F L + 9″ Nails + Metallica + RHCP

He’d rather die than give you control. Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re taking a look at the life and career of Trent Reznor.

• Growing Up

Michael Trent Reznor was born May 17th, 1965 in Mercer, Pennsylvania. Raised by his grandparents, Reznor took up piano at five and played multiple instruments in high school. While studying computer engineering in college, he realized music was his true calling after a stint with new wave band Option 30.

• Local Bands

He dropped out in the mid-’80s and joined other local groups. Then, after being promoted from janitor to assistant engineer at Right Track Studio, Reznor recorded demos that led to his signing with TVT Records.

•  Nine Inch Nails’ Debut

In 1989, Reznor released his debut, Pretty Hate Machine, as Nine Inch Nails. As was the case with most of his later work, Reznor played the majority of the instruments on the album, and co-produced with Mark “Flood” Ellis. By independent label standards, the platinum-certified, industrial rock effort was a success, and it yielded several singles that popped up on the alternative and hot dance charts.

•  Touring

During this period, Reznor also began working with producer and engineer Sean Beavan, who spent several years as part of Nine Inch Nails’ touring band. On the road, Reznor and several other musicians introduced industrial music to alternative rock audiences with intense live shows, like their performance at 1991’s Lollapalooza.

•  Side Projects

Unfortunately, Nine Inch Nails’ next release was delayed due to disagreements with the label. Reznor spent his time with side projects like Pigface and Al Jourgensen’s 1000 Homo DJs, and eventually found a home with Interscope Records. He also established Nothing Records, which later distributed music from bands like Squarepusher, Autechre, and Plug.

•  “Broken” EP

In 1992, Reznor’s vanity label issued the Nine Inch Nails EP, Broken. By mixing industrial dance music with heavy metal and punk, the top 10 effort generated two Grammy-winning singles.

•  The Downward Spiral”

Nine Inch Nail’s follow-up was 1994’s techno- and rock-oriented concept album The Downward Spiral. Co-produced by Reznor and Flood and mixed by Alan Moulder, the record proved controversial due to its content, related music videos and the fact it was recorded in the residence where the Manson Family committed the infamous Tate murders. Despite this, the effort debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was a critical and commercial success.

•  Self-Destruct Tour

Reznor and several musicians then brought his dark music to life with powerful live shows during the “Self-Destruct Tour.”

•  Soundtracks

His next few years were spent collaborating with other artists, composing music for the “Quake” video game and crafting the soundtracks for “Natural Born Killers” and “Lost Highway.” He also produced several successful albums for label-mate Marilyn Manson.

•  “The Fragile”

Meanwhile, personal problems, substance abuse issues and lack of a musical vision delayed Nine Inch Nails’ next disc. Finally, the highly anticipated double CD The Fragile saw the light of day in 1999. Despite topping the Billboard 200, the more electronic and ambient effort received inconsistent reviews and quickly fizzled, though it did spawn the successful Fragility tour.

•  More Nine Inch Nails Albums

2005’s With Teeth was more well-received: it topped Billboard and moved over 270 thousand units at its debut. In 2007, Year Zero hit the second position of the Billboard 200 and was accompanied by an alternate reality game that elaborated on the record’s politically-oriented concepts.

•  Digital Distribution

The next year, Nine Inch Nails independently released the mostly instrumental project Ghosts I-IV in different formats through its website and later through Reznor’s new label, The Null Corporation. Also in 2008, the top twenty album The Slip was released online for free.

•  Side Projects and Movie Soundtracks

Aside from a couple of tracks, the next few years were quiet for Nine Inch Nails. Reznor founded the post-industrial group How to Destroy Angels with his new wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and his longtime collaborator Atticus Ross. He and Ross then scored soundtracks to the movies “The Social Network,” which won the pair an Oscar, and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Reznor himself also composed music for the 2012 video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.”

•  Industrial Rock and the Mainstream

By introducing industrial music to the masses, Reznor and Nine Inch Nails forever changed rock. With his talents as a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and producer, it’s not surprising that Trent Reznor is one of the most influential and successful artists today.

÷            ÷            ÷                        ÷            ÷            ÷

¤  M E T A L L I C A    

•→ Disposable Heroes ⇔ [lyrics]

From the DVD Orgullo, Pasión, y Gloria: Tres Noches en la Ciudad de México, 2009  ⇑  ¿Están listos?

∞  ‘Orion’  +  ‘And Justice for All’  ⇓

01  → Can’t Stop
02 → Scar Tissue

03 → Dani California
04 →  Hump De Bump

05 →  21st Century
06  → Me And My Friends

07  → Tell Me Baby
08 →  Right On Time

09 → By The Way
10 →  Under The Bridge

11  → Give It Away

•  ‘Higher Ground’  ⇑  (S. Wonder)

People keep on learnin’  –  Soldiers keep on warrin’
The world keep on turnin’   ‘cause it won’t be too long
Powers keep on lyin’  while your people keep on dyin’
The world keep on turnin’  ‘cause it won’t be too long 

I’m so darn glad he let me try it again 
Cause my last time on earth I lived a whole world of sin 
I’m so glad that I know more than I knew then 
Gonna keep on tryin’ 

Till I reach my highest ground – No one’s gonna bring me down
Oh no – Till I reach my highest ground …

¤  The History of Red Hot Chili Peppers   ⇐

• Formation

Alternative rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers formed in Los Angeles, California in 1983. Consisting of vocalist Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, bassist Michael “Flea” Balzary, and drummer Chad Smith, the group went through several member changes before this current line-up.

• First Albums

After playing local shows, the band was discovered by EMI and they released their self-titled debut in 1984. The funk rock record received college radio airplay and rotation on MTV. Their sophomore effort, 1985’s Freaky Styley¸ mixed the genres of punk and funk. Though the Red Hot Chili Peppers were more satisfied with this album, mainstream success continued to evade them.

• Drugs and Line-Up Changes

Amidst their members’ growing drug addictions, they released The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, in 1987. The album was their first to chart on the Billboard 200. A year later, the band’s original guitarist, Hillel Slovak, died from a drug overdose and was ultimately replaced by John Frusciante. Shortly thereafter, Chad Smith replaced departed drummer, Jack Irons.

• Global Success

The Chili Peppers’ next album was 1989’s Mother’s Milk. With more focus on melody as opposed to rhythm, it gave the band their first taste of global success. The effort also generated the modern rock hit “Knock Me Down”) and the Stevie Wonder cover “Higher Ground”. The single, “Taste the Pain,” was also featured on the “Say Anything” movie soundtrack.

• Rock Stars

The album, Blood Sugar Sex Magik, dropped in 1991. Hitting the third position on the Billboard 200, it became one of the most influential albums to come out of the ‘90’s alternative rock scene. The well-received record turned the band into international rockstars. It also spawned several successful singles like the Grammy-winning, “Give it Away” and the number-two hit, “Under the Bridge”.

• Dave Navarro and «One Hot Minute»

The band’s popularity grew so much that Frusciante quit in the middle of the subsequent tour. He was replaced with Dave Navarro, whose first and only album with the Red Hot Chili Peppers was 1995’s One Hot Minute. Featuring more heavy metal guitar riffs, the darker-sounding record received mixed reviews. It contained singles such as “Aeroplane” and “My Friends,” which was their third number-one on the Modern Rock chart.

• Movie Soundtrack

In 1996, the Chili Peppers released a cover of the Ohio Players song “Love Rollercoaster,” from the “Beavis and Butthead Do America” film soundtrack. Then, after spending some time on tour, the Red Hot Chili Peppers replaced Navarro with Frusciante in 1998.

• «Californication»

The group’s next album was 1999’s Californication. With more melodic guitar riffs, the critically acclaimed disc reached the third spot on the Billboard chart and was their most commercially successful effort to date. It yielded singles such as the popular title track, the number-one Modern Rock song, “Otherside” and the Grammy-winning tune, “Scar Tissue”.

• Touring and Another Album

That same year, they embarked on an international world tour and they released their first concert DVD, “Off the Map” in 2001. The next year, the band came out with By the Way. The album had more ballads and less rap-propelled funk jams than previous efforts and peaked at number two. Though it was a bit of a departure for the Chili Peppers, it still produced numerous hits, including “Can’t Stop” and the title cut.

• «Stadium Arcadium»

In 2006, the double album, Stadium Arcadium was released. Not only did the disc premiere at number one on the Billboard 200 but it became the best-selling album of that year. It won multiple Grammys and contained successful singles such as “Tell Me Baby,” “Snow (Hey Oh),” and “Dani California”.

• Departures and New Record

After another world tour that ended in 2007, the Red Hot Chili Peppers went on hiatus to work on personal projects. Two years later, with Josh Klinghoffer replacing Frusciante on guitar, the band began work on their tenth record.

• Tenth Album

I’m With You was released in 2011 and its first single was the song, “The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie”.

• A Funky Band

Known for their alternative rock-style mixing funk, punk and rap and for their fun live shows, the Red Hot Chili Peppers have certainly made a solid name for themselves in the world of rock music.