IF YOU NEVER SAW NINE INCH NAILS LIVE BEFORE, YOU MAY HAVE BLOWN IT

A Nine Inch Nails live show is, truly, something to behold. It won’t shock anyone that Trent Reznor puts a massive amount of attention and care into his concerts; not just in the selection of the set list, but in terms of the stage show, the lighting, the on-screen visuals, etc. You could argue that Reznor is over-compensating for the fact that his band requires samples and drum loops as much as they require excellent musicianship, but attending a NIN gig is never just going to see another concert; it’s going to have an experience. And Reznor always makes sure that his fans get their money’s worth.

But now those evil Viacom bastards are reporting that Reznor is retiring from the stage:

“It just dawned on me that this is our last show ever in the United States,” Reznor told the crowd [at Bonnaroo], according to The Associated Press. “Don’t be sad. I’ll keep going. But I think I’m going to lose my … mind if I keep doing this, and I have to stop.”

Now, maybe I’m just in the “denial” stage of grief, but I don’t quite believe this statement of intent. Do I think that NIN will go on hiatus for awhile? Sure. It seems like Reznor’s been working pretty much non-stop for the past four or five years, so the dude deserves a vacation. But it’s hard for me to imagine that he’s really gonna stop playing live.

That being said… if Reznor does end his live show, that he also effectively ends the employment of his band members, who, with a few notable exceptions, generally do not contribute to his studio recordings. And while I’m sure Reznor has squillions and squillions of dollars to sleep atop, I doubt that the kid who left Lostprophets to join NIN has such a cushy situation.

In other news, look for Robin Finck to re-join Guns N’ Roses any second now.

-AR