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→Biography: Early years updates from http://www.thefader.com/2013/09/23/nine-inch-nails-oral-history-interview and https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/ppmnbm/nine-inch-nails-trent-reznor-on-making-it-out-of-the-midwest-456
==Biography==
===Growing Up===
Reznor was born and raised in the western Pennsylvania town of Mercer in a Lutheran household (although Reznor now states that he believes in God, but has no actual religion). Because he has the same first name as his father, he was called by his middle name to avoid confusion. In late 1970, soon after the birth of his little sister, Tera, Reznor's father left and his parents divorced. He and his infant sister were sent to live with their maternal grandparents, primarily because it would have been too difficult for their mother to raise them by herself. Reznor's grandmother decided that the 5-year-old should take classical piano lessons. Over the years he became immersed in music and has been compared to Harry Connick, Jr. by his piano teacher.
By the time Reznor was in high school he discovered horror movies and rock music. KISS and [[David Bowie]] were his heroes. His grandmother considered pulling him out of school so that he could focus on his piano studies full-time, with the hope that he would become a classical pianist. Reznor did not want this and instead became active in Mercer High School's Marching Band, Concert Band, and in theater. He played tenor saxophone and tuba in the school bands, even winning Top Woodwind at one point. He also played Judas in the school's production of ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' and landed the title role in ''The Music Man.''
===The Early Years===
{{see also|:Category: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. He was offered a job as a salesperson at a specialty keyboard and pro audio shop, Pi Keyboards and Audio, moving to in Clevelandand moved there. Once While working there, he worked met Bart Koster, who was building a few odd jobsnew recording studio, selling music instruments Right Track Studios. Koster was impressed with Reznor's skills and also working offered him a job as a studio technician at Right Track Studiobefore he even moved into the building. It was in In Cleveland that he met roommate and future bandmate , Reznor also reconnected with [[Chris Vrenna]], whom he knew from high school, and they became roommates. 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 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 1985, he joined [[The Innocent]] as a keyboardist, but left the band after three months. 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 [[Slam Bamboo]] and [[Lucky Pierre]]. But all the while, Reznor wanted to be able to do his own music and be his own musician.