NIN:Year Zero debate.
 

Nine Inch Nails is by far my favorite band. From Pretty Hate Machine to With Teeth. Trent has recently released some information about a new album called Year Zero, due to release in April. Unfortunately, the talk is that it is political. I know that people have a right to say what they want and I know that Trent is fairly liberal. But, if you ask me when it comes to music, political rants just don't appeal.

I thought surely the great Trent Reznor would keep his music simply at good and not go for "I'm gonna try to start a coup" music. I disliked Emotive by APC for it's bashes on government. If I was hanging out with Maynard and he started ranting about the government, I'd just tell him to move to France if he didn't like it.

I know I know, they are standing up for what they believe in... but NIN is my favorite band and I'm a conservative. I just hope he hides his beliefs enough in this album so I don't have to think about them. I really want to like his new album.

Sometimes I wonder about you kids that speak so highly about a band yet never having heard the lyrics.

Ha Ha. I understand his music, I've been listening to it since i was 8. But that's not the point. Usually he has several meanings for everything he says. You can take his words many different ways. But this album is supposedly highly political so I don't know if by saying that they mean that he is blatently bashing America.

P.S.- You don't know me so don't talk shit, and im 20 jerk so don't call me kid.

...alright then if it's like that. Why so offensive? I was joking with encephalon. I'm serious though, there are many ways to inerpret Reznor's music, you are a bit shallow if you don't agree. Or perhaps you don't listen to his work?
First of all I don't have any political songs (check ur sentence structure).But I can handle them, they are just bittersweet. I will always love his music no matter what it is about, but i just appreciate it slightly less if it is a political rant. With Teeth was admittedly slightly political, but again you could take what he said in different ways. I translated most of his political stuff into personal conflict stuff. I'm not trying to take sides, I'm just saying this from a neutral standpoint. I hope it isn't a rant like the offal that you just posted.

What is wrong with you? Why are you so rude? You don't get along well with others do you? Are you on meds? There are just so many questions I would like to ask you from a medical stand point.

oh man

that's just classic

EDIT: I can see this thread going places. :D

That was a joke too.

The irony kills me. :tpg:

...very adult of you.

Additional Spam:
Not all of his stuff is political. In fact most of it isn't. Can you change that back please? It kinda bothers me. It's not that my political views are different. I just like his music and I hope his next album isn't some stupid socialist crap. You are putting words in my mouth. I don't force myself to think anything.

Aramaethe, I see where you're coming from. I'm also a conservative (labeled!) and am not too keen on any overly political albums. I also disliked emotive by apc. I think one of the major problems with similar albums isn't so much the lyrical content as the fact that it severly dates itself. It's difficult to think that a "I hate George Bush" song could ever be a timeless classic. Granted music like this is sometimes necessary as a means of self expression, but it doesn't mean that I look to Trent Reznor or any musician for their political opinions. He's a muscian, not a political theorist.

I can understand an appreciate a work that is highly political (I thought With Teeth was fantastic though obviously extremely politically charged... only problem on that album was that it was way too short), but I prefer songs that are more ambiguous or universal in their interpretations merely for the fact that they hold a greater potential to speak to future listeners who may not be educated on whatever events the song was based on.

I agree Methe. Unfortunately they don't. Note the brand new avatar and stuff. Mods are control freaks apparently. I'm not saying i won't listen to Year Zero for the 40th Goddamn time!!!!!!! I'm just saying I don't like heavily political shit!!!!

Yeah I actually liked that song a lot aside from the fact that it was a radio song. (radio songs get played out too fast!) But, yeah it rocks. It was very political, but it wasn't overly specific. The song can be applied to a lot of different things aside from the obvious.

That's what I'm saying. There are different interpretations for everyone. Unless someone is screaming fuck the government. Devo needs to get off my back. Devo... you would be hit where I live for the way you talk to people. Learn some manners. But, since you started it it's fair game. Why are you so angry? Did I fuck your mom or something?

Alright dude, not cool. Way to make yourself look like an ass.

You know, that's what I really don't get about a lot of people nowadays, they take music waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too seriously. Music is expression people, if Trent wants to make a political album, fucking let him, the dude makes some kick ass music. If the beat is good, and the lyrics fit, then what the fuck is the problem?

I am not a fan of Jesus, but Creed was an alright band. Just because they made some religious themed songs doesn't mean that it's gonna be utter shit to athesists. If they don't like the lyrics and song because of how it sounds to them, fine, but hating it just because it has some religious tone to it that you have to decipher, or know that they are religious, then STFU.

Then again, that's a major reason why I won't ever listen to a WoW Worship CD, so I can STFU, but I don't really go around saying it sucks either.

And wtf was "The hand that feeds" about anyway? I figured it was just about a fucking dog biting some guy

Don't like, don't buy? I don't blame you for not wanting to listen to music with a political message that's in opposition to your own views. Fortunately, I'm centre-left in my own political inclination, so I won't object to the new album.

I gotta join with Encephalon and Devo in wondering how you can stand to listen to NIN at all, though. The message isn't what you'd call "in your face" but it's ever-present at a subtle level... and sometimes not so subtle.

True Soluzar, but not all of his music is political. Most of the time even if it is it's just against government in general. Who am i kidding I'll prolly still buy it. It will probably be subtle enough anyway. Plus, that's just what the media thinks anyway(That it's highly and blatently political, noone has even heard it yet,).

Well there is that, but since America is a basically conservative country, I'd say that anti-establishment is anti-conservative in America.

OK, so songs about raping women and suicide are OK, but political stuff isn't? Don't you fucking DARE tell me Downward Spiral is anything more than a concept album telling a story about a man who kills himself.

Man, I remember back when Trent's music was mainly about drug abuse. Going from that to political satire is a pretty big jump. At least he's off drugs I guess.

I suppose I must be thankful that I am not a conservative, what with having been blessed with a fully functional brain and all. I thank my Protestant Jesus every day for that one!

Yeah I hope so too, thinking is dangerous! And it hurts too!

One thing that's disappointing to me about Trent is that I can't see why he doesn't appreciate the opportunities that he's had as an American. He's been able to persue his passion, become a highly influential individual, and made a shitload of money. It would've been considerably more difficult to achieve the level of success that he's had anywhere else. I'd just figure that instead of bashing the US, he'd use his influence to encourage others to persue their passions in hopes that they could achieve the same successes. But maybe that's just too happy of a message for Trent.


But whatever, I'm still buying the new album. Which one will this be, Halo 23?

Nah, he's allowed to do whatever he wants. Just doesn't seem logical to hate on a place that's given you the oppportunity for your success.

One thing that's disappointing to me about George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and all of the other founding fathers is that I can't see why they didn't appreciate the opportunities that they had as Englishmen.

I guess from my point of view, there are times when I get the vibe that he doesn't just disagree with current foreign or domestic policy, but that he hates the entire establishment. I could be wrong in gathering that impression, but that's the vibe I've picked up on.

There's a difference between hating your country and having criticisms of it.

Also, why are people bringing up A Pirfect Circle's Emotive as an example? That was a covers record, and as your disliking is lyrically and not musically based, you're essentially dismissing the collective works of John Lennon, Elvis Costello, DEVO, Black Flag, Led Zeppelin, and Depeche Mode.

EDIT: Oh geez... You're last post kind of makes that opening sentence irrelevant.

either 23 or 24. im still buying it too. again that whole thinking about the lyrics thing was a joke. read the whole thread before you post russ.

either 23 or 24. im still buying it too. again that whole thinking about the lyrics thing was a joke. read the whole thread before you post russ.

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Yep I pretty much hate them all... except for zeppelin... but especially Black Flag.

But they didn't have very many opportunities as Englishmen. They were treated as second class citizens and they were taxed on everything. Hence the Revolution and all.

With regards to Emotive, perhaps you missed the part where I said, "I think one of the major problems with similar albums isn't so much the lyrical content as the fact that it severly dates itself." Also, when you take something as profound as Imagine and try to pass it off as a "don't vote for George Bush song" I think it sells the song short.

Also, just cause you don't like a cover doesn't mean you "dismiss the collective works" of the covered musician. I love the song Landslide, but I can't fucking stand the Dixie Chicks butchering of the song.

Right, i love APC, i just don't like it when they bitch and moan.

I read the entire thread. I especially liked the parts where you come off as a mindless drone programmed to never question authority.

Uh ok, what?

When was this? The parts when Maynard isn't singing?

I agree somewhat, in the opinion that anti-Bush songs that are made by unintellectual, knee-jerk reaction bands are utter brainwashed trash.

However, to dismiss political songs because they "date themselves" is a bit rash. There are a ton of classic rock songs from the late '60s that criticize the Vietnam War and we still listen to them.

And to all the people attacking Aramaethe, cut him some slack. If an artist that I listened to for a while (and you enjoy his music) starts putting in lyrics that I personally find offensive or derivative, I'd be disappointed too. I dunno if I'd post a thread about it, though.

I think the reason people are reacting so harshly in this case in particular is that Nine Inch Nails has so obviously been contrary to general conservative ideals since the bands inception. One only needs to even glance at the lyrics to "Head Like A Hole" – the first song on the first record – to realize this. "God, money, let's go dancing on the backs of the bruised" can hardly be interpreted as anything but an indictment of capitalism.


Also, the covers song comment was more directed to Aramaethe than you, MetheGelfing. The dismissal of an artists collective work only really applies if the cover is disliked due to lyrics, and to be honest I did miss the "dates itself" comment.

I agree about NIN being anti-conservative from the start, so it shouldn't be so much of a surprise.

I guess it'd be more applicable with say, John Mayer, who has a slight (very slight) political stance in his latest album, but had pretty benign lyrics in the first two albums.

Muse also took a more anti-Bush stance in their last album, and although I am a moderate, I found the songs to be just as kickass as their previous work.

You're insisting that just about everything you post is out of jest, yet you demand to be taken seriously. Hmm...

apart from talking about APC and how could someone criticise teh USA there's a wee bit info on YZ: