Nine Inch Nails

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Nine Inch Nails (photography credits: Rob Sheridan and Tamar Levine)

Nine Inch Nails is the studio name for Trent Reznor, as well as the name of the band hired by him to perform songs while on tour. It is an industrial rock band, and the most recognized one since the genre was introduced.

Nine Inch Nails (commonly abbreviated as NIN) was formed in Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1988, and have so far released seven full-length studio albums, seventeen EPs, a number of remix albums, and some live compilations. Reznor is the only official member and has always been solely responsible for the musical direction of the band. His lyrics are largely concerned with the exploration of the self, but with his most recent albums, Year Zero and The Slip, the lyrical focus has shifted somewhat to extrospection.

After recording a new album, the assembly of a new band usually follows, along with extensive touring; the live component of Nine Inch Nails is largely considered a separate entity from NIN in the recording studio. NIN's live shows often involve visually spectacular elements such as screens and lighting rigs, which were used on the Self Destruct, Fragility, With Teeth Arena Tours (Fall & Spring), Performance 2007 and Lights In The Sky tours, and often culminate with the destruction of musical instruments.

Body Of Work

Full-Length Albums

Pretty Hate Machine (1989)
The Downward Spiral (1994)
The Fragile (1999)
With Teeth (2005)
Year Zero (2007)
Ghosts I–IV (2008)
The Slip (2008)

EPs & Remix Albums

Broken (1992)
Fixed (1992)
Closer To God (1994)
Further Down The Spiral (1994)
Things Falling Apart (2000)
Still (2002)
Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D (2007)

Live Releases

Closure (1997) Music video & Live documentary double VHS set.
And All That Could Have Been (2002) DVD, VHS, CD
Beside You In Time (2007) DVD, HD-DVD, Blu Ray.

Singles

Down In It (1989)
Head Like a Hole (1990)
Sin (1990)
Wish (1992)
Happiness In Slavery (1992)
March of the Pigs (1994)
Closer (1994)
Burn (1994)
Hurt (1994)
Piggy (1994)
The Perfect Drug (1997)
The Day The World Went Away (1999)
We're In This Together (1999)
Into The Void (1999)
Starfuckers, Inc. (2000)
Deep (2001)
The Hand That Feeds (2005)
Only (2005)
Every Day Is Exactly The Same (2006)
Survivalism (2007)
Capital G (2007)
Discipline (2008)

Members

Trent Reznor

Live Band Members

Eric Avery (2013– )
Adrian Belew (2013– )
Alessandro Cortini (2004–2008, 2013– )
Josh Eustis (2013– )
Ilan Rubin (2009– )

Former Members

Guitar

Ralf Dietel (2005) (Replaced by Aaron North at the last minute, never played a live show with them)
Robin Finck (1994–1995, 1999–2000, 2008–2009) (Also handled other string instruments, backing vocals)
Kevin McMahon (Nights Of Nothing Tour, 1996)
Richard Patrick (1989–1993)
Aaron North (2005–2007)

Bass

Rich Fownes (2008) (Studio only, never made it to the road; replaced by Meldal-Johnsen)
Danny Lohner (1994–2003) (Also occasionally handled guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals)
Jeordie White (2005–2007) (Also occasionally handled guitar, backing vocals)
Justin Meldal-Johnsen (2008–2009) (Also occasionally handled guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals)

Keyboards

Charlie Clouser (1994–2001) (Also played theremin on the Fragility tour, some drums on the Dissonance tour)
David Haymes (1990)
Brian Liesegang (Replacement for Mars for a few nights; helped in the studio on Broken when Woolley was gone; featured in one of the music videos for "Gave Up")
Nick Rushe (1990)
Lee Mars (1990-1991)
James Woolley (1991–1994)
Chris Vrenna (1988)
Gary Talpas (1989) (First live keyboardist for a few shows of the Pretty Hate Machine Promotional tour, replaced by Rushe; also the original NIN art director)

Drums

Alex Carapetis (2005)
Jerome Dillon (1999–2005)
Josh Freese (2005–2008)
Ron Musarra (1988)
Chris Vrenna (1988-1990, 1992-1997)
Jeff Ward (1991)

Other

Sean Beavan (Backup vocals from mixing console for the Self Destruct and Pretty Hate Machine tours)
Martin Atkins (1991-1992) (Studio-only drummer; featured in music video for "Head Like A Hole")
Wes Borland (Auditioned for guitar player in 2004, eventually replaced by Aaron North)
Atticus Ross (Creative partner, mixer and programmer for NIN since With Teeth era; was guest keyboardist for the last show of the Wave Goodbye tour)
Keith Hillebrandt (1998-2001) (Sound designer; was listed as full band member on the "I'm Afraid Of Americans" remix along with Reznor, Lohner, Clouser and Dave "Rave" Ogilvie)
Dave “Rave” Ogilvie (1997-1999) (Was listed as full band member on the "I'm Afraid Of Americans" remix along with Reznor, Lohner, Clouser and Keith Hillebrandt)