We’ve been wondering what projects the relentlessly productive Trent Reznor would be diving into this year, and that question was finally answered, among several others, in a candid interview Friday evening that was broadcast on Livestream for fans.
Speaking on New York Times’ TimesTalks session, Trent discussed the origin of his symbiotic relationship with musical partner Atticus Ross, as well as how the two got together with director David Fincher to score the film The Social Network. The Nine Inch Nails nucleus expressed appreciation for how rewarding the experience was, citing that it was a “natural step forward” in his career, creating a musical atmosphere that has nothing to do with himself. He also took the moment to announce that he is, in fact, scoring David Fincher’s next film, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, set for release this December.
For the GWTDT soundtrack, Reznor explained, he took a different approach, focusing mostly on a more natural feel, that “nothing would be programmed” and we’ll get to hear “his limited skills at stringed instruments.”
Reznor also finally revealed the plan behind the deluxe edition of The Fragile, a project that was mentioned over a year ago without much visible progress. Alan Moulder, who originally produced the record, is currently restoring the original multitracks of the album for a 5.1 surround mix rerelease of it, sometime this year. Trent expanded on how The Fragile has aged in a somewhat unusual manner, since, at the time of its release, “it felt like no one liked the album,” but now “it feels like it’s everyone’s favorite.”
Fans also learned that a full-length How To Destroy Angels album is due this year as well. Reznor’s musical partnership with Mariqueen Maandig (his wife) and Atticus Ross will be much more “beat and rhythm-oriented” than TSN’s score, and that it will sound very different from the EP the group released last year. As for the first release from the band Reznor says he’s “proud of it, but it feels like the first things we’ve done,” and that it was merely “the results of a couple of months of experimentation and tinkering.”
The end of Nine Inch Nails as a live act was discussed as well: “Will I tour again? Certainly. Will Nine Inch Nails play shows again? I’m not saying it’s out of the question…” though he was quick to point out “there is no tour booked.”
The floor was then opened for audience questions, andTrent was asked about the songs he recorded with Zack De La Rocha after Rage Against The Machine’s initial demise. In a moment of deadpan comedy Trent sighed, looked at the camera and said “Zack, are you watching?”, later explaining that the material the duo worked on “was in the middle of ‘I can’t do this, it sounds too much like Rage / I can’t do that, it doesn’t sound enough like what they expect me to do,’” furthermore adding that there are a few good tracks lying around, but they’ll likely never see the light of day.
Trent mentioned, among other responses, that NIN “still owe Interscope a greatest hits bullshit of some sort,” and that he’s spending considerable time sifting through footage of the band’s final tour for a release. Finally, Reznor was asked if he would ever work with Marilyn Manson again, to which he hastily responded “yes, I’m open to whatever;” and secondly, whether or not the would-be supergroup better known as the Tapeworm project would ever see the light of day. In Trent’s opinion, Tapeworm never sounded quite good enough, as he was “spinning my own wheels at the time,” and it’s better off left in the past.
Trent then returned to the Manson question, stating that his former protege “is a talented person” and that “we’ve had our problems, but I’m an adult now… I wear suits,” with a smirk on his face.
Looks like 2011 is about to get fantastic.
