Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor (real name - Michael Trent Reznor) is an American musician, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. He was born on May 17, 1965.
He is the founder and primary creative force behind the industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails, and was previously associated with the bands Option 30, Exotic Birds, and Tapeworm, among others. As of 2007, Reznor split his ties with his Interscope Records, and is now an independent, unsigned musician.
Reznor began playing the piano at the age of five and showed an early aptitude for music. In a 1995 interview, his grandfather, Bill Clark, remarked, "Music was his life, from the time he was a wee boy. He was so gifted." His former piano teacher Rita Beglin said "Reznor always reminded me of Harry Connick, Jr." when he played.
Reznor has acknowledged that his sheltered life in Pennsylvania left him feeling isolated from the outside world. In a 1994 interview with Rolling Stone, he makes reference to his choices in the music industry.
Nine Inch Nails' debut album, “Pretty Hate Machine” was released in 1989. It was a moderate commercial success, and was certified Gold in 1992. Amid pressure from Reznor's record label to produce a follow-up to Pretty Hate Machine, Reznor secretly began recording under various pseudonyms to avoid record company interference, resulting in the Broken EP, released in 1992. In 1993 Nine Inch Nails won a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance" for the song "Wish" from Broken, and the same year, the band was included in the Lollapalooza package tour.
In 2007, Trent Reznor announced that Nine Inch Nails split from its contractual obligations with Interscope Records, and will distribute its next major album independently. The last Interscope release from Nine Inch Nails will be a remix album based on material from Year Zero.
