I sat al

one in t

he MTS C

entre,

Section

228, row

5, seat 11,

practica

lly in t

he “nose

-bleed”

section.

I had t

ravelled

600 km

to Winni

peg, Man

itoba f

or the

night of

Novembe

r 14, 20

05. I

held tig

ht to my

plastic

bag of

expensiv

e merchand

ise, anti

ci-

pating,

waiting

patientl

y for

the time

to arri

ve. Fina

lly, the

lights b

egan to

dim, and

a fa-

miliar “

Pinion”

began to

play.

Suddenly

, I was

no longe

r alone,

I was on

e of the

8,000 s

creaming

voices.

For the

very firs

t time,

I saw hi

m live.

The man

who is

Nine Inc

h Nails:

Trent R

eznor.

How did

it build

up to t

his?

An Essay on Pop Culture IconTrent Reznor

Pamela Lucian

Pop Culture Wed 3–6

Professor Reeves Medaglia-

Miller, Ph. D

November 2007

I sat alone in the MTS Centre, Section 228, row 5, seat 11, practically in the “nose-bleed” section. I had travelled 600 km to Winnipeg, Manitoba for the night of November 14, 2005. I held tight to my plastic bag of expensive merchandise, anticipating, waiting patiently for the time to arrive. Finally, the lights began to dim, and a familiar “Pinion” began to play. Suddenly, I was no longer alone, I was one of the 8,000 screaming voices. For the very first time, I saw him live. The man who is Nine Inch Nails: Trent Reznor. How did it build up to this?

Pop icon, and the man who is behind Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor, once the poster child for dark isolation, depression, and “self destruction” has become a symbol of fighting the corporation and becoming a better person, for himself, and for the rest of the world.

For clarity, the usage of the names or titles: ‘Trent Reznor’, ‘Reznor’, and/or ‘Nine Inch Nails’ will represent one and the same person.

During this essay, I will talk about Trent Reznor’s background, how he has become a pop culture phenomenon, what he means to the public through the use of semiotics and other means, and what he means to all perceivers. I will also be talking about how the words “Nine Inch Nails” can sell just about anything to devoted fans. Finally, I will briefly discuss how Nine Inch Nails has made an impact on my personal life.

““Howdid it build up

““tothis?

““toPamela Lucian Pop Culture Wed 3–6 Professor Reeves Medaglia-Miller, Ph. D November 2007

amplified

Born 1965 in the very small town of Mercer, Pensylvania, Michael Trent Reznor was raised by his grandparents. When Reznor was five, he took musical lessons, particular-ly in classical Piano and proved to have a knack for music. Eventually, as Reznor got older, he felt there was no room for growth in Mercer and moved to Cleveland to look for something more in his life. With dreams of becoming a musician, he joined several different pop bands before breaking free and becoming what we know today as Nine Inch Nails. (Wikipedia)

As I have mentioned before, Trent Reznor has grown from the paranoid, self destruct-ing alcoholic to a very sober, profit-like advocate for the planet, but in this section, we will break down the image of Nine Inch Nails and what it means on several different levels.

When we apply semiotics to Nine Inch Nails, the first level, the signifier, shows us a single humanoid entity making strange noises.

The second level signifies to us: Hey! That’s Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails! And he’s singing!

In the third level of semiotics Trent Reznor is communicating with lyrics and music different ideas, values, self worths, and warnings. On the other hand, to someone else, he might communicate paranoia and anxiety.

However, as far as the fourth level of semiotics goes, politically he acts as an advocate against animal cruelty. He also represents a war against contract deals and greedy music labels, government neglect.

When I compare Reznor to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs I see some major recent changes. In June, 2005, Trent Reznor came to terms with himself and admitted he had an addiction. His self decline began when he was “thrust into this role of being successful” and suddenly all his “fears became amplifed.” (Stillman 66)

So after being bounced around the Maslowj’s Hierarchy of needs, Reznor finds himself moving back towards the peak. He self esteem is repaired, he is confident of the choices he is making and will continue to make, and recently has become a spokesperson for PETA, warning people about the cruelty of cat and dog fur sales in China. (“PETA TV”) Reznor does his best to claw his way to the top of the pyramid and even goes as far as saying: “I’m not saying I can change the world, but now I feel like it’s my duty as a human to try and do something.” (Gill 90-91)

One another note (pardon the pun) we can also use Maslows Hierarchy of Needs and apply them to the lyrical value of Nine Inch Nails music. I find that Reznor’s lyrics often mention security, love and belonging, self

esteem and ego issues. What is most confusing about this is the application of Maslow’s to Reznor’s “With Teeth” (2005) album:

• Reznor’s lyrics state that love is unattainable for some (why do you get all the love in the world?),

• belonging to a group can become confining and you can lose your beliefs and become bitter about it (You’re keeping in step in the line/ Got your chin held high and you feel just fine/ Cause you do what you’re told /But inside your heart it is black and it’s hollow and it’s cold),

• fitting into a group isn’t as important as you think it is (Less concerned about fitting into the world/Your world that is/Cause it doesn’t really matter anymore),

• and then proceeds to say (There is no you/there is only me) is that a touch of Ego talking?

““fears became

amplified

Second, McLuha

n would

continue to t

ell us that Ni

ne

Inch Nails i

s an extensi

on

of human fee

lings and ou

r

ability to v

oice them. F

or

those of us

who are too

shy

or too afrai

d to say alo

ud

how unhappy

or scared on

e

may be, by

simply putti

ng

in a NIne In

ch Nails alb

um

into your

CD player and

turning the v

olume to 11,

it

is expressin

g to the wor

ld,

and more par

ticularly yo

ur

neighbours,

how pissed o

ff

you are at t

he condition

of

the world.

In the eyes

of the

perceivers,

someone who

is

into against

animal crue

lty

may say, “wh

at a kind a

nd

caring person

!” Some one

who is deepl

y religous m

ay

say, “He is blasph

emous!

And anti-r

eligion!”

A

patriot from

Texas may s

ay,

“He is anti-

american and

a

terrorist.”

A psyciatri

st

may say, “He’s

a moody,

manic depress

ive with issue

s

he has to resolve.” A parent might say, “He is damaging my child’s behaviour with his scary, paranoid, and violent music” Musicians may think “Wow! What a musical genius!” A record corporation may say, “What an arrogant prick. Now how are we going to make money?”

Speaking of making money, Alan Cross said it best, “For the longest time, the fastest and most sure-fire way to make your magazine move off the shelves was to put one particular guy on the front. Every time this dude made the cover, his rep, mystique and sheer popularity created the equivalent of a ‘Lady Di Ate My Baby’ headline. And it didn’t even matter if he had a new album or tour. Any old excuse would do, that’s how much interest he generated.” (“Ongoing History of New Music “)

This doesn’t stop at magazines, Nine Inch Nails’ music “The Art of Self Destruction, Part 1” has been used to sell Levi’s Jeans. (Cross 125-126)

I have also personally heard his music on television programs like “CSI”, and countless movies such as “Lost Highway (1997),” “Natural Born Killers (1994),” and “Final Destination (2000).” If I find an soundtrack with a Nine Inch Nails song on it that isn’t found on any of his albums, I am sold! And usually, I end up buying the video too. I am such a sucker.

A quick trip to Ebay.com or Ebay.ca will also reveal how anyone with a button machine can make a few bucks simply by creating a series of Nine Inch Nails related buttons. Once again, I am such a sucker.

What? Huh? Confusing, if you ask me! The way I see it, I think Trent Reznor’s “hook” is the need of belonging. As crude as this may sound, Reznor asks us “Do you feel like shit? Feel like the world is kicking your ass? Has everyone you thought you could trust put a knife in your back? Join the club! So do I! let’s get though this together.” He let’s us know that many other people feel like this, and it’s ok. Next, he “hooks” us with the need for self-esteem and ego. He tells us we have to be different and we need to stand up for our own personal views and beliefs.

Let’s ask Marshall McLuhan what he thinks! How is the medium the message, Mr. McLuhan? First, I think McLuhan would say, “When Trent Reznor speaks, everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE stops and listens. Like how the television tells about all the bullshit that’s going on in the world, Reznor tells us the message. Trent Reznor IS the medium.” I bring up the example again, Reznor is a spokesperson for PETA, the fact that it is Reznor delivering the message makes people listen. If it were a generic, narrative voice, not too many people would take the time to listen.

not too many

people would take the time

to listen.

There is a silver lining to this big, ugly grey cloud: Trent Reznor has stated, ““We will put out one last album for Universal and after that we will sell albums directly to fans from our website at (say) $4 an album” (Music 2dot0 Exploring Chaos in Digital Music), but how can he do this? Isn’t he under contract? Well, as of 8 October 2007, Trent Reznor made the announcment on nin.com that after 18 very long years, he was how free of any recording contract with his label. (Reznor)

Way to go, Trent! It’s about God damn time.

Even though Nine Inch Nails has 24 album (or Halo) releases to date, only about 6 of them are actual albums, the rest are either remixes, singles, remasters, or videos. This can be frustrating for fans when it comes to “completing their collection”

One of the most rediculous examples of taking advantage of fans that I’ve heard of was the encounter Trent Reznor had at an HMV store in Sydney, where one of his albums that should have been around $19.99 was a whopping $34.99! What really makes this even more interesting is that later on, in Brisebane, Trent met with some “record label people and they said, “Basically it’s because we know you’ve got a core audience that’s gonna buy whatever we put out, so we can charge more for that. It’s the pop stuff we have to discount to get people to buy it. True fans will pay whatever”. Ah ha! There we go! The Corporation always looking out for their best interest...PROFIT! And once again, Reznor speaks to us with sarcasim: “So, I guess as a reward for being a “true fan” you get ripped off.”(Johnson) (Music 2dot0 Exploring Chaos in Digital Music)

If I find an soundtrack with a Nine Inch Nails song on it

that isn’t found on any of his albums, I am sold!

And usually, I end up buying the video too. I am such a sucker.

WORKS CITED:

Cross, Alan. Over the Edge. Scarborough, ON: Prentice Hall Canada, 1997.

Gill, James. “Man of the Year.” Revolver June 2007: 88-91.

Johnson, Neala. “Q & A with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.” Herald Sun May 17, 2007 10 Nov 2007 <http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21741980- 5006024,00.html.>.

Reznor, Trent. “Big News.” [Weblog nin blog archive] nov 8. 10 Nov 2007 <http://nin-blogs.wordpress.com/2007/10/08/big-news/>.

Stillman, Brian. “Tooth & Nail.” Revolver June 2005: 58-66.

“Trent Reznor.” Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 14 November 2007. Wikimedia Foun-dation Inc.. 18 Nov 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_reznor>.

“Trent Reznor - China Dog and Cat Fur Farm Investigation.” PETA TV, Animal Rights Television. 18 Nov 2007. PETA. 18 Nov 2007 <http://www.petatv.com/tvpopup/video.asp? video=trent_fur&Player=wm>.

“Trent Reznor gives Rip-off Avoidance, Download & Share advice to fans.” Music 2dot0 Exploring Chaos in Digital Music. 11 Sept 2007. Music 2dot0 Exploring Chaos in Digi-tal Music. 18 Nov 2007 <http://www.music2dot0.com/archives/36>.

“Trent Reznor & Nine Inch Nails Part 1 .” Trent Reznor & Nine Inch Nails. Ongoing History of New Music . Alan Cross. 102.1 the Edge CFNYFM, Toronto. 08 May 2005.

All photographic images do not belong to the author of this essay. All photographs have been used without the permission of their original owners.

Personally, Nine Inch Nails has clearly made an impact on my life. Some people say that whatever music you are listening to is the soundtrack of your life, and I cer-tainly believe this. When I was in highschool, and The Downward Spiral (1994) was released, I was going through changes in my life. This particular “soundtrack” ran along side of the feelings I had of breaking down and rebelling without hesitation. When I heard for the first time, “Something I Can Never Have” from the Pretty Hate

Machine (1989) album, I realized that there were just some infatuations that you just can’t get over. But ultimately, when With Teeth (2005) was released, I discov-ered first hand that may-be it is possible to lose who you really are when you submit to the hu-man need for belonging, and “Bite the Hand that Feeds” explained to me that sometimes you have to say “No” to someone and move on to become the person you were always meant to be. I’ve always felt a special connec-tion to the lyrics, as though they were written only for me and I’m sure a million other people think this way too.

Trent Reznor has been a big tool for the music industry during almost all of his musical ca-reer, and he knows it. The fans know it. The public knows it. It’s horrible to say, but I believe he owes most of his popularity to this. His ranting over how the music industry has treated him unfairly has shown us that he is not stupid, and in a way, we want to see what he will do next because of it. He was a supressed volcano who had hit rock bottom, and his anger inspired us to not fall victim to our-selves and to others. He has shown the people that it is possible to break away from chains. He has shown us that it was the fans who made

him who he is today, and now he is doing things in the best interest of the fans, as opposed to the industry who is do-ing things for the bot-tom line. And now he is showing us the im-portance of making the world a better place. Trent Reznor will con-tinue to maintain his pop culture icon image, even long after he is dead, as the guy who stuck it to the indus-try and made his fans top priority. I can’t wait to see what he will do next!

whatever music you are listening to

is the soundtrack of your life

Designed and written by Pamela Lucian