Robin Finck

Instruments:Guitar, Backing Vocals, Synthesizers

Active:1994-1996, 1999-2000, 2008-

Tours:Self Destruct-Fragility, Lights In The Sky-present

Robin Finck (born November 7, 1971 in Georgia) is the lead guitarist of Nine Inch Nails. He is so far the only member of Nine Inch Nails who has left the band for an extended period and then later returned as a full-time member. His appearance, particularly during The Downward Spiral era, with his intimidating tall stature, tied back dreadlocks and over-the-top makeup have arguably made him one of the most iconic members of NIN other than Trent Reznor.

Career

Finck began his career by playing for many local Atlanta bands, such as Prowess (who later changed their name to Bat Your Lashes and then Sik Dik), The Hookers and Heroin (also known as Impotent Sea Snakes {ISS} when in drag). He joined Nine Inch Nails in 1994-95 for the Self Destruct Tour. Finck also appeared with the band at Woodstock '94 and on 1997's Closure.

Following touring with NIN he took a job playing for Cirque du Soleil and in late 1996 was recruited by Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses to replace Slash. Finck later rejoined NIN as part of the live band for the Fragility Tour and appears on the accompanying album/DVD, And All That Could Have Been. Shortly after the NIN tour ended in late 2000, he returned to GN'R and remained in the line-up for almost 8 years, even turning down an offer to re-join NIN in 2005. There was apparently some animosity between he and Reznor around this time, as Trent discussed in the New Zealand Herald shortly before the release of With Teeth: "Robin Finck [was] getting paid loads of money to hang out with Axl Rose and his house was getting paid for. You know what, fuck you." [1] The grudge didn't last; on April 4, 2008 Finck's return to the touring lineup was announced via www.nin.com.

He also remained in the lineup for the Wave Goodbye Tour in 2009. On May 17, 2013, Trent Reznor announced via Twitter that Finck was back in NIN, stating that, "It just didn't feel like Nine Inch Nails without Robin Finck. Now it does."[2]

Finck is a noted bird enthusiast, and his website discusses his fascination with them. Many NIN fans have noted after hearing of his avian fascination that many of his changes to NIN songs during the Fragility tour stems from his bird-sound-inspired choice of guitar tones and sounds. This is especially notable on the pre-solo section to "The Wretched" and "Just Like You Imagined."

Finck appears in the NIN music videos for "March Of The Pigs", "Hurt" (live), "Eraser" (live), "Wish" (live) and "Into The Void".

Body Of Work

Nine Inch Nails

• Closer To God
• Further Down The Spiral
• Closure
• And All That Could Have Been
• Still (Performance credit on "The Day The World Went Away")
• The Slip

Other

• Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar - 1996
• Ghosts of Mars soundtrack - 2001
• Guns N' Roses - Chinese Democracy - 2008

External links

• Official website
• robinfinck on Twitter