A commercially successful album but criticized for lacking new ideas, “With Teeth” came after Nine Inch Nails’ peak in the late ‘90s while Trent Reznor struggled with substances. Mounting pressure and depression ate at Reznor, leading him to a long period of writer’s block. After checking into rehab, “With Teeth” started coming together. It’s far from a dry “getting clean” album. No two songs on “With Teeth” match as Reznor darts from one idea to the next. And with Dave Grohl backing him on drums, it’s some of Reznor’s cleanest production. It was met with favorable reviews pointing towards songs like “The Hand That Feeds” and “Every Day Is Exactly The Same,” regularly named standout tracks.
Nine Inch Nails (NIN), specifically the work of lead creative Trent Reznor, has proven to be one of the most influential and offbeat bands of the ‘90s. Their music popularized industrial rock, spawning generic imitators as big as Axl Rose to adopt the sound. Reznor’s stubbornness to his vision led him to play and write all the instruments except drums which he programmed with a drum machine. The band only came together on tour or to help with the many schemes Reznor would come up with, like creating multimedia experiences for fans ranging from short films to a VR game to elaborate puzzles leading to the location of a secret performance. Inspired by David Bowie, Reznor wanted to create a public image that was simultaneously ubiquitous but mysterious. And NIN’s influence would have a bizarre reach in pop music, from direct samples like on Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” to subtle influences on stars like Billie Eilish. Reznor also called New Orleans home at one point, running Nothings Studio on Magazine Street not far from La Boulangerie today. He recorded artists like Pantera here before Hurricane Katrina solidified his decision to leave the city for the west coast.
This officially licensed Nine Inch Nails t-shirt is made from 100% cotton.
This officially licensed Nine Inch Nails t-shirt is made from 100% cotton.
