Editing Nine Inch Nails (section)

=== Formation (1987–1988) ===
[[File:Nine Inch Nails logo.svg|thumb|right|alt=The letters N, I, and a backwards N set in a strong typeface within a simple black border.|The band's logo, designed by Reznor and [[Gary Talpas]]]]

While living in [[Cleveland]] in 1987, [[Trent Reznor]] played keyboards in the [[Exotic Birds]], a [[synthpop]] band managed by [[John Malm Jr.]]<ref name="NIN Spin 1996">{{Cite magazine|last= Weisbard|first= Eric|date=February 1996|title=Sympathy for the Devil|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=td2yO_T3DPEC&pg=PA34 |volume=11|issue=11|pages=34–42, 96|issn=0886-3032|access-date=August 27, 2018|magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |via= Google Books}}</ref>{{rp|38}} Reznor became friends with Malm,{{sfn|Huxley|1997|p=33}} who informally became his manager when he left to work on his own music.<ref>''Reznor v. J. Artist Management, Inc. et al.'', 365 F. Supp. 2d 565 (S.D.N.Y. 2005).</ref> At the time, Reznor was employed as an assistant engineer and janitor at Right Track Studios.<ref name="AMG">{{cite web| last=Huey|first=Steve| url = https://www.allmusic.com/artist/nine-inch-nails-mn0000351733/biography| title = Nine Inch Nails| access-date = October 15, 2017| work = [[AllMusic]]| publisher = [[All Media Network]]| url-status = live| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120806032300/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/nine-inch-nails-mn0000351733| archive-date = August 6, 2012}}</ref> Studio owner Bart Koster granted Reznor free access to the studio between bookings to record [[Demo (music)|demos]],{{sfn|Huxley|1997|p= 30}}<ref>{{cite book|last1= Jovanovic|first1= Rob|editor1-last=Garrett|editor1-first=Charles|chapter=Nine Inch Nails|title=The Grove Dictionary of American Music|publisher=Oxford University Press}}</ref> commenting that it cost him nothing more than "a little wear on [his] tape heads".<ref>{{cite magazine |title= The music of rage |magazine= [[People (magazine)|People]] |volume=43 |issue=5 |last1=Dougherty |first1=Steve |first2=Bryan |last2=Alexander |first3= Tom |last3=Nugent |first4=John |last4=Hannah |date=February 6, 1995 |pages=105–107}}</ref> Unable to find a band that could articulate the material as he desired, Reznor was inspired by [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] to play all instruments himself except drums, which he programmed electronically.<ref>{{cite web| title = The Truth About Trent| last = Fine| first = Jason| date = July–August 1994| url = http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/xart27a.shtml| magazine = Option| issue = 57| access-date = October 18, 2017| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171022035230/http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/xart27a.shtml | archive-date = October 22, 2017}}</ref> He has continued to play most parts on Nine Inch Nails recordings ever since.{{sfn|Huxley|1997|p=33}}

The first Nine Inch Nails live performance took place at Graffiti in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]], on October 27, 1988.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Key |first1=cEvin |author1-link=cEvin Key |title= Sunday Live Chat with Chris Vrenna (NIN) and cEvin Key 10/4/2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/live/bkR4ydeTtJM?si=Dw1vc84rRKHKUM58&t=729 |website=youtube.com |publisher=[[cEvin Key]] |language=en |format=video |date=October 4, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1-link=Prism Films |title=Nine Inch Nails: Chris Vrenna Part 5|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVOTGufhCcg |website=youtube.com |publisher=Prism Films |language=en |format=video |date=2008}}</ref> Soon after, following their live support of [[Skinny Puppy]], Reznor aimed to release one [[12-inch single]] on a small European label.<ref name="AP90">{{Cite magazine|title= Getting Down in It|url=https://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/display/530|date=March 1990|magazine= [[Alternative Press (music magazine)|Alternative Press]]|issue=27|access-date=March 26, 2025}}. See also {{harvnb|Huxley|1997|p=37}}.</ref> Several labels responded favorably to the demo material and Reznor signed with [[TVT Records]].<ref name="AMG" /> Nine demos, recorded live in November 1988 and collectively known as ''Purest Feeling'', were released in revised form on the first studio album, ''[[Pretty Hate Machine]]'' (1989).<ref name="NIN Spin 1996" />{{rp|41}} The overall sound on ''Purest Feeling'' is lighter than that of ''Pretty Hate Machine''; several songs contain more live drumming and guitar, as well as a heavier use of film [[Sampling (music)|samples]].<ref name="OVGuide">{{cite web|title=Purest Feeling Music Videos|url= http://www.ovguide.com/purest-feeling-9202a8c04000641f8000000000743618|publisher=[[OVGuide]]|access-date= January 13, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150113062929/http://www.ovguide.com/purest-feeling-9202a8c04000641f8000000000743618|archive-date=January 13, 2015}}</ref>

Reznor chose the name "Nine Inch Nails" because it "abbreviated easily" rather than for "any literal meaning".<ref name="Axcess">{{cite magazine | title = Talking about Nothing with Trent Reznor| magazine = Axcess| volume = 2| year = 1994| url = http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/axc94a.shtml | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150813023119/http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/axc94a.shtml | archive-date = August 13, 2015| access-date = January 13, 2015}}. See also {{harvnb|Huxley|1997|p=37}}.</ref> Other rumored explanations have circulated, alleging that Reznor chose to refer to Jesus's crucifixion with nine-inch spikes,<ref name="Shock">{{Cite book| first = Greg| last = Rule| title = Electro Shock!: Groundbreakers of Synth Music| chapter = Nine Inch Nails Mastermind Trent Reznor| publisher = Backbeat Books| year = 1999| isbn = 0-87930-582-7| pages = [https://archive.org/details/electroshock00greg/page/38 38–63]| via = Internet Archive| chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/electroshock00greg/page/38}}</ref>{{rp|57}} or [[Freddy Krueger]]'s nine-inch fingernails.{{sfn|Huxley|1997|p=37}} The Nine Inch Nails logo first appeared on the music video for their debut single, "[[Down in It]]". Reznor and [[Gary Talpas]] designed the logo, inspired by [[Tibor Kalman]]'s typography on the [[Talking Heads]] album ''[[Remain in Light]]''.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.nin.com/access/7_21_04/questions5.gif| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051028113651/http://www.nin.com/access/7_21_04/questions5.gif | archive-date = October 28, 2005| title = Response from Trent| date = July 21, 2004| last = Reznor| first = Trent | author-link = Trent Reznor| publisher = Nine Inch Nails|access-date=October 18, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Empire of Dirt">{{Cite magazine|first=Benjamin|last=Critton|date=September 23, 2013|title= Empire of Dirt: The NIN Design Aesthetic|url= http://www.thefader.com/2013/09/23/nin-design-artifacts-trent-reznor|publication-date= October–November 2013|issue=88|access-date=February 4, 2018|magazine=[[The Fader]]|issn=1533-5194|url-status= live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180205072122/http://www.thefader.com/2013/09/23/nin-design-artifacts-trent-reznor|archive-date=February 5, 2018}}</ref> The logo features the band's initials, with the [[I (Cyrillic)#Stylistic uses|second N mirrored]]. Talpas, a native of Cleveland, continued to design Nine Inch Nails packaging until 1997.<ref>
{{cite web|url= http://www.cleveland.com/homegrown/index.ssf?/homegrown/more/reznor/conspire.html |title= Trent Reznor: area co-conspirators |publisher=Cleveland.com|access-date=October 18, 2017|url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070828020805/http://www.cleveland.com/homegrown/index.ssf?%2Fhomegrown%2Fmore%2Freznor%2Fconspire.html |archive-date=August 28, 2007}}
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