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→The Early Years: linked early bands
Reznor graduated from high school in 1983 and went on to study production at Allegheny College. It was around this time that he joined his first "real" band, [[Option 30]]. They became popular in the college scene in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio but Reznor clearly wanted to get out and see more. After a year in college, Reznor dropped out of school and left Option 30, moving to Cleveland. Once there, he worked a few odd jobs, selling music instruments and also working as a studio technician at Right Track Studio. It was in Cleveland that he met roommate and future bandmate [[Chris Vrenna]]. The day jobs helped Reznor pay the bills but, like in Pennsylvania, he became active in Cleveland's music scene.
Reznor's first band in Cleveland was a cover band called the [[The Urge]]. This band drew crowds and Reznor got some recognition. When he left the band months later they lost much of their audience. Reznor briefly re-joined before parting ways again shortly thereafter. In 1986 he joined the [[Exotic Birds ]] as a keyboardist and back-up vocalist with [[Andy Kubiszewski]] (who would later join [[Stabbing Westward]]) and, at one point, Vrenna. The Exotic Birds received some national attention after playing a few gigs with the Culture Club, but Reznor's tenure with them would not last. This was followed by keyboardist positions in the [[The Innocent]], [[Lucky Pierre]], and [[Slam Bamboo]]. But all the while, Reznor wanted to be able to do his own music and be his own musician.
In 1988, Reznor was finally able to write his first "real" song. It was entitled "[[Down in It (song)|Down In It]]" and was recorded as part of a demo during Reznor's spare time at the studio. After trying to come up with a name for his solo project, he settled on the name Nine Inch Nails (NIN for short) because "it sounded manacing, it was catchy, it stood the two-week test, and it could be easily abbreviated." He later befriended [[John A. Malm, Jr.]], who would become his manager for 15 years. The demo (known as ''[[Purest Feeling (halo)|Purest Feeling]]'') was shopped around to various record labels. Ultimately TVT Records, known for its TV music compilations, signed Reznor and offered to help him release his music.