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Look, I don’t really care about Trent Reznor or Nine Inch Nails, but I respect that people do care about that stuff. You want to fuck Trent Reznor like an animal, or whatever. He’s the whole reason you got into pickling fetuses in jars in the first place. So, even though I don’t personally care, I can only imagine what people who do care are thinking about the fact that the dude just went on a farewell tour for Nine Inch Nails and declared that it was the end of “the band,” with the reservation being that the NIN name might be used on the occasional cool and worthwhile project. OK. The ReznorHeads are all like totally awwwww, I’m sure. But, so, that happened, and now here is Trent Reznor, back with the first of his post-retirement cool projects:
A PROMO SPOT FOR FRINGE.
Neat?
The promo itself, as well as some more talk about Trent Reznor’s courageous path towards true artistry after the jump.
I mean, everyone has to put food on their family, even geniuses, but come on, Rez Dog. There has got to be a better way to emerge from retirement. From Entertainment Weekly:
The spot, which debuts Thursday during Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, features a reworking of the Nine Inch Nails song “Zero-Sum” by Reznor, who recites lines of dialogue from Fringe‘s William Bell (Leonard Nimoy) over the music. So, how did the freaky drama series secure the services of Reznor? After Fox’s marketing department showed the Fringe producers a version of the promo that used “Zero-Sum,” series exec producer Jeff Pinkner simply asked a nearby Reznor acquaintance–that’d be co-creator J.J. Abrams–if the NIN musician might be interested in a collaboration. One email later, Reznor was on the case. “We offered him compensation, and he said, ‘No, no, I just want to have fun and be part of something cool,’” says Pinkner, adding: “How often do you get the chance to work with somebody like that?”
Wait, so he’s not even putting food on his family with this? This is just SOMETHING COOL? (His words. Trent Reznor’s words right there.) Perfect. I love a good passion project. The neatest part (not the neatest part) is when he recites lines of dialog from Fringe‘s William Bell over the music. HE’S JUST HAVING FUN AND BEING PART OF SOMETHING COOL.
Very Cool, Trent Reznor.
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i hear he has a project with topher grace happening soon.
Do NOT get my hopes up. It’s just cruel.
yeah, trent whispers dialogue from ‘win a date with tad hamilton’ over the hurt instrumental. so. good.
“fringe” and “something cool” do not belong in the same sentence, unless they are joined by the words “is not”.
also, “pinkos”? really?
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Phew! My I.P address saves me again!!
F*cking Pacey like an animal is pretty cool.
hmmm… I’m not sure who you mean by Pacey… is that some strange nickname for Charlie Conway?
“Rez Dog is a cake-eater.”
- Jesse Hall, Forward for Mighty Ducks
I watch Fringe just for Pacey.. is that sad?
If that’s wrong, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to be right.
Man, forget anvil legal pad. Butterfly Bubbles all the way.
That was the best fringe promo ever. Mostly because of the faceless chick and the disparaging talk about commies, but also cuz of trent. (I saw two of the final farewell shows, very worth it… He will be making music on into the future too, cuz we all needs us some trent.)
Total transparancy: I was one of the ReznorHeads who saw them play the Bowery in August, so I’m a bit of a Reznerd
But even I have to agree, Fringe is boring, it’s a strange thing for him to put more than a second of effort into. He should stick to banging his new hot wife 24/7. For real, she is ridiculously hot and I am a ladyfan.
This actually kind of pisses me off. Licensing is quickly becoming a huge way for smaller artists to fill in the album sales gap. So here comes Trent “I’m So Happy and Financially Secure” Reznor not only taking that job away, but also saying “Fuck you, mid-level bands. I’ll do this shit for free!”
It’s like Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and T. Boone Pickens walking into an inner-city McDonald’s and taking the three positions available. Sorry, poverty-stricken single mothers struggling to feed their children. Bill Gates wants to be part of something cool!
I concur. Music licensing is the ONLY viable option for musicians who are still off the grid. I don’t think it is particularly reprehensible because there is enough music out there that people are going to want to license, and I don’t really feel like Trent Reznor is necessarily taking away from that. I’m not sure that a more independent artist would have been appropriate for this bland mainstream television series. At least House used Massive Attack? I don’t know? Seems like with licensing you win some and you lose some (you lose some mostly), but we can definitely use less mainstream recording artists taking up (any) all of the pie.
Who do you think should have done it instead?
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Hahahha. Hi Stereogum Reader!
I always thought it was strange that Stereogum (which is usually about actual art) has so many garden-variety internet morons as commenters, while Videogum (which is usually about the most idiotic aspects of pop-culture) attracts some of the smartest, funniest, and all-around best commenters on the web.
There’s some kind of scientific theory at play here, but I’m far too stupid to figure it out.
I find that most music blogs have morons for commenters.
I had to get out of Stereogum while I still could.
He: “VECKATIMEST > MPP”
She: “NO, MPP > VECKATIMEST.”
Me: “I actually prefer ‘Bitte Orca’, but all three albums are incredible. Isn’t music great?”
He & She “HAHAHAHA”
*downvote*
sometimes I wish pitchfork had comments too
then I look at Stereogum.
Also every time I try to listen to any of those albums, I fall asleep
I remember that and I totally upvoted you for it! I avoid all Grizzly Bear and Animal Collective posts because of the same fight that always happens.
We are the best community out there… I keep looking at 4 chan and being like, you guys are perverts and asstards. And then there’s the efukt forums, buncha weirdo’s askin for dick pics and images of std’s… Can’t forget something awful and any site dedicated to cats… Basically we win for randomness, breadth of topics discussed, image insertion (not overdoing it) and just all around awesomeness!
VideoGum Monsters, group hug!
No, no, That One. No crazy scientific principles are being messed with here. It’s completely normal. You just went on to videogum.com to comment, and got out of the elevator on the wrong level of the WORLD TRADE CENTRE.
lol I know Chris Bear in real life, and he would totally get a kick out of this whole thing…
Chris Bear is a sweet, sweet man. I met him once accidentally after a show, and he was extremely nice and really cool to talk to.
I often wonder about that, what the musicians make of all this music geek dickery. Because it seems to me they, um, are just making the music that they want to make? And then everybody else turns it into a competition. Listening to music these days can be too hard. Ugh and double ugh.
Didnt feel like loggin, its ds, just wonderin, why the FUCK did I get downvoted there? Seriously, fuck you.
You mean Videogum’s forcing-people-to-read-articles-that-they-don’t-like/care-about-at-gunpoint position has been filled?! Looks like it’s another week of government cheese for me, I guess.
So when is Fringe moving to Syfy?
Reznor is way over the hilll and should ACTUALLY retire. This promo is proof of that.
That said, the humor and the writing in this article is just…awful. It’s like when the Black Eyed Peas dude punched Perez Hilton: it’s nice to see an idiot get what he deserves, but dissapointing when it comes from someone just as annoying.
This whole post needs to be destroyed forever.
The biggest crime is the fact that Fringe is on hiatus. This makes me sad, but also frees up my bloated TV-watching Thursday considerably.
I actually enjoy Fringe and liked the song over the commercial. It can’t be worse than Gossip Girl or Grey’s Anatomy or real Housewives of ATL. I haven’t seen any of those shows, but I’m still certain it can’t be.
I usually agree with Gabe and I’m not a huge fan of the music, but it seems you’re being a bit unfair. JJ Abrams approached him and asked him to use the song. His options were to refuse, to ask for money, or to go along and not ask for money. The last one seems like the least dickish move. Is your issue that he gave a positive soundbite after the fact?
Yeah I agree. Are you unhappy that he picked a show you feel is subpar?
If he genuinely feels that he is just having fun and being part of something cool, I don’t see what the big deal is?
Whatever, haters. Walter Bishop is my hero. He’s everyone’s hero here in Batshitcrazytown.
I am a humongous Reznerd. I’m actually one of those people that, no matter what he does, I will think it is awesome. Like, I will change my idea of what awesome is to fit Trent’s music. It’s kind of pathetic, but I’m okay with that.
jeez, if he’s just doing it cuz he wants to, so what? and i think there’s an important factor in this: one of the guys that works on the show is a friend of his. maybe he wants to help out his friend, etc.
it’s not that big of a deal, really.
i don’t really like fringe that much, but whatever.