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Strega is a compact modular synth for crafting dreamscapes or hellscapes
Strega (Italian for witch), is a complex drone machine built in collaboration with Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails fame. It can sound like a hazy memory or a night terror.
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.
Rock Band Weekly: Nine Inch Nails, Pro Guitar upgrades for legacy DLC
Can the same game really teach you both industrial noise and chooglin'? That's exactly what Rock Band 3 will be capable of doing next week, with four tracks from the remastered version of Nine Inch Nails' Pretty Hate Machine (one of which, "Head Like a Hole," includes Pro Guitar support) and Pro Guitar upgrades for legacy DLC including two Creedence tracks. Find the full list of tracks available for your versatility training after the break.
SuONOIO synth takes soundgeeks from zero to tweaking in fewer than 60 cycles (video)
We'll admit that sometimes it doesn't take much to get our engines running here at Engadget HQ. If you can throw a couple of knobs, exposed circuitry, a 9v battery, and a sense of adventure into a semi-coherent package, we'll be pleased as punch. The SuONIO synthesizer, therefore, makes us very happy indeed. SuONOIO is the band of former Nine Inch Nails keyboardist Alessandro Cortini, and SuONOIO is a pint-sized slab of silicon that comes bundled with a digital copy of the band's latest album. Delivered bubble-wrapped in a hand-stamped cardboard box -- if you've ever had the pleasure of unboxing an Arduino kit, you'll know the feeling -- it's pre-loaded with two banks of samples that were used to create the album. Although it's a sample-based instrument, it's the user's job to create new noise using an array of jumper-activated effects and mixing techniques. It's not quite as expansive as an MPC, but as any good experimentalist knows, there's a lot to be gleaned from limitations and new interface paradigms. Read on for our impressions of the noisebox and a tour of its inner workings! %Gallery-107941%
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 ...
Rock Band Wiikly: NIN, Weezer, Dead Kennedys, more
Rock Band Wiikly's main attractions this week are the geeks who became chic and the manorexic musical visionary-turned-slice-of-beefcake. Weezer, Nine Inch Nails and many other bands are added in this week's update of 16 tracks to the Wii music store. Find the full list after the break. Individual songs (200 Wii points apiece) "One of THOSE Nights" -- The Cab "Hands Down" -- Dashboard Confessional "California Über Alles" -- Dead Kennedys "Holiday in Cambodia" -- Dead Kennedys "Police Truck" -- Dead Kennedys "All Right Now" -- Free "Burn" -- Nine Inch Nails "Capital G" -- Nine Inch Nails "Last" -- Nine Inch Nails "They Say" -- Scars on Broadway "This is it" -- Stained "Electric Crown" -- Testament "Yomp" -- thenewno2 "Dreamin'" -- Weezer "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" -- Weezer "Troublemaker" -- Weezer All tracks are masters and will be downloadable tomorrow, June 23.
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%
Rock Band 2 wastin' away again in DLC-taville
In one of the most weirdly eclectic DLC updates imaginable, Harmonix has added six new Rock Band 2 tracks to the in-game music store, from four artists: Nine Inch Nails, The Clash, The Ramones, and ... Jimmy Buffett. The full track listing is available after the break, with YouTube links for each.All of these songs are already available on the other consoles' download services, having been released in three pairs throughout late 2007 and 2008. It's basically just a random assortment of stuff from the store. But if you just have Rock Band 2 on the Wii, it's New To You! And we would never complain about an opportunity to listen to "March of the Pigs."
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.
NIN begrudgingly pulls the plug on 3D film tour
Man, talk about a buzzkill. Trent Reznor himself has come forward on his official website to announce that there will be no 3D tour film as previously planned. Much like what happened in the heralded U23D, Nine Inch Nails had planned to film a show in 3D with James Cameron's team for a theatrical release as well as eventual release on DVD / Blu-ray, but unfortunately, an unnamed record company pulled the rug out from under the plan at the last moment -- or, that's Trent's side of the story, anyway. On top of that disappointment, we're also told that the current North American tour is likely "the final tour for NIN on this scale." We can hear the collective weeping from here.[Via Billboard]
First Look: Tap Tap Revenge Nine Inch Nails Edition
If you enjoy Tap Tap Revenge and you're a fan of Nine Inch Nails, you're in luck. Tapulous has released Tap Tap Revenge Nine Inch Nails Edition (iTunes link). Featuring 13 tracks picked by NIN frontman Trent Reznor, it's the first game on the iPhone that had my wife playing through toothbrushing time with the kids. After getting the device back I discovered there's a giveaway that you enter when you post scores of 150,000 or higher online. The prize? A signed Les Paul guitar and tickets to the NIN show of your choice. On top of all this, the game feels more responsive and flows better than the original Tap Tap Revenge. Tracks from Ghost seem made for Tap Tap, adding to the gameplay instead of distracting from it. The app costs $4.99, and is worth it if you're a fan of the later works of Nine Inch Nails or you love punching the screen with your index finger for hours.%Gallery-35759%
Shinedown upon NIN in this week's Rock Band DLC
We've got a couple of more songs than the usual 3-track-fare in this week's Rock Band DLC. In addition to The NIN Pack, you also get two songs from Shinedown. As usual, tracks will be on the PSN starting Thursday. The Nine Inch Nails pack is $5.49 while each individual song can be purchased at $2.00: "Burn" -- Nine Inch Nails "Capital G" -- Nine Inch Nails "Last" -- Nine Inch Nails "Devour" -- Shinedown "Junkies For Fame" -- Shinedown Harmonix aims to "have 500 songs ... by holiday," so we better get used to getting more than three songs per week, not that we are complaining.[Via Joystiq]
Rock Band Weekly: Nine Inch Nails and Shinedown
Although we'd gotten used to three songs being added every week to Rock Band's music store, Harmonix told us this week a little bit more could become the norm as the developer pushes to have 500 songs by the end of the year. This week, the band Trent Reznor built and Shinedown add some songs to the library.Nin Pack (440 MS points / $5.49) -- Also sold seperately (160 MS Points / $2) "Burn" "Capital G" "Last" Individual Shinedown tracks (160 MS points / $2) "Devour" "Junkies For Fame" Videos for the tracks can be found after the break. The consoles return to a regular DLC schedule next week (following this week's Tuesday release of The Who pack), with songs being available next Tuesday and Thursday on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 respectively.
WoW Moviewatch: In This Twilight
It's reader submission time again! Cryfury submitted this artistic gameplay video, although we're not sure if they took the footage themselves, or just remixed some of Blizzard's. Either way, it makes for an entertaining piece.Set to a Nine Inch Nails song of the same name, In This Twilight is packed with all of the goodness that you enjoy. There's travel, battle, scenery, and suspense shots, or, something for everyone. If you're a glutton for punishment, check out Cryfury's WoW interpretation of Everybody (Backstreet's Back).[Thanks, Cryfury!]If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
Video: Expertly drummed The Perfect Drug
Since yesterday's release of Rock Band Nine Inch Nails DLC it has quickly become obvious that "The Perfect Drug" is a drummer's nightmare. Five plus minutes of drumming hell that's so chaotic that our tiny arms can't handle the sheer amount of drum banging that's involved. But it is obviously no challenge for seasoned Rock Band drummer GurnKiller who not only played the song nearly flawlessly, but did it on expert and gold starred it as well. Watch in admiration, but know that there is still something to shoot for. Try "The Perfect Drug" on expert, earn gold star status AND nail it 100%. Go get 'em tiger.[Thanks, homer34]
Rock Band Weekly: Nine Inch Nails three-pack
This week's batch of Rock Band DLC is a triumvirate of Trent Reznor's industrial flare. It was noted in an copy of Official Xbox Magazine from late January, although for a March 18 release. The songs (all master tracks):Nine Inch Nails pack (440 MS points / $5.49) March Of The Pigs -- (160 MS points / $1.99) The Collector -- (160 MS points / $1.99) The Perfect Drug -- (160 MS points / $1.99) The songs will be available next Wednesday for Xbox 360 and Thursday for PlayStation 3. Videos of each found after the break.
