Nine Inch Nails is by far my favorite group that plays electronic music. I should not even say Nine Inch Nails, because really it is just one guy. Trent Reznor is Nine Inch Nails, meaning that he writes and records all the music and vocals. He only gets a band together when he performs live or any other special occasions. Nine Inch Nails has drawn the line on how far you can go with electronic music. Going from the drum sets, vocals, bass, guitars, and other sound effects, there is lots of electronics moving through his songs. It is hard to say whom he inspires due to his unique sound. I am sure many bands take ideas from him, and certain groups like Marilyn Manson would not even be around if it was not for Nine Inch Nails. Even David Bowie has learned some stuff from Nine Inch Nails. They created a song together called “I’m Afraid Of Americans,” and if you have not heard it (or watched the music video), you should do so after reading this blog. The songs Head Like A Hole, Wish, Closer, The Perfect Drug, and so many more are classic songs and when you hear them, you know the words and who it is. Let us not forget about the song Hurt, (which people argue was the returning cover song for Johnny Cash) which many people know the song and many bands cover. Creating many albums, going on tours, and free stems for downloading are many ways Nine Inch Nails is heard around the world. Trent Reznor also just co-wrote (with Atticus Ross) the score to Social Network in which won many awards including an oscar. Using all kinds of synthesizers and keyboards, vocal effects, and guitar, Trent Reznor mixes the blends so that nothing stands out.
I have followed Nine Inch Nails for some time now. I really enjoy the music, and I like how Trent Reznor does it. I have seen him perform live once, and it was amazing how he is capable of moving from one keyboard to another keyboard and guitar to keep the songs in tact and your attention. Trent Reznor has shown that there are no limits when it comes to MIDI and is definitely someone who inspires me.
Here is the link for the music video of "I'm Afraid of Americans" by David Bowie and Nine Inch Nails: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slKNd22GGaQ
References:
Biography of Nine Inch Nails bio, history, career, evolution, music. (n.d.). Nine Inch Nails - Lyrics, songs, Biography, Discography, Interviews, Picture Gallery. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from http://nineinchnailsweb.yaia.com/biography.html
Huey, S. (n.d.). Nine Inch Nails Biography - Yahoo! Music. Yahoo! Music - Internet Radio, Music Videos, Artists, Music News, Interviews and Performances. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from http://new.music.yahoo.com/nine-inch-nails/biography/
Nine Inch Nails Bio. (n.d.). Angelfire: Welcome to Angelfire. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from http://www.angelfire.com/wy/rockrap/ninbio.html
Nine Inch Nails - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (n.d.). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved March 21, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Inch_Nails
