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→The Early Years
===The Early Years===
{{see also|:Category:Early bands}}
Reznor graduated from high school in 1983 and went on to study computer engineering at Allegheny College. He began dating [[The Becoming#Annie|Andrea Mulrain]] while at 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 in Cleveland, Pi Keyboards and Audio, and moved there. While working there, he met Bart Koster, who was building a new recording studio, [[The Right Track Studios]] studios. Koster was impressed with Reznor's skills and offered him a job as a studio technician before he even moved into the building in August June 1986. [https://www.thefader.com/2013/09/23/nine-inch-nails-oral-history-interview] [https://www.echoingthesound.org/community/threads/6947-Slate-(2025)-Early-NIN-Demos-Collected?p=595816#post595816] In Cleveland, Reznor also reconnected with [[Chris Vrenna]], whom he had met in 1985 when Vrenna bought a piece of gear from him. 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. In March 1985, he joined [[The Innocent]] as a keyboardist, but left the band after about five months. Reznor briefly re-joined The Urge in October 1985, before parting ways again shortly thereafter. In early 1986, he joined [[Exotic Birds]] as a keyboardist and back-up vocalist with [[Andy Kubiszewski]] (who would later join Stabbing Westward). In December 1986, Reznor invited Vrenna to play drums for the newly reconfigured Exotic Birds. During this time Reznor also met [[John A. Malm, Jr.]], who was doing promotion for the band. Exotic Birds received some national attention after playing a few gigs with Culture Club, but the band split up by July 1987. [https://casetext.com/case/reznor-v-j-artist-management] This was followed by keyboardist positions in [[Slam Bamboo]] and [[Lucky Pierre]]. Reznor was also briefly part of [[Kollaps]] during these years, alongside [[Richard Patrick]]. But all the while, Reznor wanted to be able to do his own music and be his own musician.