The band posted a file to its website with concert tour locations a couple weeks ago that visitors could download and open in the Google Earth software. Last Friday, a mysterious place marker appeared on the map, labeled “under the rock,” that pointed to a location in Burbank. Beneath that rock was an envelope giving the lucky discoverers entree to the show.

That event kicked off a viral campaign that puts fans in treasure-hunt scenarios, but with the pressure-cooker timing of an episode of “24.” Trent Reznor and Co. have a reputation for these unusual stunts. The band launched an alternate reality game in 2007 for its “Year Zero” album. That adventure sent fans digging through a digital trail of cryptic websites, calling phone numbers and analyzing digital files found on memory sticks in concert venue bathrooms.

Reznor, a Los Angeles resident, has long given special treatment to fans in his home city. He arranged a secret show in April of last year for local fan club members, who were contacted by cellphone and told to meet in Echo Park.

Message boards were buzzing all weekend about the Friday event, as local NIN-heads waited for the second concert ticket treasure hunt. That time came around 7 p.m. Monday when the next marker, titled “in the drainpipe,” appeared.

It doesn't matter what guys like Reznor do.. People aren't buying CDs, they are downloading..

Most of these groups are forced to give songs away, and add other perks so it's not that innovative..especially the way that MTV is going now.
[Edited 7/15/08 6:29am]

Big yawn Bart Van MyBullocks. You've been complaining about Prince for the last 10 years or so.
Just listen to your 86-88 tunes and forget about the rest if you don't like it. Does it really matter if Prince is a talentless selfish egomaniac prick to you ? Who gives a flying fuck really ?

It doesn't matter what guys like Reznor do.. People aren't buying CDs, they are downloading..

Most of these groups are forced to give songs away

makes them sound desperatoo 4 publicity..!

anyway, how old do they think their fans r? oooh! let's all go on a treasure hunt

I think Prince was innovative and ahead of his time with the internet thing. He "got" it before anyone else.

this is not a bussiness model or for gods sakes!

neither is wrong, neither is a perfect model of anything.

The Slip (also known as Halo 27) is the eighth and latest studio album from Nine Inch Nails. It was released as a free download on May 5, 2008

[...]

According to a Rolling Stone article, the album was finished May 4th and sent to Sudjam, the company that manages nin.com, at 9:30 p.m. for a midnight release.

Does he really want Prince to put up new material he's not going to like in the first place?

superspaceboy said:

They're all symptoms of the same disease. His lack of innovation, his "get off my lawn" approach to the internet, his failure to make relevant music while desperately wanting a hit,...

Isn't it funny how the quality of his music et al went downhill fast after a lot of talented people left his organisation, and he remained with a bunch of yes men? That's not a coincidence.

lottielooloo1968 said:

There was absolutely NO MENTION of this on NIN.com. This was just fans discovering cool shit.

lottielooloo1968 said:

Really wanna go there? Have you taken a look at the merchandise Prince has sold in the past decade?

BartVanHemelen said:

fans discovering cool shit?.. plz remember we're talking about a treasure hunt...it's certainly different but wouldn't go as far 2 suggest cool..
it's hardly some major development
& i'm sure as fcuk prince wouldn't have his fans scratching about in a park drain.
to b honest i'm embarrassed 4 nin...this stunt was totally tacksville!
[Edited 7/16/08 4:07am]

lottielooloo1968 said:

Funny that. If Prince had an innovative type of treasure hunt, I'm 100% sure you and other Prince fans would be deliriously happy - but cos it's somebody else doin' it, you gotta knock it...
Your type cracks me up

I think Prince was innovative and ahead of his time with the internet thing. He "got" it before anyone else. The only thing he didn't "get" was the fact that not everyone had good connections to get the goods. He was way ahead of his time.

Of course once others started to get into it, he lost interest. I find it no surprise that once he got his webby, he shut the place down.

FlamingRaindrop said:

u got a nerve!
what cracks me up is your type! spending time at a fansite when u clearly got no respect 4 the artist

lottielooloo1968 said:

I have much respect for the artist, its the Purple Cool-aid Drinking Fuck-knuckles who can't get their tongue outta the Purple Bunghole long enough to realize he's not always some perfect messiah who can do no wrong, it's those deluded Fuck-knuckles I have the problem with...

Linn4days said:

Reznor sold all 2500 copies of the $300 edition of Ghosts in ONE DAY.

Linn4days said:

Reznor has distributed stuff for free via BitTorrent for years (two DVDs, three compilations,...). Nobody forced him. He has a remix site where he himself has uploaded a ton of rare and unreleased mixes. Nobody forced him (actually, his record company opposed it).