Pretty Hate Machine by Nine Inch Nails

Pretty Hate Machine (also known as Halo 2) is the first studio album by Nine Inch Nails. It was released on October 20, 1989 by TVT Records in the US, and on October 12, 1991 in the UK, and was a huge success. The first single off of the album, Down In It, was released on September 27, 1989. It received radio airplay for the aforementioned single as well as subsequent singles Head Like A Hole and Sin. The former also serves as a companion remix album of sorts to Pretty Hate Machine. Working nights at Right Track Studio as a handyman and janitor, Trent Reznor used studio "down time" to record and develop his own music. Playing most of the keyboards, drum machines, guitars, and samplers himself, he recorded a demo. Teaming up with manager John A. Malm, Jr. they sent the demo to various record labels. Reznor received serious offers from many of them. He signed a deal with TVT Records who, until then, were known mainly for releasing novelty and television jingle records. After the album was released, the aforementioned demo surfaced on a bootleg called Purest Feeling. It contains the original demo recordings of most of the tracks found on the album, as well as a couple that were not used ("Purest Feeling" and "Maybe Just Once"). Pretty Hate Machine was recorded in various studios around the world with Reznor collaborating with some of his most idolized producers - Flood at Syncro Sound in Boston, Keith LeBlanc at Unique Recording Studios in New York, Adrian Sherwood at Roundhouse Studios in London, and John Fryer at Blackwing Studios in London. Flood was originally supposed to produce the entire album, but couldn't because of his prior commitment with Depeche Mode. After the album was finished, TVT Records were not happy about the direction the album had taken from the original demos. This would lead to friction between Reznor and the label. John Fryer elaborated: "We were trying to make the hardest record we could make. It was very strange because we made it, we thought it sounded brilliant, we had it on the big speakers just blowing us away. Then someone from the record company came in — and because the demos were more synthy and not as industrial as the album, he listened to it and his mouth dropped open and he said "You've ruined this record." But of course it's gone on to be a classic. It was done in 20 days. I think it was a good thing that we made records so quickly back then because there's a lot of energy in there and mistakes are left in, so it sounds human and it's not blanded out over time." The album also gained popularity through word-of-mouth and developed an underground following. Reznor quickly hired a band for touring with Skinny Puppy, The Jesus and Mary Chain and Peter Murphy, including guitarist and future Filter/Army of Anyone frontman Richard Patrick. The headlining Hate and Sin tours followed, as well as a slot on the first Lollapalooza Tour. Nine Inch Nails' live set was notorious for louder, more aggressive versions of the studio songs, and also for destroying their instruments at the end of sets. Reznor preferred using the heel of his boots to strip the keys from keyboards. Taking inspiration from the photographer who did NIN's early press shots, the band would douse themselves in cornstarch before taking the stage. This practice would continue through the Fragility tour. Pretty Hate Machine went out of print through TVT Records, but was reissued by Rykodisc Records on November 22, 2005 with slight changes in the packaging. Prudential owned TVT's Nine Inch Nails recordings, but Rykodisc leased the rights. Reznor had expressed an interest in creating a "deluxe edition" with surround sound remastering and new/rare remixes, similar to the re-release of The Downward Spiral. Rykodisc liked the idea, but not enough to pay Reznor to do so. In April 2010, Bicycle Music bought the entirety of TVT's catalogue, including Pretty Hate Machine. They confirmed that they would be reissuing the album once more, and there was speculation that they would be willing to release the deluxe edition proposed by TVT in 2005. "The co-publishing rights to Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails catalog include the songs from all album releases from Pretty Hate Machine through Year Zero. As well, in acquiring the master recording rights to NIN’s groundbreaking debut, Pretty Hate Machine, Bicycle will be responsible for re-releasing this album which has been out of print and unavailable through digital distribution outlets for several years. It goes without saying how important these works are to the entire landscape of Alternative Rock. Our team sees incredible creative and business opportunities with this catalog and we look forward to working with our new partners and artists," said Steve Salm, Partner at Bicycle. On October 22, Reznor announced that the reissue was to be a remastered edition, stating on nin.com: "I'm happy to finally announce the re-issue of the first Nine Inch Nails record "Pretty Hate Machine", releasing worldwide 11/22. UMe and Bicycle Music Group managed to locate the original mixes, so I went in the studio with Tom Baker and remastered it for a greatly improved sonic experience. In addition, reinterpreted Gary Talpas' original cover to make for a fresh new package. It's been an interesting trip watching the fate of this record float from one set of hands to another (a long and depressing story) but it's finally wound up in friendly territory, allowing us to polish it up a bit and present it to you now. We had fun revisiting this old friend, hope you enjoy." The nin.com subsite phm.nin.com was set up to promote the re-release. ℗ 1989 The Bicycle Music Company