Still can’t get over dude’s guns. Why did The Rock eat Reznor?

It’s already all over the internets: Trent Reznor is the latest major recording artist to give the big labels a fat middle finger. That’s right, Nine Inch Nails have severed their industry ties. Interscope is probably feeling more than a little hurt, if you’ll pardon the pun. But you can only put up with so many terrible lies before you’re broken. Hopefully this brings Reznor & co. closer to their fanbase. OK, OK, I’ll stop. I do not want this.

Here’s the statement from Mr. Self Destruct:

Hello everyone. I’ve waited a LONG time to be able to make the following announcement: as of right now Nine Inch Nails is a totally free agent, free of any recording contract with any label. I have been under recording contracts for 18 years and have watched the business radically mutate from one thing to something inherently very different and it gives me great pleasure to be able to finally have a direct relationship with the audience as I see fit and appropriate. Look for some announcements in the near future regarding 2008. Exciting times, indeed.

I’m of two minds about the phenomenon. Superstar acts that have been around for a couple of decades have of a loyal enough fanbase to safely cut the apron strings. But not every artist can afford to operate completely independently. At least not until the entire industry model changes, which it will. But that’s gonna be a pretty bumpy ride for everyone from the smallest imprints to the biggest entertainment conglomerates. Me, I’m in the musician’s corner as usual. Yes, even the lame-ass jam bands.

I have a feeling we’ll be discussing this topic a lot more in the future.

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About the author

Casey Rae-Hunter
Casey Rae-Hunter is a musician, public policy wonk and the editor/publisher of The Contrarian Media. An in-demand speaker, he gives frequent talks at conferences and campuses on issues at the intersection of creativity, technology, policy and law, and is a go-to source for major media outlets from NPR to the New York Times. Casey works alongside leaders in the music, arts and performance sectors to bolster understanding of and engagement in key policy and technology issues, and has written dozens of articles on the impact of technology on the creative community. Casey is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University and the Deputy Director for Future of Music Coalition. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Media & Democracy Coalition and the National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture. The Contrarian does not necessarily represent the views of the organizations to which he belongs.

2 Comments for Nine Inch Nails No Longer Find Happiness in Slavery.

Herb

It feels like death to me.

Tanner

yeah …death of a salesman!

oh!