Still

Halo 17 CD2: Still

From David Carson's book Trek. This shows a mock-up of Still in its original title Quiet.

Still (also known as Halo 17 CD2 or And All That Could Have Been: Still), released on January 22, 2002, is both an individual Nine Inch Nails release and the second disc of the deluxe edition of And All That Could Have Been. It contains original songs as well as stripped down versions of old songs. The old songs are done in the manner of similar ones performed at the The CRC Sessions.

Track Listing

About

Trent Reznor explained the concept behind the album[1] in a Q&A lifted from a press sheet:

We did a radio show in Chicago where we did such songs as "The Fragile" and "Hurt" that were stripped down, though it was not us with acoustic guitars, singing Poison songs. So I took those performances, and added some other ones we'd done in the studio, several new instrumental tracks, a new song called "And All That Could Have Been," and worked it into a heavily melancholic suite for a rainy, fall, Sunday afternoon.

Reznor stated on nin.com/access that some of the tracks on Still are evolutions of rejected themes that were originally written for Mark Romanek's One Hour Photo. Romanek had to reject Reznor's work due to pressure from the studio, who wanted him to work with an established film composer.[2]

The title may be referencing the Joy Division album of the same name, from which their song "Dead Souls" - covered by NIN during The Downward Spiral era - comes. The album was originally intended to be called Quiet[3], a name that was later reflected in The Definitive NIN - Quiet Tracks.

The overall And All That Could Have Been release was dedicated to the memory of Rodney Robertson, a close friend and employee of Reznor's who was murdered in 2001. Reznor was too deep in his addictions to attend Robertson's funeral, and he saw this as the impetus to fully get clean and sober.[4]

Availability

While the album was at one point available as part of the deluxe edition of And All That Could Have Been, it was also offered from the beginning as a standalone disc directly from nin.com. Its availability has been on and off since its release, causing extraordinary prices on eBay at times. The tracks are currently available through most digital outlets.

Music Videos

Three music videos were made to accompany Still, for the new versions of "Something I Can Never Have" and "The Becoming" and for the new track "Gone, Still". They were all directed by Rob Sheridan.

The Becoming

This featured Trent Reznor, Danny Lohner and Jerome Dillon performing at Nothing Studios. The audio for "The Becoming" was the same as featured on the album, though the performance captured in the video did not synch up to the sound and is clearly from a different take.

Something I Can Never Have

This featured Trent Reznor and Jerome Dillon performing in the living room of Reznor's former home in New Orleans. The performance in this video is not the same as featured on the album. Both the audio and video were recorded solely for this release, though the audio take here is very similar to what was used on the album.

Gone, Still

The only new song on the release to get a video, this again featured Trent Reznor and Jerome Dillon, performing in the same room as "Something I Can Never Have". The audio is an entirely different take than the one on the album. It is strictly acoustic and lacks the synth pads from the album version, and also adds a few improvised notes. The windows are open in the room, and a thunderclap can be heard at the end.

Album Credits

Concept and production: Trent Reznor
Executive production: John A. Malm, Jr. for Nothing Records, Inc.

Mastering: Precision Mastering: Tom Baker

Management: John A. Malm, Jr. for Conservative
Art direction and design: David Carson
Photography: David Carson, Rob Sheridan

Project coordination: Chris Risner
U.S. Publicity: Susan Celia Swan for Nothing Records
International relations: Simon Baeyertz
Label relations: Jeff Anderson
Legal: Toorock and Rosen; Ross B. Rosen, Jeff Slippen

Trent Reznor thanks: My family, John, Chris, Jerry and Denise for trying to help me keep it together

Danny Lohner thanks: Lynn Pompey, the Lohners, Telefon Tel Aviv, Eric Hunter

Jerome Dillon thanks: Sheila Scott, Jeannine Dillon, Thomas J. Dillon, Karen Dillon, Paula and Matthew Coulter, Linda Yang, Zoe Poledouris and the Poledouris family, Eugene Salomon Esq., Mona and Ruby

Charlie Clouser thanks: Dad, Mom, Judy, Jeff Light, Kenny MacPherson, Andrew Meyer, and Danie'l Parker

Robin Finck thanks: Bianca Sapetto, Terri Gross

Special thanks to: A Perfect Circle, Atari Teenage Riot, Gretchen Anderson, Marty Bechtold, Nancy Berry, Steve Bottomley, Mike Calagna, Ed Cherney, Peter Christopherson, Tony Ciulla, Bill Coquillette, Mark Crossingham, John Desmond, Ruth Flower, Erin Gilligan, Jurgen Grebner, Mike Harris, Doug Idleman, Interscope Records, Dr. Stuart Isslieb, Thorsten Koenig, Rob Light, Tim Lightfoot, Daisy May, John Majoras, Marilyn Manson, Marc Marot, Anna Maslowicz, Jackie McPherson, Frank Micelotta, Amy Morrison, Alan Moulder, Jamie Myers, Steve Needleman, Bill Noll, Turid Pilcher, Tony Polanco, Nick Scott, Markus Sheffield, Rick Szekelyi, Michael S. Toorock, Ed Venetti, Chris Walsh, Kevin Westenberg, Del Williams

This is dedicated to the memory of our friend Rodney Robertson. May you rest in peace.

Artwork

Extended artwork from digital booklet

The extended artwork from the iTunes version of the album shows that the cover art comes from an image taken by David Carson from the window of an airplane, as the object on the left appears to be an aircraft turbine and the rest of the image appears to be the ocean below.

Releases

Nothing Records / Interscope Records 0694931862 - Double CD
Nothing Records / Interscope Records 0694931842 - Still CD

Instrumentation

In late November 2009, Trent Reznor began selling off touring and studio equipment through the eBay account ningear. Several items in the first wave of the auction were spotted as having been used in the recording of Still. The guitar played by Danny Lohner in "The Becoming" is a Takamine acoustic/electric guitar serial number 93040621. Trans wine/cherry finish, featuring a built-in 'accuAcoustic' EQ.

A La Patrie "concert" nylon string acoustic/electric guitar, equipped with a EPM Quantum EQ was used in the recording of "Gone, Still" as well as "Something I Can Never Have."

External Links

Discography

Previous release - "Things Falling Apart"

Halo number: 17 (with And All That Could Have Been)

Next release - "The Hand That Feeds"