Everything that swore it wouldn't change, is different now
Just like you would always say, "We'll make it through"
Then my head fell apart and where were you?"
Greetings everyone! Somehow I missed the month of April. Hope all is well in your worlds. Going to cheat a bit and adjust the flex capacitor and rewind the clock a few days to April so we can acknowledge halfway to Halloween. As a disclaimer It's been less than 24 hours since my second vaccine dose so if something doesn't make sense, most of you can relate.
I had intentions of posting something from Nine Inch Nails back in October. The above picture was taken by your's truly back on October 10. 2018. This was sold out show number two of the bands two night run at the Anthem in Washington DC. As a teenager I had just missed opportunities to see the band live in the 90's, but 24 years after the release of The Downward Spiral I finally got my chance.
I have vivid memories of first getting my drivers license playing this tape in my parent's 1992 Plymouth Voyager. That's right, before I got my own wheels you could find me cruising around Fredericksburg, VA in a blue mini van. Perhaps I would blast this tape to assert some type of machismo to balance out the fact that my ride was the 90's version of a station wagon. From the opening track of Mr. Self Destruct to the stripped down vulnerability of Hurt it was quite a ride. Through the discovery of this album, copies of older records like Pretty Hate Machine, Broken , and Fixed (picked up from the mall at Musicland and/or Camelot of course) found their way into my collection. By this point I had upgraded my listening experience and turned in the tapes for compact discs..oh yeah!
Much like my compensating for driving a family truckster, Reznor built this aggressive sound of evil sounding synthesizers, pulsating drums and bad ass guitar licks perhaps to cover up his lyrics expressing self doubt, rejection and confusion. As a teenager these songs were a perfect soundtrack as I could relate to these themes and admired how he was able to take those feelings and create a stronger alter ego. I suppose that's what I admire most about artists is their ability in finding a way to handle the most difficult events in life and creating something beautiful out of the pain.
I realize I've been posting lots of tunes from the 80's so let's get a bit more current and listen to a track from....1999! This song is off The Fragile album. At the show the band came out with all the house lights on and played the song Home from 2005's With Teeth record....once the song was over the lights went down and the opening notes of this tune came on and oh man...here came the goosebumps! Reznor stalked the stage in all black disappearing in and out of the fog like a monster from a 1970's Hammer Horror flick. The show was amazing and the setlist hit on all the band's discography. The night we went they played Closer (which although played to death I never get sick of this one) and the encore ended with Hurt.
For todays pick someone let Trent down once again. Faith? Parents? A lover? Addiction? Could be all the above. If you thought T. Swift was hard on exes in her songs, T. Reznor takes things to a whole other level!
Oh yeah since we went back in time two days ago to April and sticking with the Halfway to Halloween theme I wanted to share another one my my favorite thrillers. This one is a mix of film noir/horror/voodoo co-staring Denise from the Cosby Show. In fact due to the graphic sex scenes I believe she got into trouble with Mr Cosby for being "inappropriate." What an ironic world we live in! Until next time......
Since it's been a bit let's also revisit one of the most powerful covers/videos I know of it. Here's the great Johnny Cash covering Hurt by Nine Inch Nails.
Bye for now...
