A few years back Tom Morello put together a new band called sTreet Sweeper Social Club. They were pretty decent. I saw them open for Nine Inch Nails twice. During one of their tour stops in San Diego Trent joined them on stage for a rendition of the MC5’s classic “Kick Out The Jams.” Check it out!
By: Brian Lacy
Plain and simple, Nine Inch Nails live, is a beast. Whether it is on their albums or live show, they are very hard to top. Last night I had the pleasure of attending what is now my thirteenth Nine Inch Nails show. And they did not disappoint me. Watching Trent Reznor and his band on stage is hypnotizing. More on Nine Inch Nails in a moment.
Starting off the show was Cold Cave. Fronted by Wesley Eisold, former vocalist of the hardcore group Give Up The Ghost (originally named American Nightmare). Their music is as though Joy Division and Disintegration era The Cure had a child. Its mix of new wave and synth pop is infectious, and the perfect type of group to open the show. Though their set was only 25 minutes, they brought a ton of energy and personality. They are one band I’d really enjoy seeing at a small club.
Next up was Soundgarden. I’ve been waiting years to see them live. Maybe my expectations were too high, but Soundgarden was boring and had no energy. Their set list was a short hodgepodge of songs from Louder Than Love, Bad Motor Finger, Superunknown and their latest (and hugely disappointing) King Animal. The only person on stage that had any energy or passion in their playing was Matt Chamberlain (Matt Cameron is too busy with Pearl Jam). The highlight of their set was when they played “Fell On Black Days,” but even that lacked anything. Chris Cornell seems like he can’t sing anymore. Musically the band still rocks, but they are boring as hell. Kim Thayill looked like a statue all night. Ben Sheppard had some moves but you could tell he was winded by the 5th song. It’s a real shame, because they were once so good. Now they are barely a shell of what they once were.
The main event of the night of course was Nine Inch Nails. Their stage set up and visuals were stunning. Though only having about an hour and a half, the set list blazed through much of their classics as well as some new gems. When Trent came out on stage alone kicking things off with “Copy of A” from Hesitation Marks, the roar of the crowd was astonishing. Joining him on stage were Robin Finck (guitar), Ilan Rubin (drums) and Alessandro Cortini (synths). The light walls that backed the band for the first few songs really draw in the attention of the crowd. By the fifth song “March Of The Pigs” everyone in attendance was on their feet and singing along in unison. The sea of hands and fists in the air was awesome. There are certain Nine Inch Nails songs that really get me beyond excited, so when they played “Gave Up,” “Eraser,” “Terrible Lie,” “Wish” and “The Great Destroyer,” I could feel my vocal cords hating me from singing so loud. Though their set was only an hour and a half, they were unrelenting and made sure that everyone in the crowd got their moneys worth.
Even with Soundgarden being a bummer, it was a great night. the combination of Nine Inch Nails, my fiance and a couple great friends made this a memorable show. Trent and company never let you down. If you have never seen Nine Inch Nails live, I suggest you pony up some bucks and see them. You won’t regret the money you spent.
Nine Inch Nails Setlist:
1. Copy Of A
2. Sanctified
3. Came Back Haunted
4. 1,000,000
5. March Of The Pigs
6. Piggy
7. Terrible Lie
8. Closer
9. Gave Up
10. Disappointed
11. Find My Way
12. The Great Destoyer
13. Eraser
14. Wish
15. The Hand That Feeds
16. Head Like A Hole
Encore:
17. Hurt
Soundgarden Setlist:
1. Searching With My Good Eye Closed
2. Spoonman
3. Gun
4. Outshined
5. Jesus Christ Pose
6. The Day I Tried To Live
7. My Wave
8. Fell On Black Days
9. A Thousand Days Before
10. Rusty Cage
11. Black Hole Sun
12. Beyond The Wheel
Photos by: Alisa Diaz and her phone
By: Brian Lacy
There are certain albums in every bands catalog that get overlooked. Most people when they talk about Pantera talk about Vulgar Display of Power and Far Beyond Driven. In 1996, amongst a lot of band tension, Pantera was able to put together their most brutal and honest album The Great Southern Trendkill. This album is known for relentless screaming throughout the album most notably on “Suicide Note Pt.II.” Also featured on the album are some of the fastest tempos and most down-tuned guitars that the band ever recorded. It also has a more experimental nature to its songs, such as the acoustic guitar and keyboard-laden “Suicide Note Pt. I”, the long breakdowns in the middle or near the end of songs like “Suicide Note Pt. II”, “Sandblasted Skin”, “Drag The Waters” and “War Nerve”. Some of the more intricate vocals that Philip Anselmo has doen can be heard on songs such as “Suicide Note Pt. II”, “The Underground In America”, “Sandblasted Skin”, “War Nerve” and “Living Through Me (Hell’s Wrath)”. A very interesting fact about the making of Trendkill was that Phil Anselmo recorded the vocals for this release in Trent Reznor’s studio in New Orleans, while the rest of the band stayed in Dallas to work on their parts. Of all the albums Pantera released, this one is by far my favorite. The lyrics go beyond just the normal anger. Topics such as hate for the media (“War Nerve”), suicide (“Suicide Note”), drug abuse (“10’s”, “Living Through Me (Hell’s Wrath)”) the end of the world (“Floods”), trends (“The Great Southern Trendkill”, “Sandblasted Skin”) and teenage taboo on life (“The Underground In America”) are all brought up.
1996 saw the release of Metallica’s Load, Sepultura’s Roots, Rage Against The Machine’s Evil Empire, and Korn’s Life Is Peachy. The Great Southern Trendkill stood out amongst all the other metal bands releases of 96. with the exception of Neurosis’s Through Silver and Blood. Do yourself a favor and take another listen to The Great Southern Trendkill and you’ll have a totally different appreciation for it!
The Great Southern Treadkill:
By: Brian Lacy
I present to you the album rank of my all time favorite band… Nine Inch Nails!
Note: These are just the “ALBUMS” not the REMIX ALBUMS.
10) Ghosts:
09) The Slip:
08) Not The Actual Events:
07) Hesitation Marks:
06) Year Zero:
05) With Teeth:
04) Pretty Hate Machine:
03) Broken:
02) The Downward Spiral:
01) The Fragile:
The early 90’s were a great time for bands. There seemed to be a huge creative explosion. Albums had substance, grit and provoked raw emotion. I could talk about certain bands all day like Nine Inch Nails and Alice In Chains who embodied such traits. One band that came out in this era and had all that in their debut album and that was Filter. The band was formed when Richard Patrick left Nine Inch Nails just before the recording of The Downward Spiral, and formed a new project with Brian Liesegang. Their debut album Short Bus combined industrial and hard rock. The live band was rounded out by Geno Lenardo, Frank Cavanagh, and Matt Walker. Short Bus has now gone on to sell over 1 million albums thanks to the success of “Hey Man Nice Shot.”
Kicking things off is “Hey Man Nice Shot.” This song is great, it has that quiet bass rumble start then explodes with force and Richard Patrick’s signature scream. “Dose” continues with the powerful riffs and heaviness and adds bits of melody. “Under” has a scratchy guitar intro that blends perfectly into a sort of industrial/dance beat. Lyrically and vocally it’s heavy without compromising the melody. “Spent” is another song that has the quiet to loud structure dialed in. “Take Another” uses the distorted bass line to really get the song going before getting to grit of Richard’s vocal delivery. “Stuck In Here” is a stripped down song that shows the true vulnerability of the group. It’s subtle in the way it pushes the albums direction as well. “It’s Over” follows the outro of “Stuck In Here” to a building verse then when the chorus comes, it opens up in a louder realm. “Gerbil” is solid heavy rock track. “White Like That” has a great intro leading into Richard’s voice then goes into subtle chorus. “Consider This” is another track that could almost foreshadow what would ultimately be their sound on the next album. Ending the album is “So Cool.” This song really slows things down and brings the album to an end with it’s string arrangement.
Short Bus is an album that often gets overlooked just like the band. The sheer creativity and artistic expression is vert prevalent on this album. Sadly, when their second album “Title Of Record” came out and “Take A Picture” exploded on the radio, it seemed that Filter had lost what they once were. Luckily as time went on, they brought back elements of Short Bus into their albums. Especially on The Inevitable Relapse and their newest album The Sun Comes Out Tonight. Filter is and has been a great live band and solid songwriters. Richard Patrick has one of the most unique voices in the rock genre. This band deserves their due. Take a listen back to Short Bus and you’ll see what I mean.
Short Bus:
By: Brian Lacy
Somehow through all the trials and tribulations of life Trent Reznor was able to create amazing albums. Coming off a 5 year hiatus after the release of the highly influential and masterful album The Downward Spiral, Trent finally released The Fragile. While The Downward Spiral had heavily distorted instruments and dark industrial sounds. The Fragile relished in lush soundscapes electronic wizardry, ambient noise, heavy rock guitars, and vocal harmonies. The end result is uncompromising. The way Trent was able to capture the sheer torment and agony thorough his music and lyrics was beyond untouchable.
Each of the sides seems to represent something unique to the inner workings of Trent. The first disc (aka The Left), is easily the more accessible part of the album. Starting with “Somewhat Damaged” which communicates the state of mind/concept that this album is about. “The Day The World Went Away” really delivers. The ambience plays perfectly into the distorted guitars. The segue “The Frail” is a beautiful precursor to the wreckage that is “The Wretched” which is wonderfully angry. “We’re In This Together” is vulnerable and delicate while being able to still hold onto the rage inside of Trent. “The Fragile” is a love song of sorts or a plea to the one who is the apple of his eye. The instrumental “Just Like You Imagined” is a gem on it’s own. The vibe this song puts out is driving and near inspirational. “Even Deeper” gets more involved lyrically and exposes more of Trent. “Pilgrimage” is another segue that leads us deeper down the tunnel and away from the light. “No, You Don’t” picks up where “Pilgrimage” ended and explodes with heaviness. “La Mer” is a song that Trent said he wrote when he was in such a dark place. There is something about that song the way it blends perfectly into “The Great Below” which closes out the left side beautifully. This song also acts as the end of a chapter.
The right side (disc 2) starts with “The Way Out Is Through.” In a way this song is the further descent into a personal hell. “Into The Void” deals with more of the personal issues, with a heavier vibe. “Where Is Everybody?” has a really cool deconstructed electronic beat that creates a really nice tension throughout the song. “The Mark Has Been Made” is another instrumental/segue that takes us further down the rabbit hole. “Please” has more of an industrial edge to it. “Star Fuckers Inc.” is just a really nice “Fuck You” to all those that irritated and got under the skin of Trent. The guitar tracks on this song are full of heavy goodness. “Complication” takes a step towards the more industrial dance laced beats. It kind of foreshadows where his music is heading. “I’m Looking Forward To Joining You, Finally” is a solemn song, as it exposes his want to say goodbye permanently. “The Big Come Down” furthers his not light at the end concept. Musically this is a very unique song filled with melody. “Underneath It All” is a gritty song which keeps the deconstruction alive. Ending the album is “Ripe (With Decay)” this instrumental plays like the close of a life or chapter. There is something special about this song, in that all the quiet sounds and stark instrumentation really helps to sum up all the songs.
The Fragile to me is a marvelous album that can’t be touched. I’d dare even put it above The Downward Spiral. Both are so unique and perfect it’s hard to pick just one. I guess it all depends on ones mood. Trent Reznor is a musical genius. His ability to delve deep and create something so real is inspiring. It’s not easy to create 1 masterpiece. Trent was able to do it twice.
By: Brian Lacy
Concept albums are very unique and at times take a long time to fully understand. Listening to select songs doesn’t give you the full effect. And a lot of the time the story that accompanies the album is very convoluted. Though there are many cases when the above statements don’t apply. Pink Floyd, The Who and more recently Mastodon and Nine Inch Nails have been able to create epic concept albums that can stand on their own or as separate entities. In 2007, Nine Inch Nails released Year Zero.
“The Year Zero story takes place in the United States in the year 2022. The United States has suffered several major terrorist attacks, and in response the government has seized absolute control on the country and reverted to a Christian fundamentalist theocracy. The government maintains control of the populace through institutions such as the Bureau Of Morality as well as increased surveillance and the secret drugging of tap water with a mild sedative. In response to the increasing oppression of the government, several corporate, government, and subversive websites were transported back in time to the present by a group of scientists working clandestinely against the authoritarian government. The websites-from-the-future were sent to the year 2007 to warn the American people of the impending dystopian future and to prevent it from ever forming in the first place.”
So with that all mind one would think that this is just a mess, but in fact it’s the complete opposite. Trent never misses a step with creating this apocalyptic epic. This album was also the next step in Trent’s revitalized state of mind and musical odyssey. There are a lot of uses of noise, static, and strange yet amazing distortion. Certain songs stand out amongst the album as a whole such as “The Beginning Of The End,” “Survivalism,” “In This Twilight,” “The Great Destroyer,” and “My Violent Heart.” Furthermore there was something else about this album, was that it opened up the visual aspect even more than before. Since Trent has described Year Zero as a soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t even exist, it’s not hard to let your imagination take you off on quite a little trip.
Year Zero is not The Downward Spiral or The Fragile, but it is one of the most artistic and well thought out releases that Nine Inch Nails have ever released. One other strange thing about this album, was that touring for this album was not very prevalent. The people at Interscope records really dropped the ball on handling the marketing and promotion for this album, hence why it never got the due it deserved. So give yourself some time and delve back into Year Zero and see for yourself what you might have missed.
Year Zero:
By: Brian Lacy
I’m not a fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s at all but this version of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” is fantastic. The arrangement from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as the visuals from the opening sequence of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo make this great.
It’s amazing to hear lyrics so haunting embody someone else. The words of Ian Curtis, really strike at the heart with many people especially Trent Reznor. You can tell why Joy Division is such an influence on Nine Inch Nails.
The first video/song is The Perfect Drug. Never released on a studio album it was however released on the soundtrack for the film Lost Highway and as a single. The video is one of the best Nine Inch Nails videos ever and the song is wonderful. Trent has never played the song live. There is something haunting and beautiful about the words and how Mark Romanek used them to create such a vivid intricate story in the video.
Into The Void is the second pick in the 2 for Tuesday. Directed by Walter Stern and Jeff Richter, the clip gets literally beneath the surface of Trent Reznor and shows how imperfect he is. The song itself tells the listener that no matter what he does to bring himself back up it all slips away. Into The Void was featured on the masterpiece The Fragile (I will write about this wonderful album soon).
Enjoy 2 For Tuesday!
By: Brian Lacy
