nine inch nails - advice pls

culprit · 05 Apr 2011, 06:33

i've just watched the sky arts program on gary numan, and very good it was too. Trent Reznor was interviewed, the clips of him and NIN music seemed ok, and i'm sure i've heard the 'downward spiral' at some point in the past. My question is. . . As industrial metal/electro noise makers this is a band i should really like . . . Where should i start?

weebleswobble · 05 Apr 2011, 08:34

The start Pretty Hate Machine, follow their discography from there. It's not all great but every release has some real gems.

czuczu · 05 Apr 2011, 09:14

^ that!
and then:

The Downward Spiral
Broken
The Fragile

After that there are occasional good tracks but the quality control really tails off.

05 Apr 2011, 09:43

yeah. if you don't work through it in chronological order the progression of their sound doesn't really make sense.

im(v)ho:

pretty hate machine = fab
broken = pretty cool
fixed = experimental remix nonsense
The Downward Spiral = so-so
everything after that = below par

weebleswobble · 05 Apr 2011, 10:52

Quiff Boy wrote:yeah. if you don't work through it in chronological order the progression of their sound doesn't really make sense.

im(v)ho:

pretty hate machine = fab
broken = pretty cool
fixed = experimental remix nonsense
The Downward Spiral = so-so
everything after that = below par

I think that's what The Boss means

05 Apr 2011, 11:26

*cough*

thanks

circle · 05 Apr 2011, 11:42

Well, I have to totally disagree, all the proper albums are excellent, just avoid the remix albums (fixed, further down the spiral, etc).

05 Apr 2011, 12:48

Agree with the consensus re: PHM, Broken, Fixed, etc.

IMO Further Down The Spiral has some good moments... but the rest of the remix albums are pish.

The Fragile is about 45 minutes of decent songs and 90 minutes of filler. I've not really listened to any of his more recent stuff.

James Blast · 05 Apr 2011, 13:28

http://wordmagazine.co.uk/content/massi ... inch-nails

or just my bit, if that's what you're after -

Broken is where I started (Tower had it on a buy and return deal), I liked it, so got Fixed (which I now prefer).
Then The Downward Spiral came out which I found difficult and beautiful, I played 'A Warm Place' to death, the sweary stuff I found kinda crass and too Amerikan Rawkish. Ultimately the album made no sense to me until I went to see them on that tour at the Barrowlands. Then it all fell into place.
The Mum bought me The Fragile for Christmas the year it was released and I just didn't get it. Dunno, it was too dense too many ideas. Even thought of selling it but gave it to a work colleague who raved about it and returned to me instructing me to really listen to it. Two years later, it too fell into place and for my money is still the best thing he's done. I would urge you to seek out the DVD ... and all that could have been, that's NIN at the height of their powers. Year Zero passed me by as did their gig in Glasgow, even though I was there. An edited version of Ghosts is or was available from nin.com and some of his piano pieces are rather nice. In recent years I've managed to acquire a very nice sound & picture quality DVD of their 'Mudstock' appearance. A review copy could be on it's way to you, just ask.

I thought 'The Social Network' was crap and the music an after thought.

now I must go back to hating myself and wanting to die

czuczu · 05 Apr 2011, 15:46

I didn't like The Fragile first time round either. The tour was good but there was just so much of the album and it was so dense that I couldn't get my head round it.

Now, I rate it better than anything else he's done.

christophe · 05 Apr 2011, 16:13

I would start with Year Zero.
EVERYTHING you hear after that is going to be magnificent

culprit · 05 Apr 2011, 17:07

Thank you all...

I'll digest and pick up one or two at the weekend and give it a bash, it sounds like its worth the effort.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Holly_DelRey · 05 Apr 2011, 20:27

culprit wrote:i've just watched the sky arts program on gary numan, and very good it was too. Trent Reznor was interviewed, the clips of him and NIN music seemed ok, and i'm sure i've heard the 'downward spiral' at some point in the past. My question is. . . As industrial metal/electro noise makers this is a band i should really like . . . Where should i start?

Will pm you as NIN are my favourite 'band', so I'll have some good advice/recommendations

James Blast · 05 Apr 2011, 20:58

nah, ye don't want a fangurls recommendation

culprit · 06 Apr 2011, 17:29

James Blast wrote:nah, ye don't want a fangurls recommendation

Speak for yourself!

gimme!

Mr. Wah · 09 Apr 2011, 09:34

I stopped buying NIN releases after With Teeth, which I thought was really watered-down and, after a wait of about 5 years, a huge disappointment. I've not listened to any of the subsequent full-lengths but, from the bits and pieces I've heard of later work, I'm still not in a rush to go out to acquire the recent albums.

I like at least parts of most of the NIN releases up to that point, apart from the remix albums which are, well, rubbish ... and plain boring.

For me the order of preference would be:

1. The Downward Spiral (1994) - This one has the most interesting ideas, the greatest range of sounds and styles in one concise package. Loads of great tracks ranging from extremely aggressive to reflective and calm. Brilliant. Some people are really put off by the whining and Angst on this album, though.

2. The Fragile (1999)- There's less aggression and perhaps a narrower range of styles than on TDS but it's full of great ideas and good tracks. Yes, there's some filler but not that much, really. I was really impressed when it came out and still am.

3. Pretty Hate Machine (1989) - For me this is a decent album although overrated. I've not listened to it for years but, if I am remembering correctly, I loved Head Like A Hole, Terrible Lie and Sin. Most of the other songs are just solid, nothing remarkable. Also, even for 1989, the range of sounds on show was quite limited. It was quite Synthpop-inspired, so the following EP, Broken, must have come as a surprise to a lot of people.

4. Broken (1992) - This is kind of ultra aggressive industrial rock and for me there's only one great song - Wish. The rest of the songs are not as good and the whole EP gives the impression of being rather OTT in a way that other bands - Ministry, for example - do much better. If I want to listen to guitar-heavy industrial then I'll put on something KMFDM did in the mid-90s instead.

The live album they release in 2001(?) is not bad too.

I'd be interested to hear people's opinions on the post With Teeth albums.

nowayjose · 09 Apr 2011, 22:34

Don't let any g00n tell you that later NIN albums are crap -- they're all fantastic, imho. I even think PHM is the weakest, despite it being his first and hence most original, and while I still like it, it's a bit more pop-y than I'd prefer.

And how can you not like Year Zero?! This is beyond me.

James Blast · 09 Apr 2011, 23:16

Year Zero - dead easy
Something I Can Never Have - very difficult

radiojamaica · 10 Apr 2011, 12:03

James Blast wrote: I played 'A Warm Place' to death

ditto

I was never taken by most of Reznors stuff, but he does have some true gems...
I also very much liked the Natural Born Killers soundtrack he compiled...

Orca · 11 Apr 2011, 09:33

... at the time, 'Pretty Hate Machine' was a great album and still stands the test of time. With the release of 'Broken', it was pipped IMO. I didn't like much after that. I think 'Downward Spiral' was good, but a totally different style and there are a few gems in and amongst - I prefer the stomping noise of 'Broken' and 'Pretty Hate Machine'.

Maisey · 12 Apr 2011, 12:16

Pretty Hate Machine. All you need really.