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Reznor graduated from high school in 1983 and went on to study computer engineering at Allegheny College. He began dating [[The Becoming#Annie|Andrea Mulrain]] while at college. It was around this time that he joined his first "real" band, [[Option 30]]. They became popular in the college scene in western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio but Reznor clearly wanted to get out and see more. After a year in college, Reznor dropped out of school and left Option 30. He was offered a job as a salesperson at a specialty keyboard and pro audio shop, Pi Keyboards and Audio, in Cleveland and moved there. While working there, he met Bart Koster, who was building a new recording studio, Right Track Studios. Koster was impressed with Reznor's skills and offered him a job as a studio technician before he even moved into the building. [https://www.thefader.com/2013/09/23/nine-inch-nails-oral-history-interview] In Cleveland, Reznor also reconnected with [[Chris Vrenna]], whom he had met in 1985 when Vrenna bought a piece of gear from him. The day jobs helped Reznor pay the bills but, like in Pennsylvania, he became active in Cleveland's music scene.
Reznor's first band in Cleveland was a cover band called [[The Urge]]. This band drew crowds and Reznor got some recognition. When he left the band months later they lost much of their audience. Reznor briefly re-joined before parting ways again shortly thereafter. In March 1985, he joined [[The Innocent]] as a keyboardist, but left the band after three about five months. Reznor briefly re-joined The Urge before parting ways again shortly thereafter. Later in 1985, he joined the [[Exotic Birds]] as a keyboardist and back-up vocalist with [[Andy Kubiszewski]] (who would later join Stabbing Westward) and, at one a later point, Vrenna. During this time Reznor also met [[John A. Malm, Jr.]], who was doing promotion for the band. The Exotic Birds received some national attention after playing a few gigs with the Culture Club, but Reznor left the band in 1987. [https://casetext.com/case/reznor-v-j-artist-management] This was followed by keyboardist positions in [[Slam Bamboo]] and [[Lucky Pierre]]. Reznor was also briefly part of [[Kollaps]] during these years, alongside [[Richard Patrick]]. But all the while, Reznor wanted to be able to do his own music and be his own musician.
In 1988, Reznor was finally able to write his first "real" song. It was entitled "[[Down in It (song)|Down In It]]" and was recorded as part of a demo during Reznor's spare time at the studio. After trying to come up with a name for his solo project (an early contender was The Crown Of Thorns[http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/manager/display_article.php?id=6183]), he settled on the name Nine Inch Nails (NIN for short) because "it sounded menacing, it was catchy, it stood the two-week test, and it could be easily abbreviated." Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen has also been quoted as saying that the name comes from a review of Ministry's ''Twitch'', wherein the reviewer stated that listening to the second half of the album was like having a nine-inch nail driven into your head.[https://www.laweekly.com/ministrys-al-jourgensen-is-a-national-treasure/] Malm had been informally managing and supporting Reznor during this period, and helped him shop around the demo to various record labels. Ultimately [[TVT Records]], known for its TV music compilations, signed Reznor and offered to help him release his music.
Touring began shortly after the album's release. The [[Fragility]] tour would last a total of 8 months and travel the world. During the US tour, Reznor rekindled his friendship with [[Brian Warner]], frontman for the band Marilyn Manson, which had soured in 1997 following the release of the ''Lost Highway Soundtrack.'' Initially Manson was offered the producer position but Reznor ultimately got it. The friendship was revived in part because of changes in popular music.
As the tour progressed, Reznor's health declined as his addictions got worse. It culminated with a tour stop in London, when Reznor overdosed on heroin, mistaking it for cocaine, prompting a long-awaited concert to be cancelled. Citing Reznor's privacy and not wanting to bring about a media firestorm, the band's management explained that another member of the band, new drummer [[Jerome Dillon]], was sick with a stomach flu. After the cancellation, Reznor apologized and explained the situation. He understood that people were angry about it and he stressed that concerts are never cancelled without a valid reason.
===Rehab and Recovery===
On June 11, 2001, Reznor checked into a New Orleans rehabilitation center and endured a cold-turkey withdrawal experience that makes him shudder to this day. Upon leaving the facility, Reznor was more determined than ever to stay clean and sober. He finished the live set, titled ''[[And All That Could Have Been (halo)|And All That Could Have Been]],'' and began to focus on other projects. Among his projects were [[Tapeworm]], a collaboration with [[Tool]]/[[A Perfect Circle]] singer [[Maynard James Keenan]], and producing former Rage Against The Machine frontman [[Zack de la Rocha]]'s solo album.
Scores for ''[[Soul (Original Score)|Soul]]'', and David Fincher's ''[[Mank (Original Musical Score)|Mank]]'' were released in 2020. In late 2019, it was revealed that Reznor and Ross had completed an avant-garde score for ''[[Unreleased_projects#The_Woman_In_The_Window_score|The Woman In The Window]]'' but that it had been scrapped due to a change in the film's direction. On March 26, 2020, two more volumes of the ''[[Ghosts]]'' series (''[[Ghosts V: Together]]'' and ''[[Ghosts VI: Locusts]]'') were released in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. On November 7, 2020, Reznor and NIN were inducted into the [[Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame]]. Reznor had previously inducted The Cure, one of his influences.
In 2021, ''Soul'' repeated the feat of ''The Social Network'', earning Reznor and Ross both the Academy Award and Golden Globe for best original score, and Reznor and Ross collaborated with Halsey on her fourth album, ''[[If I Can't Have Love, I Want Power]]''. During this same time period, NIN recorded the collaborative single "[[Isn't Everyone]]" with [[Related_bands_and_artists#HEALTH|HEALTH]]. NIN embarked on a [[NIN 2022|tour]] in 2022 to make up for [[Canceled Pandemic Dates|canceled tour dates]] from 2020 and 2021. The aesthetic for the tour was mainly a continuation of the Cold And Black And Infinite Tour. During this same time period, Reznor and Ross made appearances in various capacities on albums by Danny Elfman, Antonio Sanchez & Bad Hombre, and Fever Ray. Scores for ''[[Bones and All (Original Score)|Bones and All]]'' and ''[[Empire of Light (Original Score)|Empire of Light]]'' were released in 2022, and scores for ''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (Original Score)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem]]'' and ''[[The Killer (Original Score)|The Killer]]'' were released in 2023.
Today, Reznor is happier than he's ever been. He feels that he has found his calling in life and has found joy in creating music. Although he admits he could very easily relapse into his old ways, because he has been there, he has said he never wants to go back. He and his [[Mariqueen Maandig-Reznor|wife]] currently reside in California with their children and dogs.
===1985===
*''Livin' In The Street'', [[The Innocent]] (keyboards); also provided keyboards on tour
*Provided saxophone for a show with Brian Brain
===1986===
*''Cautiøn Dø Nøt Play,'' Crunch-Ø-Matic (Album programming)
*''Beers, Steers & Queers (Remixes)'', Revolting Cocks (credited as "additional cock" for "Stainless Steel Providers (live)" and "Public Image (live)")
*Provided vocals and guitar on tour with Pigface*''Gub,'' [[Pigface]] (Loops, "The Bushmaster") (writing, vocals, "[[Suck]]")*Provided vocals on tour with Pigface
===1992===
*''Burn Like Brilliant Trash (At Jackie's Funeral),'' Machines of Loving Grace (remix, "Burnt Offering 120 BPM", "Burn Like Brilliant Trash (Radio Edit)" and "Burn Like Brilliant Trash (Dub 120 BPM)")
*''Symphony of Destruction,'' Megadeth (Remix, "Symphony Of Destruction (The Gristle Mix) (Edited and Extended)")
*''Glitch'', Pigface (vocals, "Suck" live version)
*''Stone Cold Crazy (promo),'' Queen (Remix, "Stone Cold Crazy (Re-Produced by Trent Reznor)")
===1993===
*[[Untitled Mixtape]], Queen (Remix, "Tie Your Mother Down (Reznor Remix)")
*''The Wooden Song,'' Butthole Surfers (Remix, "Who Was In My Room Last Night (Trent Reznor Remix)")
*''Blackerthreetrackertwo,'' Curve (Remix, "Missing Link (Screaming Bird Mix)")
===1994===
*''WaxTrax! Records: The First 13 Years. Blackbox (A Video Retrospective) Volume 1,'' Lead Into Gold (Video, "Faster Than Light")
*''Black Box—Wax Trax! Records: The First 13 Years'' (Vocals, "Supernaut (Trent Reznor Vocal Version)" for 1000 Homo DJs)
*''Prick'', [[Prick]] (promotional cassette, contains alternate versions from ''Prick'', A1, A3, A6, B2)
===1995===
*''Prick,'' [[Prick]] (Producer, tracks 1, 3–5)
*''Lunchbox,'' Marilyn Manson (Producer, "[[Down In The Park]]")
*''PrickThe Heart's Filthy Lesson,'' [[PrickDavid Bowie]] (ProducerRemix, tracks 1, 3–5"The Heart's Filthy Lesson (Alt Mix)")
*''Smells Like Children,'' Marilyn Manson (Album producer)
===1996===
===1998===
*''Voyeurs,'' 2wo (Album producer)
*''Victory: Remixes,'' Puff Daddy & The Family (remix and featured performer, "Victory (Nine Inch Nails Remix)")
*''Herehear,'' Wink (Vocals and lyrics, "[[Black Bomb (Jerry In The Bag)]]")
===19992000===
*''Breadline,'' Megadeth (Remix, "Symphony Of Destruction (The Gristle Mix)")
===2001===
===2004===
*''Man on Fire'' (Musical consultant)
*''Songs And Artists That Inspired Fahrenheit 9/11'' (Producer, "[[We Want It All]]" for Zack de la Rocha)
*''It Dreams'', Jakalope (Co-producer)
*''eMOTIVe'', [[A Perfect Circle]] (Credited among authors of "[[Passive]]")
*''Vertigo (Remix, promo)'', U2 (Remix, "Vertigo (Trent Reznor Remix)")
===2005===
*''Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own'', U2 (Remix, "Vertigo (Trent Reznor Remix)")
===2006===
*''Born 4,'' Jakalope (Co-producer)
*''Live At Metropol Pittsburgh PA 04/25/1991'', Pigface (Vocals, "Suck" live) (Guitar, "Tapeworm", "T.F.W.O." live)
*''A Piano: The Collection'', Tori Amos (Vocals, "Past The Mission (Alternate Mix)")
===2008===
*''17 Ways to Suck,'' Pigface (Multiple remixes of "Suck")
*''In With The Out Crowd,'' Jubilee (programmed drums, "I Don't Have An Excuse, I Just Need A Little Help")
===2012===
*''Destroyer 12"'', Telepathe (Remix, "Destroyer (Remix)")
*''Call Of Duty: Black Ops II'' video game (Composer, [[Theme From Call Of Duty Black Ops II|theme song]])
*''[[An Omen EP]]'', How To Destroy Angels
===2024===
*''[[Challengers(Original Score)|Challengers]]'', with Atticus Ross (Writing and performance)
==External Links==