Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Wave Goodbye to What You Were

If you've checked in to NIN.com lately (and who are you kidding, you know you obsessively F5 like the rest of us) there's news from the Big Giant Head.

2.16.09: A note from Trent and a wave goodbye

[edited for length, click above link for full update]

In NIN world, 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of our first releases. I've been thinking for some time now it's time to make NIN disappear for a while. Last year's "Lights in the Sky" tour was something I'm quite proud of and seems like the culmination of what I could pull off in terms of an elaborate production. It was also quite difficult to pull off technically and physically night after night and left us all a bit dazed. After some thought, we decided to book a last run of shows across the globe this year. The approach to these shows is quite different from last year - much more raw, spontaneous and less scripted. Fun for us and a different way for you to see us and wave goodbye. I reached out to Jane's [Addiction] to see if they'd want to join us across the US and we all felt it could be a great thing. Will it work? Will it resonate in the marketplace? Who knows. Are there big record label marketing dollars to convince you to attend? Nope. Does it feel right to us and does it seem like it will be fun for us and you? Yes it does. Look for tour dates soon and I hope to see you out there.

Trent
Shhh...hear that? It's the sound of thousands of fangirls and boys alternately crying and bitching about this announcement. But you're not going to hear any of that from these Places Parallel girls, or at least not from me.

I am a little sad to know the end is coming, but not surprised. Trent's been hinting at this for awhile now and, really, let's add it up: ten band members have made up and/or been cycled through the band (although I'm not sure Rich Frownes [aka Jeordie 2.0] should count since he never played live with them), five years of pretty much non-stop touring, four albums released, three sites launched (The Spiral, Remix.nin.com, and a massively overhauled NIN.com), two Grammys lost, and a Saul Williams album in a pear tree. Dude's earned the right to some extended vacation time. And this might be just the kind of down time he needs to finish up some other loose-end projects **cough, cough, Ghosts Film Festival, cough, Year Zero: THE MOVIE, cough, cough** Damn...got something in my throat. My point being, TR is seldom doing nothing for long and I'm certain there will be other goodies fans can appreciate/worship/piss & moan about.

I am definitely planning on seeing NIN again before their final farewell and I'm even contemplating attending the very last show of the tour wherever that lands. Hubby is trying to talk me into Bonnaroo this year since there are a few other acts playing the festival he'd like to see. I'm not exactly sold on that idea yet. Maise and I are wondering since NIN is currently touring with Jane's Addiction if that in anyway guarantees another Lollapalooza appearance. I suppose we can only wait to see what's revealed. I've never seen Jane's Addiction live so this ought to be a treat seeing the original lineup together. Dave Navarro slightly skeeves me out but Perry Farrell is just too much fun to miss. In the dream concert I've made up in my mind Perry comes out between each NIN song to tell a fun little segue.
"Oh all my little pigs...you've been such a beautiful, beautiful audience...but I've been a baaaad boy ...oh yes, yes my little piggies...ha ha ha...YEAH...and right now...I need your DISCIPLINE"

********

"You know, I love to color . Yeah. Coloring. Little coloring books, big coloring books, I love them all. But I can never stay in the lines. No matter how hard I try, no matter how hard I focus...I just can't do it. And the more I stare it down, well, the more the lines begin to blur."
Okay, so maybe you have to be in my head to see just how goddamn funny that would be.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Come On In My Kitchen

maise said...

Okay, you've captured the Perry Farrell schizoid monologue PERFECTLY...LOLOLOLOLOL

Meanwhile, I agree with you 100%. NIN has been such a huge part of my life, and I get a tinge of separation anxiety when Trent starts hinting that it's time to leave NIN behind, but at the same time, I can totally understand why.

Since 2004, he's released four albums (if I'm counting correctly) and has been touring basically non-stop, making sure to give The Greatest Hits their proper due at every show. I remember being on a business trip in Ohio for the better part of one week and being all stressed out because I wasn't at home. I can't even imagine the toll all that time on the road takes.

The thing is, I don't need Trent to be Mr. Greatest Hits forever. Whenever I need to hear "Sin" or "Gave Up" or "March of the Pigs," I've got all the albums. I've even got concert videos, and anything else is bound to be on YouTube.

I have always championed Trent's new work, and my main concern is that even if he doesn't call it "NIN," he needs to keep creating. In fact, I'm not even worried about it...I think we're going to see even more interesting work now that he doesn't have to constantly pay homage to what has come before.

That being said, hell YES I will see NIN as much as possible during this farewell tour. This man's music has meant so much to me, has been the last thread of my sanity on way too many occasions, and has led me to such awesome people. Take my concert money, Trent! It's yours! I'll even probably buy something ugly designed by Rob.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Iris (re: your drawing comment) It's astounding what 2 sick days and some NyQuil will inspire. I will definitely go to one of these shows. I missed out on the last NIN tour; I can't let that happen again.

Iris said...

Definitely don't miss them this year. Who knows when he'll be doing this again.

It'll be interesting to see how the four man group setup works. I watched a video of MOTP from last night's show in Auckland, NZ. Not sure if TR's got the new guy running out from behind the drums to play the keyboards for all the songs but that seems it could get problematic fast.

I know you want to keep it spontaneous Trent but come on.

Anonymous said...

If I can get the time off from work - and fit into my *good* leather pants...oof - I am so totally going to as many shows as possible it's not even funny.

Oh, and in related good news - the Luna Bar endorsement deal is looking *quite* possible. By the end of this year, I will be the picture of enlightened, modern nutrition. Me-ow, indeed.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry. Trent has alot to do when he's not touring. First, break up the Brady Bunch household; then turn Brit to the darkside. Lots to watch.

Anonymous said...

AngelCat -please send us that photo in the leather pants.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, you'll be seeing plenty of it as my "After" picture in the NutriSystem ads. They want to run them on Animal Planet after 9PM.

Anonymous said...

Maybe AngelCat will meet Oprah after the weight loss. In the meantime, save the kitties!

anything possible...

Gillian said...

If I can, I aim to see NIN this time around. Hopefully they'll do somewhere I can easily get to.

I may have severe emo moments at the fact my first NIN show may end up being my last, assuming I get to one. :E

D:ANGEL said...

Angelcat is a boy (so no Luna bars) and at his current weight he won't be fitting into leather pants any time soon. He won't be fitting into anything any time soon. Good Lord my cat is fat.

Back on topic I have never seen NIN, either. I like TDS and Broken + a few singles but I don't know that I need to see them. I wouldn't not see them, I just wouldn't not not see them either.

My new guitar came and I shred that shit out of it.

And I'm about to turn 35. What the shit?

D:ANGEL said...

On another side note, I made the mistake of looking at the replies to Trent's post on NIN.com and suddenly I get the humor (or Humour for our UK peeps) of Wearing These Chains SO MUCH MORE.

Anonymous said...

Daniel, how could you? And like this, in public? You swore that you would never betray my confidences from that drunken night, the night we both confessed some of our deepest, darkest secrets. Now this? Now you out me as a transgender-identifying and seriously overweight?

Well, Mr. "Angel," this is the LAST STRAW. This will not stand. I am SO out of here. I don't care where I end up, it's got to be better than this. I'm sure that there is someone out there who will appreciate my felinity for what it is, no strings - and certainly no humiliation - attached.

Consider this my 30 days notice.

Anonymous said...

poor kitty, those leather pants don't make your butt look big! You're still the cat's meow.

D:ANGEL said...

We both know you are not going ANYWHERE, Angelcat.

As for confessing deep dark feelings, that happens every night when I get home from work.

Opeth is the greatest band ever. God Damn those Swedes have talent. Still Life is a masterpiece.

Anonymous said...

Daniel, I once had a male orange tabby cat who was very similiar to Angelcat and was transgender-identifying. He was the first cat that I got neutered. After the fix, he would put on makeup and go be whorish with his alleycats. After a week of this, he ran away. It was heartbreaking and I have never neutered a cat since. Also, the orange tabby was tone deaf and had very bad taste in music.