It's a happy, upbeat NIN song...in other words, it is the END OF THE WORLD.
It's gotten to the point where some people are demanding that this song be removed from the album and replaced with some old song they prefer. LOLOLOLOLOL I'm sure Trent and Co. will get right on that.
I have to admit, this song was quite a surprise. But I really like what he's doing with the melody and the 80s pop sound. It's definitely a much easier track to embrace upon first listen than "Came Back Haunted." I know this is a departure from Trent's usual style, but why should he (and NIN) be limited expressing the following sentiments:
--I'm sad
--I'm angry
--I'm angry that I'm sad
--I'm sad that I'm angry
--I'm horny
--I'm sad that I'm horny
--I'm angry that I'm horny
--Being sad and angry makes me horny
Now when it comes to documenting the above emotions, Trent is a MASTER. But I think we should keep our minds open and allow him to explore other aspects of the human condition. A person has every right to not like any given song. (StarFuckers Inc. = BLERGH) But it's cracking me up that people have such angst over Trent releasing what sounds to be a peppy, feel-good song.
You don't HAVE to go on this particular journey with him. The old albums are still there for you, if that's what you prefer. As for me, I can't wait to hear the rest of this album. And laugh at the goth hysteria.
Huh. This all still works. Nobody here but the spammers and the ghosts of haters, inexplicably accusing us of being obese just because Trent Reznor got himself hitched. Which is fine. I'm not sure where I'm going to be taking this thing...it's like a box of stuff from college that you've kept in your basement, untouched for years, all dusty and full of cobwebs, and there may be a live beetle somewhere near the bottom, so you're a bit hesitant to dig through it.
Taking a three-year break. Now THAT'S a way to promote your blog!
Still, the break was needed. Things were getting a bit crazy around here, and what was really fun was no longer fun. Three years later, in my unassuming real life, I've been questioning a lot of things--what is my calling? Am I really meant to be a writer? Gosh, I really AM fat now, aren't I? A lot of things that I've fought hard for in this life hardly seem worthwhile. So I've got a bit of fire in my belly--unclutter, escape from an untenable situation, go for a jog now and again, sort out this writing question once and for all.
I was thinking of starting a new blog. But I think this old one will do. No one but me and the spammers and the haters and hopefully you.
Oh, and this past weekend I was here. I mean, I couldn't SEE any of this...I'm far too short and was well in the back of the crowd, but it was an amazing, cathartic experience, regardless. I'm so happy that I can still look forward to hearing these songs live for a while, that Trent was lying when he "waved goodbye."
But two observations:
1) Those shorts are HIDEOUS. I mean, an actual fashion atrocity. They're like harem pants, but khaki shorts. They've got like three feet of crotch space. Like what was he thinking...ugh, no.
2) He really needs to get a handle on the "HEY"s and the "GO!"s. A direct quote from "Came Back Haunted": "Ha ha ha ha...GO!" These exclamations seem almost involuntary at this point, but with a little cognitive therapy, I think he can work through it.
This won't be solely a NIN parody-blog-thing, or whatever we were doing before. Nor will it only be a music review blog. I've hijacked this shit, and hopefully we'll be going to places parallel to the places parallel Iris and I originally imagined. Unless I say "fuck it" and let the grass and the weeds and the trees overrun this place. No harm done in that case. Who doesn't need more links to Viagra and new, exciting ways to make money at home?
So I have to admit, for what should be obvious reasons to regular readers, I've been dreading writing this review. Here are some things, in no particular order, that I'd rather do than write up this overdue review:
--Go back in time to 8th grade and play a game of volleyball with the bitchy popular girls and their mile-high bangs --Have braces installed on my teeth and continually tightened for no good reason --Go to Walmart at 4:30 a.m. the morning after Thanksgiving --Drive a great distance with my husband while a scoreless baseball game is being announced on the radio --Actually do the office work that has been assigned to me
Some of you may be wondering why I'm so hesitant to revisit this experience, which at the time was an enjoyable one. It's not that it's the last NIN show I'll be writing about for the foreseeable future. I've written thousands upon thousands of words with regard to Mr. Reznor and his bandmates. I'm more than ready to move on and discuss other things. I suppose if I say that it's because I'm not looking forward to all the malicious, psychotic bullshit that is sure to follow, then I guess the terrorists will win.
Trent was right, though...the haters do suck the fun out of everything, even if you try your best to ignore them. However, we here at Places Parallel will persevere. We will continue to keep up with Trent and his music, once he's finished with his hiatus, but we also have a LOT of other concerts to discuss, and what's more, I'd like to see more interaction from you, the sane reader, about what's interesting in music and what good shows you've seen. I assure you that I have no intentions of abandoning this site, and I plan to make good use of the "delete" button when necessary to ensure that this is a welcoming place for all.
August 29, 2009 was my ninth NIN show. I figured that if Trent really does put his old hits out to pasture and retire from touring, that would be a nice number to close out that period of my life. (I only wish it could have taken place on 9/9/09. Not even in LA did he do a 9/9/09 show. Lame!) I was accompanied by my dearest friends and favorite concertgoing companions, Ro, Iris, and Mr. Iris. The show took place at precisely the sort of intimate venue at which I have always wanted to see NIN: the Aragon Theater. He may very well have played his first Chicago show at the Aragon, or a place like it (the Metro, the Double Door, the Riviera, etc.). The Aragon has always had a special place in my heart as it is where I saw my very first rock concert in the big, bad city when I was a teenager (the Violent Femmes). When you're young and hemmed in by curfews and rules and small allowances, a real honest-to-God dingy, urban concert hall--poorly lit and with sticky floors--represents danger and real freedom. You feel the tension build before the show even starts in this hot, crowded place with all these strange people. You're slightly nervous that you're going to lose your friends; some creepy guy offers you a beer, and you refuse. You cling to your $20 bill tightly. It's all the money you've got, and you're trying to decide which t-shirt to buy. I can still feel that electricity in the air when I see shows at the Aragon; maybe I steal the spark from all the young kids in the crowd. At any rate, it was the perfect place for a dedicated fan like me to see her favorite band.
I've written so much about the experience of seeing NIN live that it's hard to know what else there is left to say. Regular readers know that the music means a lot to me personally. That's probably true for most NIN fans. The music taps into emotions that can be difficult to express our daily lives--rage, lust, despair--but these emotions must be given voice sometimes, or a person can just lose it. The lyrics are confessional, yet it's easy for the rest of us to project our own feelings and experiences upon them. I could tell you how each and every song on "With Teeth" is about my personal problems circa 2005--forget all that stuff about some guy named Trent and rehab. I went to every show possible so that I could experience a sense of release and a sense of communion with the hundreds or thousands of people around me--all of us shouting out the same words that are so difficult to say at work, to our lovers, to our parents, to our friends, to ourselves. I could tell from the angry, impatient, excited buzz in the air that the audience of this show was hungry for that release.
Experimental indie Danish (more Scandinavians!) rock band Mew was the opener. I can't remember a lot about their set, other than the fact that their songs were accompanied by unsettling imagery. Their music was pleasant enough to listen to; I think they are often compared to Muse by people in the know. But the hungry, angry crowd was not to be satiated by them; plus, it was at this point in the show when we first encountered "Richard" and his unfortunate wife/girlfriend/date, "Amy." Richard was extremely intoxicated and was well on his way to becoming even more intoxicated. He had been at the show the night before; he wanted to make sure that everyone in the venue knew that. You're aware of that, right? Good. He seemed like a fairly knowledgeable fan in his early- to mid-30s, and perhaps if his blood-alcohol level were somewhere below 0.3, he would have been okay to talk to. We stayed in Richard and Amy's vicinity because it provided Iris with a central view of the stage for her video-recording, but we were soon to regret it.
Finally...the moment we've all been waiting for! NIN took the stage beginning with "Home," which is kind of a "meh" opening. They probably could have skipped it and gone straight to "The Beginning of the End," which would have been appropo.
Home The Beginning of the End Survivalism Heresy March of the Pigs Piggy Metal Ruiner I'm Afraid of Americans Burn Gave Up La Mer The Frail I Do Not Want This Gone, Still Right Where it Belongs (v2) The Way Out is Through Wish Mr. Self Destruct Suck Echoplex The Good Soldier Dead Souls Reptile(w/ Peter Murphy) Strange Kind of Love (with Peter Murphy) Final Solution (with Peter Murphy) The Hand That Feeds Head Like a Hole Hurt
As you can see, it was very heavy on "The Downward Spiral"--no complaints from me on that! It would have been cool had he chosen to do some kind of concept, like "Pretty Hate Machine" from beginning to end, but this was a nice mix of his work spanning his entire career. It wasn't too different from what I have heard at previous NIN shows, but I was particularly happy to hear "I'm Afraid of Americans," "Dead Souls," (which poor Ro had been waiting to hear live for the first time for like seven shows), and "Gone, Still" from "Still," which I've never heard live before. I'm going to be honest and admit that I didn't miss the obligatory "Ghost" instrumentals. Those never felt quite as powerful as, say, "La Mer" or "Just Like You Imagined."
One moment that was especially powerful to me was "Ruiner." I think it may have been the first time that I heard this song live, but what struck me this time was chanting the words, "You didn't hurt me, nothing can hurt me, you didn't hurt me, nothing can stop me now." I know, I know, it's Trent's oft-recycled "nothing can stop me!" But I happened to reflect on everything I've overcome in the past and personal problems I'm dealing with now, and it helps to be reminded that there is a rock-solid part of me that cannot be touched by these things, that will never be defeated. It kind of has nothing to do with the song, but it's an example of how we can take away different things from the music than perhaps what was originally intended.
So as you see, Peter Murphy was the special guest, as promised. Which was awesome. We have seen Peter and Trent collaborate onstage with these very songs in the past, however, when NIN toured with Bauhaus, so there was kind of a "been there, done that" feel to this portion of the show, although I am always happy to hear "Strange Kind of Love." Perhaps this could have been avoided by bringing Peter to back up Trent for different songs or by begging and pleading with Gary Numan to come to Chicago. I'm really jealous of the LA crowd getting to see that! Also, it would have been awesome if Trent could have brought on some local legend, like uh...I dunno. Cheap Trick? Just kidding! But seriously...I don't know whom Trent has totally pissed off over the years, but Chicago has brought the world Veruca Salt, Liz Phair, Ministry (yes, yes, I KNOW Al hates Trent), Local H, and of course, The Smashing Pumpkins, although the total weight of the egos of Trent Reznor and Billy Corgan on one stage would probably cause a tear in the time-space continuum and end all life as we know it. Any of those would have been mind-blowing. Seeing Peter Murphy is always welcome...just not mind-blowing.
Trent had a nice spoken interlude wherein he thanked all of his fans and talked about how much he loves Chicago. It was very heartfelt and sweet, and I can't remember a word of it, so we just have to wait until Iris returns with the video of his speech. Come back, Iris!
Meanwhile, during all of these proceedings, Richard managed to make an enemy of every single person around him--from the man whom he spilled a beer on, to me and Iris because he was standing in front of my 4'10" self and talking loudly to the embarrassed Amy throughout the ENTIRE show, to Mr. Iris because he had no respect for anyone around him, to the guy who just finally snapped at the end of the show and shouted, "You were here last night? Good for you! The rest of us weren't, and we'd like to experience the show! SHUT THE FUCK UP!" He managed to commit every possible concert foul, and it's amazing that he didn't get involved in a fistfight. With his nonstop drunken chatter, it was hard for me to get in my zone during the show, so that was unfortunate. It was also unfortunate that so many of us had to waste so much time and energy being pissed off at him rather than enjoying the show. He really detracted from the entire experience. So let this be a lesson to all concertgoers...you can pre-party, just don't overdo it! And to all enabling girlfriends/wives, please remove your drunken man from an area before someone punches him in the fucking mouth, as he clearly deserved. So that was kind of a sour note on a great evening, but it can't be helped. As we have all learned recently, a lot of NIN "fans" are total assholes.
And that, I think, is that! *sigh...you know, it was actually kind of cathartic getting through this. I think I'm enjoying catching up on all my overdue reviews as opposed to having that nagging voice running through my brain: "You're ignoring Places Parallel...you're ignoring Places Parallel..."
So the other night, I dreamt that Iris and I were backstage at the Aragon, alone with Trent Reznor.
No, wait...it gets worse.
His new cause du jour was preventing STDs, so he was training Iris and me to administer these injections of vaccinated foam...up NIN fans' vaginas. Then he went out in the hallway to advertise these vaccinations, holding a singing fish in his arms.
That's when I woke up...horrified.
Oh, and by the way, we got our tickets for the last Chicago show, so I guess we can quit our bitching...
And now, finally, we can talk about the concert itself!
I was deeply concerned as the crowd started to gather and the sun set. My limping and hobbling was only getting worse, and I had several more hours to stand on my blistered feet. In addition, my headache wasn't improving, despite the regular Tylenol dosing and eating a million-dollar cheeseburger. The ear-shattering noise of a NIN concert was surely a one-way ticket to Migraine-land. I was never prone to this condition when I was younger, but I am sadly afflicted now, and I was worried that to counter the ecstasy and joy of the meet-and-greet and soundcheck, I would be spending the next few hours in agony until I barfed with an aching head. What I really wanted was a dark room, a cold compress, and silence. For this reason alone, I was not particularly looking forward to Street Sweeper Social Club.
As lead vocalist Boots Reilly is fond of proclaiming, "The Street Sweeper Social Club is more than a band--it's a social club." It's also more than a social club; it is also apparently an analgesic, as I swear my headache completely disappeared by the time they were finished with their half-hour set. I attribute my miracle cure to the fact that I had so much fun watching them. They sound quite a bit like Rage Against the Machine to my ears, except perhaps...less enraged and dancier. Don't get me wrong, Tom Morello is still committed to any number of leftist social causes, and part of the purpose of Street Sweeper Social Club is to bring awareness to these causes, but Boots Reilly (who I SWEAR looks just like the dearly departed Warrick on CSI) won't stop the show in order to rant and preach, a la our friend Zack de la Rocha. Tom Morello still does amazing things with his guitar, and Boots has some pretty sweet moves.
Here they are, performing "100 Little Curses":
Okay, doesn't that just melt your fucking face off? Seriously, it was love at first sight, and I was not at all in the mood for an opening band when they first took the stage. I don't really know the lyrics to this song, but even if it's just as commie pinko as anything RATM made (and mind you, I'm a hemorrhaging-heart liberal), it's just so...fun. Street Sweeper Social Club's album comes out on June 19th, I believe, and I definitely will be getting it and look forward to seeing them again in concert soon.
Now that I look back on it, this last NIN show was kind of a bittersweet blur. Although I strongly doubt that it's the last time I'll ever see Trent Reznor on a stage, I think he's giving himself permission to retire the old chestnuts. (Unless he's hard up at any point and needs a cash infusion with a "reunion" tour) And I'm fine with that. I mean, after eight live shows in a relatively short period of time, even I am like, "Oh God, 'Suck' again?!" I can't even imagine how repetitive it gets for Trent and the band on one tour, let alone all the touring that's been done since 2004-ish. On the other hand, these songs are so close to my heart and have been and continue to be like friends in my times of need, that it's sad to reflect on the fact that this may very well be the last time that I will be so transported to a place of elation and excitement. Because I was seriously blissed out through this entire show. I thought of all the times I've been in some hardcore emotional pain, shouting along with these songs in the car, except in concert it just feels like tremendous happiness and catharsis, and no matter how many times I hear them live or how some idiot goes "WHOO!" at the wrong part or some eight-foot-tall guy blocks my view of the band, these songs will always belong to me in a very deep and personal way. And these songs will belong to everyone else in similar ways, I expect. And it's sad to see Trent put them away in a cardboard box and go on to his new and contented life, but I try to keep in mind that I will still have these songs when I need them, right on my ipod. Trent's like The Electric Grandmother in that way. (And that movie always made me cry, incidentally.) And that's probably the first and last time Trent has ever been compared to The Electric Grandmother.
Anyway.
Here is the setlist, courtesy of "stealth_" at nin.com because my blissed out state prevented me from taking on any secretarial duties:
"Somewhat Damaged Terrible Lie Heresy March of the Pigs Piggy (regular) Metal The Becoming I'm Afraid of Americans Burn Gave Up La Mer The Fragile Gone, Still The Way Out is Through Wish Survivalism Mr. Self Destruct Suck The Day the World Went Away Hurt The Hand that Feeds Head like a Hole"
A solid, hard-hitting line-up. You'll notice something missing, though. Hmmmm...
NO "PHYSICAL (YOU'RE SO)". I PHYSICALLY asked Trent to play "PHYSICAL" and was in PHYSICAL pain all throughout the show, and I was denied. Bah! And to rub it in, he played it the next night! Whatevs, Old Man Reznor, I prefer the l'orangerie stank version anyway. So there.
One thing did make up for this minor disappointment, however. (And I wasn't REALLY expecting him to take requests, after all). That was this song:
What a pleasant surprise! I've heard David Bowie play this live in the past, but not Trent. You'll notice at the beginning of the clip, Trent was bitching about the weather because he seems to be under the impression that May 29 = Summer in Chicago. No, sir. May 29 = Not As Likely To Snow. Summer doesn't begin until somewhere around June 30th or so.
A new song for me was a cover of Gary Numan's "Metal":
I'm not the big Gary Numan expert, so I don't have a lot of analysis to provide, but watching this video is causing me to dance at my desk here at work. Ahem.
The Downward Spiral was well-represented in this show. How awesome is it to hear "Heresy" again?
Also, they have a new and improved intro to "Mr. Self Destruct" these days:
Didn't we just have an Anonymous bitching that he/she heard from someone else that the show wasn't good? This person called Trent Reznor a "donkey," so I can only presume that it's Gordon Ramsey. Well, I can inform you, and I hope that you can tell from the clips above, that all of the old passion was there, even though Trent's voice did sound kind of raggedy. This could just be a natural result of screaming his head off every night while on tour for the better part of five years, or maybe he was catching Robin's illness. But at no point did I feel like he was phoning it in. Jesus, there's no pleasing some people.
We also heard some "Fragile" favorites, including, surprisingly "The Fragile." I know it's probably like the fangirl anthem because it's as close to a love song as classic NIN gets, but I've always loved it and was happy to finally hear it live. Some good jamming goes on during "The Day The World Went Away." (Made me feel like I was watching the Terminator: Salvation trailer):
As usual, Trent wasn't terribly chatty during the show, but we did get this speech from him:
Oh hey, Trent! I noticed that you screwed up the lyrics to "Terrible Lie," and now I'm BLOGGING about it. Mwa ha ha ha ha!
So yeah, I think about wraps it up, unless Iris or Ro can think of anything to add. I'm very grateful to Trent for the music, the shows, the entire Maise experience. It's led me to meet some very cool people and go to very cool places. I hope he enjoys his break, has fun with his dogs and fiancee, rests his voice, and gives us something new to talk about very soon.
But of course, we'll carry on here at Places Parallel. There's other music out there to discuss, even if it's not nearly as fun as talking about NIN. We've got Lollapalooza coming up this summer. And I'm sure something or other Trent says on Twitter will bring the Anonymi out of the woodwork. So never fear, friends! It's not the end of the road for US!
And now...what you've all been waiting for...Maise, Iris and Ro backstage for the NIN soundcheck and meet-and-greet!
First of all, the reason for the season is Eric De La Cruz, and we wish him and his family the best. Please keep the De La Cruz family in your thoughts and prayers, as his health condition remains dire. I believe that there will be continued donation opportunities through NIN and Janes Addiction. I encourage you to take advantage of these because heart transplants are frighteningly expensive, and it's good karma to extend a little kindness to a stranger in this condition. Millions of Americans have inadequate health insurance or no health insurance, and basically any kind of catastrophic health crisis could turn all our lives upside down. So until a political solution to the problem is found, I encourage you all to help in whatever way you can, if you can. Plus, as we will report, Trent and co. are making it VERY MUCH worth your while to donate!
The NIN camp asked us to report at the Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island at 4:00, with the NIN meet-and-greet scheduled to begin at 4:15. This was our first time at this venue; it is located on the grounds of what used to be Meigs Airport. It's a surprisingly small and intimate outdoor venue, and I found myself pleasantly surprised, except for the parking snafu when we arrived. We arrived at the Pavilion very close to 4:00 because traffic had been horrendously slow and were dismayed to be turned around and directed to the North Garage at Soldier Field. It's not very far away, but it was an unwelcome delay, especially because we had driven past the garage, and there was no indication that NIN concertgoers were to park there. We were supposed to have prepaid parking, included as one of the gazillion service fees with our ticket. But since we were parking at 3:55, rather than 4:00, it was going to cost us $19. Nevertheless, we paid up because we were concerned about the sizeable line that had already formed outside of the venue. But still, it was pretty bullshit that we had to pay for parking unnecessarily just because we were there five minutes before the arbitrary starting time. Meh.
We then walked back as fast we could to the Charter One Pavilion, which had tragic consequences for yours truly. My shoes weren't made for speed-walking, and I wound up with enormous blisters all over my feet, so I was hobbling around pathetically, like some kind of unfortunate Dickens character, before the evening even started. I was also afflicted with a chronic headache all weekend, so I was popping Tylenol Rapid Release the way House inhales Vicodin.
We had no idea how many people to expect at our meet-and-greet, at the $300 level, but I would estimate it was maybe about 200. Also, I couldn't tell how many people had provided $1,000 donations, but I think at one point, we guessed around 30. I hope that's helpful in case you will be participating in any of these any time soon. The line seemed MUCH larger than that initially because people were also lining up to get to the pit.
We were allowed in and then stood in a long line. A very friendly and courteous member of the NIN staff thanked us for our donations and informed us that we were allowed to have one item signed by the band and that no pictures or other nonsense would be allowed at this time because of the large number of people present. Then we would be taking a "group picture" with the band, and then the soundcheck would take place.
The crowd was very docile and patient. We had some people in full goth regalia and groupie attire (which puzzles me, as five-inch heels would be impractical concertwear, no?), and people brought a large variety of items in to be signed: CDs, albums, posters, artwork (hmmm...maybe we should have brought The Painting...), guitars, etc. I was kicking myself because in my rush to get out of the house, I had forgotten my copy of The Slip, which I intended to have autographed. Fortunately, the tickets were nice and large and could easily accommodate four signatures. See?
Tom Morello and Boots Reilly from Street Sweeper Social Club were also kind of hanging around, and although we weren't able to get any autographs from them, they did pass through the crowd now and then and said hi. Ro was hoping to impress her five-year-old nephew with this Tom Morello sighting, as her nephew is quite the "Guitar Hero" prodigy, but I don't think he believed her.
We approached the table where the band was sitting, and the nerves started to kick in. What, for example, am I supposed to say to Ilan Rubin?! The band was sitting at a long brown table underneath a white tent. There was some really nice outdoor furniture set up under the tent, as well as a gothy-looking chandelier with various colored light bulbs. I have no idea what was going on with that, but I would presume that the $1,000 donors would take advantage of that setup? Or maybe they just really like having an outdoor chandelier. I dunno.
Okay, so here's how my NINteractions went:
Ilan: [greeting me with a big smile and handshake]: Hi! Me: [smiling back] Hi there! [As he signed] Nice chandelier! Ilan: Huh? Oh...yes...I picked it out myself. Me: Thank you! [Moving along]
Oh God, Trent was next. Okay, all you anonymous haters can fuck yourselves. Trent is NOT fat. Not in any way. He is very handsome in person, but he looks like he needs about 300 hours of sleep. Touring takes a toll, and I'm glad he'll be getting some rest soon. He seemed friendly, but tired. Or maybe slightly guarded. But he smiled at me and shook my hand.
Me: HI! Trent: Hi. Me: Thanks so much for doing this! Trent: Thanks for helping out. Me: You're playing "Physical" tonight, right? Not the Olivia Newton John version. Trent: Well...I could tell you. But then I'd have to kill you. Me: Well, ha, ha, in that case...thanks! [Moving along]
Next up was Justin Meldal-Johnsen. I was slightly concerned about finding something to say to him, but I noticed that he recently tweeted about attending a Cubs game with Tom Morello and co. I was also impressed at how friendly and cheerful he was.
Justin: Hi! What's your name? Me: _____. [I didn't have time to out myself as "Maise" coherently to any member of the band. If they'd even know what the hell I'm talking about.] Justin: I'm Justin! Me: I didn't recognize you without all the hair. Did you enjoy the Cubs game last night? Justin: I did, until I got booed for cheering on the Dodgers. Me: [not sure what to say without dissing the Dodgers] Ah, well...thanks! [Moving along]
Finally, I arrived at Robin's station. He had a sign in front of him that read, "Hi, I'm Robin! I'm sick, and I can't talk!"
Me: Oh no, I'm sorry you're sick! I hope you feel better soon! Robin: [croaking] Thanks! Me: [remembering Aaron North with a shudder] I am SO GLAD you are back in the band. Robin: [croaking] Me too!
I kind of have a crush on Robin now.
And then that was that. I was proud of myself for remaining fairly coherent throughout all of these encounters, but I wish I could have made more of a lasting impression. Maybe if I had had them sign my tits...oh well.
After we made it through the meet-and-greet line, it was announced that because time was running out, NIN was going to do the soundcheck and then get us up onstage for group photos.
I was pleased that Trent was playing songs for us that they weren't going to play later on in the show. It was like our own little bonus concert! Here's the lineup: --Home --The Good Soldier --Non-Entity --1,000,000
Here are some clips from the first three songs:
I've gotta say, Trent was kind of being a pussy complaining about the cold. Has LA thinned out your blood already, Rez? It WAS warm out! At least during the soundcheck. Once the sun set, then it was legitimately chilly.
My favorite part of the soundcheck occurred during "1,000,000." I had thought that the guys holding the guitars wanted these instruments signed, but apparently they must have asked Trent for the opportunity to smash them onstage with him. As you can see in this clip, they needed some pointers:
What an awesome opportunity for those fans, and they did an admirable job of guitar-smashing, but they kind of blew their wad early in the song, don't you think? Oh well, premature instrument destruction affects a lot of guys, I guess.
In the "1,000,000" clip, you might be able to hear Mr. Iris and me whispering to Iris, "handstamp, handstamp, HANDSTAMP!" This is because everyone with meet-and-greet handstamps was instructed to line up at the right side of the stage at the end of the song for the group pictures and not being sure how long they were going to indulge us for that, we were urging Iris to go, go, go!
They brought us up in groups of 50 to take a picture onstage with the band. Iris and Mr. Iris wound up in the first group, and here she is, walking onstage...you can see Tom Morello, Robin Finck, Trent, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, and Ilan Rubin:
Later that night, they sent us links for the group pics online. It was a bit of a wash for me personally, as the two biggest guys in the universe stood right in front of my 4'10" self, so at best you can kinda see my head. Ro fared much better, however, as Robin put his hand on her shoulder. You bitch! ;)
And Iris did even better than that, as she scored a hug from Trent himself. But I'll have her tell you all about that.
After we were herded offstage, Street Sweeper Social Club had time for a very brief soundcheck. They did one song, but we don't have video of that. But no worries...you will see more of them when we cover the concert itself!
Iris happened to see Rob Sheridan by the stage and thought we should get a picture with him. He was very nice and accommodating and posed with us with a large smile on his face until Mr. Iris (who was taking the picture) said: "Say Places Parallel!" Then his face completely dropped, and he looks totally nonplussed in the resulting picture. We're not going to post that picture or do anything to piss him off because he has WAY more internet minions than we do and because we don't want to wind up on Demonbaby. But what, I wonder, was behind his expression? We have no proof that [Trent_Reads], but perhaps [Rob_Does]. I mean, sure maybe we've had some aesthetic disagreements with Rob in the past, but we don't REALLY want to see his head roll, literally or figuratively. We're nice people and upstanding citizens, I swear! We seem to have (unjustly, in my opinion) garnered a weird reputation in the NINternet, if the Anonymi are to be believed. Hey, maybe he IS one of the Anonymi!!! Or maybe he had no idea why the fuck Mr. Iris said that.
Anyway, after that, we had a break to get some food, beverages, and merch. I can't believe I bought one more fucking NIN shirt, like I need another one! But it said "Chicago 5.29.09" on the back, and it is presumably the last one...Bah, Trent! You and your wily ways of separating me from my hard-earned cash!
Part II of our review will be posted shortly...stay tuned!
So this review is only slightly delayed due to the holiday and the debilitating bout of bronchitis and a sinus infection that I endured in true martyred, moaning-and-groaning-and-leaving-used-kleenex-everywhere fashion. But I am still excited to tell you all about this show because it ranks very near the top of all-time favorite NIN performances, and I've seen quite a few at this point. It is not only worth seeing when the tour rolls into your town, but it was definitely worth crossing state lines and driving on VERY long stretches of I-80, surrounded by cows and cornfields.
We reported to the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, IA, at the appointed time. I don't know if Iowa crowds are particularly tough, but to be admitted, we had to experience the most thorough and gruelling personal search for contraband outside of being arrested. We were subjected to the typical patdown and purse search, of course, but I wasn't expecting the strict, but otherwise friendly, staff members to insist on inspecting my beltline and the tops of my shoes. Cameras were verboten, but Iris managed to sneak hers in under a layer of used, diseased kleenex.
Sadly, tragically, heartbreakingly...the batteries in her camera as well as her spare batteries were on the verge of an untimely death. So we do not have as many A/V goodies for you this time, but Mr. Iris saw our dejected faces and came to the rescue...acting as the Battery Whisperer and somehow keeping the camera going far longer than we would have expected. Apparently you can keep dying batteries charged up just a little by warming them in your hand! That's our science lesson for today, kids. Seriously, though, we are extremely grateful to Mr. Iris for keeping hope alive, and he's the whole reason we do have some video clips to present to you.
Other than the arduous strip- and full-body-cavity searches, I think U.S. Cellular is a great concert arena. It's large enough that tickets will be readily available for most shows, but you don't feel miles away from the band. They have a General Admission area on the floor, of course, but I also appreciated the General Admission concourse area overlooking the floor, but with arena-style seating. From this perspective, we were actually able to see the stage and the terrific production, which really makes all the difference if you're going to see the Lights in the Sky tour.
Our opening band that evening was Japanese experimental trio, Boris. Now, Trent picks opening bands that either become my favorite bands (Saul Williams, Ladytron, The Dresden Dolls) or bands that I tolerate at best (Queens of the Stone Age, Moving Units). This time he outdid himself with Boris. I don't have words to convey my hatred for this dull, overly loud, tuneless, droning jam band, so here's a picture of my dog:
Ahhhh, that's better. Now I feel my blood pressure going down. On to the main act!
The setlist we had was very similar to that we heard at Lollapalooza. But what a difference the change in venue makes! Not having to compete with Kanye West for volume is a definite plus. But indoors, the music can envelop you, mesmerize you, and speaking of mesmerizing...oh my God, those screens!
Trent obviously spared no expense on these toys, and it really enhances the entire show. Even songs that rabid NIN fans have heard 7,000,000 times in concert are greatly enhanced by the stunning visuals. Take the obligatory "Closer," for example. The ladies will appreciate that when Trent sings the chorus, he snarls into the unblinking eye of a camera, and projected 100 times larger than life onto the screen is what I can only refer to as the "Trent fucks you cam." He also employs this camera during "The Greater Good," as I recall. I could only reflect on how much I miss Wearing These Chains' Dierdre as I looked upon all the super-close-up shots of Trent's ferocious teeth. But it's not just all admiring Trent's tortured visage...for "Only," a large screen in front of the band flickers static that is broken up whenever Trent approaches the screen. Unearthly landscapes shimmer during the "Ghosts" instrumentals.
Here are some brief clips of some of the songs I mentioned. Unfortunately, zooming in strained the camera's batteries to the breaking point, so this is the best we can do. Better than nothing, right? Besides, I really think you need to experience this show for yourself...videoclips don't quite capture the saturated colors and the special effects in all their glory:
Trent did a nice mix of the old and the new...and as controversial as Year Zero was as an album and a concept around these parts, all of those songs sound great live. He's really putting so much energy into "Survivalism," it's one of the songs that I really look forward to hearing.
When you go see this show, and you really must go, you can expect to hear most of your old favorites: "Gave Up," "March of the Pigs," "Wish," "Head Like a Hole," etc. But Trent and co. do not shortchange the new songs, even though we all got The Slip for free. Here they are, playing "Echoplex":
Not sure what the deal is with Josh Freese playing Vanna White at the beginning of that song. But anyway.
Trent was in a pretty good mood--no microphone-throwing tantrums, although I suspect those days have largely passed him by. I think all of the bandmembers are starting to get a little tired of being on the road, if this speech is any indication:
Immediately after that, Trent introduced the lineup by saying, "And now I'd like to introduce you to the guys I'm sick of...just kidding," he halfheartedly added. Here's hoping that they all get a nice holiday break because I really like this lineup. Sure, the ever-competent and amazing Josh Freese is, as Fleetwood Mac would say, going his own way. But oh my God, is Robin Finck ever an improvement over the showboat-y Aaron North!
The show ended on a poignant note with "In this Twilight." As the screen projected scenes of explosions above an evening cityscape, each band member got a moment to take a bow and walk offstage.
Now, you all know that I'm Trent's ultimate cheerleader (and some would probably say "apologist" or "sychophant,"--WHATEVS!), but as I said before, this is really one of my all-time favorite NIN shows, and I'm really hoping that he can make one more stop in Chicago before sequestering himself to create the next album. (Or at least make a DVD out of this tour, asap.) Although it was a pretty awesome birthday present to see him in Cedar Rapids.
You know, I'm not sure how I feel about the adequacy of this concert review, but that's because I'm STRESSED OUT. Do you know why I'm STRESSED OUT? Because tonight, I need to slave over a hot stove so that tomorrow evening I can feed The Danger Ensemble and AMANDA PALMER when she plays a solo show at the Metro. No, seriously. Iris is making the long drive yet again, and we will be documenting as much as humanly possible. With lots of brand-new batteries this time! Stay tuned...
Check it out! NIN is streaming LIVE from Buenos Aires, Argentina on 10musica.com like RIGHT NOW! CLICK ME for streaming video.
CLICK ME for just audio.
Okay,well, the video is a little sketchy and the audio leaves much to be desired but if you click the "just audio" link it seems to be coming in great.
**EDIT** Shows over folks but I did get a couple halfway decent screen grabs. I'm sure there will be video uploaded on YouTube by plenty of others who tuned in. I'll try to make sure to update as I find them so be sure to check back with us.
**EDIT 2.0** So I've searched a bit for some decent quality video of this show and it does not appear to exist. I figured someone with the know how would have recorded the web broadcast but so far I've only found some shaky, in crowd cam footage. Still, if you're feeling up to it, you can see a few songs here.
Hello again all. So as our own D:Angel pointed out, an email from Trent has been making its rounds asking NIN fans for a little help via a survey. Apparently I wasn't on the guest list for said email, although, I did find a link to it late last night by other means. A recap of the contents:
Hello everyone.
I'd like to thank everyone for a very successful year so far in the world of Nine Inch Nails. I'm enjoying my couple of weeks off between legs of our Lights In The Sky tour and got to thinking... "wouldn't it be fun to send out a survey to everyone that's shown interest in NIN?" Well, that's not exactly how it went, but regardless - here it is. As we've moved from the familiar world of record labels and BS into the unknown world of doing everything yourself, we've realized it would benefit us and our ability to interact with you if we knew more about what you want, what you like, what you look like naked, etc.I know it's a pain in the ass but we'd truly appreciate it if you'd take a minute and help us out. As an incentive, everyone who completes the survey will be able to download a video of live performance from this most recent tour (and I know what's going through your little minds right now: "I'll just grab this off a torrent site and not have to fill out the survey!!!" and guess what? You will be able to do just that and BEAT THE SYSTEM!!!! NIN=pwn3d!!!) BUT What if we were to select some of those that DO complete the survey and provide them with something really cool? I'm not saying we'll ever get around to it, but if we did maybe something like signed stuff, flying someone to a show somewhere in the world, a magic amulet that makes you invisible, a date with Jeordie White (condoms supplied of course), you know - something cool. See, you'd miss that opportunity AND be a cheater. Do the right thing - help us out. You'll feel better.
Thank you and I've had too much caffeine this morning, Trent
As Maise mentioned, the survey is really looong. But being the good little fangirl I am, I diligently filled out each and every question. That isn't to say that I didn't have some issues with a few of the inquiries though.
1. Favorite OVERALL Nine Inch Nails song & Favorite LIVE Nine Inch Nails song.
Just one of each? What the hell, man? Favorite overall song was easy since I'm still head over heels for "Lights in the Sky" but picking one favorite live version is damned near impossible. "Burn," "Survivalism," "Mr. Self Destruct," and yes, even "Only" (for the light show as well as the song) have been fantastic the times I've been lucky enough to see them. I think a Top 5 in the live category would have better served those fans who have a hard time whittling this down to one.
2. Have you ever downloaded a Nine Inch Nails release from P2P or other non-retail download service? If so, which ones? (check all that apply)
The short answer to this is "well duh" but even after checking off the options I don't feel that I was able to answer completely honestly since the album "Purest Feeling" is not listed. Come on, Trent. You didn't think we'd forget about that little gem, did you? After all it was "Twist" that lent WearingTheseChains its moniker. And I suppose it wouldn't be relevant to what he's trying to do here but for the record, I also picked up the Option 30 and Exotic Birds albums via Demonoid.com a while back. What can I say? I am a collector. I was glad to see "Closure" listed but what? no "Broken" movie love? Granted, it didn't take me three days of torrenting to download it like "Closure" did but I still feel it's worth an honorable mention.
3. Favorite 3 TV shows? ONE PER BOX
I cringed at this question because, like Maise and her movie selections, I don't feel my choices are up to snuff. How does my watching bad reality TV affect your marketing technique, Trent? Are you going to be appearing on America's Next Top Model anytime soon? Jesus, I hope not but maybe, just maybe, you can be the anti-Tyra Banks and teach the models how to "scowl wit yo eyes".
4. This isn't really a complaint, per se, but I did feel a little naive, or maybe it's just out of touch with the youth these days, that I'd never heard of several of the sites listed for music services, upcoming concerts, or music retailers. I feel shamed for listing my meager sources for finding new music: the nin.com/forums, lollapalooza.com/forums, and for my guilty pleasure dance/pop trash, perezhilton.com. Yeah. I know. But I do plan on trying to redeem myself by checking out these other sites. I'm constantly looking for new music to listen to for the 6.5 minutes it takes me to get to work so if any readers out there have suggestions, please pass them along.
True to his word, upon completion of the novel-length survey, there are two download options for a video filmed at Red Rocks. One of these days I have to catch a show there. It just looks like such an awesome venue.
This video backs up "1,000,000" as my official choice in the Favorite Live Song category. Whether it's being played live or just cranked in the car, this song really gets me pumped up and rearing to go. I'm assuming Trent feels the same way judging from the foot stamping and the I-can't-contain-myself jog he does at about the 1:04 mark. But the synchronized rocking Robin and Justin do immediately after is slightly distracting. First the skipping and now this...do these guys do everything in tandem?
As for Trent's other suggestion that there might be some other cool token of appreciation for those who fill out this survey...well...I'm not going to hold my breath or update my vaccination record for the "date with Jeordie White" prize. While I admire Trent's good intentions, I have a feeling this will go the way of the Ghosts Film Festival. He is a busy guy after all so it's forgivable. Still, I would recommend taking 15 minutes out of your day to fill this out, if for no other reason than it would, in a trickle down method, help support the label-free cause Trent is rallying for.
And if you haven't checked out the new NIN.com then get on it. There are loads of new features including new ways to listen to NIN, forums, profiles, and chat rooms (where band members occasionally show up) . Oh my!
I know, I know. I'm late but I've finally finished working through all that was captured at Lollapalooza this year and have rounded out the individual photo galleries for the PlacesParallelPhotobucket. Several of the pictures are still frames from video while recording the large side stage screens so I apologize for the less than stellar quality but I still think they're worth a looksie.
In other news today, Nine Inch Nails released rehearsal footage of "1,000,000". You can watch the original, larger screen version on NIN.com.
This has totally got me all pumped up again about the summer tour. With all that has been released in this past year from Trent and also including the other 5 hours of behind the scene's footage of "Closer" the NIN world is a little over-saturated right now. Too many things to try an absorb which ends up putting me off. Hence the lack of NIN related posts lately. But this video is great. They sound like they're going to be pretty damned good together. There towards the end it sounds like they might need a bit more work but hey, if you add a hell of a lot of volume and some flashing lights at the show, I'd never notice. Besides, as it's been discussed here many times, live always sounds a bit different so I'm not really complaining. They still seem to be giving it 110% and come August this show is going to be fantastic!
I'm so glad to see Finch back in his place as guitarist and I'm THRILLED he shaved off his goat beard. Still not sure what's going on with the rest of his hair but Finck has always rocked the freak look well. Sideshow Bob...err...the other new guy, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, looks as though he's fitting in. Would you believe me if I told you that guy is actually 39?! Anyone out there know the story of what happened with Richard Fownes?
If you haven't ordered it yet and are interested I believe you still have time to get "The Slip" with DVD. I pre-ordered mine the other day because, well, I pick things up and I am a collector. But now I'm actually really excited to watch it. The flood waters are finally receding here so the Post Man had better deliver!
Edit: They have now added "Letting You" rehearsal video to NIN.com and holy shit this is FANTASTIC! I wasn't too sold on this one on the album but they rock the shit out of it in the video!
More on all this later...time for work. Hopefully they'll have another video up by the time I get home for lunch.
Edit 2.0: We have "Echoplex". At least it sounds better live.
Two more videos to go. Wonder what we'll get. I can haz "Discipline"?
Wow. May is gone and I have no idea where the time went. Seems we're always busy these days. Work has gone into overload, I have some new video games that need to be played, books to be read, and oh yeah...the weather has been gorgeous lately which is great because we've had a ton of yard work to do. The grass doesn't cut itself or so we overheard our neighbors muttering when peering in our overgrown backyard. Whatevs. But I've had a few minutes here and there to look about online for news and entertainment.
For instance in NIN-related news, there was a link that briefly popped up giving us a sneak peek at a new messageboard similar to what was on the Spiral but which seems to still be in the testing phase. Sometimes the link works, sometimes it doesn't. If it's not working you can check out a screen capture I got of Rob fooling around. Let's hope for the ladies sake he's joking about the 2.5 inches. I also received an email tipping me off to a fan made "Lights in the Sky" video that is equal parts creepy and hysterical...well the parts where Trent is singing anyway. The rest is pretty bland.
I also found out Shirley Manson will break into the acting world with a regular role on Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" TV series. The show is pretty craptacular but I'm hoping my girl can bring something to it to make it bearable. I'm just wondering what the Fox execs are going to do with her Scottish accent. I love her to death but occasionally I have a hell of a time making out what shes saying. Although, really, I don't know that I'd want to hear her any other way. Shirley's been pretty quiet since Garbage went on hiatus in '05 but I did find this recent tidbit where she briefly mentions her solo album that is long overdue in my opinion.
While poking around on YouTube I became enthralled with this year's season of "Britain's Got Talent" and this kid named George Sampson who has a heartwarming back story and who, I just found out yesterday, won it all. The whole routine he did for the finals was fantastic and I love the song remix.
Sure, I've probably seen better dancers like this guy from "So You Think You Can Dance" who is 'effing insane but George is pretty damn good for only being 14. I love the second half when he's dancing in the rain. It just looks so amazing. I've got to figure out how to get that look on paper. Oh and his face at the end of his performance...he knows he hit it right on the money. What a great expression. I hope this kid goes far.
And finally, I'll leave you with this little video I happened across yesterday that has an awesome WTF-factor and also features Wil Wheaton aka "Mushy Shorts". Wil, even in a scruffy beard and a suit you're still adorable. -sigh- I'll pretend not to notice your lovely wife's appearance as the blond presenter in the background. Denial ain't just a river in Egypt.
Places Parallel is not responsible for any of the following songs that inevitably will get stuck in your head and play repeatedly throughout the day.
Ah...now that all that birthday jazz is out of the way I'd like to sit down and share my thoughts with you on the new NIN album "The Slip".
I've been absorbing it since it first became available to download directly from nin.com for free on May 5th. Although it was created in what seems to only be a few short weeks after the release of "Ghosts I-IV" it is an excellent album and I think it speaks volumes to the amount of talent Trent has as an artist to be able to crank something like this out so soon. Yes, I was very critical of "Echoplex" when it was first leaked on the interwebs and, while it will never be a favorite song, I see it has a definite place on this record and it has grown on me.
Now when it comes down to the music I could detach myself and play the hipster bitch role and rant about the shortcomings of this album but I cannot bring myself to it because at the end of the day I still absolutely fucking LOVE this.Trent eases us into things with “999,999”, which reminds me of “Pinion” in its slow build, and then we’re hit with a wall of noisy, almost retro feeling backbeats, dirty synths, and distorted guitars that Trent has consistently perfected from album to album and that continues to get your blood pumping, your teeth gritting, and your feet tapping.It’s non-stop from “1,000, 000” straight through to “Head Down”.The lyrics are typically dark in NIN fashion but the choruses are catchy and easily get stuck in your head (“Echoplex” included).
It should be no surprise to our regular readers that “Lights in the Sky” is my favorite song from this release but what shocked me is how it has taken the number one place of all time favorite NIN tracks, a short list that included "AATCHB" and "TDTWWA" and that I never expected to change."LitS" is unbelievably beautiful.It consists of just a piano, Trent’s voice which is barely a whisper at times, and some of the most haunting lyrics since, dare I say it, “Hurt”.Like other songs in the NIN catalog, “LitS” could be interpreted to be about the struggle with his own drug addiction and I suppose my take on it isn't far from that theory but I hear it as a continuation to “The Fragile”.Almost as if he’s reexamining that relationship after many years of neglect.Back then he was saying “I won’t let you fall apart” which was the most endearing thing considering he was barely in any condition to take care of himself let along hold someone else’s sanity together."She" may not have been perfect either but she was clearly some kind of rock for him and as long as she was okay he could be, too.Now, years later, he’s got his shit together but he finds that she has not survived the struggle of her own issues.He may have believed in her once but it was not enough to save her.It would seem at this point she is too far gone to bring back but he won’t leave her again.For better or worse, he’s there...
“watching you drown i'll follow you down and i am here right beside you the lights in the sky have finally arrived i am staying right beside you”
Call it projection if you will but you cannot deny this song was meant to break your heart.Goddamn, Trent, just Goddamn.
The transition from song to song on the last half of the record is sheer perfection. "LitS" melds flawlessly into "Corona Radiata" and then to"The Four of Us Are Dying". Although “Ghosts” was arranged the way it was for a purpose, I wish it could have done what “The Slip” accomplished here. Overall it is a well balanced album from lyrical to instrumental and I'm pleased to hear it finished off with something with a little bite to it in "Demon Seed". Too often Trent ends things with a soft song which while that technique is usually great and blows your mind, it's nice have one that leaves you wanting more music and not just a dark corner to hide in.
Some have been speculating this is possibly "Year Zero: Part 2" and with the artwork released with the download it does seem there could be a puzzle to figure out.So far it is still unsolved if there is actually something there.I’m a bit skeptical that this is a continuation of the ARG.Something doesn’t feel right about it but we shall see if any “mysterious items” are found at the upcoming summer shows as happened last year when the game kicked off.I’ll leave the hunting up to other fans because I am NOT searching the port-a-potties for USB flash drives on Day 3 at Lollapalooza in August when NIN closes out the festival. A line must be drawn somewhere.
If you haven't downloaded "The Slip" yet you should get on it. Immediately! Have I mentioned it's FREE? From nin.com, Trent says:
"Thank you for your continued and loyal support over the years - this one's on me."
There are multiple options available for sound quality. There is a 216kpbs MP3 version available for immediate download which isn't too bad or Trent is also offering the higher quality versions as torrents and provides some links to a couple helpful "how to" guides for those who may not be familiar with the torrenting process. As a businessman you just have to use the technology that works and it's not exactly "illegal" if the artists himself is the one offering it up. Am I right? If you're curious about what it sounds like before you download you can check the whole album out here.
The best birthday present in the WORLD (a.k.a. Ghosts Ultra-Deluxe Limited Edition set) just arrived today and I squealed like a little girl when I saw it on the front porch at lunch! I have seriously not been able to quit grinning all. day. long. Sure some people may believe I blew $300 but this is the most beautiful thing I own right now. Seriously. When I first ordered it I had to find some way to justify the expense. I figured since Ghosts was an entirely instrumental album that there was no way they'd be touring with it sooo the money I normally would have spent on going to a show and never getting an autograph went to splurging on this little present to myself. And let me tell you, now that I have it in my hands, it was worth every fucking penny! AND, lucky me, NIN decided to play Lollapalooza this year which I was already planning on attending!
The package includes two high quality, fabric slipcases with metal NIN logos on the front and an attachment on the back listing the individual number. One slipcase contains three books: the album artwork (autographed!), two Giclee prints, and the 4 discs that include the album, the multi-tracks, and a Blu-ray disc (that I have yet to watch). The other slipcase contains the four vinyl albums. I've never owned a vinyl album in my life but I do now. Isn't it pretty? The artwork in the autographed book is basically the same as what was included in the .pdf filed embedded with the album download. The colors and quality though...wow...the images look like they could just pop right off the page. I didn't include any snapshots here because my camera skills would not do them justice but believe me they are gorgeous! You can check out the other pictures I took here. And, yes, I photographed each step of the unwrapping process like a total fangirl but I say if you can't be a fangirl over something like this then when can you, eh?
There have been hints in the recent song releases that something was going to happen and to check back on NIN.com on May 5th. The day is here and apparently we get a whole nother album available for free download! I'm getting my copy now hopefully before the servers crash.
So another new NIN single has hit the internets, this time via their official Facebook account. I present to you:
Echoplex
Trent goes on and on and on throughout this ditty how his "voice just echoes off these walls." You know why your voice just echoes off the walls? Hmm? If this song is any indication, it's because you've got nothing left old man and the room that used to hold inspiration for amazing music is EMPTY! And that place, a.k.a. this song, you built from broken parts is exactly that. A song you built out of older, better ones. Is that the whirling noise from "Wish" at about the 2:15 mark? Then there's the piano tinkering thrown in. We get it. Those couple bars of piano are lovely but you're even wearing me out with it already and I'm a piano junkie. Even the guitar (bass? I'm terrible with identifying instruments) towards the end sounds VERY familiar...can't quiet place my finger on where yet but it strikes me as March of the Pigs but slowed down slightly. Maybe. Maybe not. Either way the whole thing just seems like a bad patchwork quilt of old and borrowed sounds.
The only thing "new" to this latest release is the drumbeat but even that isn't original. Just new to the NIN realm. Most others will recognize it as the prerecorded sound bite that comes programed on all keyboards. I believe it's Funky Beat #107 if I'm not mistaken.
I appreciated the seemingly straightforward lyrics of "Discipline" and I'm not saying the lyrics for "Echoplex" aren't honest, it's just that I don't know that I like the direction you're going here. Are you trying to tell us that you're going to be fading away into obscurity and won't be making music anymore because, as I deciphered earlier from the lyrics, you're inspirationally drained? Or is it that you're calling yourself out that all your new songs are echoes of previous works? Can someone help me out here?
Okay, so I may be a bit cranky in this assessment but I stand by my opinion that this song is not working for me in the least little bit. I really want to like it but...um...no. Sorry Mr. Reznor, can we please try this again.
It's Robin Finck! And according to nin.com he's back in the NIN lineup. Hooray! Robin's looking good despite being with GnR for the past few years, although the beard makes him look a bit like a mountain goat.
Back in Jan of '05 Trent had this to say about Finck and his **cough, cough, shoddy, cough** replacement:
"Alessandro fit in immediately, but we looked all over for the right guitarist. In retrospect, I believe we were looking for someone to fill Robin's [Finck] shoes. When Aaron walked through the door, he pissed on Robin's shoes and kicked them out the door where they belong — effectively closing a chapter. A great chapter, but one that is in the past. This is a new entity that feels very fresh and vital."
I don't think I'm the only one who is glad that Trent is reopening this chapter. It will be interesting to see what Finck brings to the table after being away for almost 8 years. And I'm happy to say that we should be able to see him in action at Lolla this year. Only one more day until the official lineup release but this leak from the Sun-Times looks promising.
**EDIT** This year's Lolla confirmation straight from the horse's mouth.
Also announced via the NIN YouTube profile is new band member Rich Fownes who will be taking over the position of bass man. Eerily, he kind of even looks like Jeordie but maybe just a younger version.
I think I'll just refer to him as Jeordie 2.0 from here on out. After briefly skimming his myspace account it seems he has a thing for John Candy and has been plucked fromThe Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, a gothic rock psychobilly band. The jury is still out on whether or not he'll be a more of less irritating presence than Aaron North. By all means, I hope Jeordie 2.0 brings a little debauchery to the band but I'll be disappointed if he just turns out to be another flying monkey boy like Aaron.
Okay, so Iris is all whining that Maise has deserted this place and with a whole new peachy keen NIN record in four parts that need IMMEDIATE ATTENTION and blah, blah, blah, and I’ve been railroaded into taking some time out of my already crazy busy schedule to do a review of the third movement of NIN’s Ghosts. So, as I routinely say to my boss, There ARE 24 hours in a day (why not use ‘em all?), and I set out to give it a listen and see what’s what. I’m even giving my thoughts in real time, so this review is also innovative.
This had better be good.
Reznor has something of a history of disappointing me lately.
Ghosts III – 19
First of all, I’m not digging on the numbering system. I guess when you’ve got to turn something out as quickly as this, you don’t have time to: A. Come up with lyrics; B. Come up with song titles; C. Wait for the packaging ideas to come to you, so you just release it real cheap as a download.
Soundtracky.
Is this song ever going to get off the ground? I haven’t got all day. I can’t sit around and paint pictures with my mind AND make videos for this stuff for you, Trent. I already have a job. What happened to the artist being responsible for the art?
Ghosts III – 20
I guess it’s cool that Reznor is such a fan of recycling that it includes not just plastics and newspapers, but past songs of his. “Closer”, anyone?
This song is, like, begging for lyrics. Reznor is neglecting his own material.
Feels like a long intro to something else.
I like what it morphs into in the second half; more organic, less of the ball-less industrial-lite of the first half.
The outro with piano sounds a lot like the softer parts of [With Teeth]. He must be sucking Al Gore’s dick with all of this recycling going on.
Ghosts III – 21
Does nothing for me. Other than to make me think of Fields Of Gaffney’s “Xylophone.” So I guess that means he’s recycling other people’s stuff, too.
Ghosts III – 22
Is that a didgeridoo?
Trent does lite-jazz!
I like the drum sound, though the actual drum riff sounds, shall we say, “familiar.”
Ghosts III – 23
Finally, something that I can sink my teeth into, and that references NIN’s back catalog without sounding mired in it.
Love the distortion. Finally.
Okay, two thirds of the way through this song, and where is this going? Anywhere?
Ghosts III – 24
Okay, something else that is starting out promising.
Totally hearing the Human League influence in the keyboards.
I think club DJs could get a lot of mileage out of this one.
Well, part the underlying guitar line is reminiscent of Cheech & Chong’s “Earache My Eye”—can’t wait for that lawsuit!
I guess I would like listening to this stuff while doing yoga, or going for a walk or something. Except that I hate walking, and haven’t done a single yoga pose in three years.
This sounds, overall, like nothing more than more thought out than average demos, which seems to prove my point that this is why TR chose to release it as a download. It’s expensive to release a multi-disc “work” (and believe me, ladies and germs, I’m using the term “work” loosely), and there would probably be a backlash from people who felt ripped off. And well they should. But if you get a few dozen songs for five bucks, that makes it a little harder to complain.
In all honesty people, I don’t want it to be the case, but I think Trent is running out of ideas. Every song on here either sounds like something that he has already done or something that someone else has done. I’m not stupid enough to not realize that there aren’t really any original thoughts left in music, and it’s all about how people interpret their influences, but this is kinda like stealing Aunt Linda’s Famous Apple Pie recipe and passing it off as your own, just charging $1.50 a slice instead of $4.25. Just cause it’s a bargain and not total crap doesn’t make it good.
You know, if I wanted to carry the apple pie analogy a little further, this is not only like stealing the recipe and trying to pass it off as your own (…cough…Rachel Ray…ahem…cough…), it’s like also saying, “Well, you know, I thought maybe what you apple pie fans should do is go out and make your own ice cream to go on top of this pie. You can have a slice now, and eat it without anything on top of it, OR you can take the slice—did I mention it’s only $1.50 and that you can get it right through your computer?—and set it aside while you go to the store and get the cream, vanilla and rock salt, churn the ice cream, wait for it to set up, then scoop it out yourself and put it next to the pie I made. In fact, I’m going to have an ice cream making contest to see who comes up with the most interesting ice cream to go alongside my pie. So get churnin’!”
Yeah, it’s kind of A LOT like that.
Thanks for nothing, Reznor.
I’m sticking with GAFFNEY.
About the author: JR is known by many as the “hardest working woman in (non-profit) show biz,” a title that—along with herself—she takes very seriously. You can read more about her exploits and preferences at JR.”
