Editing Nothing Records (section)

=== Prick ===
1995 was kicked off by the arrival of [[Prick (band)|Prick]], led by [[Trent Reznor|Reznor]]'s longtime friend and collaborator, [[Kevin McMahon (musician)|Kevin McMahon]]. Prior to Nothing Records, the two musicians first crossed paths in the 1980s [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]] music scene. McMahon, a Cleveland native, had spent much of the 70s and 80s fronting the rock band [[Lucky Pierre (band)|Lucky Pierre]] there, while in 1985, Reznor began performing with another local act called [[Exotic Birds]] . Exotic Birds was led by future Prick drummer [[Andy Kubiszewski]] (and even featured future [[Nine Inch Nails]] member [[Chris Vrenna]] for a short time). By 1988, Reznor had left Exotic Birds and joined Lucky Pierre. His time there would be likewise abbreviated, due to his desire to start his own project. However, he remained on long enough to appear on Lucky Pierre's 1988 ''Communiqué'' 12" EP, performing on the tracks "Communiqué" (an alternate version of which had been released as a 7" single four years prior in 1984, which did not feature Reznor) and "I Need To Get To Know". Lucky Pierre was also being managed at the time by [[John Malm Jr.|John Malm]]. Reznor left the band shortly thereafter and went on to begin work on [[Nine Inch Nails]]' debut album, [[Pretty Hate Machine]], hiring Malm as his manager in the process.

Meanwhile, McMahon also switched gears musically, moving to Los Angeles to begin what would become Prick. Rounding out the initial incarnation of the band was guitarist Chris Schleyer and former [[Exotic Birds]] member Andy Kubiszewski on drums, though the latter would intermittently drop in and out of the fold over the years to come, taking on duties with numerous other bands, including future Nothing Record act [[The<!--not a mistake--> The]]. By 1994, Prick's live band consisted of Kevin McMahon on vocals and guitar, Chris Schleyer on lead guitar, Sebastien Monney on bass, Brian Kehew on keyboards and Sean Furlong on drums, performing for a short time under the name '''Riverhead''' in clubs around Los Angeles.

By this time, Reznor himself had relocated to Los Angeles, where he was soon to begin work on [[The Downward Spiral]]. McMahon and Reznor agreed to spend some time in the studio together, revisiting some of the old Lucky Pierre material and recording new versions of "Communique", "Tough", "Other People" (previously known as "I Need To Get To Know") and "No Fair Fights". The songs were not yet intended for any specific project or label. "We were just doing it to do music," stated McMahon.<ref name="unknown 1995">{{cite web| url = http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=74| title = Radio Interview| author = unknown| work = luckyPRICK| date = 1995| access-date = September 2, 2016| archive-date = September 6, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160906021701/http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=74| url-status = dead}}</ref> Aware of the collaboration's resemblance in sound to Nine Inch Nails, McMahon opted to embrace Trent's contributions, rather than try to avoid common ground.  McMahon stated, "Trent was the other part of the band on the songs that he produced. He and I were the band, so there's going to be some kind of similarity there. I'm certainly not going to ask him to not do what he does best, so that I won't have any indication of any sound like that."<ref name="unknown 1995"/>

McMahon would go on to sign Prick to a contract with [[Interscope Records]]. He began work on a debut album, flying to London to record material with producer Warne Livesey. After completing recording, the album was shelved at Interscope for an extended period, to the degree that Andy Kubiszewski, who was back with the band at this time, performing drums on the album, opted to take an offer to tour with [[Stabbing Westward]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Exotic+Birds&interview=48| title = luckyPRICK Interview w/Andy Kubiszewski| author = Millenacker, Andy| work = luckyPRICK| date = July 10, 2007| access-date = September 2, 2016| archive-date = February 20, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160220133811/http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Exotic+Birds&interview=48| url-status = dead}}</ref> McMahon began to feel he wasn't getting what he wanted out of Interscope, at which time he reconnected with Reznor and Malm and Prick was moved under the Nothing Records umbrella.

At least two of the Livesey produced tracks were ultimately cut from the album, although they would later surface of future McMahon projects.  "Attitude" and "Johnny Goes To Paris" appeared on Lucky Pierre's 2004 ''ThinKing'' album, while drummer Andy Kubiszewski stated an early version of "Actress" was also recorded with Livesey during the original album sessions.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Exotic+Birds&interview=48| title = luckyPRICK Interview w/Andy Kubiszewski| author = Millenacker, Todd| work = luckyPRICK| date = July 10, 2007| access-date = September 2, 2016| archive-date = February 20, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160220133811/http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Exotic+Birds&interview=48| url-status = dead}}</ref> It later appeared on Prick's ''The Wreckard'' album. In lieu of the cut songs, McMahon's recent material with Reznor was added. The album was finally on track for release, with a promo 7" for ''Communique / Crack'' surfacing in 1994, while the full-length, self-titled [[Prick (Prick album)|album]] followed on February 7, 1995. The album was led by the single "Animal", which received moderate airplay on MTV and alternative radio and was featured on the soundtrack to the film [[Showgirls]]. It went on to sell over 66,000 copies.<ref name="Wolf, Carlo">{{cite web| url = http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=5| title = Prick Rising| author = Wolf, Carlo| work = Cleveland Scene| date = June 19–25, 2002| access-date = August 31, 2016| archive-date = March 3, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220529/http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=5| url-status = dead}}</ref>

Prick toured the album, supporting such acts as [[Ned's Atomic Dustbin]], [[Lords Of Acid]] and [[My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult]]. [[Garrett Hammond]] replaced Andy Kubiszewski on drums, while frequent Nine Inch Nails collaborator [[Dave Ogilvie]] was hired for live programming. Prick was then invited to their largest showcase yet, as openers for [[Nine Inch Nails]]' and [[David Bowie]]'s 1995 co-headlining [[Outside Tour]]. In 1996, McMahon played guitar with Nine Inch Nails for three shows on "Nights of Nothing" showcase, which included two Prick songs ("Animal" and "Tough") as part of NIN's set.<ref>{{cite web| title=1996-09-08 {{!}} Masquerade {{!}} Atlanta, Georgia, United States | url = http://www.nintourhistory.com/concert.php?concertid=380| work = NIN Tour History| access-date = August 31, 2016}}</ref>

As the promotional cycle for Prick's debut album winded down, McMahon began to feel discomfort with the increased spotlight, stating "I'm not comfortable with the fame thing, even just walking out after a show and having somebody recognize me or anything like that, because I kind of just am there on stage when I'm on stage or in the studio. That's sort of when I do whatever I do. The other times I'm just kind of looking around like everybody else. I don't want to have to be anything that somebody expects me to be. I just think that once that starts, it's the beginning of deterioration of the person."<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=2| title = DigitalNoise Interview| author = Azroth| work = Digital Noise| date = 2002| access-date = September 2, 2016| archive-date = September 11, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160911162053/http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=2| url-status = dead}}</ref> Differences were also mounting with Nothing/Interscope, due in part to McMahon feeling they were putting a greater emphasis on their expanding roster, while diminishing their focus on Prick. McMahon recalled:

<blockquote>Interscope was a young enough company where they were saying, "We have only 12 artists, and it's not like we're going to be throwing out 15 a month and see what sticks. We're going to try to pay attention to you. As time passed, the record came out, they signed more and more people, and all of a sudden, the idea of me doing a record every year or every 18 months turned into, "Well, there's no commercial radio hit here anymore, you need to do a commercial radio kind of thing."<ref name="Wolf, Carlo"/></blockquote>

In spite of the growing differences, McMahon set about plans of recording a follow-up, double-album of Prick material for Nothing, under the working title of ''Numb''.<ref name="Cherry, Robert">{{cite web| url = http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=8| title = Regrouping In Cleveland: Prick's McMahon Finds Refuge in Cleveland| author = Cherry, Robert| work = Cleveland Plain Dealer| date = December 22, 2002| access-date = August 31, 2016| archive-date = September 11, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160911174457/http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Prick&interview=8| url-status = dead}}</ref> However, Nothing management pulled the plug at the last minute, requesting McMahon do additional work on the album to make it more radio friendly. McMahon stated, "The day before I was supposed to begin recording the second album, the label decided they didn't want to do it. They wanted more radio-friendly songs. And since I don't listen to the radio, I didn't know what they were talking about. I can't write songs that someone wants me to write."<ref name="Cherry, Robert"/>

With the two parties at an impasse, Prick would quietly part ways with the Nothing Records. In spite of this, McMahon left in good standing with both Reznor and Malm. "There was never any real blowout with Trent," McMahon stated.<ref name="Cherry, Robert"/> John Malm expressed his admiration for McMahon as well, but noted, "I think that he didn't take well to the major label situation."<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Exotic+Birds&interview=48| title = luckyPRICK Interview w/John Malm, Jr.| author = Millenacker, Todd| work = luckyPRICK| date = March 7, 2008| access-date = September 2, 2016| archive-date = February 20, 2016| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160220133811/http://www.luckyprick.net/interview.php?band=Exotic+Birds&interview=48| url-status = dead}}</ref>

In the subsequent years, McMahon quietly recorded on and off, while attempting to reacquire publishing rights to his new material. After successfully doing so in 1999, McMahon surfaced online with an MP3 of a new track, "Wetcat," in late 2000. Two more tracks, "I Know It's Gonna Hurt" and "Cloud", followed in 2001 (the latter ultimately surfacing on Lucky Pierre's ''ThinKing'' album). Opting not to shop his material to new labels, McMahon instead chose to self-release. In 2002, Prick finally announced their sophomore album, ''[[The Wreckard]]'', to be released online via McMahon's own Lucky Pierre Music. The album featured two tracks produced by Warne Livesey, "Into My Arms" and "Tomorrow", both of which were recorded in 1997, as well as "Wetcat" and "I Know It's Gonna Hurt." McMahon assembled a live band to support the album, consisting of Greg Zydyk on guitar, (Lucky Pierre bandmate) Tom Lash on bass and Andy Kubiszewski once again on drums. They performed a small run of regional shows around the Midwest and Eastern US, from late 2002 into 2003.

In 2004, McMahon returned to Lucky Pierre, with the album ''ThinKing'', which included the two tracks originally cut from Prick's 1995 debut, as well as the track "Cloud", which had surfaced three years prior as an MP3. ''ThinKing'' marked Lucky Pierre's first full-length album ever, nearly 30 years after their formation.

After another period of silence, in 2009, McMahon returned with his largest wave of material to date. In addition to reissues of ''The Wreckard'' and ''ThinKing'', both featuring upgraded packaging, Prick's first live album was released, ''Boston Live'', as well as a self-titled compilation of the bulk of Lucky Pierre's back-catalog. Two additional McMahon projects also saw release at this time. '''Fear Of Blue''' was a more electronic-based project, recorded in 1990 by Kevin McMahon and Ray DiLeo, while '''( sic )''', a rock-based project, featured McMahon, Andy Kebiszewski, Greg Zydyk and Mark Gamiere. Released as an EP, ( sic )'s ''Standard Idiom Communiqué'' included the track "Runaway Brain," which had also previously surfaced online as an MP3.

In early 2010, the Lucky Pierre Music website closed down, with a message stating, "Hello Friends / Fans, While LPM is expanding its content of new and vintage music and merch available to you at our store, and as we work to develop the best ways and means of reaching any and all those interested, we have decided to close the site for an indefinite amount of time to facilitate this effort." To date, Prick has not publicly surfaced since.  However, in 2017, Interscope Records released Prick's 1995 self-titled debut on vinyl for the first time.