Nine Inch Nails Goes Indie?
Posted May 23, 2007 — in Music News
Looks like NIN Trent Reznor will be going indie soon and departing from his label…
Trent Reznor speaks in a recent interview:
I’ve have one record left that I owe a major label, then I will never be seen in a situation like this again. If I could do what I want right now, I would put out my next album, you could download it from my site at as high a bit-rate as you want, pay $4 through PayPal. Come see the show and buy a T-shirt if you like it. I would put out a nicely packaged merchandise piece, if you want to own a physical thing. And it would come out the day that it’s done in the studio, not this “Let’s wait three months” bulls—.
Speaking about NIN, any aspiring rock band that wants to put on a great live show needs to watch and study this NIN performance. Once you got this locked down reach out to us. KOAR’s bottom line is to propel NEW artists into mainstream.
I have never been the biggest fan of the band but when I saw them live I was blown away. By far one of the best shows I have ever seen and I have seen a LOT.
Comment by Mark — May 23, 2007 @ 11:49 pm
Calm down Trent .. once you hit less developed labels and no $$ backing .. you will be back to the majors.
Comment by realmad — May 24, 2007 @ 7:40 am
thats what artists dont get. once you’re indie, you have to use YOUR OWN MONEY to make your records, tour, etc….
its not a walk in the park being indie, and there are downsides to both, being indie, and being on a major. its not as black and white as some people make it out to be. i wish koar would write an article about this topic.
Comment by randy — May 24, 2007 @ 7:48 am
What’s so wrong with using your own money?
Someone like Trent Reznor will never need another label in his life. He’s an established artist around the world with a massive fanbase and enough money and resources to put out his own records…he doesn’t need the label as much as the label needs him.
There are more than just the two options- major or indie.
Comment by AJ-KOAR — May 24, 2007 @ 8:19 am
My fav NIN song and I’m not really that into them. Trent is a smart guy though.
Comment by A2daC — May 24, 2007 @ 9:20 am
YES… but how did he get there?
WITH THE HELP OF THE PEOPLE HE NOW BITCHES ABOUT!
Most indie musicians cant survive on their own. Take Val Emmich for instance (www.myspace.com/valemmeich) got signed to Epic, then got out of the deal because of the label and he wanted to go into different directions. He now released two indie records, from the advance Epic gave him. Now he is out of money again (cause he record didnt made any profits, and he cant really tour a lot without label support) and wants to team up with a label again.
Comment by randy — May 24, 2007 @ 9:23 am
Val Emmich and Trent Reznor are two different universes.
Yes, NIN has been signed to a label which is where they were when they picked up all of their popularity.
Does that mean they have to stay on the label for all eternity? And who says he can’t do it without them?!
DIY means DO IT YOURSELF, which Trent can easily do. If Val Emmich had an established fanbase so he could headline a tour, or enough money in his bank account to buy onto tours, he probably could have released those records successfully. Just because he didn’t doesn’t mean it’s impossible…especially for someone who does have that kind of fanbase and that kind of money.
You should read the whole interview. Here’s the link again-
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21741980-5006024,00.html
Comment by AJ-KOAR — May 24, 2007 @ 9:32 am
I call all of those people hypocrites. On the one hand they arent afraid to take the money from their labels, but then on the other hand, they dont get that the label will want to get something back from them for that money. You are the employee of a corporate company once you sign with a big major, thats what it comes down to. If you dont want to be somebody else’s bitch, start your own label. But dont expect somebody to give you money to record your album, to buy a touring van / equipment, to get an endorsement deal with fender, etc
You will be on your own, and its up to everyone to decide whats the best option for them. But dont bitch about your decision, and the consequences of it, AFTER YOU MADE IT. Nobody but you is responsible for it. And if you are professional, and do some research, you will have a pretty good understanding of what you will get into when signing with a major.
Comment by randy — May 24, 2007 @ 9:33 am
Yes, Trent has the money to do it on his own. But again, he got there with the help of major labels. Its ok that he is trying to protect his fans, but he is making it seem as if labels have no use, and everyone can just make a record on his own. He should be more grateful. He comes off as a spoilt rockstar. I’m sure there are people at Interscope who get what he is trying to do, but then again, with an attitude like that, who would want to work their butts off for him? If I’d be working there I’d rather push a teen pop singer who appreciates what I do, then Trent, who tells me to go fuck myself.
Comment by randy — May 24, 2007 @ 9:41 am
Trent used his own money for the Fragility tour.
He paid for that thermo chrome packaging.
Yeah Interscope put him there but he doesn’t need them anymore. I would do the same thing if I was in his position. It’s not like they did a lot for him post-TDS era.
His fans aren’t going anywhere. He will always sell albums, t-shirts and sell out arenas.
Comment by Dave — May 24, 2007 @ 9:52 am
Bands can outgrow their label homes. In the early stages of NIN, they clearly needed help…but remember, the way the industry was then is VERY different from the way it is now.
The only thing that is biting him in the ass right now is that he signed a multi-album deal, which he has to make good on before he can do anything. To expect him to be the same person he was when he signed that deal is naive…but at least he’s respectable enough to finish out his contract, unlike other bands, who really are ’spoilt.’
Comment by AJ-KOAR — May 24, 2007 @ 10:05 am
I feel like the real point of Trent’s arguement is being dismissed. Yes, he was built out of the major. Yes, they helped him. Problem is, they didn’t keep up with the consumer needs and the merket and now they are about to take down their artists with their stubborn, stick-to-the-formual way of thinking.
If you saw, the way Trent does, other, better ways of doing business and yet you continue to meet resistance to change, even though it may kill the industry, I think you would want to make tracks away from these morons as well. (sorry for the run-on sentence)
I say go for it Trent - Like AJ said, he is honoring his contract, unlike many bands and he will then have to put his money where his mouth is. Good luck to him and any other independent act out there.
Comment by Blah — May 24, 2007 @ 10:24 am
Yes, Trent is successful because of the aid of a major label. But he doesn’t owe them anything- including gratitude. His debt has already been paid from the money that the label has been making off him.
Comment by Keith Freund — May 24, 2007 @ 11:11 am
Trent is long accustomed to paying for things on his own. It would not be much of a stretch to sell his music by himself, and team up with a good distro for the physical product. He has had his own label before with success, and he will do so again.
Comment by List OfDemands — May 24, 2007 @ 1:39 pm
Check this OLD VIDEO of TRENT…
A BLAST FROM THE PAST…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=yJYBx5NJULY
Comment by Kings — May 24, 2007 @ 1:44 pm
People dont seem to realize that you can record your own music and make it on your own. You just have to have the right resources and the right intelligence and dedication. Anyone out there have a decent computer? USB ports? You’re in luck, with some good investing and smart decesions you can put your very own recording studio together and write, record, mix, master and duplicate an entire album of your very own. And furthermore, you dont have to change a damn thing! Every fucking record company forces musicians and artists to change things that they dont want to and to give up this and give up that. It reminds me of the U.S. government. Trent Reznor can make it own his own and so can you. I will do that exact thing through success of poker. When it comes down to it though the real question we must ask ourselves is, are we going to buy his next album? His next two albums? Three? Gonna go see him when he comes to town? ??? NIN ??? I sure as fucking hell am. Fuck the record company. Long live Rock and Roll and never let rappers turn our classic songs into rap.
Comment by LirvA — May 31, 2007 @ 10:20 pm