Get Well Soon TR

Oh, how we love Trent Reznor, the man with his own NIN army.

Posted on NIN.com:

Brits and Americans Clash Over Slash

 

Rolling Stone, America’s Rock n’ Roll magazine, kicks out its high and mighty top [insert arbitrary number here] lists on every category imaginable-classifying, quantifying, and qualifying things barely tangible enough to be ranked-pertaining to the music industry (and popular culture and politics).  A moderately current list of note is Rolling Stone’s “The 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”.  

Now forget the current lack of credibility floating around Rolling Stone’s aura, and forget the obvious criticism concerning this list.  Simply focus on the exclusion of Slash, a.k.a a certain Mr. Saul Hudson.  Let us also ponder on the fact that the term “guitar slinger”, or even “legendary guitar slinger”, was practically coined specifically for this man.  My bias aside, even non-rocker-musically-ignorant-extra-terrestrials know that the name Slash belongs to a talented and widely respected guitarist; this reputation alone should have at least afforded Slash the ninety-ninth percentile.  Let me remind you, he was not number thirty, not fifty, nor eighty-two.  He was not ninety-nine.  Rolling Stone, for whatever reason, completely and entirely slashed him from the history of rock, guitars, and … Oh and I forgot to mention, he also has his own guitar line.

 

A list in which Slash HAS been included: The second subcategory of the first definition for “slash” in the Urban Dictionary.  Glad that is settled.  Oh wait, never mind because also within the category of “slash”, rounding out number six, reads the following British-English definition:

Urinate (chiefly British)
“I’m dying for a slash, but there’s a line for the bog.”

Ignoring the “bog” and diving straight in for the “slash”…peeing?  Really?  No, not enough terms for urinating exist; let us add a few more.  Because PISS, PEE, URINATE, DRAIN THE LIZZARD, et cetera are not sufficient.

Sadly the body’s balancing of water and electrolytes and the legendary musician battle it out throughout the numerous definitions listed.  Long live the contributor who wrote:

“Slash f***ing ROCKS! When he’s on stage playing his Gibson Les Paul guitar with a cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth – you can see true Rock N’ Roll right in front of your eyes!”

Thus, next time you see Slash walking down Sunset Boulevard, stop and give him a hug.  He seems to be experiencing difficulty and harsh times, failing to win over the hearts of American magazines and the British vernacular.   

P.S.  Jack White stuck at number seventeen?  Weak-he too deserves a boost.  Not that I am biased or anything.

 

A Comical Burn: Seconds

For those Guitar Hero and Rock Band fans…

The next step: playing the actual songs on actual instruments.

Comic from xkcd.

The Slip (halo 27): The One on Trent.

If Nine Inch Nails US tour dates were not enough for NIN fans (go check out the performance page for pre-sale tickets!), the unexpected and atypical release of two singles–Discipline and Echoplex–along with the cryptic message to visit the nin.com website on May 5th eradicated our socks that had already been blown off.  At 12:06 this morning, Trent Reznor released halo 27 ironically titled The Slip completely for free to all, thanking fans for their everlasting support, as rabid as they are, claiming “this one’s on me.”  Thank you Trent!

The new release contains ten new songs, totalling at 43:45 minutes of wholesome Reznor-ness.  The music will no doubt be showcased in the upcoming NIN tour, and a physical release of the album to supplement the free download offered at nin.com can be expected sometime in July.

After delving into an ablum revolving around a futuristic political plot and then following with a pure industrumental experiement, Trent Reznor has returned to autobiographical lyrics in The Slip–a The Fragile meets With Teeth aberration in the NIN album line-up.  The album progresses into popish contortions yet remains a nostalgic regression into his gritty industrial roots.  Nevertheless, a certain hollowness and monotone distance can be heard throughout the album, not present in previous work by Trent Reznor.  Certain tracks do separate themselves from The Slip lineup, such as the ghosts-like soothing echos of “Lights in the Sky” and many instrumental songs reminiscent of a Ghosts sequel.  Overall, not the best Reznor production, but nonetheless worthy of his name.

From the nin.com website:

as a thank you to our fans for your continued support, we are giving away the new nine inch nails album one hundred percent free, exclusively via nin.com.

the music is available in a variety of formats including high-quality MP3, FLAC or M4A lossless at CD quality and even higher-than-CD quality 24/96 WAVE. your link will include all options – all free. all downloads include a PDF with artwork and credits.

for those of you interested in physical products, fear not. we plan to make a version of this release available on CD and vinyl in july. details coming soon.

Addendum: The nin.com news feed…about two hours too slow.

Benedict Metallica

Creating much controversy across the internet, Metallica have suggested in an interview with Rolling Stone that they might follow the lead of Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails and embrace the music download culture.  After downplaying the band’s helping hand as RIAA spy or “tool” by suing Napster, drummer Lars Ulrich discusses how the Metallica members have been watching the two bands’ methods and hope to pursue “possibilities with the internet” sometime in the future. 

Basically, Lars Ulrich and Metallica are running scared.

Many music enthusiasts, still sore over the Metallica vs. Napster ordeal, claim that if and when the band releases songs in the “pay what you want” fashion, they will refuse to pay for the music.  While this debate ensues, the pertinent issue is not if consumers will refuse to pay for Metallica music because of their past stance on illegal and legal music downloading; the obvious factor resides in the part of the interview less travelled: Ulrich reveals that Metallica’s upcoming album release will be produced by Rick Rubin.

Of course consumers will not be paying for the next Metallica album.  Remember when Linkin Park made good music?  Yeah, that was before Rubin and Minutes to Midnight.  Rubin’s musical tainting may be genius in other genres and seems to be a hit and miss with Red Hot Chili Peppers and System of a Down (Rage Against the Machine equals brilliance regardless of producer), but Linkin Park bombed and Velvet Revolver knew better.

Rick Rubin should remain in his mainstream-pop genre, and Metallica should return to their roots, focusing on becoming once again a relevant band in the metal realm, and perhaps even a relevant band that embraces and utilizes music downloading.

Out of the Loop: Nine Inch Nails Releases Single “Discipline”

As much as I try to be up to date in regard to all things Nine Inch Nails and other various bands, I am disadvantaged for the following reasons:

1. I am completely unaffiliated with the band and all band members
2. I am busy as hell
3. I am a hermit (see reason 2)
4. Apparently not listening to the radio has become a factor as well

 

10:00am–I am sitting in my biopsyc class, listening to lecture with one ear while surfing the internet with both eyes.  Check NIN webpage, though I had just done so at approximately 1:00am, and to my amazement…an update.  Another dreaded teaser “2 weeks”.  So I figure, I actually have time to dedicate to my academic priorities and such before I will be delving back into the obsessive world of NIN cult following.  But no, of course things would be much more complicated and riveting.

6:00pm–Sitting, enjoying a mediocre meal with my good friends, and sipping on my iced tea.  Mid-swallowing, my friend inquires tauntingly, “So how do you like the new NIN single released today?”  And out I spit my drink (figuratively. I saved it last minute, but almost).  The worst moment: the realization that once again, try as I might, I have fallen out of the know, out of the loop and into the obscure world of ignorance.  The perfect exception to “ignorance is bliss” because everyone else in the world (or at least it feels as such) knows about this gem of news and has heard the single before me.  Where have I been?  Thus, despite the wonderful news of new Nine Inch Nails music (with lyrics and Trent’s beautiful voice!), my day was ruined, and I was pissed, pissed, pissed.

So what about all of this?  Today, April 22nd, Trent Reznor released to radio stations nation wide a new single titled “Discipline”.  Apparently the single was released without any forewarning, not even a hint on nin.com, and according to The NIN Hotline, the song was mastered only yesterday.  Perhaps this has relation to the above Flickr photo posted on nin.com on April 8th; perhaps the Four Guys Up To Something were up to a new album to be released in 2 weeks?

Nevertheless, 2 weeks could refer to the final stages in the merging of the nin.com website and The Spiral, the pre-sale of concert tickets, or perhaps the release of the new album to complement this new single.  The rumor mill at Digg.com, which has some pretty colorful comments on the subject, waivers between the new album being released in 2 weeks and according to various DJ’s sometime in July.  Trent speaks nothing on the subject of a new album; his only reference on the NIN website is that some of us “may have heard a new Nine Inch Nails track on [our] radio today” and that the song can be downloaded for free directly from the NIN website.. 

Make what you will of his only hint, “We have some tour info coming… SOON (I know you love that word) as well as some other info about something else, too.”  Yes Trent, you alone have construed such a nasty connotation to such a previously benign word.

What else?  Well apparently, for those who purchased the ostentatious version (“super-ultra-mega-deluxe”) of Ghosts I-IV, Trent has received the 2,500 copies and currently deliberates over hosting a live webcast of the signing process.  Thus, we may observe in real-time a massive hand cramp.  Trent remarks, “These really turned out great and I can’t wait to sign EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.”  Stay tuned ALL DAY Thursday.  Too bad I will be in class…

 And what of the single itself?  Not bad (obviously, what NIN song is?), but honestly, not my favorite.  From With Teeth to Year Zero we have been observing the slow transition from industrial rock band to mainstream rock, and now with the release of the new single “Discipline” it would seem Trent has been resurrecting his Option 30 days.  “Discipline” certainly brings forth the pop-ish side of Trent, similar to that shown in the remix halo Every Day is Exactly the Same.  Nevertheless, the NIN element is unmistakable, and the song brings good news to those missing the sound of Trent’s voice in the latest Ghosts release.

Addendum: Did Trent actually post this, or are my eyes deceiving me?

Take your shirt off and dance to it!
REMIX it!
Enjoy.

R.I.P The Spiral

With the release of a new album, available in stores as of April 7th, the nin.com has slowly been undergoing a face-lift.  The Nine Inch Nails website first unveiled its new skin simultaneous with the surprise release of Ghosts I-IV and later sported a news feed and Flickr links. 

Spiral members have known that The Spiral’s days were limited; in August Trent posted:

 after much thought and discussion, we’ve decided to give nin.com and the spiral a drastic overhaul/upgrade. over the next 6-7 months, we’ll be preparing for the launch of the new nin.com/spiral (merged) site. we will not be accepting any new memberships during this time. the spiral will remain “as is” and all existing memberships will remain valid. be prepared.

Answers to the questions of “when” and “how” were becoming more apparent when Trent no longer posted on his blog and updates materialized on nin.com rather than The Spiral.  However, earlier today Trent officially announced the pending end of The Spiral, scheduled for within the month. 

The new nin.com will incorporate much of the interactivity and benefits presently offered on The Spiral, but a paid membership will no longer be required. A free nin.com account will be all that is needed to access the features of the new site, and The Spiral in its current form will no longer remain active. As we get closer to the upgrade, we’ll be making more information available to existing Spiral members to better prepare for the transition to the new site [...]

We’re very excited to begin offering a wide range of improved interactivity to all nine inch nails fans, all for free.

The death of the Nine Inch Nails fan site stands as a sad milestone for those dedicated members of many years, but the merging of the two sites brings good news for both veteran members and non-member NIN fans: free access to Nine Inch Nails.  Spiral members may mourn the exclusiveness of The Spiral; however, this eradication of fan site exclusivity and fees acts as an integral part, if not a good faith statement, in Trent’s quest to alter the face of the music industry.  The archaic methods of labels revolve around close control of the product, but the idealistic musician behind Nine Inch Nails now gives the power to the people–all people, rather than just paying fans–with creative commons releases, free access to pre-sale tickets, and “inside” band updates and photographs.

Nevertheless, veteran Spiral members mention a good point: What prevents scaplers and brokers from simply registering as a fan on the new site, stealing front row, reasonably priced pre-sale tickets from dedicated fans?  And the other privaledges rewarded to Spiral members, such as admission to sound checks?  Perhaps exclusivity did properly weed out the mediocre fans.  Hopefully, and surely, Trent has reasoned through these issues.

Simply stated, Trent treats his fans right, and I doubt he would merge the sites without ample thought and care.

 

Goodbye Aaron North (and Jeordie), Hello Robin Finck…Again.

Posted today, April 4th, nin.com reports (or implies) that Trent Reznor has decided Aaron North is out and Robin Finck is in as lead guitar for future Nine Inch Nails tour performances. 

Welcome back (again) Robin Finck to NIN.  Finck has participated in many “old school” Nine Inch Nails tours, such as the legendary Woodstock ‘94 performance, and also appears in two live releases.  Finck’s other notable inclusions: Guns N’ Roses and Cirque du Soleil.

Nevertheless, we will miss you Aaron North…

…and Jeordie White, as NIN’s YouTube page credits Rich Fownes as a new official band member.  Thus dawns a new NIN age.

Addendum:  While I remain neutral between pro-Aaron and pro-Finck (I am quite ambivalent on the issue: Finck undoubtedly qualified and talented in the NIN department, but Aaron was so entertaining to watch), I find amusing the nin.com comments in regard to this latest piece of news.  To those claiming that Finck will save NIN, resurrecting the core industrial, are we forgetting that the ultimate power lies in the hands of Trent, he who writes and dictates the execution of his music?  Granted each musician brings his own flavor, but the music will always sound exactly how Reznor feels it should; thus, the “industrialness” of NIN depends on the one and only.

 

Vampire Weekend, Worth the Hype?

I must say after so much hype from GQ and Spin magazine (and even Teen Vogue), I was very leery of Vampire Weekend’s self-titled debut album.  Especially since Spin magazine tends to give mixed and unreliable reviews, as of late.  Nevertheless, consumed with my curiosity, I set forth to determine the true sustenance behind the media-savvy preps from Columbia University.

Vampire Weekend, the “rawest new band in indie rock” according to GQ, climbed the charts of popularity before their first album was even signed, thanks to what Spin magazine labels the “new speed of buzz,” which in fact, would be the gossip and critiques of bloggers and conversationalists.  Apparently the extraordinary hype and paradoxical preppiness turned the heads of magazine editors, contributing even more to their accidental media campaign.  Since their rapturous debut, they have landed sold out shows across the states and opened for The Shins in Europe.  In early March they graced SNL with their presence and performed on The Late Show with David Letterman.

So what about this snazzy album? What crazy sounds could spawn from Ivy League graduates, rendering them the new princes of indie rock and roll?  Inevitably, I am thinking Beatles.  Or maybe Beatles meet reggae?  The catchy yet flippant tunes roll smoothly from one track to the next, inviting the listener to sit alongside the nearest beach, or pool, with an umbrella-clad drink and an old fashioned, striped swimsuit.  Ever so pleasant on the ears, Vampire Weekend brings “easy listening” to the forefront of indie music; however, the lyrics and melodies are anything but forgettable.  In fact, that might just be the problem—getting the songs out of your head.  The album as a whole displays variety with a vast array of instruments and sounds rare to the rock catalogue.  Fresh, energetic, and coy, the unique songs triumph over their vast genre and fully deserve the fiery hype.

Nonetheless, Vampire Weekend can be seen at this year’s version of Coachella on opening day.  The band will also be performing at the Pemberton Festival 2008, sharing the stage with Nine Inch Nails, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Coldplay, Jay-Z, The Flaming Lips, Interpol, Death Cab for Cutie, and many other notable (?) bands.  

Check out photographs of Vampire Weekend on tour, or check out Spin’s (sigh) extensive article “Vampire Weekend: The Graduates.”

Addendum:  “ARGUING ABOUT VAMPIRE WEEKEND…Is so last month.  Literally.  Did you even read our March Issue?”—The Spin 20 Ranking on Pop Culture Since 1998, Spin Magazine April 2008

Read Between the Lines: Pemberton Festival 2008

If you do not mind a road-trip (or trans-ocean flight) to Canada, then the nin.com newsfeed has posted brilliant news: Nine Inch Nails will OFFICIALLY be performing on July 25th, the first day of the Pemberton Festival 2008.  Unlike the speculations surrounding Lollapalooza, this performance date is the real thing, confirmed by both the official Pemberton Festival website and nin.com.

Early Bird tickets, sold at “Early Bird” prices, will go on sale March 28th at 10:00am.  The Early Bird tickets will go for 239.50 CDN plus “fees and service charges”, a whopping 20 CDN cheaper than the standard three day ticket package.  Mind these two ticket packages include entrance to the festival site only, not camping fees.

Nevertheless, a performance date set for NIN brings into question Lollapalooza, or perhaps it helps to perpetuate the unconfirmed rumor.  If Trent will be procuring a band for the 25th of July, why not take the same band to Chicago for the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd of August?  The simple fact that nin.com has not dispelled the rumor also helps to imply its validity.  Certainly Trent knows of the NIN Lollapalooza gossip.  If the Lollapalooza lineup includes NIN, the Lolla politics surely include a contract requiring the performing artists and bands to keep silent until the official Lollapalooza lineup is announced (April 7th), but Trent would be under no obligation to abstain from informing his fans if he were not performing, as I am sure he would not want his fans to spend their money in vain.  Thus, perhaps no news is good news.

What of this NIN lineup that will be performing at Pemberton?  If the music to be showcased originates from Ghosts I-IV then the band will look radically different than the norm.  But who expects to see NIN in concert only playing instrumental music?  When would Trent not preform Head Like a Holeand Closer?  Surely the playlist would include the legendary NIN anthems, and such a playlist would require the usual musicians: a bassist, lead guitarist, drummer, keyboards, and obviously Trent.  As Alessandro Cortini and Josh Freese are credited as band members, according to the NIN YouTube channel, they will most likely fulfill their usual spots within the band.  But NIN resources do not mention Aaron North and Jeordie White.  Aaron is currently working on an album with his new band Jubilee, which is said to “not be considered a side project”, and Jeordie is of course living as Twiggy Ramirez and creating a new MM album.

Even more dumbfounding is the Pemberton Festival lineup, i.e. the headliners that will be sharing the stage with NIN.  Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers?  I assumed their disastrous performance for the Superbowl halftime would mark the end of our suffering from their concert appearances, but apparently not.  And Coldplay?  Though I much adore A Rush of Blood to the Head, X&Y seemed somewhat anti-climatic, and I have little anticipation for their upcoming album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends that is to be released in June.  They too apparently managed to incorporate Timbaland into their album.

Nonetheless, eyebrow raising bands do emerge here and there in the Pemberton lineup; after all, how uninteresting could a festival be containing both NIN and Jay-Z?