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== 1992-94: Early years == Nothing Records was founded by [[Trent Reznor]] and his former manager [[John Malm Jr.]] in 1992. Amid pressure from Nine Inch Nails' then-label TVT to produce a follow-up to ''Pretty Hate Machine'',<ref>Huxley (1997), p. 52</ref> Reznor began to feel the label was hindering his control of the band and requested to terminate their contract, to which they ignored his plea.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/manager/display_article.php?id=6141| title = Nine Inch Nails : Happiness Is Slavery| author = Greene, Jo-Ann| work = Musician Magazine| date = February 21, 2001| access-date = September 30, 2010}}</ref> In response, Reznor secretly began recording under various pseudonyms to avoid record company interference.<ref>{{Cite journal|title= Nine Inch Nails |journal= [[Musician (magazine)|Musician]] |date=March 1994}}</ref> TVT ultimately put together a deal with [[Interscope Records]] (then part of Atlantic Records), in which they would still retain some financial stake, while Reznor worked creatively under a new label. However, Interscope President [[Jimmy Iovine]] looked to allow him more creative freedom. Reznor stated: {{blockquote|We made it very clear we were not doing another record for TVT. But they made it pretty clear they weren't ready to sell. So I felt like, well, I've finally got this thing going but it's dead. Flood and I had to record ''Broken'' under a different band name, because if TVT found out we were recording, they could confiscate all our shit and release it. [[Jimmy Iovine]] got involved with Interscope, and we kind of got slave-traded. It wasn't my doing. I didn't know anything about Interscope. And I was real pissed off at him at first because it was going from one bad situation to potentially another one. But Interscope went into it like they really wanted to know what I wanted. It was good, after I put my raving lunatic act on.<ref>''Spin'' Magazine (1996)</ref>}} Part of the deal included allowing Reznor the run his own boutique label under the Interscope umbrella, which became Nothing Records. Reznor and Malm began a series of signings to the label, which included the likes of [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]], [[Coil (band)|Coil]], [[Prick (band)|Prick]], [[Trust Obey]], [[Pop Will Eat Itself]] and [[Mondo Vanilli]]. Reznor stated of the label, "The whole thing I want to do right now is provide a shell to other bands where they can have the benefit of a major label without being fucked with creatively in any way. Let them do what they want to do, make them aware of the business side of things how the money is spent."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/axc94a.shtml|title=TALKING ABOUT NOTHING WITH TRENT REZNOR...|website=www.theninhotline.net|access-date=2016-08-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150813023119/http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/axc94a.shtml|archive-date=2015-08-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> The label would go on to set up offices in Cleveland, Ohio and New York City, with a [[recording studio]], Nothing Studios, in New Orleans.<ref name="BuskinR">{{cite web|title=Alan Moulder: Recording Nine Inch Nails & Smashing Pumpkins|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/people/alan-moulder-recording-nine-inch-nails-smashing-pumpkins|website=Sound On Sound|publisher=SOS Publications Group|date=May 2000|access-date=4 August 2022}}</ref> === Nine Inch Nails (Broken era) === The first release bearing the label's name was [[Nine Inch Nails]]' ''[[Broken (Nine Inch Nails EP)|Broken]]'' EP. Released September 22, 1992, the EP marked their major label debut and consisted entirely of new material, departing from the [[electronica]] and [[synthpop]] style of ''Pretty Hate Machine'' and instead presenting a considerably [[heavy metal music|heavier]] sound, which would act as a precursor for Nine Inch Nails' acclaimed second studio album, ''[[The Downward Spiral]]''. The EP originally included a bonus 3" CD or 7" vinyl, depending which format was purchased, featuring two bonus songs; a cover of the [[Adam and the Ants]] song "Physical" and "Suck," a reworked version of a song Trent originally recorded with [[Pigface]]. Later pressings of the release merged these tracks as a single release, although a 2017 vinyl repress by the band once again pressed them as a separate 7". The [[Broken (1993 film)|Broken film]] accompanied the EP, directed by [[Coil (band)|Coil]]'s [[Peter Christopherson]]. Reznor recalled, "Making the ''Broken'' movie was a lot of fun. There was no label involvement or pressure from anyone, it was just he (Christopherson) and I talking.<ref name="Sword, Harry">{{cite web| url = http://thequietus.com/articles/14600-trent-reznor-interview-coil-nine-inch-nails| title = Trent Reznor on Coil & Nine Inch Nails, Plus Recoiled Review | author = Sword, Harry| work = The Quietus| date = February 27, 2014| access-date = December 16, 2017}}</ref> At the completion of filming, Christopherson felt the footage was so realistic, he informed Reznor, "I'm going to send it to you, but it's going to show up in a paper bag unmarked because there could be ... I'm not sure I want the authorities knowing this came from me."<ref name="Sword, Harry"/> After reviewing the film, Reznor stated, "It felt like we'd crossed over into territory that was perhaps too far. And to be honest, at that point I was living in the [[Sharon Tate]] [[10050 Cielo Drive|house]] recording ''[[The Downward Spiral]]''. Anyway, that's where I was living when this package turned up, and I thought, 'Enough. I don't know that I need this kind of thing.' With the house it felt too stunty, and Peter agreed."<ref name="Sword, Harry"/> Five of the eight total tracks were edited down into music videos, were widely censored from [[television]] airplay, due to their disturbing content. The complete, uncensored film was never officially released, however it was leaked as a bootleg, which became heavily traded on VHS in the 1990s and later became widely available via the Internet. "We shelved it, but little did we know that the Internet would come into existence, and it would find its home on there," stated Reznor.<ref name="Sword, Harry"/> Most of the film's content was later included on the release of the band's 1997 VHS ''[[Closure (video)|Closure]]''. In 2006, an unofficial version of the film was released on a DVD [[disc image]] and distributed via BitTorrent at [[The Pirate Bay]] by an anonymous user called "seed0," who also uploaded a DVD version of ''Closure''. The DVD image represented a significant upgrade in visual and audio quality from previous bootlegs and included the video for "Help Me I Am in Hell." It is widely believed by fans that Reznor himself was behind the 2006 leaks, as implied by a post on his official blog: "12/21/06 : Happy Holidays! This one is a guilt-free download. (shhhh - I didn't say that out loud). If you know what I'm talking about, cool."<ref name="The Spiral">{{cite web | url = http://www.nin-thespiral.com | title = The Spiral | publisher = [[Nine Inch Nails]] | format = registration required | access-date = 2006-12-21 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120429081459/http://www.nin-thespiral.com/ | archive-date = 2012-04-29 }}</ref> Contributing to the band's growing mainstream success, the EP sold well upon release, peaking at number 7 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] charts<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://www.billboard.com/artist/312326/Nine+Inch+Nails/chart?f=305 | title = Nine Inch Nails Chart History | magazine = Billboard | access-date = 2017-05-21}}</ref> and eventually going platinum<ref name="RIAA.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |title=RIAA.com |access-date=2007-08-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070626050454/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |archive-date=June 26, 2007 |df=mdy }} Note: User must define search parameters, i.e. "Nine Inch Nails".</ref> "[[Wish (Nine Inch Nails song)|Wish]]" won the [[35th Grammy Awards|1993 Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance|Best Metal Performance]], as did "[[Happiness in Slavery]]" (live performance at [[Woodstock '94]]) in [[38th Grammy Awards|1996]]. Despite their increasing commercial success, Trent opted against touring in support of the EP, choosing instead to remain at work in the studio. A companion [[remix]] EP, ''[[Fixed (EP)|Fixed]]'', was released on December 7, 1992 and featured remixes from the band, as well as [[J. G. Thirlwell]] of [[Foetus (band)|Foetus]], [[Butch Vig]] of [[Garbage (band)|Garbage]] and future Nothing label-mates [[Coil (band)|Coil]]. An additional Butch Vig remix of "Last" was omitted from the EP, although the outro can be heard on "Throw This Away." The complete Vig remix circulated on the Internet as a bootleg file, until Reznor finally released it at remix.nin.com. Vig later addressed the reason for its omission, stating "I started recording a lot of new parts, and took it in a much different direction. When it was finished, Trent thought the front part of the mix didn't fit the EP, so he just used the ending. I'm glad it's on his website. [[Duke Erikson|Duke]] and [[Steve Marker|Steve]] worked with me on the remix, in the very early days of Garbage."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.gearslutz.com/board/q-butch-vig/402075-nin-last-remix.html | title = NIN - "Last" Remix | publisher = Geatslutz | access-date = 2017-05-21}}</ref> === Nine Inch Nails (The Downward Spiral era) === After ''[[Broken (Nine Inch Nails EP)|Broken]]'', Reznor began recording [[Nine Inch Nails]]' full-length debut for the Nothing / [[Interscope Records]] label, the seminal sophomore album, ''[[The Downward Spiral]]''. For the recording of ''Broken'', Reznor had moved into [[10050 Cielo Drive]] in [[Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles]], where actress [[Sharon Tate]] was murdered by members of the [[Manson Family]]. He named the home [http://www.nin-pages.de/2003_Metal_Hammer_April_english.htm studio] "Le Pig". Reznor would record ''The Downward Spiral'' at Le Pig, co-producing it with [[Flood (producer)|Flood]]. The recordings were inspired by concept albums such as [[David Bowie]]'s ''[[Low (David Bowie album)|Low]]'' and [[Pink Floyd]]'s ''[[The Wall]]''. Guitarist [[Richard Patrick]] had left the band after touring completed for ''[[Pretty Hate Machine]]'', moving on to form his own band, [[Filter (band)|Filter]]. [[Adrian Belew]] would take over guitar duties for much of the album, while [[Robin Finck]] would become the full-time guitarist for the band. The first single from the album, "[[March of the Pigs]]," was released on February 25, 1994. The single featured remixes by [[Dave Ogilvie]], as well as an exclusive instrumental, entitled "A Violet Fluid". A pair of music videos for the song were also shot. The first version was ultimately scrapped, while the second and final version was directed by [[Coil (band)|Coil]]'s [[Peter Christopherson]]. Portions of the original, incomplete video eventually surfaced as part of an online, DVD [[disc image]] version of the ''[[Closure (video)|Closure]]'' DVD in 2006, which surfaced on BitTorrent website [[The Pirate Bay]]. ''The Downward Spiral'' was released on March 8, 1994. The album was an immediate success, debuting at number two on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] with sales of nearly 119,000 copies in its first week.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Mayfield |first=Geoff |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NQgEAAAAMBAJ&q=Nine+Inch+Nails&pg=RA1-PA135 |title=Between the Bullets: Warming Up |magazine=Billboard |volume=106 |issue=13 |page=135 |date=March 26, 1994 |issn=0006-2510 |access-date=January 20, 2017}}</ref> It also garnered wide, critical acclaim, helping elevate Nine Inch Nails into one of the most successful rock acts of the 1990s. "[[Closer (Nine Inch Nails song)|Closer]]" became the second single for the album, released on May 30, 1994. The single included remixes from Nothing Records acts [[Coil (band)|Coil]] and [[Meat Beat Manifesto]], as well as an exclusive cover of [[Soft Cell]]'s "Memorabilia." A music video for "Closer" was directed by [[Mark Romanek]]. Despite undergoing heavy censorship for television and radio airplay, the song received major airplay, becoming one of the biggest hits of NIN's career. The uncensored version of the music video was eventually released in 1997 on the band's ''Closure'' home video. "Piggy" and "Hurt" were both released as promotional singles to radio and received regular airplay. Nine Inch Nails also recorded a pair of exclusive songs for soundtracks. A cover of [[Joy Division]]'s "Dead Souls was released on the [[The Crow (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] to ''[[The Crow (1994 film)|The Crow]]'', while an original track, "Burn," was recorded for the ''[[Natural Born Killers]]'' [[Natural Born Killers (soundtrack)|soundtrack]]. The latter also filmed a music video and the soundtrack was released on Nothing Records. A remix of "Closer" was also used in the opening credits to the [[David Fincher]] film ''[[Seven (1995 film)|Seven]]''. The album was promoted with the extensive [[Self Destruct Tour]], which featured opening Nothing Records acts [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]], [[Pop Will Eat Itself]] and [[Pig (band)|Pig]] during various legs. [[Danny Lohner]] would join the band as full-time bassist for the tour. The tour included a set at [[Woodstock '94]], which was broadcast on [[pay-per-view]] and featured the band performing while covered in mud. The performance went on to become one of the most famous of the band's career. In 1995, Nine Inch Nails embarked on a tour with [[David Bowie]], with Nothing Records act [[Prick (band)|Prick]] supporting as guest openers. A companion [[remix album]], ''[[Further Down the Spiral]]'', was released in on June 1, 1995, which once again included contributions from Nothing act [[Coil (band)|Coil]], as well as [[Rick Rubin]], [[J. G. Thirlwell|J. G. Thirlwell]] and some original interludes by [[Aphex Twin]]. The album was certified gold by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) on June 26, 1996, denoting sales in excess of 500,000 copies in the US.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Nine+Inch+Nails&ti=Further+Down+the+Spiral#search_section | title = Further Down The Spiral Sales | publisher = RIAA | access-date = 2017-05-22}}</ref> Nine Inch Nails released the double VHS collection ''Closure'' on November 25, 1997. The first half documented the Self-Destruct Tour, while the second half compiled all of the band's music videos to that point. A DVD release was planned at one point, but never came to fruition. Instead, in 2006, an unofficial version was released on a DVD [[disc image]] and distributed via BitTorrent at [[The Pirate Bay]] by an anonymous user called "seed0." It is widely believed by fans that Reznor himself was behind the 2006 leaks, as implied by a post on his official blog: "12/21/06 : Happy Holidays! This one is a guilt-free download. (shhhh - I didn't say that out loud). If you know what I'm talking about, cool."<ref name="The Spiral"/> As the title suggests, ''Closure'' marked the conclusion of ''The Downward Spiral'' era for the band. A landmark release for the band, ''The Downward Spiral'' established Nine Inch Nails as a reputable force in the 1990s music scene, with its sound being widely imitated and Reznor receiving media hype and multiple honors. As of 2011, it was certified quadruple platinum and had sold 3.7 million copies in the United States.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&ar=Nine+Inch+Nails&ti=The+Downward+Spiral#search_section | title = The Downward Spiral Sales | publisher = RIAA | access-date = 2017-05-22}}</ref> ''The Downward Spiral'' has been regarded by music critics and audiences as one of the most important albums of the 1990s and was praised for its abrasive, eclectic nature and dark themes, although it was scrutinized by social conservatives for its lyrics. For its tenth anniversary, the album was remastered and re-released on November 23, 2004 in high-resolution [[Super Audio CD]] (SACD) and [[DualDisc]] formats, with a second disc collecting many b-sides and rarities. In 2017, the band reissued the album on vinyl. === Marilyn Manson (Portrait era) === In the months following the momentum of ''The Downward Spiral'', the next release from the label came from [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]]. One of the earliest signings to the label, [[Marilyn Manson]] first met Reznor in 1990, while enrolled as a student at [[Broward College|Broward Community College]] in [[Fort Lauderdale, Florida]]. Warner was working towards a degree in journalism and gaining experience in the field by writing articles for a music magazine, ''[[25th Parallel (magazine)|25th Parallel]]''. One of his interviews for the magazine was with Reznor. Manson also performed as a local opener for Nine Inch Nails in July 1990 with his band, then known as Marilyn Manson and The Spooky Kids, at Club Nu in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (a show which also included future Nothing Records act [[Meat Beat Manifesto]]). Manson wound up giving Reznor a tape of his material. Upon forming the Nothing Records imprint, Reznor called Manson and offered to sign him to the label, alongside an opening slot supporting Nine Inch Nails on their upcoming "[[Self Destruct Tour]]". At the time, Manson's band had been fielding offers from numerous record companies, including Madonna's Maverick label. Given the promise of total artistic freedom, the band opted to sign to Nothing Records. Recording sessions for their debut studio album began in July 1993 with producer (and former [[Swans (band)|Swans]] drummer) [[Roli Mosimann]] at [[Criteria Studios]] in [[Miami, Florida]]. Recording a selection of new songs, along with material from their Spooky Kids repertoire, the first version of their debut, titled ''[[The Manson Family Album]]'', was completed by the end of September. However, it was not well received.<ref name="LoudwirePortrait">{{cite web |url=http://loudwire.com/marilyn-manson-portrait-of-an-american-family-album-anniversary/ |title=21 Years Ago: Marilyn Manson Issues 'Portrait of an American Family' |author=Wiederhorn, Jon |work=[[Loudwire]] |publisher=[[Townsquare Media]] |access-date=March 24, 2016}}</ref> The band's members, along with Reznor, felt Mosimann's production was flat, lifeless and poorly representative of the band's live performances. Seeking a more raw sound, Reznor agreed to rework production of ''The Manson Family Album'' in October 1993 at [[Record Plant#Los Angeles|Record Plant Studios]] in [[Los Angeles]]. After seven weeks of mixing and re-recording, the album, retitled ''[[Portrait of an American Family]]'', was presented to Nothing's parent label [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]. The song "Filth" was dropped from the revised album, while the songs "Prelude (The Family Trip)" and "Wrapped In Plastic" were added. The song "Citronella" was renamed "Dogma". Several other minor musical and lyrical differences exist throughout the two versions, such as fewer Charles Manson samples being included in the song "My Monkey". Upon delivery of the album, Interscope was receiving a lot of negative press for the content of artists on another label they were housing at the time, [[Death Row Records]], and expressed some reservations about releasing the album, which they anticipated could be controversial.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.axs.com/welcome-to-death-row-the-story-of-notorious-death-row-records-64361| title = Welcome to Death Row: The Story Of The Notorious Death Row Records| author = Gantt, Kareem| work = AXS| date = August 22, 2015| access-date = August 28, 2016}}</ref> Reznor threatened to take the album to another label if necessary, at which time Interscope agreed to release it, on the condition that the band remove some photos from the album sleeve. The album's original cover art featured no text, simply a painting of a clown by [[John Wayne Gacy]] (the Gacy painting was later used as album art by the band [[Acid Bath]] for the album ''[[When the Kite String Pops]]'' in 1994). The sleeve photography included Polaroid pictures (faked by Manson and friends) of a mutilated female body, and a photo of what Manson described as "one of those dolls from the 60s and you pull a string on the back of it and the eyes get really big and they change colors." Manson also intended to use a picture of himself as a child sitting nude on a couch in the album's interior artwork. Though no genitalia was shown in the picture and it was taken by his own parents with no vulgar intent, the record label feared it would be misunderstood as child pornography. The ideas of using the Gacy artwork and the nude photos were ultimately dropped and, after a few months delay, the album was released on Nothing Records on July 19, 1994 and peaked at number thirty-five on ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''{{'}}s [[Top Heatseekers]] album chart,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/portrait-of-an-american-family-mw0000115824/awards |title=Portrait of an American Family |work=[[AllMusic]] |publisher=[[Rovi]] |access-date=March 28, 2016}}</ref> establishing the band as rising stars and a commercial success. Originally, their song "Snake Eyes And Sissies" from Mosimann's ''The Manson Family Album'' sessions was intended to be the band's first single, with a single edit having been created. However, after the Reznor sessions, the album was instead led by the single "[[Get Your Gunn]]", followed by "[[Lunchbox (song)|Lunchbox]]" and "[[Dope Hat]]". The album was certified [[Music recording sales certification|Gold]] on May 29, 2003 by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]] (RIAA) in the United States.<ref name="riaa">{{cite web |url=http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&action=&title=Portrait%20Of%20An%20American%20Family&artist=Marilyn%20Manson&format=&debutLP=&category=&sex=&releaseDate=&requestNo=&type=&level=&label=&company=&certificationDate=&awardDescription=&catalogNo=&aSex=&rec_id=&charField=&gold=&platinum=&multiPlat=&level2=&certDate=&album=&id=&after=&before=&startMonth=1&endMonth=1&startYear=1958&endYear=2010&sort=Artist&perPage=25 |title=RIAA Database Search for Marilyn Manson |publisher=Recording Industry Association of America |access-date=2008-08-14 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924151606/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1 |archive-date=2015-09-24 }}</ref> === ''Natural Born Killers'' Soundtrack === During this time, in addition to recording with Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson for the label, Reznor also worked on the [[Natural Born Killers (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] to [[Oliver Stone]]'s controversial 1994 film, ''[[Natural Born Killers]]''. Reznor oversaw the structure of the soundtrack, which included audio collages from the film and aimed to recreate the style the film itself. Reznor worked on the soundtrack using a portable [[Pro Tools]] in his hotel room.<ref>{{cite journal| journal = [[Los Angeles Times]]| title = Natural Born Thriller| date = October 1994| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-10-02-ca-45644-story.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| title=An Interview with Charlie Clouser| url=http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/xint2a.shtml| work=Scene Magazine| date=September 1996| access-date=February 3, 2015| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170514071101/http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/xint2a.shtml| archive-date=May 14, 2017| url-status=dead}}</ref> Reznor received a producer credit, but did not select the artists chosen for it (which was done by music supervisor Budd Carr). The soundtrack originally included the songs "A Warm Place" and "Something I Can Never Have" by Nine Inch Nails. A new composition from the band, "Burn", was recorded for the soundtrack, with a music video shot in the style of the film (although it was not directed by Stone). Reznor said of the experience: {{blockquote|I approached it with a bit of skepticism, because I'm not real keen on using my music in films. I went and saw this movie, an edit of it, and I was ... It just blew me away. I said, "What would the soundtrack be?" I didn't know if he was just going to pick the best fifteen or the most appropriate fifteen [songs]. So, I suggested to Oliver to try to turn the soundtrack into a collage of sound, kind of the way the movie used the music. Make edits of things, and add dialogue; make it something that was interesting rather than just a bunch of previously released music. And he looked at me and goes, "That's good. Yeah, do it."<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=146223 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070805025940/http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?vid=146223 | url-status = dead | archive-date = August 5, 2007 | title = Box Set: NIN On "Doing The Soundtrack For ''Natural Born Killers''" | publisher = [[MTV.com]] | access-date = 2008-02-18}}</ref>}} The resulting [[Natural Born Killers (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] blended both previously released and unreleased material, spanning the genres of rock, punk, world music, country, hip-hop and more. It was released on August 23, 1994 to commercial and critical success. To date, the soundtrack has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States, making it a gold record. It was also named third best compilation album of 1995 by ''[[New Musical Express]]'' (December 24, 1994), and one of the "90 Best Albums of the 1990s" by [[Q (magazine)|''Q'' magazine]] (December 1, 1999). Nine Inch Nails' video for "Burn" was later included on the home video release of the ''Natural Born Killers: Director's Cut'' on VHS and laserdisc, but omitted from subsequent editions, such as DVD and blu-ray. The bonus features on the home video editions of the director's cut also included a behind-the-scenes featurette, in which Oliver Stone recollects his experiences working with Reznor on the film. === Pop Will Eat Itself === Capping off a successful year in 1994 at Nothing Records was the arrival of [[Pop Will Eat Itself]], who were licensed by the label for Stateside release. Already established in the UK by the late 1980s, the band (sometimes referred to as '''PWEI''' or '''The Poppies''') had a growing fanbase, with albums such as ''[[Box Frenzy]]'', ''[[This Is the Day ... This Is the Hour ... This Is This!]]'', ''[[Cure for Sanity]]'' and ''[[The Looks or the Lifestyle?]]''. The latter album peaked at UK No. 15 and featured the Top 30 hit singles "Karmadrome" and "Bulletproof!"<ref name="The Great Rock Discography">{{cite book | first= Martin C. | last= Strong | year= 2000 | title= The Great Rock Discography | edition= 5th | publisher= Mojo Books | location= Edinburgh | pages= 758–759 | isbn= 1-84195-017-3}}</ref> Despite healthy sales and successful touring, by January 1993, a shake-up at their longtime label RCA would lead to the band's biggest supporters leaving the company. The remaining executives did not understand the band or their music, suggesting that EMF 'write a hit' for them at one meeting.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pweination.org/info/media/features/pweipr52.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070217065812/http://pweination.org/info/media/features/pweipr52.html|url-status=usurped|title=Duff Contract One|archive-date=February 17, 2007|website=pweination.org}}</ref> The band was dropped from the label before their "Get the Girl! Kill the Baddies!" single was released. It went on to peak at number 9 in the [[UK Singles Chart]], becoming the band's biggest hit to date, also making them, at that time, the highest charting act to ever appear on Top of The Pops without a record deal. In the wake of the RCA shake-up, Pop Will Eat Itself moved to Infectious Records in the UK. A call between PWEI and Nine Inch Nails management would lead to Nothing Records picking up licensing rights for the band in the United States. Former frontman Clint Mansell (who shared songwriting and vocal duties with Graham Crabb) recalled: {{blockquote|Trent had been a fan from the first album for RCA, This Is The Day, This Is The Hour, and he'd seen us play on our first tour in America in Cleveland, and we'd got to know his manager and he'd come and see us play whenever we were in America. And when we got dropped by RCA, my then-manager asked Trent's manager if he knew of labels that were actively looking, and he said "Well, strangely enough we've just started our own label and we'd like to sign you," and it was simple as that really.<ref name="Godfrey, Alex">{{cite web| url = http://sabotagetimes.com/life/clint-mansell-aronofsky-reznor-and-me-part-one| title = Clint Mansell : Aronofsky, Reznor and Me, Part One| author = Godfrey, Alex| work = Sabotage Times| date = April 29, 2010| access-date = August 27, 2016}}{{dead link|date=May 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>}} ''[[Dos Dedos Mis Amigos]]'' was released on September 19, 1994 on Nothing Records. It marked a change in direction for the band, which had, until that time, featured a sound that blended hip-hop, electronic and alternative influences. ''Dos Dedos Mis Amigos'' took on a heavier, industrial rock sound. It was led by the singles "Ich Bin Ein Auslander", "Everything's Cool", "R.S.V.P." and "Underbelly". "Ich Bin Ein Auslander" was accompanied by a music video, which received some airplay on MTV. Around this same time, the band had a high-profile collaboration with [[The Prodigy]], on the track "Their Law" from the album [[Music for the Jilted Generation]]. ''Dos Dedos Mis Amigos'' peaked at No. 11 in the [[UK Albums Chart]] and their single "[[Everything's Cool (song)|Everything's Cool]]" became their ninth Top 30 UK hit.<ref name="The Great Rock Discography"/> A Japanese edition of ''Dos Dedos Mis Amigos'' was released on Midi Music, which included four bonus tracks, all of which have since been released elsewhere by the band. The band followed up ''Dos Dedos Mis Amigos'' with the ''Amalgamation'' EP, featuring remixes and additional tracks from the album sessions. The EP was picked up for US release on Nothing, which also released a promo-only single for ''R.S.V.P.'', featuring alternate mixes. However, there were several releases tied into the album in the UK that Nothing opted not to license for release in the States. Infectious Records released singles for "Ich Bin Ein Auslander", "R.S.V.P. / Familus Horribilus", "Everything's Cool" and "Underbelly", none of which received licensing from Nothing. Most notable of all was the remix album ''[[Two Fingers My Friends!]]'', which featured acts such as The Orb, Feotus and Die Krupps remixing tracks from ''Dos Dedos Mis Amigos''. The remix collection was released in Infectious in 1995 in both a single disc set, as well as a limited edition two-disc edition, featuring additional remixes. ''Two Fingers My Friends!'' was not picked up for US release by Nothing. PWEI toured to promote the album and enjoyed a raised profile in the States, but at the end of touring, the band found themselves struggling to continue as a creative force. Work did begin on an untitled follow-up to ''Dos Dedos Mis Amigos'', with the band entering the studio in 1996. Their sixth studio album, which had been intended for Stateside release via Nothing, would not see release before the band broke up, however. Member Graham Crabb quit the band to focus on his [[Ambient music|ambient]] project [[Golden Claw Musics]]. Members Richard March and Robert "Fuzz" Townshend went on to form the [[big beat]] band [[Bentley Rhythm Ace]]. Townshend also released two solo albums, while Clint Mansell would end up signing onto Nothing Records as a solo artist. Mansell stated: {{Blockquote|I got to the point where I didn't really know what else we could do, but I don't think that was as much a factor as I just didn't feel very comfortable in it any more. I was 33 at the time, and playing songs that were written 10 years before, and it just seemed like this wasn't what I wanted to do; I didn't really know what I wanted to do, but I was just becoming more and more aware that I didn't want to do that.<ref name="Godfrey, Alex"/>}} Only two songs from the sixth album's recording sessions were released at the time, both on compilations. A cover of Gary Numan's "Friends" was included on the Numan tribute album ''Random'' on the Beggars Banquet label, while the song "Zero Return (Instrumental Mix)" was included on Future Music Magazine's June 1996 sampler ''FMCD June 1996'', which also featured Nothing Records label-mates [[Meat Beat Manifesto]]. Clint Mansell's time as a solo artist for the label would be short-lived, as his career as a film composer blossomed. While Mansell would appear on numerous releases for the label as a remixer and collaborator, as well as an appearance in 1996 on the label's "Nights Of Nothing" label showcase, performing with Nine Inch Nails (which included performances of some Pop Will Eat Itself songs), his planned solo album for Nothing was ultimately scrapped. Only two demos from Mansell's solo album ever surfaced. The songs "Atlantic Crossing" and "The Mechanic" found their way online, by way of Clint Mansell and Nothing Records' official websites (both since defunct). Mansell also put together a streaming mix for "Radio Nothing" on the Nothing Records website, which included "The Mechanic", alongside other tracks from the label. After Mansell's successful work composing the film ''[[Pi (film)|π]]'', he went on to become a full-time film composer, on such films as ''[[Requiem for a Dream]]'', ''[[Doom (film)|Doom]]'' (the soundtrack to which featured an exclusive Mansell remix of Nine Inch Nails' track "You Know What You Are"), ''[[The Fountain (film)|The Fountain]]'', ''[[The Wrestler (2008 film)|The Wrestler]]'', ''[[Moon (2009 film)|Moon]]'', and ''[[Black Swan (film)|Black Swan]]''. In January 2005, Pop Will Eat Itself reunited for a brief series of shows in the UK, which produced a number of [[Instant Live]] albums, whereby ten minutes after the completion of each gig, [[double album|double]] [[live album]]s of the performance could be purchased. The band also released a preview of newly recorded material (not to be confused with their then-unreleased 1996 material), under the working title of ''Sonic Noise Byte'' in November 2005, via their official website, pweination. However, an announcement on the official website in March 2006 confirmed that Mansell and March would no longer be involved in the reformation of the band, due to other work commitments, effectively ending that conception of the PWEI reformation. However, the remaining band members continued as [[Vileevils]], performing live, releasing re-recorded versions of several tracks from the ''Sonic Noise Byte'' sessions and releasing two EPs; ''Demon / Axe Of Men 2010'' and ''Demon / Axe Of Men 2010 Remixes'', both of which were credited as featuring Clint Mansell and Pop Will Eat Itself. [[Vileevils]] performed their final live date in December 2008, before recording an unreleased album, which was cancelled prior to release in 2010. Instead, Pop Will Eat Itself finally reformed in 2011, with Graham Crabb serving as the band's only original member, while having the blessing of all the former members. Songs from both the abandoned Vile Evils album, as well as the abandoned ''Sonic Noise Byte'' album, were reworked and re-recorded for alongside new material for Pop Will Eat Itself's return album ''[[New Noise Designed by a Sadist]]'', released in 2011 on Cooking Vinyl in the UK and Metropolis Records in the US. The revived PWEI also began a series of reissues of their back-catalog, via the Cherry Red label. On October 7, 2013, the band re-issued ''Dos Dedos Mis Amigos'' on Cherry Red, featuring five rare bonus tracks, as well as a second disc; the unreleased 1996 album, now titled ''[[A Lick of the Old Cassette Box|A Lick Of The Old Cassette Box]]''. ''A Lick Of The Old Cassette Box'' was also released as a limited edition, stand-alone vinyl pressing that same year. Pop Will Eat Itself continues as a full-time project to this day, under the direction of Graham Crabb. === Mondo Vanilli === One act to depart during the early era of the label was [[Mondo Vanilli]]. Mondo Vanilli (sometimes referred to as MV Inc. or The Artists Formerly Known As Mondo Vanilli) was the brainchild of [[R. U. Sirius]], an [[United States|American]] writer, editor, talk show host, musician and [[cyberculture]] personality. Sirius was editor-in-chief of ''[[Mondo 2000]]'', a glossy cyberculture [[magazine]] published in [[California]] during the 1980s and 1990s. It covered [[cyberpunk]] topics such as [[virtual reality]] and [[nootropic|smart drugs]], serving as a more anarchic and subversive predecessor to the later-founded ''[[Wired magazine|Wired]]'' magazine.<ref>[http://www.suck.com/daily/95/11/07/mondo1995.html Mondo 1995: Up and Down With the Next Millennium's First Magazine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515112105/http://www.suck.com/daily/95/11/07/mondo1995.html|date=2012-05-15}}, by [[Jack Boulware]]. (1995) ''SF Weekly'' / ''Suck'' article.</ref> Sirius described the band as "a virtual reality band that would proudly lip-synch, or maybe not, even pretend to play live music on stage - perhaps we would exist totally in virtuality - or else we would do other, more original types of performance to our music."<ref name="auto">{{cite web| url = http://boingboing.net/2011/05/16/mondo-vanilli-ru-sir.html| title = Mondo Vanilli : RU Sirius's 1993 album for Trent Reznor's label| author = Pescovitz, David| work = Boing Boing| date = May 16, 2011| access-date = August 27, 2016}}</ref> Sirius was backed by members Scrappi DüChamp, with whom he had collaborated on previous musical projects and would compose most of the music - and Simone Third Arm, a performance artist introduced to Sirius early into the project's inception. Mondo Vanilli's involvement with Nothing Records came about through a chance meeting at Reznor's then-home at [[10050 Cielo Drive (Los Angeles)|10050 Cielo Drive]], the site of the infamous [[Tate murders]] by members of the [[Manson Family]] in 1969. Sirius, a Northern California resident, had left Mondo 2000 three months prior and was visiting Los Angeles with some promotional Mondo Vanilli booklets and demo tapes, to shop them around the L.A. music scene.<ref name="unknown">{{cite web| url = http://unheard78.blogspot.com/2011/05/ru-sirius-on-mondo-vanilli-and-music.html| title = RU Sirius on Mondo Vanilli and music| author = unknown| work = The Unheard Music| date = May 14, 2011| access-date = August 28, 2016| url-status = bot: unknown| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110708071345/http://unheard78.blogspot.com/2011/05/ru-sirius-on-mondo-vanilli-and-music.html| archive-date = July 8, 2011}}</ref> Sirius had been invited as a guest of [[Timothy Leary]] to a housewarming party at the grounds.<ref name="auto"/> It was there he met Reznor and gave him some of the Mondo Vanilli recordings, which included the songs "Love Is The Product", "Thanx!" and "Wraparound World."<ref name="Carbon, Lou">{{cite web| url = http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2011/05/30/resurrecting-reznors-90s-discovery-mondo-vanilli-an-interview/l| title = Resurrecting Reznor's '90s Discovery - Mondo Vanilli (An Interview)| author = Carbon, Lou| work = 10 Zen Monkeys| date = May 30, 2011| access-date = August 28, 2016}}</ref> The day after the party, Reznor expressed interest in the band and discussed a deal singing them to Nothing Records.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2010/07/02/meeting-trent-reznor-on-x-at-the-sharon-tate-horror-house/| title = Meeting Trent Reznor on X at the Sharon Tate Horror House| author = RU Sirius| work = 10 Zen Monkeys| date = July 2, 2010| access-date = August 28, 2016}}</ref> When the contract arrived, however, the band expressed some reservations. Sirius stated: {{blockquote|Well, the first thing that hit us in dealing with Nothing was the recording contract ... We received this contract to record six albums for Nothing. I think it came on an Interscope Records letterhead. And we send it to Cara (Burns, then acting attorney for the band) and she freaked. She said it was a typically terrible record industry contract of the sort the big record companies usually gave to new artists, maybe it was even a little worse than average ... Anyway, somehow we got word that Trent wanted us to find a producer and a studio and get ready to start recording and we'd all deal with the contract later. We would have $90k to record it. So we scheduled recording time with Jonathan Burnside at Razor's Edge studio. And then [[John Malm Jr.|Malm]] got in touch and he didn't want to commit to the full album. He wanted us to go into the studio with $10k instead and record two songs and "see how it goes." So there was clearly this attitude with Reznor's management that we were sort of "Trent's folly" or maybe all of the Nothing artists were viewed that way, except probably [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]], since he already had a pretty big following in Florida. So we recorded "Gimme Helter" and "Thanx!" Anyway, the two songs knocked everybody's socks off. So we were given the go ahead to record the whole album.<ref name="unknown"/>}} Recording commenced on the album at San Francisco's Razor's Edge Studios. The finished album, titled ''IOU Babe'' was completed in late 1993 and delivered to the label. However, the album was met with resistance from the label. Sirius recalled, "We finished the album right around the end of 1993. In fact, the timing was such that we went to a NIN show in Oakland and handed in the final product in person to his management. This time, we weren't invited into the dressing room and Reznor never came out to speak to us. I think it was maybe a few weeks after that Tony Ciula from Nothing Records told us that [[Interscope Records|Interscope]] was making Nothing drop all their artists except [[Nine Inch Nails|NIN]] and [[Marilyn Manson (band)|Marilyn Manson]] but that we could have the album gratis."<ref name="unknown"/> The band suddenly found themselves without a label, having been dropped by Nothing. The final recording contract between the two parties had never been signed. However, upon requesting a formal notice of their release from the label, the situation became further complicated and it seemed the band would be unable to shop the album elsewhere.<ref name="unknown"/> Sirius stated, "When our lawyer asked for a formal notification of this (release from the label), the [[Interscope Records|Interscope]] lawyer told us that they weren't going to give us the rights to the music unless some other record company paid off their full bill ... and I think they had some other demands as well. In our position, we would have had to have gone to small indie labels, so it was pretty much impossible."<ref name="unknown"/> In the wake of the fallout from the label, the band took to publicly criticizing Nothing and Reznor for a time, posting an article called "True Story of Brent Buzzkill and MV Inc," using pseudonyms and parody to recall their side of the story in their experiences with the label. They also recorded a new track for the ''IOU Babe'' album, "The Ballad of Brent Buzzkill", aimed at Reznor and the label. Sirious reflected, "Maybe he (Reznor) didn't really get the album, as a whole. We heard he liked some of it. He also went into a well-publicized ... ahem ... downward spiral around that time. And we did make merciless fun of him for a few years after it all happened ... We were pretty mean!"<ref name="Carbon, Lou"/> The band ended up posting the album online for free, originally via member Scrappi DüChamp's now-defunct website. It the years to follow, the album would disappear and reappear online, through numerous outlets, such as [[Bandcamp]], [[SoundCloud]], [[Internet Archive]] and [[The Pirate Bay]], with slightly revised track lists. In 2011, the band stated on their Bandcamp website that a CD edition of the album was forthcoming, though to date, it has never materialized.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://mondovanilli.bandcamp.com/| title = Mondo Vanilli Bandcamp| author = none| date = September 5, 2011| access-date = August 28, 2016}}</ref> Trent Reznor was given an unfeigned special thanks in later editions of the ''IOU Babe'' album credits.{{Citation needed|date=August 2023}}
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