Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. The band's live performances contrast with its in-studio counterpart; although Reznor is in complete creative control of Nine Inch Nails in-studio, he typically assembles groups of backing musicians to interpret songs for live performances. The current lineup features Reznor and keyboardist Atticus Ross (an official member since 2016 and session contributor since 2004), alongside touring members guitarist Robin Finck (who first joined in 1994), bassist Alessandro Cortini (who first joined in 2005), and drummer Ilan Rubin (who first joined in 2008). Although band members typically have a defined main role, many of them are multi-instrumentalists during performances. [a] [b]
Nine Inch Nails was founded by multi-instrumentalist Trent Reznor in 1988. The band's first tour was in support of Skinny Puppy that same year. The band's initial lineup included Reznor on vocals and guitar, Chris Vrenna on keyboards, programming, and percussion, and Ron Musarra on drums. [1] These shows were not very well received and Nine Inch Nails departed after only a handful of dates. [2] For the next tour, which started in late 1989, Musarra was replaced on drums by Vrenna, and the lineup was expanded with guitarist Richard Patrick and a new keyboardist. The first keyboardist was designer Gary Talpas, though he was soon replaced by Nick Rushe, and then by David Haymes in January 1990. [3] Lee Mars replaced Haymes on keyboards later on in 1990. [4]
Vrenna departed halfway through a tour in 1990, [5] and he was replaced by Jeff Ward. [6] For the 1991 Lollapalooza tour, the band was joined by James Woolley, replacing Mars on keyboards. [7] Vrenna returned on drums in 1992, and in 1994 for the Self Destruct Tour, Danny Lohner and Robin Finck joined as bassist and guitarist respectively (although both members handled other instruments as well). [8] Charlie Clouser also replaced Woolley as keyboardist by December 1994. [9] Kevin McMahon eventually replaced Finck as guitarist for a handful of dates in 1996.
For nearly three years, the band was restricted to the studio, until 1999's Fragility Tour. At that point, Vrenna departed for a final time and Jerome Dillon joined as his replacement on drums. [10] The band was also rejoined by Finck on guitar. Afterwards, Nine Inch Nails didn't play live until 2005 when they embarked on the Live: With Teeth Tour. The lineup featured Reznor and Dillon, in addition to new members Aaron North on guitar, Jeordie White on bass, and Alessandro Cortini on keyboards. During the band's first arena tour in the US, Dillon was forced to retire due to a medical condition, [11] and he was briefly replaced by Josh Freese, and then by Alex Carapetis. [12] Freese later returned as the band's permanent drummer in 2005. [13] After the tour for the Year Zero album concluded in 2007, both White and North departed.
For the Lights in the Sky Tour in 2008, the band was rejoined by Finck on guitar and Rich Fownes on bass; [14] however, Fownes was replaced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen before the tour began. [15] Freese departed at the end of a North American tour in 2008, [13] and he was replaced by drummer Ilan Rubin. [16] Cortini departed later in 2008, and his position was not replaced; thus, Nine Inch Nails remained as a four-piece ensemble (the first time since 1991). [17] Following the conclusion of the tour in 2009, the band entered an extended hiatus. [18]
Nine Inch Nails returned to a live setting in 2013, [19] announcing a tour for 2013 with new members Eric Avery (bass), Adrian Belew (guitar), and Josh Eustis (keyboards/guitar). Rubin and Cortini also returned on drums and keyboards respectively. [20] Before the tour commenced, both Avery and Belew departed due to various reasons. [21] [22] They were replaced by Eustis moving onto bass and former member Finck returning on guitar. [23] In 2013 the lineup was expanded to include bassist Pino Palladino and backing vocalists Lisa Fischer and Sharlotte Gibson. [24] With eight members total, the live band featured the most amount of members since the band's formation.
The lineup dropped back to four members in 2014 with Reznor, Finck, Cortini, and Rubin embarking on a world tour. [25] [26] This lineup continued until studio collaborator Atticus Ross joined Reznor as an official member of the group in 2016. Due to Ross's inclusion as keyboardist, Cortini transitioned into primarily playing bass and guitar. [27] The lineup of Reznor, Finck, Cortini, Rubin, and Ross has stayed the same since 2016; thus, it's the longest amount of time the lineup has remained stable since the band's formation. [28] [29] [30]
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Trent Reznor [c] | 1988–present |
| all Nine Inch Nails releases | |
Atticus Ross [d] | 2004–present (official member since 2016) |
| all Nine Inch Nails releases since With Teeth (2005) |
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Robin Finck [e] |
|
| Live-release contributions:
| |
Alessandro Cortini [f] |
|
| Live-release contributions:
| |
Ilan Rubin [g] |
|
| Live-release contributions:
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Chris Vrenna [h] |
|
| Live-release contributions:
| |
Ron Musarra [i] | 1988 | drums | Closure (1997) | |
Richard Patrick [j] |
|
| Release contributions:
| |
Gary Talpas [k] | 1989 | keyboards | none | |
Nick Rushe [l] | Closure (1997) | |||
David Haymes [m] | 1990 | none | ||
Lee Mars [n] | 1990–1991 | |||
Jeff Ward [o] | 1990–1991 (died 1993) | drums | Closure (1997) | |
James Woolley [p] | 1991–1994 (died 2016) |
| Live-release contributions:
| |
Danny Lohner [q] |
|
| Live-release contributions:
| |
Charlie Clouser [r] |
|
| Live-release contributions:
| |
Kevin McMahon [s] | 1996 |
| none | |
Jerome Dillon [t] | 1999–2005 |
| Live-release contributions:
| |
Jeordie White [u] | 2005–2007 |
| Release contributions:
| |
Aaron North [v] |
| |||
Josh Freese [w] |
|
| Live-release contributions:
Music video appearances: "Survivalism" (2007) | |
Alex Carapetis [x] | 2005 | drums | none | |
Justin Meldal-Johnsen [y] | 2008–2009 |
|
| |
Josh Eustis [z] | 2013 |
| ||
Pino Palladino [aa] | bass |
| ||
Lisa Fischer [ab] | backing vocals | none | ||
Sharlotte Gibson [ac] |
|
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Martin Atkins | 1991 (see notes) [ad] | drums | Release contributions:
Music video appearances: "Head Like a Hole" (1990) | |
Keith Hillebrandt |
|
|
| |
Dave Ogilvie | 1997–1999 (see notes) [af] |
|
| |
Rich Fownes | 2008 (see notes) [ag] | bass | none | |
Eric Avery |
| |||
Adrian Belew | 2013 (see notes) [ai] |
|
|
Period | Members | Studio Releases | Tour legs and live releases |
---|---|---|---|
October – December 1988 |
|
| |
January – September 1989 |
| none – rehearsals and promos only | |
October 1989 |
|
|
|
November – December 1989 |
| ||
January – April 1990 |
| ||
May – August 1990 |
| ||
August 1990 – February 1991 |
| ||
February – September 1991 |
| ||
September 1991 – February 1992 |
| none – rehearsals and promos only | |
February 1992 – September 1993 |
|
| |
September – December 1993 |
| ||
December 1993 – March 1994 |
| ||
March – December 1994 |
|
|
|
December 1994 – July 1996 |
| ||
July – September 1996 |
|
| |
September 1996 – September 1997 |
| none – rehearsals and promos only | |
September 1997 – March 1999 |
| ||
March 1999 – July 1999 |
| ||
July 1999 – September 2000 |
|
|
|
September 2000 – December 2001 |
| none – rehearsals and promos only | |
December 2001 – 2003 |
| ||
2003 – March 2005 |
| ||
March – October 2005 |
|
|
|
October – December 2005 |
|
| |
December 2005 – September 2007; (also briefly in October 2005) |
|
|
|
September 2007 – January 2008 |
| none – rehearsals and promos only | |
January – June 2008 |
|
| |
June – December 2008 |
|
| |
December 2008 – September 2009 |
|
| |
September 2009 – March 2013 |
|
| none – rehearsals and promos only |
March 2013 – September 2013 |
|
| |
September – December 2013 |
|
| |
December 2013 – October 2016 |
| ||
October 2016 – present |
|
|
|
Nine Inch Nails, commonly abbreviated as NIN, stylized as NIИ, is an American industrial rock band formed in Cleveland in 1988. Its members are the singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Trent Reznor and his frequent collaborator, Atticus Ross. Reznor was previously the only permanent member of the band until Reznor made Ross an official member in 2016. The band's debut album, Pretty Hate Machine (1989), was released via TVT Records. After disagreeing with TVT about how to promote the album, the band signed with Interscope Records and released the EP Broken (1992). The following albums, The Downward Spiral (1994) and The Fragile (1999), were released to critical acclaim and commercial success.
And All That Could Have Been is a double album by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released on January 22, 2002, by Nothing and Interscope Records. The live album contains music recorded during the Fragility v2.0 US tour in 2000. Disc one is a live album of most of the band's normal set list of the time, while disc two contains a studio album titled Still, containing "deconstructed" versions of previous Nine Inch Nails songs and some new material. The double DVD set, sold separately, includes video recordings of the songs performed on the CD, as well as additional song performances and footage from the tour.
The Fragile is the third studio album by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released as a double album by Nothing Records and Interscope Records on September 21, 1999. It was produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and the English producer Alan Moulder, a longtime Reznor collaborator. It was recorded throughout 1997 to 1999 in New Orleans.
"March of the Pigs" is a song by American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from their second studio album, The Downward Spiral (1994). It was released on February 25, 1994 as the album's lead single.
Robert John "Robin" Finck is an American guitarist. Finck is the longest-serving touring musician for Nine Inch Nails, performing with the band from 1994 to 2000, and returning in 2008. With Nine Inch Nails, Finck contributed studio performances on The Slip (2008).
With Teeth is the fourth studio album by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released by Nothing Records and Interscope Records on May 3, 2005. The album was produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and long-time collaborator Alan Moulder. It also features contributions from musician Dave Grohl and future band member Atticus Ross.
Chris Vrenna is an American musician, producer, engineer, remixer, programmer, and founder of the electronic band Tweaker. Vrenna played drums for the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from 1988 until 1996, and was the keyboardist and drummer of the American rock band Marilyn Manson from 2004 until late 2011.
Tapeworm was an American side project of Nine Inch Nails which existed in various forms from 1995 to roughly 2004. Tapeworm never released any recordings, but was frequently referenced in interviews. The band started as a side-project between Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and live-band members Danny Lohner and Charlie Clouser. Through the years the group expanded and evolved numerous times to include artists such as Maynard James Keenan, Atticus Ross, and Alan Moulder, effectively turning the project into a supergroup. After many years of rumors and expected release dates, Reznor announced the end of the project in 2004.
Daniel Patrick Lohner, frequently known as Renholdër, is an American musician and record producer best known for his work with Nine Inch Nails and A Perfect Circle. In 2020, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Nine Inch Nails.
Charles Alexander Clouser is an American keyboardist, composer, record producer, and remixer. He worked with Trent Reznor for Nine Inch Nails from 1994 to 2000, and is a composer for film and television; among his credits are the score for the Saw franchise and American Horror Story. Clouser was nominated for two Grammy Awards for Best Metal Performance in 1997.
Alessandro Cortini is an Italian musician best known for his work with the American industrial band Nine Inch Nails. He plays modular synthesizers, keyboards, guitar, and bass guitar.
James Joseph Woolley was an American keyboard and synthesizer player, best known for performing with industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails from 1991 to 1994, participating in the Pretty Hate Machine Tour Series and the Self Destruct Tour. Woolley appeared in the band's music videos for "Wish" and "March of the Pigs", and the video album Closure. Together with Nine Inch Nails, Woolley won a Grammy Award in 1996 for "Best Metal Performance" for their Woodstock '94 performance of "Happiness in Slavery".
Nine Inch Nails, an American industrial rock band fronted by Trent Reznor, has toured all over the world since its creation in 1988. While Reznor—the only official member until adding Atticus Ross in 2016—controls its creative and musical direction in the studio, the touring band performs different arrangements of the songs. In addition to regular concerts, the band has performed in both supporting and headlining roles at festivals such as Woodstock '94, Lollapalooza 1991 and 2008, and many other one-off performances including the MTV Video Music Awards. Prior to their 2013 tour, the band had played 938 gigs.
The Slip is the seventh studio album by the American industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, released on May 5, 2008, digitally on the Nine Inch Nails website, and on CD on July 22 by The Null Corporation. It was their second release in 2008, following their sixth album Ghosts I–IV, released two months prior. The album was produced by frontman Trent Reznor with collaborators Atticus Ross and Alan Moulder.
The Self Destruct Tour was a concert tour in support of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails' album The Downward Spiral, which took place in early 1994, running until mid-1996, and was broken into eight legs.
The Fragility Tour was a concert tour in support of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails' The Fragile album, which took place in late 1999, running until mid-2000, and was broken into two major legs, Fragility v1.0 and Fragility v2.0 respectively. Destinations included Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and North America.
Two months before the release of their fifth full-length album, Year Zero, industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails began a new tour, officially called Performance 2007. The tour initially started off as a 'best-of' tour but later transformed into a direct Year Zero support tour.
Another Version of the Truth was an independently released live concert video documenting Nine Inch Nails' 2008 Lights in the Sky tour made available throughout late 2009/early 2010 on Blu-ray, DVD, and various other online formats. Another Version of the Truth is also the title of an instrumental track on Nine Inch Nails' 2007 album Year zero. The video is a 3-disc set bringing together numerous editors, designers, and web programmers to create a professional digital film, followed by a physical release created "by fans for fans".
The Twenty Thirteen Tour was a concert tour by industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails to support the album Hesitation Marks. It marked the return of the band for live performances after a four-year touring hiatus. It began on July 26, 2013, and ended on August 30, 2014.