Changes

| live = [[Cold And Black And Infinite Tour]]through present}}'''"The Perfect Drug"''' was written and recorded for the ''[[Lost Highway Soundtrack]]'' in 1996. In addition to the six [[Trent Reznorremixes]] has expressed dissatisfaction with the song, saying in a VIVA 2 Magazine interview,<blockquote>At that time I was listening to a lot of Drum 'n' Bass and Jungle and stuff. And I think that's the most I've ever seen external influence come out in my own music. And it was a transition period, that's what I want to stress, it was time when I was feeling out what I wanted to do artistically and given the liberation of working within the context of a soundtrackwere released, it's not like a major work. I always treated that as an area to be freer and try things. I'm glad it was in that context. There another remix by Goldie was planned but never any consideration to include that on [''[[The Fragile (halo)|The Fragile]]'']. It really was an area where I was feeling out the landscape to see what I wanted to domaterialized.[http://www.theninhotlinenin-pages.net/archives/articlesde/xint521997_Raygun_Februar_english.shtmlhtm]</blockquote>

*Production: [[Trent Reznor]]

*Assistance: [[Brian Pollack]] ==About==Trent Reznor has expressed dissatisfaction with the song, saying in a ''VIVA 2'' Magazine interview,<blockquote>At that time I was listening to a lot of Drum 'n' Bass and Jungle and stuff. And I think that's the most I've ever seen external influence come out in my own music. And it was a transition period, that's what I want to stress, it was time when I was feeling out what I wanted to do artistically and given the liberation of working within the context of a soundtrack, it's not like a major work. I always treated that as an area to be freer and try things. I'm glad it was in that context. There was never any consideration to include that on [''[[The Fragile (halo)|The Fragile]]'']. It really was an area where I was feeling out the landscape to see what I wanted to do. [http://theninhotline.net/archives/articles/manager/display_article.php?id=827]</blockquote> On a BBC Radio 1 show, Reznor said:<blockquote>The only thing I think I really don't like that much, is The Perfect Drug song. It was one of those things where you have a week, do a track for a movie, and the mindset you kind of adapt in that situation, or I did, was "Let's go in and experiment and see what happens, and if it's not - whatever comes out of it, it's not the end of the world." And I think what came out of it, married with a bloated over-budget video... just feels like the most... the least thing that I would play to somebody if they said "play me, y'know, the top 100 songs you've written." That probably wouldn't be in the top 100. But uh, I'm not cringing about it, but it's not my favorite piece. [https://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/display/88]</blockquote>

This is the original version that can be found on the ''Lost Highway'' soundtrack as well as some editions of ''"The Perfect Drug" Versions''. It features prominent acoustic guitars playing a quick, ascending riff similar to the chorus of "[[The Wretched]]". It is backed by frantic and complex drum machine programming commonly associated with the drum 'n' bass genre, which opens up into simpler patterns for the pre-choruses. The drum sound in the pre-chorus is highly reminiscent of that on "[[Eraser]]". The chorus features heavy guitars backed by more frantic drums, while the bridge is composed mainly of percussion patterns and percussive synthesizers and guitar riffs, which build in intensity to give way to a slower, simpler, quieter codawhich features what is likely a Mellotron.

"The Perfect Drug" was not played live until [[2018/09/18_Morrison,_CO|September 18, 2018]] at Red Rocks, Colorado, though it was attempted during rehearsals for a few previous tours. It was widely speculated that the complex drum solo in the song was responsible for this, although it was probably not out of the range of drummers [[Josh Freese]] or [[Ilan Rubin]]. It is also likely possible that Reznor does did not personally like the song very much, as he concedes that it was produced quickly for the ''Lost Highway'' soundtrack.

[[Mark Romanek]], who also directed "[[Closer]]"," directed the [[Nine Inch Nails music videos|music video]] for "The Perfect Drug" in 1997. It was one of the most expensive videos at the time, costing over $850,000 to make. Building the two main Two sets (a refrigerated set were built and a rooftop set) and commissioning the giant hand sculpture numerous props were some of the larger expensesinvolved.[http://www.nin-pages.de/perfect_drug_video_quelle.htm] The concept of the video is widely interpreted as Trent Reznor portraying a man mourning the death of a child and detaching himself from reality through absinthe. [[Charlie Clouser]], [[Danny Lohner]], and [[Chris Vrenna]] appear in the video, most notably playing string instruments at the beginning. The aesthetics were heavily influenced by the illustrations of 20th-century artist Edward Gorey (1925–2000), the most obvious reference coming from the girl sitting on the cushion in front of the painting. The entire video was filmed with a blue tint with the exception of the drum breakdown, which uses flashing green light instead, representing Reznor losing himself in the absinthe.

The concept of the video is widely interpreted as Trent Reznor portraying In a man mourning 2025 post to Instagram[https://www.instagram.com/markromanek/reel/DE6RRDhpVrF/], following the death of a child and detaching himself from reality through absinthe. ''Lost Highway'' director [[Charlie ClouserDavid Lynch]], [[Danny Lohner]], and [[Chris Vrenna]] appear in Romanek posted the following:<blockquote>David really liked the "Closer" video, most notably playing string instruments at the beginning which of the course blew my mind, which led him to ask me to direct a video. The aesthetics were heavily influenced by for a Trent Reznor song that was gonna appear on the illustrations LOST HIGHWAY soundtrack (one of 20thmy all-century artist Edward Gorey (1925–2000)time favorite films of his, especially all the most obvious reference coming from the girl sitting on the cushion in front of the paintingRobert Blake scenes).

The entire video was filmed with a blue tint with I asked him if he wanted to have scenes from the exception of movie in the drum breakdownmusic-video.<br>David, one eye asquint from his own stinging cigarette smoke, which uses flashing green light insteadcroaked, representing Reznor losing himself in "Fuck no!! That would ruin the whole fuckin' thing!"<br>Much to the absinthestudio's displeasure, I should add.</blockquote>

*[httphttps://vimeo.com/3612941 "The Perfect Drug" music video]

*[https://aphroditerecordings.databeats.com/download/amix1 "The Perfect Drug" (Aphrodite Mix) " as uploaded by DJ Aphrodite]*[https://archive.org/details/remix-nin-com-audio-02412 "The Perfect Drug" (Instrumental) at archive.org]*[http://theninhotline.net/archives/articles/manager/display_article.php?id=827 Interview] with ''VIVA 2 '' Magazine

[[Category: NIN Songs]][[Category:Music Videos]][[Category:Rare NIN Songs]]