Industrial Music: Raw, Violent

Page 12 Pride November 1994 Industrial Music: Raw, Violent by Rob Devlin Many fans who had never listened to industrial music were in for quite a show at this year's Woodstock concert as Nine Inch Nails became the talk of the show. Nine Inch Nails was the only band to emerge with their integrity intact and increased album sales. Photos of the band covered in mud have been in practically every major The Methodist faculty often stress a policy of "students come first." publication from coast-to-coast. Trent Reznor, the lead singer, Horse hockey! If students were so important, they wouldn't have to hike pushed the guitar player into the mud, and a mud fight ensued. All halfway across the continent just to get to class. the band members played their entire set, frightening the general Approximately two semesters ago the administration got the bright idea populace with their violent lyrics and mud-dripping bodies. that the faculty didn't have enough parking spaces. So one of the student What is industrial music? It is music primarily composed of isles of parking (conveniently the closest to the Trustees' building) was computerized drumbeats called "loops," drumbeats repeated over given to the faculty. As if that weren't enough, faculty members also have and over. Industrial music also includes sampled lines from various their own special parking lot right next to the building! The last time I media, loud guitar riffs known as power chords, metal sounds added checked, Wal-Mart makes its employees park the farthest from the building. to the drumbeats for effect, and sound distortion. Its name stems It must be obvious to everyone but me that students are top priority here. from "industrial" sounds, such as metal-against-metal clangs. The Faculty not only come first at Methodist, but they are pampered more music is primarily composed on computers and synthesizers instead than a St. Pauli girl at a German beer fest. Faculty members don't even of real instruments and is thus created by industrial machinery. scrape old parking stickers off their windshields. They pull up to a specially Industrial music is raw, unbridled, very heavy-sounding, and designated lane in the parking lot. Security officers then scrape the old often violent. For example, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, sticker off and wash the windshield. Finally, Methodist's finest carefully another industrial band, has a song on "The Crow" soundtrack that place a new sticker on the windshield while faculty members wait patiently contains a line from the movie "Scarface": "There are many innocent in their cars. Did any student ever receive this type of treatment from people being ... crucified." "March of the Pigs," a Nine Inch Nails security? I don't think so! song, features the line," take the skin and peel it back; now doesn't it Has anyone noticed the segregated restroom arrangements in the make you feel better?" Trustees’ building? Surely this segregation can't be for security or health Industrial music also extends beyond the music, becoming an art reasons, can it? Why would the faculty have their own special bathroom that form. Reznor, who makes videos for his songs in a short-film style, students supposedly aren't to use? Maybe the faculty are afraid of being has had two videos banned from MTV due to their violent content. mugged while sitting on the throne by an outlaw gang of students. Maybe In one video, for the song "Happiness In Slavery," a man is eaten the faculty are trying to protect themselves from "studentitis." I heard that alive by a huge, metal machine. it is transmitted from toilet seats! Wouldn't it be interesting if students all Reznor is often considered the father of industrial music as it decided to "buck" the system and use the elite bathrooms? Do the words came to the foreground of contemporary music in 1989 with the "get to the back of the bus" come to mind? release of Nine Inch Nails' first album "Pretty Hate Machine." The My last gripe is that the faculty have their own lounge complete with album received positive reviews, even though Reznor himself played classical music, numerous coffee pots, refrigerator, and microwave oven! every instrument and composed the album himself. The album won Federal prisoners don't receive that many perks! Students, on the other Reznor a spot on the first Lollapalooza tour, for which he hired a hand, must relax downstairs under a dusty stairwell on plastic couches held session band made up of old friends. Nine Inch Nails sold more together with duct tape; they are gently serenaded by the print shop's merchandise on the tour than any other band and gave industrial rhythmic clacking. At least the soda machines are close! music an audience. Soon Ministry, another industrial band, was Let's stop the hypocrisy. If students come first, then give them first- selling more albums, and they were invited on the second Lollapalooza class treatment. If not, then the faculty should quit stating we come first. tour. LocaUv. Mammoth Records out of Carrboro. N.C.. siened a I give pause to ponder the obvious: who pays whose salary at Methodist NewYorkindustrialgroup,MachinesofLovingGrace. The success College? The last time I checked students paid tuition and faculty received of these bands encouraged others to record industrial albums, and the paychecks. industrial genre was bom. Nine Inch Nails released an EP in 1992 entitled "Broken." One Redneck Alert: A Foxworthy Review song on the EP, "Wish," won the band a Grammy award. Their second LP, "the downward spiral," released in April 1994, debuted by Buck Naked at No. 2 on the Billboard music charts, proving that industrial music A queer thing happened the other day. I went to see Jeff Foxworthy, the has a fan base. New albums are expected from Ministry and other comedian best known for the "you might be a redneck if. jokes. industrial bands later this year and early next year. I found this concert refreshing because the comedians did what the Is industrial music growing? Certainly. Where will it go from writers for Pride have been unable to do: They were politically INcorrect. here? No one knows for sure. Reznor was recently asked to compose They even told jokes about men liking other men's butts—ain't that queer! the soundtrack for the Oliver Stone film "Natural Bom Killers." Nothing was sacred at this concert, and people even paid $17.50 to attend. Industrial artists are getting respect from other areas of the entertain The highlight of the evening was Mr. Foxworthy's redneck jokes: "You ment media. In fact, following Woodstock 1994, late-night talk- might be a redneck if a common phrase around your house is 'someone show host David Letterman remarked how much he would enjoy jiggle the handle'" and "if you see a sign that says just say 'no' to crack, and having Nine Inch Nails on his show. Why? it reminds you to pull up your jeans" and "your mother comes out of the "Ladies and gentlemen," Letterman told his crowd one night, "if bathroom and exclaims 'ya'll come look at what I did.'" I had Nine Inch Nails on the Individuals, Student Organizations and After the concert I didn't overhear anyone who was offended by show tonight, you would Small Groups to Promote SPRING Foxworthy's jokes. I also didn't hear anyone asking for a ticket refund. all be scared out of your People were even buying hats and tee-shirts. I bought a hat with "REDNECK" BREAK '95. Earn MONEY and FREE minds. And afterwards, you TRIPS. CALL THE INTER-CAMPUS on it. By these standards, I would declare the concert a success. By redneck would all come up and PROGRAMS 1-800-327-6013. standards, it was bitchin'! thank me.".

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