We’ve talked a lot about Nine Inch Nails recently – reviewing The Slip, praising their new media efforts, etc.
But their official Nine Inch Nails portrait made me do a double take.
Rock stars are supposed to be tearing things up, spewing spittle, wailing in front of towers of flame and flashing lights, biting the heads off of small animals – the fire and brimstone imagery that rock is made of.
Not putting out band photos that look like they went to the Sears Photo Center and paid a little extra for the black background.
Somebody – PLEASE open up NIN’s new band photo (hi-res link) in Photoshop, select that black background and drop in something that rocks – like a fireball or a wall of amps!
If you can make something of this, put a link in the comments.
I was never a NIN fan — but at least back in the day Trent looked Industrial. Now he looks like he has a personal trainer and has hit that chunky-guy-at-the-end-of-the-bar-on-the-make look. I think I bought insurance from someone who looks just like Trent.
F***, Kent – you just described me, too!
I think the guy on the left sang Too Shy Shy
The background is a natural gloom that surrounds them and cannot be edited in Photoshop.
Reznor looks kinda pissed off about something – like the fact he’s standing in front of Limahl!
This only matters if you are concerned with image — this bizarre idea that to be Rock n Roll you have to look Rock n Roll.
Shallow frankly.
Kent’s statement answers Mr. eel’s comment. Band image is very important weather you want it to be or not, because of the imagerey and pigeon holing people (unintentionally) do when they see someone, regardless if they’re in a band or not, but even more so when they are a focus of attention like this.
Band image is very important because it’s stupid stuff that most people don’t care to be concerned about that can put you off of your target audience, or any for that matter.
I don’t care if Trent really did go to Sears.
He’s not the kind of guy to bite the head off a small animal (since he’s been a spokesperson for PETA, I think they would disagree) and he doesn’t need a fireball to make his music more amazing.
Give the guy a break. In the past year and a half, he’s released 3 CDs and toured all over North America. He’s been playing shows since the 80’s. He’s currently working on a potential TV show along with other musical and non-music related projects. If he wants a simple picture, I think he’s allowed to have one.