Broken

[Corey Bloom]

Since 2012 will be the 20th anniversary of Broken, who thinks that Trent will release a special remastered edition of the album?

[jrdsctt]

He might, but he also might be sick or remastering by then. It's hard to say. I also know that a lot of time and effort was put into the recording of Broken. This is from NinWiki:

A warning about mono devices appears in the liner notes. Trent Reznor gave the following explanation for this warning:
"Regarding the warning for 'mono' devices... Without getting too far in detail, a scientific property of sound is its 'phase'. When recording music in stereo, you're supposed to be aware of its phase. If not, certain parts of the sound will disappear when it's played in mono. So, we discovered that by messing around with the phase, we could make elements of the music stand out rather oddly. (remember Q-sound? -it's based on the same type of principle) So...certain songs on 'broken' we mixed out of phase (because we felt like it) BUT... The songs don't sound right on mono devices (like some radios or TVs). Has anyone heard 'happiness in slavery' on the radio? I heard it on KROQ in LA and the snare drum was gone through most of the song. (and yes, it kind of destroys the groove!) So, basically, that's what that means."

[sheepdean]

If Broken gets a DE/LE, it needs the movie on physical. Yes, I know we have the download, but a tangible items is always nicer, plus Trent could throw in commentary, anything behind the scenes, that kinda thing.

[thevoid99]

If Broken gets a DE/LE, it needs the movie on physical. Yes, I know we have the download, but a tangible items is always nicer, plus Trent could throw in commentary, anything behind the scenes, that kinda thing.

I'll definitely get behind that.

[BRoswell]

After all the grief that Interscope has given him, both during his stay on their label and with The Fragile DE, I wouldn't be surprised if a Broken re-release was pretty far from his mind.

Broken is a strange one too. There's not a whole lot there to expand upon. They could package it with Fixed and the movie, but most of us already have those. Unless Trent or someone else is sitting on some lost songs or some really interesting demos, I can't see a Broken re-release being as exciting as The Downward Spiral/The Fragile re-releases.

[onthewall2983]

I think I'd just settle for a 5.1 on that one. No way Universal would put the movie as part of the package. I'm okay with that, I like the idea of it remaining one of those weird things you can only find on the internet. Is it still on YouTube?

[Malechite]

Im sure it would be packaged with Fixed if it were to happen.

I'll just leave this here:
http://www.ninwiki.com/images/3/3c/Questions10.gif

[sheepdean]

After all the grief that Interscope has given him, both during his stay on their label and with The Fragile DE, I wouldn't be surprised if a Broken re-release was pretty far from his mind.

Broken is a strange one too. There's not a whole lot there to expand upon. They could package it with Fixed and the movie, but most of us already have those. Unless Trent or someone else is sitting on some lost songs or some really interesting demos, I can't see a Broken re-release being as exciting as The Downward Spiral/The Fragile re-releases.

Now I'm Nothing is the only original NIN song that has only been performed live, and was written in Broken era. If he's recorded it, it would belong there, so surely for that reason alone it'd be worth it?

And I don't see why the movie couldn't be in the package. Just slap an 18/R/Whatever country code on it, or give it the good old unrated sticker.

[trollmanen]

I believe he's already stated that Now I'm Nothing was never recorded in the studio. I'm sure there are some remixes that never made the cut. We know of the Butch Vig version of Last that we finally got, and I believe there are some alt versions of Coil's Gave Up remix (Young Americans movie), stands to reason there are others we don't know of. As for the movie, that would be cool but highly unlikely if it's any sort of official release with Interscope involved, I'm sure no record executive or lawyer will let him officially release that.

Also, if they're making prototype merch for it (Rob posted a Broken shirt a while ago to his instagram feed, plus the recent auctions), then perhaps it's something that's in the works.

[Halo Infinity]

Im sure it would be packaged with Fixed if it were to happen.

I'll just leave this here:
http://www.ninwiki.com/images/3/3c/Questions10.gif
I would definitely love for that to happen. I suppose that Broken and Fixed can fit into one CD anyway. (As for yet another "dream release" of mine in mind, I'd love to have it include "The Broken Movie" on DVD. But I suppose the copy of it that I have on my computer should suffice for now. I'm also just glad that Trent has considered doing just that as well. Broken deserves to be placed right up there with Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral.) :p

[sheepdean]

I believe he's already stated that Now I'm Nothing was never recorded in the studio.
See, I thought that too, but I have no source for it whatsoever. It might be a fan rumour, created to explain the lack of release?

[jrdsctt]

See, I thought that too, but I have no source for it whatsoever. It might be a fan rumour, created to explain the lack of release?

At this point, I'm sure he could whip out a recording of that song in a matter of hours if he wanted to. The fact that no resemblance of a recording has been hinted at or popped up anywhere makes me think it's never gonna happen. Maybe a re-release of Broken might make he want to, but I can't imagine him actually recording a song from that time in his life. I think he's pretty done with that music.

[steelnails95]

I would absolutely love a studio recording of Now Im Nothing!

[Space Suicide]

It'd be nice but doubt it.

[Harry Seaward]

I would absolutely love a studio recording of Now Im Nothing!

Oh god, this is my number one NIN wish.

To be honest though, I don't think it would have the same effect with a 40 year old TR.

[onthewall2983]

Im sure it would be packaged with Fixed if it were to happen.

I'll just leave this here:
http://www.ninwiki.com/images/3/3c/Questions10.gif

Unrelated, but I really dug that particular style the website had back then. It seemed as close to a visual counterpart to the music as anything else, to me.

[bobbie solo]

god Fixed is awful.

[BenAkenobi]

http://i42.tinypic.com/10gz4ok.jpg
:)

[Rossva]

god Fixed is awful.

Ha Ha, my thoughts exactly! The only one single NIN output which I listened to once and never EVER again!

Still got about a thousand copies of it though...

[sick among the pure]

Oh god, this is my number one NIN wish.

To be honest though, I don't think it would have the same effect with a 40 year old TR.

It sounded great on the NIN|JA tour...

[allegro]

Oh god, this is my number one NIN wish.To be honest though, I don't think it would have the same effect with an almost 47-year-old TR.
Fixed.



I know I've been out of the NIN loop sometimes but what's a Physical movie? Unless y'all meant the Broken movie gift and in that case nevermind.


Ha Ha, my thoughts exactly! The only one single NIN output which I listened to once and never again!
When Fixed came out, I listened to a friend's copy once and hated it. But then, many years later, I gave it another chance, and had it on without sitting there consciously listening to it (not paying close attention) and realized, OHMYGODTHISISAWESOME.

[Rossva]

Fixed.

I know I've been out of the NIN loop sometimes but what's a Physical movie? Unless y'all meant the Broken movie gift and in that case nevermind.


When Fixed came out, I listened to a friend's copy once and hated it. But then, many years later, I gave it another chance, and had it on without sitting there consciously listening to it (not paying close attention) and realized, OHMYGODTHISISAWESOME.


Ok you've inspired me; gonna give it a listen this weekend; it's again the one single halo I've never put on me iPod so will dig it out later

[Kamelion]

that backwards NIN logo is insulting.
At least it isn't a tattoo hahahahaha!!

Love the grooving Happiness in Slavery remix on Broken. The rest of it, well, I have to be in the right kind of mood.

[Halo Infinity]

When Fixed came out, I listened to a friend's copy once and hated it. But then, many years later, I gave it another chance, and had it on without sitting there consciously listening to it (not paying close attention) and realized, OHMYGODTHISISAWESOME.
Now that's a hilarious NIN experience, and at least you ended up liking Fixed. I actually find that to be one of NIN's best remix albums of the 1990s. I've actually had that happened to me before. I'd think something would be lame or just not my thing, give it a chance then think to myself: Now why on Earth did I bother to avoid this in the first place?

[imail724]

I love Fixed. The coil remix of Gave Up is bananas!

[Space Suicide]

that backwards NIN logo is insulting.


LMAO. True.

[princessomega]

Broken is one of those albums that I truly love, and I cant put my finger on why.
It just makes me happy to listen to it, and makes me drive well over the speed limit too.
Id love to hear a remastered retinkered version.

[Wolfkiller]

Was the studio video version of Gave Up ever officially released? I'd take high quality audio of that, please.

[allegro]

I've always listened to Broken via really good headphones. Yeah, I guess I really do wish I had a 5.1 Surround version.

[seasonsinthesky]

Was the studio video version of Gave Up ever officially released? I'd take high quality audio of that, please.
rip it from the Closure DVD. same with the MOTP video performance, "Eraser", "Hurt" and "Wish" live, etc. there's very little tape hiss at all, save for the segue stuff between the videos.

[eversonpoe]

Was the studio video version of Gave Up ever officially released? I'd take high quality audio of that, please.

did you mean the one from the video?

[bobbie solo]

yeah thats what i took it as. by "studio version" he meant "live in a studio from Closure DVD" version. that version is so dope.

[eversonpoe]

yeah thats what i took it as. by "studio version" he meant "live in a studio from Closure DVD" version. that version is so dope.

i just love that manson is pretending to play guitar while everyone else is actually doing something.

[Ritz_chef1]

Although the other albums are masterpieces...I keep going back to Broken as my favorite album. It's hard, raw NIN. It's great driving music and good music to release aggression too. Fixed...not as great as Broken, but good nonetheless in it's own way. I hope they DO come out with a DE/LE album of one or both albums together. It would be cool to add in the movie as well. I like the commentary idea. Every song in 5.1 Surround? 6.1 or even 7.1 surround sound? Amazing! Especially "Wish"!

[jmtd]

god Fixed is awful.

Are you a fan of any of the remix albums? I think Fixed stacks up well alongside Further... or TFA. IMHO y34rz3r0r3mix3d is the best.


yeah thats what i took it as. by "studio version" he meant "live in a studio from Closure DVD" version. that version is so dope.

I'd never noticed it was a different (audio) take. You live and learn…


i just love that manson is pretending to play guitar while everyone else is actually doing something.

He's either singing backing vocals, or pretending to do that, too.

[eversonpoe]

He's either singing backing vocals, or pretending to do that, too.

he's definitely actually singing backups, but he's not actually playing guitar. i read it somewhere, but i can't remember where. maybe in "long hard road out of hell"...

[seasonsinthesky]

also, i highly doubt it was truly live in the studio.

[allegro]

Yeah, I always thought it was just lip-synched.

[Leviathant]

also, i highly doubt it was truly live in the studio.

It was probably semi-live like the Still videos, where they recorded the music under those circumstances, but then did some mimicking later for the sake of making an video capturing the feel of the session. You can't really record everyone together in a room like that with a drum kit in the mix and have results be that clean.

[Endlessly]

he's definitely actually singing backups, but he's not actually playing guitar. i read it somewhere, but i can't remember where. maybe in "long hard road out of hell"...
Yeah, it was in the "interview" segment:

He said, "Why don't you come out? We're shooting a video for one of my songs, and I want you to play guitar in it."
I told him, "Well, I don't really play guitar." But I went out there anyway and pretended to play guitar in a video that was never actually released. It was a song called "Gave Up".

[bobbie solo]

i love all the other remix records. but Fixed is unlistenable to me.

[jmtd]

To save me the trouble, has anyone already created a printable DVD cover template for the Broken movie? That is, something like a PDF with the highest-res possible cover art (as in the one seed0 provided) and cut marks? TIA.

[sheepdean]

I can post the original jpeg to mediafire if that'd do, or would you really rather a pdf?

[jmtd]

I can post the original jpeg to mediafire if that'd do, or would you really rather a pdf?

Thanks, I think I have the JPEG already. The trouble is, you can't just print a JPEG and expect it to be a given size: there's all the DPI info etc. to consider. Embedding it into a PDF which defines a paper size handles all that for you.

[sheepdean]

Here's the jpg, it's 1629x2232 so you should be able to scale it to a DVD cover with no effort http://www.mediafire.com/?bpu43deznmy36dj

[SM Rollinger]

i love all the other remix records. but Fixed is unlistenable to me.

Fixed is awesome once you figure it out, the wikipedia page says it best

This remix EP employs some rather unorthodox mixing techniques such as backmasking, layering, flangers, noise and sudden time signature changes to give the listener an intentional sense of confusion on initial (and sometimes subsequent) listenings.

I remember TR back in the day talking about how its delebritaly confusing. Especially the mix of Wish and Throw This Away. The latter of which was brought to mind the first time i heard Complications of the Flesh. But the Happiness in Slavery TR/CV mix alone makes this disc worth it IMO.

Man, id love to have a reissue of Broken, Happiness in Slavery is one of my favorite NIN tracks. Id love to see a 2 disc (broken / fixed) w/ the Broken film on DVD, all in a cool gatefold package reminesecnt of the original. It could have a sleeve like the PHM reissue that would be part of the artwork. something like that would be badass, The Defenitive Broken!

[jmtd]

They should definitely combine broken/fixed on any deluxe reissue. The cover should be purple in homage to the pumpkins reissues.

[Endlessly]

They should definitely combine broken/fixed on any deluxe reissue. The cover should be purple in homage to the pumpkins reissues.

Oh god no. Those things are hideous. I wouldn't mind a combined Broken/Fixed release at all, but no to that visual.

[seasonsinthesky]

the release would definitely need (and get) the Rob Sheridan treatment. he did wonders for TDS (minor changes, mostly re-photographing) and especially PHM. as is, Broken looks about as dated as the production sounds :(

[jmtd]

Oh god no. Those things are hideous. I wouldn't mind a combined Broken/Fixed release at all, but no to that visual.

Yeah, sorry I was joking :)

[Ryan]

Since 2012 will be the 20th anniversary of Broken, who thinks that Trent will release a special remastered edition of the album?

Not me, lolololololol.

[sheepdean]

26th anniversary would be better
>probably already made this joke

[InvitingmeAway]

I love Broken because it's such a soft and delicate album ;)

[Ryan]

I love Broken because it's such a soft and delicate album ;)

It makes me think of puppies and Leviathant 's willie.

[BenAkenobi]

Skinny puppies?



</bad pun>

[elevenism]

i love all the other remix records. but Fixed is unlistenable to me.
Oh good god, i fucking LOVE fixed.
and i LOVE broken.
Broken was my first nin album...i was twelve...then fixed.
I can understand not liking fixed, but i fucking LOOOOOVE it. it's a love it or hate it thing.

As far as a physical copy of the video, i strongly doubt the broken movie will EVER be released for public consumption...not by today's trent

[nin5in]

I remember when I first heard Broken back in 2007, all I could think was "Holy Shit, this fucking rocks", and I've been a fan ever since. Now Fixed is my second favorite remix halo, after Things Falling Apart, primarily because of Screaming Slave and Happiness In Slavery.

[implanted_microchip]

I get what Fixed is going for but it's really far from my thing.

Also Help Me I'm In Hell is one of the more overlooked ninstrumentals as far as I've noticed and definitely a strong favorite of mine. Oh and I almost never listen to Physical/Suck when I sit down to listen to Broken, I typically let it end at Gave Up and listen to the others when I'm the mood. I think they work best as bonus tracks and sort of wish they had kept with the mini-disc thing (though I understand why they didn't, and that's not to say I don't like Suck or Physical -- they're both fine, but they really don't fit in with the core EP).

I've also never really seen Broken as an EP, and for the longest time found it weird whenever TDS was called the 2nd NIN album -- trying to imagine it going from PHM to TDS is really difficult. I understand that, technically, it's an EP, but doesn't have the feel of one.

[Tony Gordon]

Remasters are basically pointless if the album is still in wide circulation through printing.


You have to think about it from that perspective. Originally, most remasters were of albums that were hard to find or were not in print anymore. Those old Polydor remasters of the Cream/Eric Clapton and James Brown records were proof of this since many of those had not been issued on CD at the time.

While The Downward Spiral reissue was wonderful, I don't see the point in constantly remastering everything since they are still available on CD and not extremely hard to find. It's not like those great albums from the 60's that never made it onto CD when the manufacturing took off.


And as for sound quality, the original Broken disc still sounds wonderful. I hate the super loud remasters. The 2009 UMe Rolling Stones reissues are a great example that louder don't always mean better. When the remasters are made extremely loud, it tends to drown out so many of the layers of instrumentation and it sounds like a cluttered mess. The only time it tends to work are acoustic numbers, but when guitars or organs are drowning everything out (like on I Got The Blues on the 2009 Sticky Fingers reissue) it's hard to get passed. But then again I'm just rambling on for the fuck of it, cause The Downward Spiral remaster didn't have any of these problems, which proves you can remaster albums nicely without making them super loud.

Another thing I hate about remasters is the pricing. Look at those recent Beatles reissues and tell me you want to spend 13-15 dollars on the same fucking album you already own, just because it has a fancy digipak and new artwork. The Beatles reissues didn't even have bonus tracks or anything that would have made them worth spending double the price of the old Capitol CD's that are very cheap online (used of course, but who the fuck cares?). They do sound great, but then again so do the old CD's, which is a pointless excuse.

I doubt this would happen but I would love to see Broken and Fixed reissued together as a double disc. They are two of my favorite albums of the 90's and if they were put together in one package, I would totally waste 15+ dollars on it cause those albums are timeless and have withstood the test of time.

[Halo Infinity]

I doubt this would happen but I would love to see Broken and Fixed reissued together as a double disc. They are two of my favorite albums of the 90's and if they were put together in one package, I would totally waste 15+ dollars on it cause those albums are timeless and have withstood the test of time.
I'd inevitably feel the same exact way about it. And if an official DVD for Broken was included, that would also be a dream come true.

[Damage]

Question: Why wasn't LAST included in the Broken Movie?

I've checked: http://www.nin.wiki/Broken_Movie. And no answers. Maybe someone remembers something from an old interview or something?

If i had to guess i would have to say maybe it's cause of pacing?

[nmitchell86]

Good question. I remember in high school me and my home boy arguing over this... I can't remember what we figured out but I'm sure is was some epic bullshit. I do remember seeing an interview with the director, Peter Christopherson, but I can't remember what he said if anything. Maybe try researching interviews with Peter Christopherson.

[Damage]

Good question. I remember in high school me and my home boy arguing over this... I can't remember what we figured out but I'm sure is was some epic bullshit. I do remember seeing an interview with the director, Peter Christopherson, but I can't remember what he said if anything. Maybe try researching interviews with Peter Christopherson.

Good suggestion Thanks.

G

[chuckrh]

I scored a copy of Broken in used cd section today that had the CD3 for $4. Not bad! I lost my original copy in my financial apocalypse years ago. Nice score. That record has aged real well. Definitely a transition record that foreshadowed great things to come, IMHO.