Family
Michael Reznor (Father), Nancy Lou Reznor (Mother), George (Grandfather), Helene (Grandmother), Clara (Parental Grandmother) Tera (Sister), Mariqueen Maandig (Spouse)
Early Years
Trent Reznor (born Michael Trent Reznor) was raised in a Lutheran household in the small town of Mercer, Pennsylvania. Shortly after his fifth birthday and his sister's birth, his father left and his parents divorced. He and his baby sister moved away to go live with his grandmother Clara, due to the fact that it would have been to hard for his mother to support both children by herself. Shortly after he moved in with Clara, she enrolled the five year old in piano lessons. From a young age he was immersed in music. He enrolled in his high school's band and theatre program and became very involved in all aspects of art. He played the tenor saxophone, tuba, and the piano in high school and concert bands. After he graduated in 1983, he joined Allegheny College to study production. During his time in college, he joined his first actual band named Option 30, which was later to be found similar to The Police. They were popular at there college and some parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio. After a year in college, Trent dropped out to pursue his career in music. He ended up playing the keyboard for multiple bands like The Urge and Exotic Birds. Reznor caught a job at Right Track Studio as an egineer/janitor. Trent later asked his boss Bart Koster if he could record some demos. That was the beginning of Nine Inch Nails.
A Musician Is Born
The young Trent Reznor came out with his first single Purest Feeling in 1988, which included songs that would later appear on the new album Pretty Hate Machine (1989).
This semi-popular album introduced a new type of industrial-pop music. It would be a quiet couple of years before NIN would make their second album Broken (1992). This hate-inspired album came out with a movie and ended up winning two grammies for the songs Wish and Happiness In Slavery. This was also when Trent started working and touring with the infamous Marilyn Manson. He even appeared in the music video for Gave Up. Shortly after this album was produced, Trent Reznor came out with his most popular album ever, The Downward Spiral. Featuring songs like Hurt (which later would be covered by Johnny Cash) and Closer, this was an incredibly popular album. It even made it onto the Rolling Stone's Top 100 Best Albums Ever in the first 50. Trent was becoming a famous musician and a well-known sex icon. At the top of his fame, he created a masterpiece double disc album called The Fragile. This album included many hits such as We're In This Together Now and The Day The Whole World Went Away (which was rumored to be about his recently deceased grandmother). At the height of his fame, Trent started having problems with depression and more importantly, drug abuse. After an overdose on heroin and the death of an old friend, he decided it was time to stop running from his problems. He started rehab right away and started making music again, while clean and sober, in 2001. It was fours years later when trent came out with the album With Teeth featuring (most likely his most famous song) The Hand That Feeds. Trent started to change his sound. His music wasn't as dark, depressing, and angry anymore. It sounded more electronic and alternative while still having equally powerful instrumentals and lyrics. A year later, Trent received a call from an agent asking if Johnny Cash could do a cover of his legendary song Hurt. Trent obviously agreed because this was was a legend in the music industry who wanted to cover one of his songs. Reznor kept busy for many years creating various remix discs and other demos until he finally released Year Zero in 2007. During the tour for this album, Trent started arguing with the CEO of "Nothing Records" about cd prices. He even went so far as to tell fans to go and "steal" his music. His bad relationship with the record company didn't last long si
Trent produced Saul Williams (Shown Above) latest album "The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust"
nce he dropped "Nothing Records" in 2008, but he was still making music through a creative commons liscense. In 2008, Trent produced another album titled Ghosts I-IV. This album was a double disc set of 39 instrumentals, and every track was nameless so that "the listener didn't have to worry what the song was about, they only had to listen and come up with their own meaning for it." Shortly after the release of Ghosts, Trent had created his final album The Slip, which was (and still is) available for free download on the band website. Trent led a strong worldwide tour for this album, but he has just proclaimed that he is done performing live. The musical legend of Trent Reznor had left 20 whole years of destruction, anger, and hatred in his wake, but also a sense of sadness, hope, and love. He is considered to be one of the most artistic musicians on the planet and is an inspiration to several influential modern bands. He has recently stated that he is done touring but will still be making music.
"Playing that song for the crowd... it was like ripping apart my insides and handing them to everyone. I felt like I had slept with everyone in that crowd."
-Michael Trent Reznor
Personal Life
Little is known about Trent Reznor's personal life, seeing as he does his best to keep away from the public eye. He went through rehab to battle against a deadly addiction to heroin and alcohol. He overdosed in his hotel room after a show, and his aided had to carry him out through the laundry room to protect his privacy. After a year and a half of rehab, he came back with a smile and a new album. He had also looked completely transformed because he spent all of his time (when he used drugs) in the gym. He has also had a history of bad relationships. He has dated another musician named Tori Amos and even dated Courtney Love. He is now married to Mariqueen Maandig from the underground punk band West Indian Girl.
Accomplishments
Trent Reznor has created 27 official releases and numerous bootlegs and demoes. His songs have been covered by many famous artists such as Johnny Cash and Flyleaf. He has produced albums for many young aspiring musicians such as Marilyn Manson and Saul Williams. His first three albums were made entirely by him, including vocals, lyrics, and instrumentals. He has been awarded a grammy for his songs Wish and Happiness In Slavery. He has had the honor of working with David Bowie and Gary Numan. His songs were played in multiple movies such as Terminator Salvation, Doom, Wanted, Machina, The Crow and much more. Spin magazine has named him "the most vital artist in music." Voted 44th on the list of greatest rock bands ever. He takes a strong moral stand against the making of fur and torture.
How He Remains An Influence
Trent Reznor is truly an inspirational figure because he commits himself to everything he does and he looks at music as an art. Not something to be exploited for fame and money. He created his first two albums entirely by himself. He has played all of the instruments for every recording he's ever made except for the drums. Trent has written all of his own lyrics and composed every single song. He focuses more on making his music emotional rather than popular. Trent has reached a point in music that only the most respectable musicians can relate with. In a truly unbiased opinion, any musician will be able to agree.
Discography
Pretty Hate Machine- 1989
Broken- 1992
The Downward Spiral- 1994
The Fragile- 1999
[With_Teeth]- 2005
Year Zero- 2007
Ghosts I-IV- 2008
The Slip- 2009
Remixes, Demos, and Extras (no singles included)
Fixed- 1992
Further Down The Spiral- 1994
The Perfect Drug- 1997
Closure- 1997
Things Falling Apart- 2000
And All That Could Have Been- 2002
Still- 2002
Beside You In Time- 2007
Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D- 2007
The Slip Rehearsal DVD/CD- 2008
Birth Name
Michael Trent Reznor
Date Of Birth
May 17, 1965
Hometown
Mercer, Pennsylvania
Family
Michael Reznor (Father), Nancy Lou Reznor (Mother), George (Grandfather), Helene (Grandmother), Clara (Parental Grandmother) Tera (Sister), Mariqueen Maandig (Spouse)
Occupation
Musician, Songwriter, Guitarist, Mixer, Sound Guy, Pianist
Early Years
Trent Reznor (born Michael Trent Reznor) was raised in a Lutheran household in the small town of Mercer, Pennsylvania. Shortly after his fifth birthday and his sister's birth, his father left and his parents divorced. He and his baby sister moved away to go live with his grandmother Clara, due to the fact that it would have been to hard for his mother to support both children by herself. Shortly after he moved in with Clara, she enrolled the five year old in piano lessons. From a young age he was immersed in music. He enrolled in his high school's band and theatre program and became very involved in all aspects of art. He played the tenor saxophone, tuba, and the piano in high school and concert bands. After he graduated in 1983, he joined Allegheny College to study production. During his time in college, he joined his first actual band named Option 30, which was later to be found similar to The Police. They were popular at there college and some parts of Pennsylvania and Ohio. After a year in college, Trent dropped out to pursue his career in music. He ended up playing the keyboard for multiple bands like The Urge and Exotic Birds. Reznor caught a job at Right Track Studio as an egineer/janitor. Trent later asked his boss Bart Koster if he could record some demos. That was the beginning of Nine Inch Nails.
A Musician Is Born
The young Trent Reznor came out with his first single Purest Feeling in 1988, which included songs that would later appear on the new album Pretty Hate Machine (1989).
This semi-popular album introduced a new type of industrial-pop music. It would be a quiet couple of years before NIN would make their second album Broken (1992). This hate-inspired album came out with a movie and ended up winning two grammies for the songs Wish and Happiness In Slavery. This was also when Trent started working and touring with the infamous Marilyn Manson. He even appeared in the music video for Gave Up. Shortly after this album was produced, Trent Reznor came out with his most popular album ever, The Downward Spiral. Featuring songs like Hurt (which later would be covered by Johnny Cash) and Closer, this was an incredibly popular album. It even made it onto the Rolling Stone's Top 100 Best Albums Ever in the first 50. Trent was becoming a famous musician and a well-known sex icon. At the top of his fame, he created a masterpiece double disc album called The Fragile. This album included many hits such as We're In This Together Now and The Day The Whole World Went Away (which was rumored to be about his recently deceased grandmother). At the height of his fame, Trent started having problems with depression and more importantly, drug abuse. After an overdose on heroin and the death of an old friend, he decided it was time to stop running from his problems. He started rehab right away and started making music again, while clean and sober, in 2001. It was fours years later when trent came out with the album With Teeth featuring (most likely his most famous song) The Hand That Feeds. Trent started to change his sound. His music wasn't as dark, depressing, and angry anymore. It sounded more electronic and alternative while still having equally powerful instrumentals and lyrics. A year later, Trent received a call from an agent asking if Johnny Cash could do a cover of his legendary song Hurt. Trent obviously agreed because this was was a legend in the music industry who wanted to cover one of his songs. Reznor kept busy for many years creating various remix discs and other demos until he finally released Year Zero in 2007. During the tour for this album, Trent started arguing with the CEO of "Nothing Records" about cd prices. He even went so far as to tell fans to go and "steal" his music. His bad relationship with the record company didn't last long si
"Playing that song for the crowd... it was like ripping apart my insides and handing them to everyone. I felt like I had slept with everyone in that crowd."
-Michael Trent Reznor
Personal Life
Little is known about Trent Reznor's personal life, seeing as he does his best to keep away from the public eye. He went through rehab to battle against a deadly addiction to heroin and alcohol. He overdosed in his hotel room after a show, and his aided had to carry him out through the laundry room to protect his privacy. After a year and a half of rehab, he came back with a smile and a new album. He had also looked completely transformed because he spent all of his time (when he used drugs) in the gym. He has also had a history of bad relationships. He has dated another musician named Tori Amos and even dated Courtney Love. He is now married to Mariqueen Maandig from the underground punk band West Indian Girl.
Accomplishments
Trent Reznor has created 27 official releases and numerous bootlegs and demoes. His songs have been covered by many famous artists such as Johnny Cash and Flyleaf. He has produced albums for many young aspiring musicians such as Marilyn Manson and Saul Williams. His first three albums were made entirely by him, including vocals, lyrics, and instrumentals. He has been awarded a grammy for his songs Wish and Happiness In Slavery. He has had the honor of working with David Bowie and Gary Numan. His songs were played in multiple movies such as Terminator Salvation, Doom, Wanted, Machina, The Crow and much more. Spin magazine has named him "the most vital artist in music." Voted 44th on the list of greatest rock bands ever. He takes a strong moral stand against the making of fur and torture.
How He Remains An Influence
Trent Reznor is truly an inspirational figure because he commits himself to everything he does and he looks at music as an art. Not something to be exploited for fame and money. He created his first two albums entirely by himself. He has played all of the instruments for every recording he's ever made except for the drums. Trent has written all of his own lyrics and composed every single song. He focuses more on making his music emotional rather than popular. Trent has reached a point in music that only the most respectable musicians can relate with. In a truly unbiased opinion, any musician will be able to agree.
Discography
Pretty Hate Machine- 1989
Broken- 1992
The Downward Spiral- 1994
The Fragile- 1999
[With_Teeth]- 2005
Year Zero- 2007
Ghosts I-IV- 2008
The Slip- 2009
Remixes, Demos, and Extras (no singles included)
Fixed- 1992
Further Down The Spiral- 1994
The Perfect Drug- 1997
Closure- 1997
Things Falling Apart- 2000
And All That Could Have Been- 2002
Still- 2002
Beside You In Time- 2007
Y34RZ3R0R3M1X3D- 2007
The Slip Rehearsal DVD/CD- 2008
List Of Sources
http://www.ninwiki.com/Main_Page
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0722153/
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/10/19/nine-inch-nails-trent-reznor-marries-mariqueen-maandig/
http://www.nndb.com/people/534/000025459/
http://www.NINhotline.com
http://www.NIN.com