When music scribe Martin Huxley -- which is a pseudonym -- told us that his Nine Inch Nails book for St. Martin's Press is "a pretty straight- forward account of Trent's history, the good and the bad," he wasn't kidding. And that's not necessarily bad. For those NIN fans who want a chronological account of most every major move that Reznor has made in his career, then this well- written book will serve as a good reference guide and a quick read. However, for those looking for a bit more than what has already been printed in Rolling Stone, Spin, and Details, which the author relies heavily on, well, then...

St. Martin's does the author a big disservice with their lame synopsis, in which they dub NIN "the world's most disturbing rock band, or rather, one man band." Clearly, the Genitorturers and even Marilyn Manson are far more disturbing than Reznor's tortured- man antics. And surely, St. Martin's could've come up with a better teaser line on the back cover than "What other rocker has recorded at the Sharon Tate murder scene? None but Nine Inch Nails."

Here's a glimpse of what to expect from the book. This passage is about Reznor's "relationship" with Courtney Love:

"Another unwanted byproduct of Reznor's celebrity was a bizarre feud with Courtney Love, leader of Hole, widow of Kurt Cobain and all- around loose cannon. Reznor and Love met when he heard that she was interested in playing with Nine Inch Nails, and he agreed to let Hole open six NIN shows in the autumn of 1994. 'I thought, "What's the worst that can happen?,"' he later told Details. 'Famous last words...'

"They didn't speak for the first three shows. 'In Cleveland she was completely intoxicated, a fucking mess,' he told Details, adding that at one aftershow party, Love was passed out on a pool table with her dress hiked up, while onlookers snapped pictures. 'I thought that was shitty. I'd be upset if people I thought cared about me allowed me to be in that position.'

"Before he knew it, Love was badmouthing him and his band onstage, even though she was opening for NIN. 'What I didn't know then was her fierce competitiveness when she's opening for somebody -- she's carrying the weight of alternative credibility on her back, and we're a new-wave faggot band that's easily dismissed. Even though my crowd doesn't give a shit about that.'

"...Their acquaintance soon began spawning vague yet vicious recriminations from Love. Despite Love's insistence to the contrary, Reznor maintains that the pair did not have a sexual relationship. According to Trent, 'I think if there was an attraction on her part toward me, it was maybe because I showed compassion. The bottom line was, I thought I was around someone who was a victim and somebody who could use a friend, and what I was around was a very good manipulator and a careerist, someone not to be underestimated.'"

Nine Inch Nails: Self Destruct is still due July 10. - By Anne Robertson

<< Previous Page