"I'll tell you a funny story about Prince. I was in this studio and I heard Prince was coming in. There was a time I thought he was awesome, but what a fucking creep! The rules were, you were never to say the word 'Prince', you had to write down that symbol. You were never to look at him, or talk to him unless he approached you first, shit like that. So he shows up in a limo, wearing a fluorescent pink jumpsuit, giant hair, a cane, huge heels and a lollipop."

He imitates Prince in heels trying to jive walk a four foot frame. It's funny.

"And he's wearing the worst women's perfume you've ever smelt. So he's got two giant bodyguards with him and there was nobody there who was gonna fuck with him! It turns out he wanted us to remix a track and make it harder--apparently he had Broken in his car for a long time. So then I see him at the other end of this hundred yard corridor, and there's only me and him walking towards each other. So we're getting closer, closer and...he walks right past me. I couldn't believe it, I don't care who you are, that's bullshit."

-Trent Reznor (NIN), interviewed for Select Magazine, 1994

I think that Prince's notoriously elitist attitude may be his own personal defense system and a way to deal with his fame, but perhaps this time his ego got in the way of what could have been a potentially ground-breaking cooperative project with two amazing musical geniuses.

This may seem a little perverse, but that kind of crazy shit only makes me love the little guy even more. I'll miss that particular brand of over the top egomaniacal nuttiness now that he's a JW. Bring back the pimp rag, tootsie pop and the cane!!!

I was surprised that Prince would even listen to NIN music (if this is true about "Broken"). But I wouldn't think Prince would want me meet the guy who wrote "Heresy" with lyrics like "Your God is dead and no one cares. If there is a Hell, I'll see you there.". Great song, but I wouldn't think Prince would see it like this.

Plus, just because Prince is famous, why is he obligated to meet people? Maybe he just wanted his personal space...I don't see that as rude. Who cares if someone walked past Trent Reznor without saying hello...who the fu*k is Trent Reznor that Prince has to stop and talk to him???

Anyway, Reznor has cited Prince as an influence and it is sad and petty that now he doesn't dig Prince just because he got snubbed...poor baby...

Trent Reznor has written a few brilliant songs, but he can be as nutty as Prince sometimes.
[This message was edited Thu Jan 8 14:10:08 PST 2004 by TonyC]

TonyC said:

Yeah, but who would have thought Prince would have been a fan of Dogma??

TonyC said:

Oh purleeze... listen 2 yourself!!!

TonyC said:

A track on the "Head Like a Hole" UK single was "remixed" by Prince and released in 1989 (prior to Graffiti Bridge). It is essentially "Release It" with the lyrics to "Head Like a Hole" recorded over the track.

I think Prince probably was impressed by NIN but ultimately lost interest as he read through the lyrics. But I see some similarity between parts of The Rainbow Children and The Fragile.
[This message was edited Thu Jan 8 12:58:19 PST 2004 by MrWhatever]

Good point!



.
[This message was edited Thu Jan 8 12:58:51 PST 2004 by TonyC]

MrWhatever said:

I could never get into "The Fragile" at all, except for Starf'ers Inc. I guess I should give it another listen.

Be a normal human for Christ sakes, Prince, ya fucking little gnome.

SDNafka said:

I don't think u'll miss it too much.

2freaky4church1 said:

Trent got back in the loop with P - he went 2 one of the Jam of The Year shows when the tour hit New Orleans...

2freaky4church1 said:

Dullsville man, dullsville...the last thing we need are more "normal humans"!!!

madartista said:

...hmmm, upon calm reflection, you may be right!

SDNafka said:

...or poison dwarves 4 that matter

TonyC said:

The dude who Prince wanted to remix some track of his, it's a courtesy thing, something Prince obviously has problems with...
A "normal", non-arrogant prick or just professional musician would at least have some decency and act like a professional...


I don't know where you get this bullshit from but Reznor still has huge respect for him as a musician and still loves his music to this day...
He just doesn't like the guy as a person and who could blame him...

I still like the story though...

Neversin.

Neversin said:

CharredBone:
Trent, who has your favorite artist to work with over the years been, and who would you like to work with in the future?

snguest_trent_reznor:
Prince, very much. Coil. I'd love to work with them again. Lou Reed, David Bowie, I've worked with him. I'd love to be challenged by, there are a lot of people smarter than me, I realize. David Gilmour, Roger Waters . . . I'm ready to be challenged.

-Trent, Yahoo.com chat, Dec. 1999

Neversin said:

Neversin - I bow before thee!

I always sin. In fact, I masterbated at church..lol

MrWhatever said:

That's the "Opal" mix of "Head Like A Hole" which wasn't remixed by Prince, it just used a sample of "Tamborine" and "Release It" and it was released only in Australia (November 1990) and the UK (1991) after the release of "Graffiti Bridge", Prince had nothing to do with the track, it just used some samples...

Neversin.

Neversin said:

Yea, I read that Tamborine was sampled but I don't hear that song at all. I think it was only Release It.

MrWhatever said:

Do you have the single?
It starts off exactly like "Tamborine" with that frantic drumroll Prince does and then the "Release It" beat kicks in...

Neversin.

Neversin said:

Yea, I've got that single and all of his other releases. But it sounds just like the beginning of Release It, with the exception Morris Day's speech and the horn sound. Maybe the intro to both songs utilize the same sample?

In any case, I think a collaboration would have been amazing. Prince's own pride/ego prevents him from doing such things.

MrWhatever said:

Ahhh, the "Don't you know who I am?" mentality...

MrWhatever said:[quote]"I'll tell you a funny story about Prince. I was in this studio and I heard Prince was coming in. There was a time I thought he was awesome, but what a fucking creep! The rules were, you were never to say the word 'Prince', you had to write down that symbol. You were never to look at him, or talk to him unless he approached you first, shit like that. So he shows up in a limo, wearing a fluorescent pink jumpsuit, giant hair, a cane, huge heels and a lollipop."

He imitates Prince in heels trying to jive walk a four foot frame. It's funny.

"And he's wearing the worst women's perfume you've ever smelt. So he's got two giant bodyguards with him and there was nobody there who was gonna fuck with him! It turns out he wanted us to remix a track and make it harder--apparently he had Broken in his car for a long time. So then I see him at the other end of this hundred yard corridor, and there's only me and him walking towards each other. So we're getting closer, closer and...he walks right past me. I couldn't believe it, I don't care who you are, that's bullshit."


pffft! I wonder if he is gonna walk on by the Lord that way...

Neversin said:

Thanks for clarifying that...I knew that was someone talking out of his ass to claim that. I'm sure I would have heard of Prince remixing a NIN song if it happened that long ago.

But I'm glad to hear that Reznor still likes Prince as an artist and got over being snubbed like that.

I agree that it would be a very interesting collaboration, but I don't see it happening.

.
[This message was edited Thu Jan 8 14:14:04 PST 2004 by TonyC]

TonyC said:

I'm sorry, did you say "someone was talking out of his ass?"

MrWhatever said:

TonyC said:

bananacologne's avatar says it all!

On "Pretty Hate Machine" Trent sampled a piece of "Alphabet Street" for a song called "ringfinger" (I think that's the name of the song...it's the last one on that album).

Also...
If I remember correctly, there was an interview with Trent in the early 90's on MTV about how he kept thinking about Prince recording the song Batdance and how much more respect he had for him in light of his own attempt to use movie sound-bites for his soundtrack to "Lost Highway" (or some other David Lynch film...my memoroy is not so perfect).

Just a lil bit o' trivia 4 ya.

eleven said:

I'll have to play "Ringfinger" again and listen for that, thanks!

While Trent has often cited Prince as a major influence, I personally don't see the comparison that critics have made between NIN's music and Prince's. But again, I do hear some similarity between the instrumentals on The Rainbow Children, and those on The Fragile.