's a tease either, and I think that as playful and maybe misdirecting as the Still callback was meant to be, it still has a purpose in bringing you back into that terrible headspace he was in when he made it. He said it was meant to confuse people, but it was also because he was thinking about those albums and that time. "The Lovers" on AV is also about this topic, even within the world of the possible simulation. Coming to the conclusion that, hey, maybe it doesn't matter whether or not I'm an addict or self-destructive because, well, there isn't really any higher purpose, is pretty bleak. Especially after 15 years of recovery.

[buckaroo]

I don't believe there was ever an ARG planned. I think there was a concept to the whole story that was being explained through the cover art, and they enlisted 42 Entertainment to help them tell that story, because it was more complicated than a Pink Floyd kind of thing and had more narrative to it. But yeah, it seems like the concept was changed slightly: originally, AV wasn't an alternate explanation, it was *the* explanation - we're in this simulation together! But as it is it's just a possible angle on why things feel off and the reason things feel off is because many people are deluded into thinking we're better than we really are.

I still think that's a legitimate three act work, but instead of the acts being narrative, they're broken up by perspectives. NTAE and BW mirror each other because both deal with more personal illusions: what if I'm really a self destructive addict (thus the teasing Still cover art - it's not just a misdirect, it's also about the subject matter and bringing you back to where he was during that time), and what if we're really just animals who evolved by mistake. Of course, Trent has always said he felt like he became the TDS guy, but it seems like here he's playing with the idea: maybe that is him underneath it all.

I don't think it's a tease either, and I think that as playful and maybe misdirecting as the Still callback was meant to be, it still has a purpose in bringing you back into that terrible headspace he was in when he made it. He said it was meant to confuse people, but it was also because he was thinking about those albums and that time. "The Lovers" on AV is also about this topic, even within the world of the possible simulation. Coming to the conclusion that, hey, maybe it doesn't matter whether or not I'm an addict or self-destructive because, well, there isn't really any higher purpose, is pretty bleak. Especially after 15 years of recovery.

I agree with everything in this post. I also did not think there was going to be an ARG. I did however expect this sort of big reveal with the third EP that sort of brought everything together and made all the art, extra lyrics, physical components, etc. make sense. I like the narrative and in the end it is probably a better one that initially planned. I just wish it didn't end up being something that had to be explained to be understood. It sort makes the trilogy feel less connect in that aspect. Honestly, for me it doesn't really matter. The music is probably the best stuff released since The Fragile.

[snaapz]

Eeeek... what will I learn next? There's no god?

[elevenism]

After reading that article, this does not seem like a man who is ready to give up on writing/releasing music.

Jesus god, did you guys read the comments section on the EW article? It's like ALL trump supporters talking shit about trent's views, and including misinformation about NIN. Wtf. Is EW right wing now? Did I miss something?

What I REALLY think is that shit like this means that the assholes are winning.

[WorzelG]

Jesus god, did you guys read the comments section on the EW article? It's like ALL trump supporters talking shit about trent's views, and including misinformation about NIN. Wtf. Is EW right wing now? Did I miss something?

What I REALLY think is that shit like this means that the assholes are winning.

maybe it’s one of Robert mercer’s bot farms? That’s what I always think now when a lot of people of one view jump on something

[TheRealNs1]

10500 Cielo Drive

10050 Cielo Drive stood long enough to host one final bizarre chapter. In 1992, the main house was rented for a reported $11,000 a month to Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor, who subsequently constructed a recording studio in the home’s expansive living room.Reznor later claimed not to have known of its tragic history when he decided to rent; it was only after reading the lease agreement, which included a legal disclosure about what had happened there, he said, that he learned the truth.
In a morbid flourish, the star musician dubbed the studio “Pig” and used it to record his landmark 1994 album The Downward Spiral (in addition toa music video for the track “Gave Up,” included on Nine Inch Nails’ 1992 EP Broken).
In an interview included in the 2000 book Dissecting Marilyn Manson by Gavin Baddeley, Reznor offered an unsettling anecdote about his first night in the home

‘The first night was terrifying,’ Reznor confessed. ‘By then, I knew all about the place; I’d read all the books about the Manson murders. So I walked the place at night and everything was dark, and I was like, ‘Holy Jesus that’s where it happened.’ Scary. I jumped a mile at every sound—even if it was an owl. I woke up in the middle of the night and there was a coyote looking in the window at me. I thought, ‘I’m not gonna make it.’

Later, Reznor was apologetic. He denied rampant speculation that the murders in any way inspired The Downward Spiral (the tracklist for which included such song titles as “March of the Pigs” and “Piggy”), but in a 1997 interview with Rolling Stone, he expressed regret for renting the house at all.
Reznor moved out of 10050 Cielo Drive in December 1993, making him its last known resident. Knowing that the home would be razed, in a macabre final gesture (and one that slightly undercuts the change of heart he claims to have had) he removed the front door and installed it at the New Orleans headquarters of his record label, Nothing Studios, which had been converted from a funeral home.

[TheRealNs1]

This is it. This is the interview that finally uncovers the concept.



The clues are ultimately all meaningless. We're hunting for truth where there is none. It's an anti-ARG. An exercise in pure nihilism.

Jesus fuck, Trent. That's bleak.

It's like he rewatched the Matrix triology after AV and said "y'know what, never mind".