Coming Down Fast
Originally published in Professor - Nailbomb - Stone on July 28, 1994
Trent Reznor is a man who likes to take a walk on the dark side of the human psyche. Somebody has to document the imminent collapse of society and nobody does it better than Trent. Its a dirty job but someones got to do it. With Nine Inch Nails, Trent is providing an ever changing soundtrack to armageddon. The mission began way back in 1988 when he spent the whole year balancing on the tightrope of insanity whilst trying to complete the debut album -Pretty Hate Machine-. Recorded at studios as far flung as London, Cleveland, Boston and New York the album broke new ground in electro-terrorism with only the mighty Ministry posing a threat to the crown upon its release in 1989. Spouting a brace of stunning singles and mind bending tour to hammer home the message, -Pretty Hate Machine- was going to have to wait for another three years for new members to the family to arrive.
Following a short period in 1991 spent blowing Guns 'N' Roses offstage and out of the stadium at various countries across Europe it was a return to studio action with the release of the eight track -Broken- project. The savage -Wish- set fire burning and soon proved that the debut album was no one-off fluke, Nine Inch Nails were stronger and harder than anyone could have ever imagined. -Broken- was quickly hunted down by a companion piecce in the shape of the radical re-mix exercise named -Fixed-. Similar packaging soon meant that unsuspecting punters were having their rafters shaken by a series of punishing re-mixes that bore little or no resembalence to the originals, a killer bit of subvertion that no doubt pissed off many casual buyers. As the man said -You get what you deserve-.
Its now 1994 and Trent Reznor has launched himself into the -Downward Spiral-, a word play on Helter Skelter and a tip of the hat to the events that shocked America in 1969 and drove a final nail into the coffin of the hippy dream of peace and love. Yes, my friends, we are talking about the rise and rise of the Dune Buggy Attack Battalion and the Death Valley days of Charles Manson and his wonderful family. Haven'ty a clue who or what I am talking about? Then what are You doing with a Nine Inch Nails release in your hands?
Check out your local bookstore my friends and mainline some serious American social history where you can witness for the first time the controller, not the killer, receive the life sentence. The Manson Family was, and will always be, the thorn in the side of America. In 1994 Nine Inch Nails are starting to have the same effect on the disintigrating music scene. Just when we thought all hope was lost, Mr. Self Destruct has arrived to free the son of Man.
Following a short period in 1991 spent blowing Guns 'N' Roses offstage and out of the stadium at various countries across Europe it was a return to studio action with the release of the eight track -Broken- project. The savage -Wish- set fire burning and soon proved that the debut album was no one-off fluke, Nine Inch Nails were stronger and harder than anyone could have ever imagined. -Broken- was quickly hunted down by a companion piecce in the shape of the radical re-mix exercise named -Fixed-. Similar packaging soon meant that unsuspecting punters were having their rafters shaken by a series of punishing re-mixes that bore little or no resembalence to the originals, a killer bit of subvertion that no doubt pissed off many casual buyers. As the man said -You get what you deserve-.
Its now 1994 and Trent Reznor has launched himself into the -Downward Spiral-, a word play on Helter Skelter and a tip of the hat to the events that shocked America in 1969 and drove a final nail into the coffin of the hippy dream of peace and love. Yes, my friends, we are talking about the rise and rise of the Dune Buggy Attack Battalion and the Death Valley days of Charles Manson and his wonderful family. Haven'ty a clue who or what I am talking about? Then what are You doing with a Nine Inch Nails release in your hands?
Check out your local bookstore my friends and mainline some serious American social history where you can witness for the first time the controller, not the killer, receive the life sentence. The Manson Family was, and will always be, the thorn in the side of America. In 1994 Nine Inch Nails are starting to have the same effect on the disintigrating music scene. Just when we thought all hope was lost, Mr. Self Destruct has arrived to free the son of Man.
Transcribed by Keith Duemling