Pretty Hate Machine
Pretty Hate Machine (also known as Halo 2) is the first studio album by Nine Inch Nails, released on October 20, 1989 by TVT Records and was a huge success. The first single off of the album, Down In It, was released on September 27, 1989.
It received radio airplay for the aforementioned "Down In It" as well as subsequent singles "Head Like A Hole" and "Sin".
Recording
Working nights at Right Track Studio as a handyman and toilet cleaner, Trent Reznor used studio "down time" to record and develop his own music. Playing most of the keyboards, drum machines, guitars, and samplers himself, he recorded a demo, unofficially titled Purest Feeling.
Teaming up with manager John A. Malm, Jr. they sent the demo to various record labels. Reznor received serious offers from many of them. He signed a deal with TVT Records who, until then, were known mainly for releasing novelty and television jingle records.
Pretty Hate Machine was then recorded in various studios around the world with Reznor collaborating with some of his most idolized producers - Flood, Keith LeBlanc, Adrian Sherwood, and John Fryer.
Subsequent Touring
For more information, see "Pretty Hate Machine" Promotional Tour
The album also gained popularity through word-of-mouth and developed an underground following. Reznor quickly hired a band for touring with The Jesus and Mary Chain, including guitarist and future Filter/Army of Anyone frontman Richard Patrick. Nine Inch Nails' live set was notorious for louder, more aggressive versions of the studio songs, and also for destroying their instruments at the end of sets. Reznor preferred using the heel of his boots to strip the keys from expensive keyboards.
Purest Feeling
Since the album was released, a recording known as Purest Feeling surfaced. This bootleg album contains the original demo recordings of most of the tracks found on Pretty Hate Machine, as well as a couple that were not used ("Purest Feeling" and "Maybe Just Once").
Tributes
The entire album was covered by a string quartet in 2005 as The String Quartet Tribute to Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine, arranged by Eric Gorfain.
Rykodisc Re-Release
Pretty Hate Machine went out of print through TVT Records, but was reissued by Rykodisc Records on November 22, 2005 with slight changes in the packaging. Reznor had expressed an interest in creating a "deluxe edition" with surround sound remastering and new/rare remixes, similar to the re-release of The Downward Spiral. Rykodisc liked the idea, but not enough to pay Reznor to do so.
Track Listing
- "Head Like A Hole" – 4:59
- "Terrible Lie" – 4:38
- "Down In It" – 3:46
- "Sanctified" – 5:48
- "Something I Can Never Have" – 5:54
- "Kinda I Want To" – 4:33
- "Sin" – 4:06
- "That's What I Get" – 4:30
- "The Only Time" – 4:47
- "Ringfinger" – 5:40
Album Credits
- Nine Inch Nails is Trent Reznor
- Exclusive representation: John A. Malm, Jr. for J Artist Management
- Invaluable assistance: Chris Vrenna
- Drone guitar at the end of "Sanctified:" Richard Patrick
- Additional synth programming: Flood, Tim Niemi
- Digital editing and continuity: Trent Reznor, Chris Vrenna
- Mastering: Tony Dawsey at Masterdisck, NYC
- Sleeve: Gary Talpas for Föhn Design
- Portrait photography: Jeffrey Silverthorne
- Thank you: Bart Koster (The Right Track), Mike Shea, Michael S. Toorock, Roz Earls, Seb Shelton, Bryan Grant, Larry Bole, Alison Fryer, Michelle de Frasia, Gerry Gerard, Martin Horne, Sioux Zimmerman, Paul Conelly, Ron Musarra, Steve Woolard, Mark Jowett and all at Nettwek, Howie Klein, Preston Sullivan/Carlyle, Kevin Donoghue/Native, Frederic Wahleer/Sub Rosa
- Special thanks: All at TVT Records, James Dowdall and everybody at Island
- Kicking ass way beyond the call of duty: John A. Malm, Jr.
- Ideas and sounds (with all due respect): Clive Barker, Jane's Addiction, Prince, Public Enemy, This Mortal Coil, Success (Screaming Trees U.K.), various unknown others
- All songs written, arranged, programmed, and performed by Trent Reznor
- Studios: The Right Track (Cleveland), Blackwing (London), Unique (New York), Synchro Sound (Boston), Roundhouse (London)
It should be noted that the line "Kicking ass way beyond the call of duty: John A. Malm, Jr." is not present in the RYKO CD rerelease.
Releases
- TVT Records TVT 2610-1 - 12" Vinyl
- TVT Records TVT 2610-2 - CD
- Rykodisc RLP 10836-1 - 12" Vinyl
- Rykodisc RCD 10836 - CD