The [NIN]eties & Beyond will be not the same if there would be no [NIN]!!!!

I remember when I strolled around malls and went to a local record bar (the now defunct Pop Station music store) that sells rocks shirts in the early 90's, I always see this Top 40 shirt with a cool [NIN] logo hanging in display in the glass wall. I asked the sales lady what does NIN means and she said that it was Nine Inch Nails, a band name. Okay. Sounds like a size of your manhood to brag upon. And that's were it all began.

Young Trent Reznor at a gig.

I got a taste of Nine Inch Nail's music when I was in high school,the so called grunge days. I was able to listen to their song "Closer" when it was still new on the radio and I was quite shocked to hear about its vulgar chorus : "I wanna ---- you like an animal!" It was as simple as filling out the blanks. Just deciphered the beep censored part they played on the radio and you know that it is the word "fuck". Indeed, the song has a very straight forward message. It was like a hardcore sex theme song for some porn movie! But the electronic music was so infectious and cool. The "let me violate you" got stuck in my head for ions.

The Downward Spiral

Buying song hits and reading guitar magazines at the national bookstore (because the internet is still not yet born in our country yet) got me informed that this band is the genius product of a certain Trent Reznor,hailing from  Cleveland,Ohio, long before Lebron James left this state for the south beach.I know them as the pioneers and founders of Industrial Rock Metal (long before KMFDM became mainstream). I just loved their Gothic looks.Then I was able to buy in a record sale a cassette tape of Wish single.

And came "The Downward Spiral" their break through album. It contained the fan favorite "Closer." Every time I hear the song "Piggy," it reminds me of Ms. Piggy in Sesame Street. Then another porky theme, "March of the Pigs" a feel good song (Now doesn't it make you feel better?). That song gets me into a mosh pit rumble mode and laugh when it stops and Trent say that "feel better" line. Then it makes me happy when the song starts all over again and creates that freaking chaos. Funny, the first video that I saw from the NIN was "March of the Pigs" (Thank you SBN 21) which was aired every afternoon on that particular period. That video was fookin' aggressive in which they smashed their guitars, drums and gears. Wow! I hope I can see them and see them trash their own stage! (Flash Forward: I was!) After a few years, thanks to the internet,  I was able to watch the Closer video, in which I believe one of the  best videos of all time for its graphical content. But my favorite NIN video would be Hurt. I loved the live stage performance with the car park movie house theme for the audience. On the video, death was told like a documentary in a Discovery Channel presentation. I searched for the Hurt video after listening to Johnny Cash's version. I read in a magazine that they recorded the Downward Spiral album in a haunted house, where the Charlie Manson murders occurred.

Those interesting facts led me to check other old NIN songs.I scored a second hand Guitar Player magazine and checked that there was a transcription of "Head Like a Hole." I just wondered how does the song sounds like? Then one night, when I was so bummed out in my room and just listening to the details of Rage Against the Machine doing a concert here in Manila from a newly appointed DJ and drummer of a famous local girl fronted band way back '95, he played "Head Like a Hole." It was wow! Catchy and angry at the same time! Then he played on the following morning, "Dead Souls." Funny part 2: I first heard NIN's version of Dead Souls way before I was able to know that it was Joy Division who was the original makers of the song, (Rest in Peace Ian Curtis!)discovering it when I played the whole best of Joy Division: Transmission album which I also got from a CD sale.Being a new waver when I was a kid (thanks kuya and ate), I was surprised that Trent Reznor has his own new wave sensibilities. His cover of Dead Souls was very haunting indeed. I also read in a magazine that Trent Reznor went to a concert of the Cure and hugged Robert Smith.

The news regarding then NIN guitarist Richard Patrick being hit by Trent Reznor in a concert that prompted the former to leave NIN to form Filter, shows his aggressiveness in concerts. I dunno if Trent was playing like Governator to T1000...

V for Vendetta Look

I got hold of the original soundtrack of Lost Highway when I was in college and I got last song syndromes of The Perfect Drug. And when I saw the video, I was blown away! A dark themed video in which Trent Reznor looks like an immortal being! (He also got the V for Vendetta look! I really wanted to have a look like this [check picture] but ended up the beefed up version of Trent.) The artistic concept of video was overwhelming. That reminded me to find a copy of the movie and watch it!

And every NIN album release seems to be an epic event to wait for. "The Fragile" (1999) double disc album gave us "We're in this Together." I still remember that the video was shot in Australia with people running in all directions like prisoners broken out from prison. And of course, who will forget "Starfuckers, Inc."? It was accompanied by a music video showing his off and on friend Marilyn Manson.

In 2005, they released "With Teeth" with the singles "The Hands that Feeds" "Only" and "Every Day is Exactly the Same." The "Hand that Feeds" is a very catchy and straight NIN song. And a cool video for "Only": At last! a Nine Inch Nails' video featuring nine inch nails! This video got a lot of airtime play in a known music video channel.

Trent Reznor's Filipina Wife: Mariqueen Maandig:
a factor of bringing NIN in Manila? (photo from Playboy Magazine)

After few years, I was able to find interest in NIN again via their free album download: The Slip . I was happy to get a copy of that featured great tracks like "1,000,000" and the carrier single "Discipline". You can get a copy of this album by checking the link that you can find at the bottom of this article. Then prior to that they also gave free MP3s to download from Ghosts I, from the album Ghosts I - IV, a concept album which suites a backdrop for a film.

Then the unthinkable happened! Nine Inch Nails Wave Goodbye Tour live in Manila! When Splintr broke this news (I thought it was her Filipina rocker girlfriend then wife Mariqueen Maandig who convinced him to have Manila to be part of the tour....Thanks Splintr!) I was so thrilled that I called all my high school friends (Vic and Algreen) and demanded them to join me watch the concert! Then I looked for my old NIN records and Trent Reznor fronted Spin magazines to condition myself for the concert. I already secured a day of leave in the office just to watch this monumental event but got blocked by my bosses. I got goosebumps every time I see the giant Wall Poster for the concert near the Guadalupe Bridge.

Then came August 5:  I got home late because of overtime work and the massive traffic jam to Sucat Road because of the road block for the former President Corazon Aquino's procession to her burial. It was a day of mourning for the nation but also a day of celebration of rock and roll here in the Philippines! Then I woke up 7PM! Oh no! Great Scott!!! My classmates are waiting for me at Mantrade MRT. I texted them to go ahead to the concert and I will follow suit. I immediately took a bath and hurriedly rode those public utility vehicles and MRT to reach NIN in Araneta. I arrived around 9PM and Pupil just finished their set. And the long wait is over! The legendary NIN is now playing to their hearts content!

Manila Official Concert Poster 

Here is the set list:

Somewhat Damaged

Terrible Lie

Heresy

March of the Pigs

Piggy

Closer

Reptile

The Becoming

I'm Afraid Of Americans (David Bowie cover)

Burn

Gave Up

La Mer

The Fragile

Non-Entity

Gone, Still

The Downward Spiral

Wish

Survivalism

Mr. Self Destruct

Echoplex

The Day the World Went Away

Dead Souls (Joy Division cover)

The Hand That Feeds

Head Like a Hole

Encore:

Hurt

I was so amazed that they destroyed those guitars and throw those microphone stands. In that concert, I literally saw a sliding guitar! We were on the general admission then for we do not have enough budget for the concert. So near yet so far. The lights at the stage was phenomenal! It was a very nice treat for hardcore rock fans and kids of the 90s. I was very happy that they played songs from The Downward Spiral album in which I have heard prior to the concert that they do not perform most of those songs anymore and was really ecstatic that they played Dead Souls. I almost cried then. The "Hurt" encore was really heart felt. I really  had a blast on that night. The concert was "sulit na sulit!!!!" 25 songs non-stop! The best concert I have ever been so far!

You can check and enjoy the video clippings of the concert from last year which were provided by Splintr.com for a limited time only up to October 5, 2010.

Videos at the Splintr website:

1) NIN Documentary / Interview

2) March of the Pigs

3) Piggy

4) Closer

5) Reptile

6) I'm Afraid of Americans

7) 1,000,000 (NIN Photos)

8) Set me Apart (Pupil Photos)

Check the videos by clicking SPLINTR

Below shows our pictures at the concert:

Me with the concert poster outside Araneta

Me and my friends: Vic (left) and Algreen (Right)

Outside Araneta after the concert: L-R: Algreen, me and Vic.

Some photographs of the concert can be found on Ms. Rosario's website:

http://www.rosarioko.com/2009/08/30/inch-nails-wave-goodbye/

A beefed up Trent Reznor @ Araneta. Still aggressive all these years

Trent Reznor is really kind and generous: For free NIN MP3s, you can download the following albums: the Slip and Ghost 1 at NIN's website:

GHOST I

The Slip

You can also download his new project, the soundtrack for the movie "The Social Network", here:

http://www.nullco.com/TSN/

A 5 track sampler awaits on that link.

So it was quite a nostalgic trip that ended to a wonderful realization of seeing Nine Inch Nails live in Manila.

I hope waving goodbyes are just gestures telling us that it is not the end of everything or we were not able to see someone again, specifically our favorite rock band: NIN. I am really hoping that they will return for another one...Kudos to NIN and Splintr!!!