Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock band founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. The band's live performances contrast with its in-studio counterpart; although Reznor is in complete creative control of Nine Inch Nails in-studio, he typically assembles groups of backing musicians to interpret songs for live performances. The current lineup features Reznor and keyboardist Atticus Ross (an official member since 2016 and session contributor since 2004), alongside touring members guitarist Robin Finck (who first joined in 1994), bassist Alessandro Cortini (who first joined in 2005), and drummer Ilan Rubin (who first joined in 2008). Although band members typically have a defined main role, many of them are multi-instrumentalists during performances.
Nine Inch Nails was founded by multi-instrumentalist Trent Reznor in 1988. The band's first tour was in support of Skinny Puppy that same year. The band's initial lineup included Reznor on vocals and guitar, Chris Vrenna on keyboards, programming, and percussion, and Ron Musarra on drums.[1] These shows were not very well received and Nine Inch Nails departed after only a handful of dates.[2] For the next tour, which started in late 1989, Musarra was replaced on drums by Vrenna, and the lineup was expanded with guitarist Richard Patrick and a new keyboardist. The first keyboardist was designer Gary Talpas, though he was soon replaced by Nick Rushe, and then by David Haymes in January 1990.[3] Lee Mars replaced Haymes on keyboards later on in 1990.[4]
Vrenna departed halfway through a tour in 1990,[5] and he was replaced by Jeff Ward.[6] For the 1991 Lollapalooza tour, the band was joined by James Woolley, replacing Mars on keyboards.[7] Vrenna returned on drums in 1992, and in 1994 for the Self Destruct Tour, Danny Lohner and Robin Finck joined as bassist and guitarist respectively (although both members handled other instruments as well).[8] Charlie Clouser also replaced Woolley as keyboardist by December 1994.[9] Kevin McMahon eventually replaced Finck as guitarist for a handful of dates in 1996.
For nearly three years, the band was restricted to the studio, until 1999's Fragility Tour. At that point, Vrenna departed for a final time and Jerome Dillon joined as his replacement on drums.[10] The band was also rejoined by Finck on guitar. Afterwards, Nine Inch Nails didn't play live until 2005 when they embarked on the . The lineup featured Reznor and Dillon, in addition to new members Aaron North on guitar, Jeordie White on bass, and Alessandro Cortini on keyboards. During the band's first arena tour in the US, Dillon was forced to retire due to a medical condition,[11] and he was briefly replaced by Josh Freese, and then by Alex Carapetis.[12] Freese later returned as the band's permanent drummer in 2005.[13] After the tour for the Year Zero album concluded in 2007, both White and North departed.
For the Lights in the Sky Tour in 2008, the band was rejoined by Finck on guitar and Rich Fownes on bass; however, Fownes was replaced by Justin Meldal-Johnsen before the tour began. Freese departed at the end of a North American tour in 2008, and he was replaced by drummer Ilan Rubin.[14] Cortini departed later in 2008, and his position was not replaced; thus, Nine Inch Nails remained as a four-piece ensemble (the first time since 1991).[15] Following the conclusion of the tour in 2009, the band entered an extended hiatus.[16]
Nine Inch Nails returned to a live setting in 2013,[17] announcing a tour for 2013 with new members Eric Avery (bass), Adrian Belew (guitar), and Josh Eustis (keyboards/guitar). Rubin and Cortini also returned on drums and keyboards respectively.[18] Before the tour commenced, both Avery and Belew departed due to various reasons.[19] [20] They were replaced by Eustis moving onto bass and former member Finck returning on guitar.[21] In 2013 the lineup was expanded to include bassist Pino Palladino and backing vocalists Lisa Fischer and Sharlotte Gibson.[22] With eight members total, the live band featured the most amount of members since the band's formation.
The lineup dropped back to four members in 2014 with Reznor, Finck, Cortini, and Rubin embarking on a world tour.[23] [24] This lineup continued until studio collaborator Atticus Ross joined Reznor as an official member of the group in 2016. Due to Ross's inclusion as keyboardist, Cortini transitioned into primarily playing guitar and bass.[25] The lineup of Reznor, Finck, Cortini, Rubin, and Ross has stayed the same since 2016; thus, it's the longest amount of time the lineup has remained stable since the band's formation.[26] [27] [28]
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trent Reznor | 1988–present | all Nine Inch Nails releases | |||
| Atticus Ross | 2004–present | all Nine Inch Nails releases since With Teeth (2005) |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Finck | Live-release contributions: Studio-release contributions: Music video appearances: | ||||
| Alessandro Cortini | Live-release contributions: Studio-release contributions: Music video appearances: | ||||
| Ilan Rubin | Live-release contributions: Studio-release contributions: |
| Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Vrenna | Live-release contributions: Studio-release contributions: Music video appearances: | ||||
| Ron Musarra | 1988 | drums | Closure (1997) | ||
| Richard Patrick | |||||
| Adrian Belew | 2013 |
| Period | Members | Studio Releases | Tour legs and live releases | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October – December 1988 |
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| January – September 1989 |
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| October 1989 |
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| November – December 1989 |
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| January – April 1990 |
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| May – August 1990 |
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| August 1990 – February 1991 |
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| February – September 1991 |
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| September 1991 – February 1992 |
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| February 1992 – September 1993 |
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| September – December 1993 |
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| December 1993 – March 1994 |
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| March – December 1994 |
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| December 1994 – July 1996 |
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| September 1996 – September 1997 |
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| September 1997 – March 1999 |
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| July 1999 – September 2000 |
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| September 2000 – December 2001 |
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| December 2001 – 2003 |
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| March – October 2005 |
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| December 2005 – September 2007; |
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| September 2007 – January 2008 |
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| January – June 2008 |
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| June – December 2008 |
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| December 2008 – September 2009 |
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| September 2009 – March 2013 |
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| March 2013 – September 2013 |
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| September – December 2013 |
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| December 2013 – October 2016 |
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| October 2016 – present |
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