Joystiq interviews Trent Reznor
By Thomas Ricker 
posted Sep 25th 2009 5:34AM
posted Sep 25th 2009 5:34AM
The interview goes much deeper than you might have realized. The "lost questions" are now posted on Dustin Burg's personal blog. There you'll find Trent (a man who successfully trail-blazed riches at the dawn of the digital age without major label support) and Rob discussing modern music distribution techniques, the limitations of social media for engaging fans, and software application development on modern smartphones. Fascinating insight for both consumers and the industry executives controlling the music, video, and apps we crave from the artists that create them.
For example, in discussing why people steal music, Trent soberly notes that, "People aren't stealing music to make money. They steal because they love music." This isn't about bootlegging anymore. Accepting this, Reznor chose to engage his fans in a new way instead of fighting them:
Pretty savvy. More after the break."...that's why we released our recent records for free. That's why we came up with the pricing tiers that we did, giving people something that had value for their money if they wanted it. But we gave it away for those who aren't going to pay anyway and figured that maybe we can at least get their email address and let them know when our next record is coming out. Or, maybe, we can let them know when our next concert is coming up."
The duo also expanded on their prioritization of smartphone platforms upon which to develop its NIN application:
That latter point will certainly change in 2010. With regard to social media, Reznor found out the hard way that social media is not always, shall we say, social:"We used the iPhone, because it has a good developer kit, its hardware makes sense and it's just one product. That versus what we tried doing on the Blackberry where it was a nightmare for a number of reason. The libraries suck, the hardware isn't consistent from model to model, they aren't that helpful and from a programming prospective, it isn't nearly where the iPhone is. As far as Android, it has no permeation in the market."
Eh hem, indeed. Hit the read links to dive right in."Soon, I learned that Twitter and really everywhere on the internet the power of being anonymous. The boldness and coward in people comes out, where they say things that they'd never say to someone's face."
Read -- Joystiq interview
Read -- "The Lost Questions"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57ta7mkgrOU
I should not have laughed at that, but God help me I did.
Also: Trent, I love you.
Pretty sure whoever made that video is going to hell.
But I totally LOLed at the bugs in the toilet.
Poser Trent strikes again
yes, nice guitar (:
If people actually looked at the guitar, they would vote you up.
Nice picture, rock and roll.
didn't he play professor snape?
How dare you.
Not Bruce Campbell
nokia should hire trent instead of dave stewart
Trent can still score 100% with out using those buttons.
Great interview.. Love Trent/NIN... Love that guitar too, that's funny.
Trent Reznor = douche
Douchbag proves Reznor's point.
Trent Reznor being a douche proves that he is indeed Trent 'Douche' Reznor? wot
Ya, cus' giving away your music for free = douche,
I've found that if I listen to interviews of musicians that I like, I tend not to like the musician anymore. I'll pass on this interview.
I think it's interesting that people stop listening to the musician if they find that they act like a dick. As if you two were going to be friends anyway. Stop being a bitch...if you like the music, their personality should not be your concern because you won't be hanging out with them. Therefore YOU..are the douche.
Maybe you and I could hang out?
That would be swell.
I guess this is because the article was not posted on Engadget directly and is just a link to the actual interview, but the comments here are far less insightful than they are on Joystiq. Sigh.
Yeah, rock 'n' Roll, or whatever he makes . . . Trent Reznor GETS IT. He understand that change is what drives business now. Listen to this man, he;s brilliant.
Jeff Yablon
President & CEO
Answer Guy and Virtual VIP Computer Care, Business Coaching and Virtual Assistant Services
"But we gave it away for those who aren't going to pay anyway and figured that maybe we can at least get their email address and let them know when our next record is coming out."
Look, I don't have personal problem with Trent, and if he chooses to give his work away for free, well, he's free to do so. But please explain to me how this business model is supposed to work. Artist's are supposed to follow suit by continuing to work real hard and then just kowtow to these jerks who steal, and then feel good about it?
And yeah... anyone who steals is an idiot. And a selfish tightwad. No one has a right to expect anyone with two brain cells rubbin' together to think otherwise or go along with theft. As an artist, I wouldn't set out to make it any easier on a thief.
Besides, who couldn't afford one dollar for a song? Most people only like a few songs on any given CD, anyway. You choose the few you like and it's only a few bucks. Yeah, that's really breakin' the bank.
I would agree that record companies have been too harsh at times, and some of that has angered me, but I'm also not so stupid and immature that I fail to understand that business is business. Who wants their hard work stolen?
Of course, there's no shortage of idiot nerds who will try to justify that technology gives them the right to take without paying. Which it doesn't.
I agree that change is necessary, but it needs to be balanced with reality, meaning that certain consumers need to grow up.
Forgot to add one thing...
He says, "They steal because they love music."
Yeah, OK. But love for a product NEVER justifies theft of that product. Everyone has to grow up, get a job, and pay for what they want like everyone else.
1) Artist gives music for free in exchange for subscribing to a newsletter.
2) RIAA buys mailing list
3) Profit, artist gets reward.
hopefully more artists will realize what Trent and few others have.