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→Composition and inspiration
In one interview, Alan Moulder stated that the album started out with 173 different pieces or musical ideas, and the cover of [[Gary Numan]]'s "[[Metal]]" had been completed when the album sessions began.[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CrXjiTnwN8] He also stated in a different interview that 120 songs were recorded[https://www.soundonsound.com/people/alan-moulder-recording-nine-inch-nails-smashing-pumpkins], so it is likely that some of the 173 pieces were merely seeds of inspiration that were never developed into anything usable. The orginal large amount of song ideas was evidently whittled down before they even reached the demo stage, as Reznor stated in a 2000 interview that he demoed 47 songs, which he then chose from when deciding which ones to write lyrics for.[https://www.theninhotline.com/archives/articles/manager/display_article.php?id=935]
Early on in the process, Reznor listened extensively to the hip-hop albums ''Dr. Octagonecologyst'' by Dr. Octagon (aka Kool Keith ) and ''Midnight Marauders'' by A Tribe Called Quest.[https://www.loudersound.com/features/alan-moulder-on-the-record-that-reminds-him-of-making-the-fragile][https://www.theninhotline.com/archives/textarch/article/feb00rage.html] During a podcast with [[Skinny Puppy]]'s cEvin Key, [[Danny Lohner]] revealed that Reznor was inspired by Tom Waits' ''Bone Machine'' when making ''The Fragile'', and that "Somewhat Damaged" was written and originally demoed around the time of "[[The Perfect Drug (song)|The Perfect Drug]]".[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8AJHQGtnsI] ''Bone Machine'''s use of Harry Partch-style found object percussion influenced the unique percussion on certain parts of the album.
Reznor stated in an interview with ''Guitar World'' that My Bloody Valentine and their album ''Loveless'' (also produced by Moulder) were influences during the recording. He also revealed that the majority of the guitar sounds on the album were played on a Parker Fly guitar, utilizing its piezo pickup.[http://www.nin-pages.de/2000_Guitar_World_Juni_englisch.htm] This guitar sound was also likely used on "The Perfect Drug" and later showed up on some tracks from ''With Teeth''.