Headline News
Nine Inch Nails Mainman Trent Reznor Tells Fans To Steal His Music Rather Than Buy Pirated Copies or Pay Exorbitant Prices
Band Photo: Nine Inch Nails (?)
Nine Inch Nails recently played their first show in China (in Bejing) and prepared a Chinese language section on the NIN website in preparation for the show, with a heartfelt message to their Chinese fans which translates as follows:
“As for the special situation in China, it does not seem to be easy to obtain Western music via legal channels, so I have the following suggestion for our fans: If you can find and buy our legal CDs, I express my thanks for your support. If you cannot find it, I think that downloading from the Internet is a more acceptable option than buying pirated CDs. Our music is easy to find on the Internet, and you might not need to spend much effort to find most of our songs. If you like our songs after you’ve heard them, please feel free to share it with your friends. As I have put all my effort and heart into my music, I sincerely hope that more and more people can share the enjoyment with us.”
Trent Reznor again reiterated his disgust with the labels by stating in Beijing:
“We will put out one last album for Universal and after that we will sell albums directly to fans from our website at (say) $4 an album.”
Following his radical statements in China, Trent Reznor returned to his old label-stomping ground in Sydney and volleyed one of the most defiant verbal assaults on a label by a major label artist ever recorded on video. The audio transcript follows (and the video is embedded at the end of this article):
“Lots and lots and lots of familiar faces..Is there anybody here tonight that wasn’t at Luna Park last night?
I talked a lot last night; tonight I’m not talking so much. I know, I know…
I woke up this morning and I forgot where I was for a minute.
"I remember last time I was here, I was doing a lot of complaining about the ridiculous prices of CDs down here. And the story got picked up and got carried all around the world and now my record label all around the world hates me because I yelled back at them - called them out for being greedy fucking assholes.
"I didn’t get the chance to check – has the price come down at all?
[Crowd yells “NO”]
I see a no, a no, a no, a no…anybody…has anyone seen the price come down?
[Crowd yells “NO” again]
"Okay, well, you know what that means - STEAL IT. Steal away. Steal and steal and steal some more and give it to all your friends and keep on stealin’. Because one way or another, these motherfuckers will get it through their head that they’re ripping people off and that’s not right.
"Bet we didn’t make any friends by saying that”
Earlier this year, Reznor slammed his Australian label, UMG, for selling 'Year Zero' in Australia for $34.99 Australian dollars ($29.10 US).
When questioned about this, the label rep's response was: "It's because we know you have a real core audience that will pay whatever it costs when you put something out — you know, true fans. It's the pop stuff we have to discount to get people to buy."
As previously reported, Nine Inch Nails recently authorized the posting of the top 21 songs from their "Year Zero" remix contest for free download on the Internet (downloads currently only via torrent; later available by zip as demand dies down).
"Trent Dialogue / The Day The World Went Away" by Nine Inch Nails - live at the Hordern Pavilion, September 16, 2007:
Read the full article at Music 2.0.
Source: Music 2.0
What's Next?
- Previous Article:
RATM Frontman Zack De La Rocha Finishes Solo Album - Next Article:
Pulling Teeth, Frightener Tour Dates
30 Comments on "Trent Reznor Tells Fans To Steal His Music"
Member
3. writes:
F***ing Bravo Trent! I may not be much of a NIN fan, but you sir kick a**. Its about time someone called out those greedy f***tards. Me personally, i will download music but only to see whether or not its worth paying $17 for something that could suck, and then your just left with little more than a coaster to put drinks on.
Member
6. writes:
I am thrilled to hear someone speak against the corparition of whores! Music lovers everywhere should be able to enjoy sharing this passion without high costs to do so. Greed is not what it is about and as a fan of NIN as well as a variety of others I am glad to hear a voice reminding those to go f*** themselves when thinking they can rape fans of there pleasures for f***ing money!
Supporter
7. writes:
I'll always download music, the shops round here in my area do not stock any of the bands i like and half the time i cannot find any of the stuff i really want on sites like amazon.
Been after a cancer and in the woods album for ages and can only find them on torrent sites.
Besides, i refues to pay £20+ for an album that i dont know if i will like.
Bring on the downloads.
Member
10. writes:
Wow...just wow...
I gotta say, I really dislike NIN for many reasons, and before this I didn't even like Trent, but I've gotta say, the man has finally earned my respect. There are so few bands that don't mind people downloading their music...but to come right out and say "STEAL IT" is just phenomenal. I know now Trent is all about the art in his music, and while I may not be a fan of it, I have to say, I whole heartedly respect his work now and Trent himself also. What a victory.
Former Contributor
11. writes:
I havent found much to like on the last two NIN albums but I'm a huge fan of The Fragile, The Downward Spiral, Broken and PHM.
It's cool to know that an artist like Reznor is not only familiar with the fact that his fans are being screwed by prices but is encouraging them to screw the record company back.
Awesome.
Now Playing: Nine Inch Nails - "Somewhat Damaged"
12. writes:
thats f***ing awesome, I remember Jonathan Davis saying hes fine with people pirating korn albums but because hes sure they'll like it so much they'll want to actually own it with the album cover and booklet and all that so he expects them to end up buying their CD's
but this....
I f***ing applaud you Trent, not a big big NIN fan but you've regained my respect
Member
Member
Former Contributor
18. writes:
Crawford, I know your hatred for NIN runs deeper than the Marianas Trench. It would be a test for me if to commend A7X if they were pulling this.
But regardless if one hates or loves the band, it does not deminish the fact that this is a fan friendly gesture in the narrow sense and a toss of the gaunlet concerning major labels (especially with the price of imports) screwing fans.
Now Playing: Converge - "Concubine"
20. writes:
thats some pretty cool sh** trent!!!!!!!! and for crawford if u hate NIN so much then y do u look at the comments about trent??
Not the biggest NIN fan, but u gotta have some respect for him calling out those greedy douschbags. LONG LIVE GOD (aka) DIMEBAG DARRELL R.I.P
22. writes:
Hey, don't get me wrong. It's not that I HATE NIN, because I don't. Pretty Hate Machine, Downward Spiral, and Broken were very formative to me growing up. Broken is still in my top ten favorite albums of all time. I see what he's doing now as a stab to the industry, but it's kind of like kicking a dead horse. But if he cares so much, then why has he made his fans search high and low for their releases? Like he didn't have some kind of say in that. When you live in Ohio and you're searching for a copy of "Fixed", prior to the advent of eBay, anyways, you might as well forget it, because the only ones you're gonna find are at trade markets 70 miles away. Sure, telling his fans to steal his music is a bold statement, but, c'mon. He's been on his own label for how long? Interscope has recouped BEYOND expected, and Trent is a wealthy man. He's got the whole damn label in his back pocket, anyways.
And despite the fact that I somewhat enjoy A7X's music, I can't imagine why their name popped up here, but I digress.
What Trent is doing IS indeed a fan-friendly gesture in every sense, but, come on. After everything he's gotten away with, it's the least he could do. And it's not like people haven't stolen his music before now, right? I mean, that's the easiest way to collect all of his music! There's no way I'm paying thirty bucks each for five different version of the "We're In This Together Now" single. f*** that!
But, yeah. I'll give him props for saying it, but Interscope has Trent's hand up their ass, anyways. Especially since Dr. Dre vanished into thin air.
28. writes:
Actually Mark, Prince gave away copies of his newest album but counted each one as a "sale" for the billboard charts and record books, as opposed to Trent who is saying rip it however the f*** you want. But either way you do it, an artist on a major-label not making people pay major-label prices for their music is badass.
Former Contributor
To minimize comment spam/abuse, you cannot post comments on articles over a month old.
1. Xile writes:
Although I'm not a big NIN fan I think this is great for fans of their music. If more bands did this illegal downloading probably wouldn't be as big of a problem.