NIN20 Pt. 4: With Teeth & the Unexpected Comeback Sep 24 '09 (Updated Sep 27 '09)    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Music Jersey Boys [Original Broadway Cast Recording] by Original Broadway Cast From $8 Mai by Eri Sugai From $4 The Bottom Line NIN Returns with a Bang While Trent Reznor Faces Betrayal & Redemption. Part IV: The Resurrection of NIN, Tapeworm, & With Teeth (2002-2006) After the release of the DVD/live CD project And All That Could Have Been along with the accompanying Still EP. Nine Inch Nails ended another period for the band. One of which nearly killed its mastermind Trent Reznor as he relapsed into an abyss of substance abuse until a near-fatal overdose before a show in London in the summer of 2000 almost killed him. After going to rehab in the summer of 2001, Reznor reemerged a changed man. Sober and focusing to get his life back in order, Reznor decided to put NIN on hold in order to work on several projects that weren't anything NIN. NIN by 2002, had now become a casualty of sorts of the 90s alternative rock scene that had morphed into another fad that came and went with few survivors as NIN barely survived the onslaught of teen-pop and rap-metal in the past few years. Among the projects Reznor worked on following the completion of And All That Could Have Been, Reznor decided to embark on a role as a producer focusing on records for other artists. One project that Reznor worked on heavily was the third studio release for the Nothing Records act 12 Rounds. Serving as a producer for the dark, electronic duo that featured vocalist Claudia Sarne and guitarist/programmer Atticus Ross. Reznor spent time working on the record while befriending Ross in the process as he invited him to join the Tapeworm side project. Another project Reznor worked on in 2002 was developing tracks for a solo album by former Rage Against the Machine vocalist Zach de la Rocha. Yet, Tapeworm became the main focus of Reznor's time away from NIN as he along with Atticus Ross decided to go work on the project full-time with longtime NIN associate Danny Lohner and Tool's Maynard James Keenan. With additional help from producer Alan Moulder and Keenan's A Perfect Circle drummer Josh Freese. The project began to take shape in 2002 as they worked on tracks in New Orleans at Nothing Studios and in Atlanta at Southern Tracks Studios. By early 2003, reports that the record was set to go in the mixing stage by Moulder doing final mix but issues suddenly prevented the project to be grounded to a halt. Since both Reznor and Keenan were affiliated to different record labels, there were legal issues over what label will release the project as it became an ongoing problem. At the same time, creative differences over what direction the record could go into as some personnel wanted something for mainstream radio with others wanting to go into a more experimental direction. Other issues involved Maynard James Keenan's devotion to other projects, notably A Perfect Circle that Freese was also involved in as Danny Lohner was helping out in making the band's second album. All of these issues forced Reznor's enthusiasm for the project to wane where by 2004, the project was declared dead with one song originally called Vacant came out as A Perfect Circle song called Passive for the band's 2004 album Emotive. The failure of the Tapeworm side project was just part of a series of projects Reznor couldn't finish during his hiatus from NIN. The 12 Rounds album Reznor was working on was completed but Interscope chose not to release it until 2009 when the band obtained the rights and masters to the album and released a song that Reznor co-produced. Another project Reznor worked with Ross at around 2003 was a solo record for former Cult vocalist Ian Astbury that eventually never got off the ground. The solo album Reznor worked on with Zach de la Rocha also never came to fruition as de la Rocha felt he wasn't ready to be a solo artist though a song called We Want It All was released as part of a film soundtrack for Michael Moore's 2004 film Fahrenheit 9/11. Reznor was also asked by Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly to create score pieces for his 2006 film Southland Tales with electronic artist Moby where Reznor was slated to be involved but ended up dropping out of the project. Despite the failures of the projects Reznor had worked on from 2002 and 2003, Reznor did get some things done by working on as a producer and songwriter for the Canadian outfit Jakalope that featured Dave "Rave" Ogilvie. Reznor also remixed a song for Peter Gabriel for his single Growing Up in 2003. Then in the summer of 2002, Reznor got a call from Rick Rubin who was producing album for country music legend Johnny Cash. Rubin asked Reznor if Cash can do a cover of the song Hurt for Cash's album American IV: The Man Comes Around. Though a lyric of Reznor's original song was changed for Cash's, Reznor was pleased with the final result of the song. Then came the music video directed by Mark Romanek, who also directed the videos for NIN's Closer and The Perfect Drug. The music video was a montage of Cash's life in the past as the frail-looking legend with his wife June Carter Cash looking on as the song became an unexpected hit for the music legend. Cash's version of Hurt became such a smash as was its video that both Reznor and Cash gained accolades for the song. Reznor was gaining attention once again as a songwriter as he made rare appearances in interviews about the song and Cash's version while the video would win several awards. Sadly, it would Cash's last major hit where on September 12, 2003, the music legend died just less than four months after his beloved wife June Carter Cash had passed away. The song took a new meaning as did the video where it was considered to be an epitaph for Johnny Cash as Reznor won an award for Songwriter of the Year by the Americana Music Association. Despite all of that acclaim, Reznor should've been happy at this time but something else happened that would not just shake the foundation of his career. It was also reveal how his past substance abuse would play a role into this new world of trouble. Reznor's longtime manager John Malm, Jr. revealed news about Reznor's financial situation that shocked Reznor about his own wealth. Realizing he didn't have as much money as he thought he had. Things got worse when Malm wanted more money for his services that was worth more than Reznor could pay him. Learning about some mistakes from the contracts he made with Malm, the relationship between manager and artist was finally destroyed as Reznor felt betrayed by the man who had helped build his career only to take advantage of him when he was at his most vulnerable. Reznor blamed himself for his own situations as in late 2003, Reznor and Malm parted ways as the two sued each other over finances. With Reznor refusing to talk to Malm, this battle would go on for two years as Reznor was about to restart NIN all over again for a new album. Now sober and with no projects to work on, it was time to work on a new NIN album. Helping Reznor with the album is longtime collaborator and producer Alan Moulder plus live drummer Jerome Dillon, NIN engineer Leo Herrera, and new NIN collaborator Atticus Ross. Not returning to the NIN camp is Danny Lohner who amicably left the band to forge what was becoming a busy yet successful career as a producer while working on other projects including the Damning Well with then-former Limp Bizkit guitarist Wes Borland. Also providing some involvement for the record as a mentor is Rick Rubin who would give Trent advice on what to do with the songwriter process. The project was then called bleedthrough which was meant to be a concept album. Yet, during the making of the record. Reznor had a hard time trying to get things going again. Though he was starting to gain confidence in his writing, the eventual concept for bleedthrough was scrapped though pictures of the recording of the new album was shown through the band's website as it was resurrected following a hiatus period. Fans kept looking on for pictures and such but things within Reznor's deteriorated relationship with Malm forced plans to be changed. With a new idea for the album along with some input from Interscope. Reznor got help from Oasis guitarist Gem Archer on the production along with up-and-coming producer Rich Costey on mixing. At the same time, Reznor decided it was time for a change of scenery as he had been cooped up in New Orleans for nearly 10 years. Finally getting new management from industry veteran Jim Guerinot of the Rebel Waltz management company. In the fall of 2004, Reznor decided to move to Los Angeles for good as he parted ways with Nothing Studios and selling his house in New Orleans that eventually became the new home for actor John Goodman. In Los Angeles at a new home and a new home studio he created. Reznor invited Dave Grohl to the sessions. Grohl, who had gained fame as the drummer for Nirvana and later forming the Foo Fighters, contributed several drum tracks to the album as a friendship with the two had been built. Now more focused than ever on the new record, other things involving Malm was starting to fall apart. Among them was the end of Nothing Records. The label that Reznor and Malm created once signing to Interscope had been inactive for the past several years. With bands dropped and recordings unreleased with the exception of Marilyn Manson. The label wasn't going on anywhere where in 2000, the label signed the famed alternative band The The where an album was released but issues with the band and Interscope brought trouble. The The was let go as interest for the label from Reznor's part had waned that by 2004, he left the label altogether as it finally became defunct. With the new album nearing completion in 2004 and set to go into post-production in early 2005. Reznor was ready to reassemble a new live band. With Jerome Dillon set to return to play drums for the tour, Reznor also called in a former NIN associates of sorts in Jeordie White. Known as Twiggy Ramirez in the Marilyn Manson band, White had left Manson in 2002 following a creative dispute as he had played with A Perfect Circle in 2003-2004 while doing his own projects including Goon Moon with Chris Goss. For the role of keyboardist, Reznor held auditions where he found an Italian musician in Alessandro Cortini who had formed a project with former Abandoned Pools guitarist Pelle Hillstrom called modwheelmood. Cortini surprised Reznor in what he could bring to the NIN sound as he was immediately hired to be the new keyboardist for the band as he also played guitar. Reznor also held auditions for a new live guitarist since Robin Finck was unavailable due to his commitment with Guns N' Roses. Reznor asked Wes Borland if he could join the band but politely declined to work on his own projects. Auditions continued as Reznor finally found his new live guitarist in Aaron North. A co-founder of the Buddyhead label and journalist website, North also played with the punk band The Icarus Line where he gained notoriety during a show where he broke a glass case where inside was a Fender Stratocaster that belonged to the late blues guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughn. North's freewheeling, punk-rock guitar playing style was very different to the more intricate, art-rock playing of Robin Finck. With the live band line-up complete and the album finished in early 2005, it was time for NIN to return once and for all. With the music climate once again different. Gone was rap-metal and teen-pop as boy bands were gone while ‘Nsync vocalist Justin Timberlake found solo success with help from the Neptunes and Timbaland. Pop princess Britney Spears was gaining more attention for her outrageous behavior than her music while rivals like Christina Aguilera and Mandy Moore moved on to other music styles with Moore attaining success as an actress. Another pop princess in Jessica Simpson became a reality TV star while the garage-rock revival scene of the early 2000s had fade away with only the White Stripes being the band to still gain attention critically and commercially. Emo was the new trend of the day as bands like Fall Out Boy and Dashboard Confessional were big with sappy rock songs. British rock acts like Coldplay and Keane were dominating the charts with endearing ballads. Hip-hop was bigger than ever the Black Eyed Peas stormed the charts as they went from alternative-rap to pop with the addition of vocalist Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson. Rock was still big thanks to bands as 90s acts like the Foo Fighters and Pearl Jam manage to stuck out with their sound while the Red Hot Chili Peppers had soften theirs to gain more mainstream attention. Though it seemed like Nine Inch Nails was in a climate that was extremely different at the time. Many wondered if there were still people that would listen to Nine Inch Nails. The album was then leaked on the Internet in early 2005 just before its official release on April 27, 2005. Though Reznor was displeased with the leak at first, the fact that people downloaded the album was a sign that there were still people who did care. In March, Interscope held listening parties in 13 U.S. cities for the album that featured a promotional 7" single for the new song The Hand That Feeds and a non-album B-side called Home. Shown at the parties was a retrospective clip that would eventually be available as a promotional DVD called Collected that later became part of a new NIN discography for promotional releases called seed. The single for The Hand That Feeds was released on the Internet through iTunes and Napster was released as it became an instant hit. The song marked the first time Reznor explored outside of his world as it was a song attacking the current U.S. administration under President George W. Bush. The physical single came out in April along with remixes and a video of the band performing the song in a studio. The song became a number one modern rock hit for five weeks while peaking at #31 in the Hot 100 singles charts. NIN went on a club tour in late March with the cabaret band the Dresden Dolls opening for them. The tour was an instant success as it helped the album upon its release debut at #1 in the album charts. The chart success was followed by a headlining appearance at the Coachella festival in Indio, California where Nine Inch Nails was the band to see as it was considered a major comeback performance for the band. Though the album was a commercial success eventually selling a million copies. Reception towards the records was good though mixed from both fans and critics. While fans were relieved that a new album had finally arrived after a six-year wait. Some felt that the record wasn't as innovative as previous albums while some complained over the lyrical content on some tracks which felt dramatic and such. Critics complained the same thing with some believing that Reznor's dramatic lyrical ideas were a little cliched. Those praising the album felt it was a return to form to more simpler ideas as everyone did agree that it was great to hear NIN all over again. Reznor later revealed that With Teeth was not one of his favorite albums though he was glad he got something out of that record. After a successful club tour in the U.S., the band went on a two-month tour all over Europe, Australia, and Japan were the success for the album continued. Even as NIN played two shows in London in mid-July, one was to make-up for the show the band didn't play five years earlier. Despite the tour's success, Reznor still had to deal with his ongoing problems with John Malm Jr. In May of 2005, Reznor and Malm squared off in a federal courthouse in New York City for two days. At the end of the month, the courts ruled in favor of Reznor as he gained control of the NIN name and brand plus all of the assets he was owed to an estimated total of $3 million. Now 40 years old and finally regaining control of his finances and business issues, Reznor was now becoming content again. After the international leg of the With Teeth tour ended, NIN took a break to rehearse in Los Angeles. In late August of 2005, one of the most devastating events in American history occurred when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans. Reznor, like many, saw New Orleans flooded as the home he had just left a year earlier was now in ruins. The days went on as a lack of response from the U.S. for New Orleans found Reznor angry over what happened. Invited by MTV and VH1 for a special concert to help fund those ruined by Hurricane Katrina. Reznor played a rare solo set with a piano on the song Hurt (with the lyrical change by Johnny Cash) and a new song called Non-Entity that was released as a MP3 file to help fund the American Red Cross. In early 2006, Reznor also became a part of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in a campaign against the Chinese fur industry while adopting a retired racing greyhound into his home along with other dog Daisy Mae. With NIN set to go on the road for their fall tour with Queens of the Stone Age and Autolux, the tour was filled with problems due to Jerome Dillon's heart condition. Two shows were cancelled as Dillon's health problem became a concern with Reznor seeking a replacement for Dillon. Josh Freese was asked to be a replacement but Freese was only available for a few shows. After Dillon's last gig on October 1, 2005 in Los Angeles at the Hollywood Bowl, Dillon officially left the NIN camp but with a surprising bitterness towards Reznor over his departure from NIN. Though former NIN keyboardist Charlie Clouser came to Reznor's defense, Reznor was hurt over Dillon's comments about the departure. After Freese's temporary fill-in, the band finally gained a replacement in Alex Carapetis. Carapetis was a professional drummer who had worked with several acts from his native Australia including pop artist Delta Goodrem. Though he was capable of bringing in what was needed for the live sound, reaction from fans were mixed as certain fills and notes were missing as there wasn't time to rehearse the songs fully. Still, the tour was successful along with the second single from the album Only whose video was directed by renowned filmmaker David Fincher was a hit as well as NIN gained another #1 modern rock single where they were competing with the Foo Fighters over the #1 modern rock slot. The single also featured multi-track files for fans to remix as NIN was giving away multi-track files for songs to remix as it helped broaden the Ninternet community. On October 29, 2005, NIN returned to New Orleans to play at the Voodoo Festival with several other acts. Joining NIN on stage for two songs was alternative rap artist Saul Williams. Williams had opened for NIN on some shows for the club tour as Williams befriended Reznor to the point that the two decided to work on an album together. NIN's return to New Orleans was a success as they helped raise money for funding over the Hurricane Katrina tragedy. NIN then went to South America for the very first time in their career playing two shows in Brazil and one at Buenos Aires, Argentina as it was clear that NIN has a large fan base all over the world. After returning from South America, Carapetis left the band in early December so that Josh Freese can join the band on a full-time basis. Freese's technical yet frenetic drumming style finally gave the live band the tightness it needed following Dillon's departure. After four shows including a show for Los Angeles KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas show, Freese helped the band give the energy they needed as 2005 ended on a high note for NIN. The NIN online community was growing as it included an exclusive fan club membership called Spiral, which allowed fans to see exclusive rehearsal video clips for the second leg of the North American tour. In February, the second leg of the With Teeth arena tour began as shows were filmed for another DVD project. With more elaborate staging including a curtain-like projection screen for some tracks, it was clear NIN was still becoming a viable touring band. The tour ended in early April as NIN scored another #1 modern rock hit with the song Every Day Is Exactly The Same that was accompanied by a remix EP of the same name. Featuring remixes by the DFA label, Photek, El-P, Richard X, and Interpol on the song plus its previous singles. The EP became a hit as the song topped the U.S. dance charts where it stayed on the charts for 94 weeks. With momentum gaining on NIN commercially and critically, the band decided to go on tour once again for North America. Joining them for the majority of the tour is the legendary Goth-rock band Bauhaus who had decided to reunite once again for another tour. The NIN-Bauhaus tour also featured two opening acts for different legs of the tour. For the first half of the tour, the post-punk TV on the Radio who was about to release their widely-acclaimed album Return to Cookie Mountain. For the second half, the electro-punk singer Peaches. Playing amphitheaters and small arenas, the tour was a massive success while Reznor and Bauhaus vocalist Peter Murphy, whom NIN had opened for back in 1990, decided to do something different on tour. For some radio sessions in Atlanta, Washington D.C., Boston, and Chicago, Reznor and Murphy played songs where they re-did NIN and Bauhaus tracks. For the Washington D.C. show, Reznor and Murphy invited TV on the Radio to play where they did TV on the Radio's Dreams plus Pere Ubu's Final Solution and Bauhaus' own Bela Lugosi's Dead. The third show in Boston featured Jeordie White and Atticus Ross meshing Reptile with Love & Rockets' (the post-Bauhaus project without Murphy) Haunted With The Damned, the Normals' Warm Leatherette, Murphy's own Strange Kind of Love, and Iggy Pop's Nightclubbing. The last performance in Chicago had Murphy with NIN doing Joy Division songs as the radio sessions became a popular bootleg called Where Darkness Doubles, Where Light Pours In with tracks from the 2000 acoustic Chicago session known as the CRC Sessions. During the tour, Reznor was becoming inspired into making new music. Working with just a laptop computer, Reznor was starting to flesh out ideas for a new record at a furious pace that he hadn't had done in years. When the tour ended in the late summer of 2006. Reznor returned to Los Angeles for a break while working on ideas for some new material. All of a sudden, he stumbled upon ideas that he didn't expect as during a radio interview in Chicago. He announced that he's making a new album which he hopes will come out soon as fans felt like it would be another few years for another album. On October 21 and 22 in Mountain View, California. Reznor made a surprise appearance at Neil Young's Bridge School Benefit concert as a solo artist. Backed by a string quartet, Reznor played stripped-down versions of NIN songs that had a deconstructed approach similar to Still but with no electronics. Reaction towards Reznor's performance was mixed but became a popular live bootleg among fans. In late 2006 as Reznor was finishing up a live DVD project for the With Teeth tour. Reznor released some surprising material during the Christmas holiday in 2006. Among them through Torrent sites, Reznor released a three-part compilation of material called The Definitive NIN that were part of the seed promo discography. The first part called The Singles chronicled NIN's singles from 1989-2006 while the second part Deep Cuts showcased fan-favorite album cuts and the third Quiet Tracks showcased NIN's quieter material plus experimental tracks. Around the same time, a Torrent site leaked material that turned out to be material for the Closure DVD that was set for a late 2004 release with extra features including a making-of segment on the Closer video, rare clips, other material left out of the VHS set. Instead, Interscope chose not to release the DVD indefinitely though some wondered who leaked the material from the Closure DVD set that included the making of Closer and The Perfect Drug plus rare footage. Also part of that leak was a remastered version of the Broken movie. While many believe that it was Trent Reznor was the man who leaked all of the material from the still-unreleased DVD. Reznor remained silent though in his website, he told fans to keep it a secret. By the end of 2006, Reznor had finally regained control of his career and life. Sober and with a new outlook on life. Reznor was becoming content at where things are going but at the same time. He starts to look outward where he notices that not everything with the world is right as he started work on another ambitious project that would break new rules for popular music and how it is promoted. In turn, Reznor would embark on his biggest battle yet where in the process. He would gain freedom and control over how he wanted to do things. At the same time, he would help lead the charge in a war against the music industry while putting NIN on hold again as he would finally embrace newfound happiness in his life. NIN Reviews: Pretty Hate Machine/Broken Era (1989-1992): halo 1 - halo 2 - halo 3 - halo 4 - halo 5 - halo 6 The Downward Spiral Era (1994-1997): halo 7 - halo 8 - halo 8 DE - halo 9 - halo 10 - halo 11 - halo 12 The Fragile Era (1999-2002): halo 13 - halo 14 - halo 15.1 - halo 15.2 - halo 15.3 - halo 16 - halo 17 DE - halo 17 DVD With Teeth/Year Zero Era: halo 18 - halo 19 - halo 20 - halo 21 - halo 22 - halo 23 - halo 24 - halo 25 Ghosts I-IV/The Slip Era (2008): halo 26 - halo 27 Soundtracks/Miscellaneous: The Crow - Natural Born Killers - Lost Highway - Nine Inch Nails: Self-Destruct - Tomb Raider - The Limitless Potential - Strobe Light - Metal Machine Music: Nine Inch Nails & the Industrial Uprise - Definitive NIN-Heavy Tracks Promos: seed 1 - seed 2 - seed 3 - seed 4 - seed 5 - seed 6 Live Shows: NIN/Bauhaus/TV on the Radio-6/7/06 Atlanta, GA Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheater - NIN/Deerhunter-8/13/08 Duluth, GA Gwinnett Arena - NIN/Jane's Addiction/Street Sweeper Social Club-5/10/09 Atlanta, GA Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheater Bootlegs: Purest Feeling - When the Whip Comes Down - Live Hate w/ David Bowie - Quake OST - The CRC Sessions - Where Darkness Doubles, Where Light Pours In - Bridge School Concerts NIN20: Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 5 20 NIN Favorites - The Beginner's Guide to NIN

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