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Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor reveals secret collaboration with Apple
Apple loves music and Trent Reznor is a musician, so it shouldn't be super shocking that the longtime musician has sparked a new project within Apple that he isn't at liberty to talk about. In an interview with Billboard, the Nine Inch Nails frontman revealed that he has begun "designing some products" with Apple, though details are of course on the down-low. Reznor was tapped by Apple upon the company's acquisition of Beats, where Reznor was serving as chief creative officer. He notes that he was flattered when he was asked to work directly with Apple on a new product, and that -- whatever that product is -- it is related to music delivery in some way. On the topic of the U2/iTunes uproar, Reznor adds that the message was perhaps a bit poorly delivered on Apple's part, so it looks like whatever the musician and Apple have in store, it won't be a forced download of a new Nine Inch Nails album. Not that I'd complain, of course.
Trent Reznor uses iPhone to FaceTime friend during concert
AppleInsider directs us to a great video of a Nine Inch Nails concert where NIN frontman Trent Reznor takes a break in the action to FaceTime with photojournalist Andrew Youssef. According to a report by music site Consequence of Sound, Youssef was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in 2011, and has spent his time since documenting his efforts to continue his photography while battling the disease in "Last Shot," a regular column for OC Weekly. His last column appeared October 3, where he described an assignment photographing Depeche Mode, writing, "my strength is definitely not where it should be, but with the help of my brother who drove and helped carried my camera bag, I successfully accomplished my mission." While on stage during a November 16 concert, Reznor dedicated the song "In This Twilight" to Youssef, one of Youssef's favorites and the title of a particularly moving article Youssef wrote this past September about his deteriorating health. Youssef had previously seen NIN on November 8, but was not well enough to attend the November 16 concert as well. Hence, the heartwarming gesture from Reznor. In a tweet that went up after the FaceTime call, Youssef was beyond thrilled. @trent_reznor Completely humbled. I can't thank you and @nineinchnails enough. I wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for you. - Amateur Chemist (@Amateurchemist) November 16, 2013 If you're interested in learning more about Youssef and his connection with Reznor, Stereogum has a great write-up on it that's well worth checking out. Incidentally, Reznor himself has long been an Apple enthusiast. Following the 2009 rejection of a NIN app from the App Store, Reznor posted the following on the official Nine Inch Nails message board. Everyone – let me be clear. I love Apple products and as goofy and out-of-touch as their app approval process / policy is, I will still use them because they work 1000X better than the competition. This is not a debate, it's a fact. The iPhone is THE most elegant, modern smartphone at this point in time and it's perfect for what we want to do with the NIN app – except for the ludicrous approval process, and that's what I want to draw attention to... For the record, the NIN app was approved a few days later.
Black Ops 2 soundtrack hitting iTunes alongside game launch
The Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 soundtrack, a joint effort of Trent Reznor and Jack Wall, will be available for download on iTunes this upcoming Tuesday, right alongside the launch of Treyarch's game. If you want a sample, you can listen to the main menu theme song right now on YouTube.If you're picking up the Hardened Edition or Care Package Collector's Edition, the soundtrack is included, so don't sweat the iTunes soundtrack.
Black Ops 2 artisans discuss ... Black Ops 2
Trent Reznor, David S. Goyer, and a duo of Treyarch dudes want you to know what they put into Black Ops 2. They also want you to hear an extremely short clip of the Reznor-composed theme song to the game, apparently, as this trailer only allows a teensy bit before cutting off. Blast!
Black Ops 2 soundtrack bolstered by Trent Reznor, Mass Effect composer Jack Wall
Call of Duty's next big entry is getting some extra long nails to assist in its theme song – Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor composed Black Ops 2's theme song, USA Today revealed this morning. He's not crafting the whole soundtrack, though, as Mass Effect 1 and 2 soundtrack composer Jack Wall is taking that responsibility.Reznor said he was led to the project after having composed soundtracks for both The Social Network and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. "I started dipping my toe into film scoring. That led me to film scoring agents and whatnot and a variety of projects start to get thrown at you to check your level of interest. And quite a while ago I had heard, 'Would you be interested in a big franchise video game?' Being an avid gamer my whole life, I said, 'Yeah, I would be interested in that.'" Reznor previously composed the soundtrack to Quake.Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 launches on November 13 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.
Live-action Prototype 2 commercial sets a soothingly violent tone
The above commercial for Prototype 2 features a live-action free-fall from the top of a skyscraper, heartstring tugs, infected citizens and two dudes with mutated, menacing arm gadgets. The coolest part? Johnny Cash covering Trent Reznor's "Hurt."
Trent Reznor: Mark Zuckerberg is no Steve Jobs
In a recent interview with Drowned in Sound, former Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor discussed the Social Network soundtrack and exactly why Mark Zuckerberg is no Steve Jobs. Reznor is currently promoting the soundtrack he recorded for The Social Network, otherwise known as "the Facebook movie." In the interview, Trent describes why he's not a fan of Facebook; specifically, the license that it and similar services seem to give users to exaggerate themselves, saying, "I've seen that with people I know in real life, and I check them out online, it's not always the same person." He also goes on to describe the media's current fascination with Zuckerberg and compares it to another famous tech company CEO: "When I see the media heralding Zuckerberg, putting him up on a pedestal of genius and mentioned in the same breathe as Steve Jobs, I'm highly degree [sic] with that. He was in the right place, at the right time, with a functional tool." Reznor has long been an Apple fan. Five years ago, he released the Nine Inch Nails songs The Hand That Feeds and Only as GarageBand files, and he's used Apple software to record both music and recent tours. However, he went on a tirade when the Nine Inch Nails app was ejected from the App Store in 2009.
Joystiq interviews Trent Reznor
Joystiq has an excellent interview with independent noise harnessers, Trent Reznor and Rob Sheridan, of Nine Inch Nails fame. Unlikely guests for the 'stiq until they begin reminiscing about their Pong roots and flame-baiting the PS3 and Xbox 360 faithful. They also hint at near-term plans to develop "some entertainment-based video game–type stuff" while lambasting a record industry looking to Rock Band and Guitar Hero for its salvation. You get the idea, gaming nerds nerding-out about gaming only using a few more expletives than moms would probably like. 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: "...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." Pretty savvy. More after the break.
Interview: Trent Reznor
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/arts_culture/Trent_Reznor_and_Rob_Sheridan_talk_games'; Wait. What? Trent Reznor? As in "Mr. I'll Give Away My Music," "Mr. Brutal Honesty," Mr. NINE INCH NAILS? What's he doing on Joystiq? Prior to taking the concert stage this month, The Trent Reznor, along with NIN Creative Director Rob Sheridan, opened up to us about their gaming pasts, the direction they see the industry headed in, and whether or not Trent will have a role in shaping that future.Continue reading for Joystiq's first-ever NINterview ...
Apple caves: NIN App Store update approved 'unchanged'
We don't know why and we don't know how. We only know that Trent Reznor is saying that the updated iPhone NIN application has finally been approved. In his tweet Trent states the following:NEWS FLASH: Apple has approved the NIN iPhone app update. Should be live in a few hours.Whatever the reason for the turn-around -- Trent's expletive-ridden rant or the fact that the developer at one point had pulled any links to the offending "Downward Spiral" album -- let's hope these nerd-fights end once the App Store gains some parental controls.Update: Reznor followed-up with this, "The NIN iPhone app is unchanged, the "issues" seem to have been resolved." Looks like Apple caved under intense criticism.
Monday morning App Store shenanigans, NIN: Access edition
Another week, another App Store scandal. Over the weekend, Apple rejected an update to the NIN: Access app (reviewed here) because of "objectionable content." The objectionable content? 1994's The Downward Spiral (iTunes link, also available in a deluxe edition here). Needless to say, Trent Reznor is a little upset (TUAW disclaimer, Reznor uses adult language, if this bothers you, avert your eyes or don't click the link).This latest incident allows us to revisit other incidents of non-sensical approval decisions. In the case of Tweetie, Apple backed off the potential objectionable content claim and let the update through. In the case of craigsphone, the developer re-routed potentially "adult" content to Mobile Safari. As for South Park, well, it's still not in the App Store.With a tour in progress, the developer of the NIN app has removed what he believes to be the objectionable file, but we'll need to wait to see if this (or the ensuing outrage over this stupid decision) will change Apple's mind.As it stands, I can't help but be flummoxed by the seemingly arbitrary nature of the App Store review process. When I reviewed NIN: Access, it was readily apparent that users had access to podcasts, remixes and music videos for the Nine Inch Nails catalog. I even thought to myself, "Well, I guess Apple got over the Craigslist-aphobia" and accepted that users who download the NIN: Access app know what they are getting into. Clearly, I was wrong.So while apps that simulate killing an infant can actually make it into the store (and the PR nightmare is what ends up gettting it removed), apps that provide access to online content -- content that is available for sale via iTunes -- remains off-limits. Way to go![via TechCrunch]UPDATE: The app has been approved despite the content issues, it would seem.
Trent Reznor rips Apple, rates Smartphone OSes
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Trent_Reznor_rips_Apple_says_WinMo_sucks_balls'; Why should you care about what Trent Reznor has to say about Apple or smartphones in general? Well, for one thing, the front-man for Nine Inch Nails is a digital music visionary who's gone it alone and found gold in the deep coffers of the Internet. And that little device in your pocket just happens to be the future of mobile computing and converged media players. The story begins last week when Apple rejected an update to the official Nine Inch Nails iPhone application on the grounds of "objectionable content" (read: too many F-bombs). In this case, as it was in the rejected Tweetie update, the offensive content isn't actually part of the application; Apple's concern is with the song "The Downward Spiral" that can be streamed to the updated NIN iPhone App. The stupidity of this is palpable, but the hypocrisy is best described by Trent himself in a forum post over at NIN.com. Steel yourselves: unlike Apple we haven't censored the material -- so if naughty words can hurt you then by all means, don't click through to the full quote after the break. But Mr. Jobs, old pal, if you're listening... Trent may not be Bob Dylan, but he is the voice of the digital music generation.
First Look: NIN: Access for iPhone
Earlier this week Nine Inch Nails released NIN: Access [iTunes link], an official iPhone app for the band's website. Although releasing an official band-branded mobile application isn't an entirely new idea -- Death Cab for Cutie [iTunes link] released an app earlier this year and Snow Patrol [iTunes link] released an interactive booklet for their latest album back in October -- NIN: Access goes a step further by bringing the community experience of the nin.com website into the mobile app.A few weeks ago, Wired previewed the app and interviewed Trent Reznor and his long-time collaborator Rob Sheridan about its development.Playing with the app (check out our gallery), it's clear how much focus was put into not only integrating the app with the existing nin.com site, but also enhancing and building features that make for a satisfying mobile experience.Users (you can either sign-in with an existing account or create an account directly from the app) can access music, videos, wallpaper and images from the vast official archives or fan-uploaded content. Thanks to a GPS and Wi-Fi locating tool, fans can communicate with other fans using Nearby, which is like Twitter but localized to the Nine Inch Nails network. Think of it like Twinkle but for NIN fans.Uses can also access the forums and read the latest news of of the official NIN news channel. Although I had a few instances where the app crashed on me (and I'm using an iPod touch 2G 32 GB, I'd imagine crashing is even more common for iPhone and iPhone 3G users), the overall feel was solid and the interface was top notch.Videos load in the external YouTube app, while songs and fan and official remixes play within the app itself. Playback was just fine over WiFi, but support over 3G may vary.All in all, Trent Reznor and Co. have really gone the extra mile in creating a community-branded official application. If you're a fan of NIN, this free app is most definitely worth checking out.NIN: Access is free and available in the App Store.%Gallery-50335%
NIN crowd sources concert film with 400GB of raw HD footage
When NIN was forced to abandon its film plans for Lights in the Sky, we thought the already-filmed parts were headed for the wrong can, but Trent Reznor has decided to break from the "take my ball and go home" attitude by putting the footage up online. Opening up a public domain wellspring for fans to create some great content, the 400GB of unedited HD data from three shows (Victoria, Portland and Sacramento) is available as a torrent. Don't fire up that download just yet -- Reznor warns that beyond the drive-crushing size of the content, this is totaly unproduced and not really the sort of thing for casual viewers seeking a finished product. For those of you with serious editing rigs and a yen for film production, clear off some space on the RAID and hit the link for torrent details.
Have it your way: With GarageBand
First Trent Reznor did it. Now it's The King's turn. No, not Elvis. I mean The Burger King. During last weekend's Super Bowl, Burger King ran an ad that featured a good, old-fashioned musical production number, complete with dancers dressed like Whopper components (the meat patty dress was especially disturbing). If you wish you could relive that moment, or if you think you could do better with the music itself, rejoice. BK has made the "Whopperettes" music available for download as a GarageBand project.* Make your own brainwashing propaganda enchanting jingle on your Mac. Does anyone else want a Whopper all of a sudden?*There's no direct link, so once you're on the site, click "Bonus Material" and then "Music."Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
