Althouse: In a New York Magazine interview with Trent Reznor, will there be any mention of Donald Trump?

July 26, 2017

In a New York Magazine interview with Trent Reznor, will there be any mention of Donald Trump?

There shouldn't be, but there can't not be.

1. "I’m very familiar with the rage that seems to fuel the Trump voter or the angry internet commenter..."

2. Prompted with "Trump is the question hanging over so many artists right now": "I’ve been struggling with that, especially as far as the live performance and my trying to be a provocateur. I’m sure I’m doing what many people are trying to do in response to the election: understand, quantify, justify, rationalize, find comfort, feel animosity, should I say something? Should I do something? Should I give up?"

3. Asked "So have you landed on anything helpful?": "Well, the weird thing now is looking at politics as a father. My kids walk in the room and I’ve got CNN or MSNBC on and I have to hit the mute button because I don’t want to get into a discussion about how embarrassing the president is. He’s a fucking vulgarian. Aside from whatever ideological beliefs he has — if he has any — he’s a grotesque person who represents everything I hate. I’m repulsed by everything about him and he’s the president, you know? I haven’t figured out how to rationalize that to my kids’ beautiful little optimistic minds. I grew up in a shitty little town full of Trump voters, so I think I can I understand the point of view of someone who supports his message. What I don’t understand is supporting that messenger."

140 comments:

Hagar said...: "He’s a fucking vulgarian. "

So, what is a person who uses that kind of language in and interview to be published?

And, how would you describe the magazine that published it?; 7/26/17, 7:17 PM
Big Mike said...: The proper definition of a vulgarian is someone who uses "fucking" as a normal adjective in his daily speech.; 7/26/17, 7:18 PM
David Begley said...: LOL. I had no idea who this Trent guy was until I clicked on the link. A punk rocker complaining about Trump the vulgarian? Ha!

Punk rock has done more to vulgarize our culture than anything Trump ever did or said.

I'm convinced that much of the opposition to Trump is based upon class and culture. The blue collar people have nothing in common with today's Dem party and that's why it is all identity politics.; 7/26/17, 7:23 PM
Sam L. said...: They just don't understand how ANYONE could vote for Trump, and do not WANT to understand how anyone could vote for Trump. And they claim to be so smart! Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.; 7/26/17, 7:24 PM
David Begley said...: Grew up in Mercer, PA. I'm sure a fine place of good people. Frank Sinatra, Beatles, Johnny Cash et alia.; 7/26/17, 7:29 PM
Michael K said...: "He’s a fucking vulgarian. "

Well. Now we have a motion on the floor.

Who is the vulgarian ?

I have no idea who that person is either,; 7/26/17, 7:30 PM
Michael K said...: Oh. "Nine Inch Nails" a cultural treasure.; 7/26/17, 7:31 PM
Achilles said...: "Head like a Hole"

Great song.

Writer of that song calling someone a vulgarian? Lack of self awareness.; 7/26/17, 7:32 PM
RichardJohnson said...: I don’t want to get into a discussion about how embarrassing the president is. He’s a fucking vulgarian.
Pot, meet kettle.; 7/26/17, 7:32 PM
Fabi said...: Nine Inch Nails is not punk. They'd probably answer to industrial metal, but it's a totally different genre than punk. They may make similar fashion choices to some degree, but that's about it.; 7/26/17, 7:33 PM
Bob Ellison said...: Reznor is shorter than I would've thought: 5'7".

Can't keep him straight from John Rzeznik.; 7/26/17, 7:34 PM
Balfegor said...: I grew up in a shitty little town full of Trump voters, so I think I can I understand the point of view of someone who supports his message. What I don’t understand is supporting that messenger.

That's . . . a pretty understandable position. Not unreasonable! But I do understand supporting that messenger: without that messenger, there was simply no way to send that message.

Not that the message seems to have gotten through. The professional classes are too busy gnashing their teeth in rage and frustration that the peons had the sheer effrontery to vote for Trump against the wishes of their betters to pay attention to the message.; 7/26/17, 7:37 PM
Comanche Voter said...: Who is Trent Reznor and why should I care? Every bozo has an opinion, just like every bozo has a nose.; 7/26/17, 7:39 PM
Confused said...: "What I don't understand is supporting that messenger."

He was the only messenger.; 7/26/17, 7:41 PM
tcrosse said...: What does this guy tell his kids when they ask him what he does for a living ?; 7/26/17, 7:41 PM
MikeR said...: "What I don’t understand is supporting that messenger." Huh. I think you guys should give up and lose to us quietly, because you can't support the messenger.
Not going to happen.; 7/26/17, 7:41 PM
Mountain Maven said...: He's an ex junkie punk rocker. Last guy I'd listen to.
Any why I don't read anything with NY in the name.; 7/26/17, 7:42 PM
Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...: "What does this guy tell his kids when they ask him what he does for a living ?"

Haha. Dirty!; 7/26/17, 7:43 PM
Darrell said...: Let's hear from everyone on the Nutty Left, NMY. Your opinions are fascinating.; 7/26/17, 7:45 PM
tim maguire said...: What I don’t understand is supporting that messenger."

Yeah, I wish the messenger came in a prettier package too. But the reality is the fate of literally billions of people is in the hands of the president of the United States. It is nothing short of psychopathic to put personal style preferences ahead of practical ability to keep the world from going up in flames.

How many of their lives is my desire to admire the president worth? How many of their lives is Trent Reznor's desire to admire the president worth?; 7/26/17, 7:48 PM
Night Owl said...: "He's a fucking vulgarian"

Nine Inch nails... Aren't they the ones who sing "I wanna fuck you like an animal"?; 7/26/17, 7:50 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: In a New York Magazine interview with Trent Reznor, will there be any mention of Donald Trump?

There shouldn't be..

IKR. How dare an American as famous and talented as Reznor take his responsibilities and rights as citizen seriously.

Kid Rock and Ted Nugent OTOH, we're ok with doing that. AND offering them a shot at public office.

I guess that's because the GOP/reactionary voter respects their fame as well as their lack of any actual talent.; 7/26/17, 7:52 PM
Darrell said...: They did a whole song on the new Twin Peaks. That makes his opinion extra-special.; 7/26/17, 7:53 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Nine Inch nails... Aren't they the ones

Lol. "The ones."

Republican voter, by chance? Finger right on the pulse of American pop culture, I see.; 7/26/17, 7:53 PM
rcocean said...: He’s a fucking vulgarian.... I grew up in a shitty little town full of Trump voters"

LoL.

Another small town rube, who thinks he's "sophisticated"

Calling Titus on line 1.; 7/26/17, 7:55 PM
Darrell said...: "The ones."

It's a band, not a solo act. Are you wacky on the Jack again, Ritmo?; 7/26/17, 7:55 PM
rcocean said...: Clinton was getting Lewisnky's in the Oval Office.

But "Leaves of Grass" was involved.

So, Billy Bob was NOT a vulgarian.; 7/26/17, 7:57 PM
Chuck said...: As a private connoisseur of Trump's vulgarities, I prefer to give Graydon Carter his due and to stick with Trump as the "short-fingered vulgarian."

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/03/how-donald-trump-became-the-short-fingered-vulgarian; 7/26/17, 8:01 PM
rcocean said...: I never realized how sophisticated and elite our political commentators - especially the #nevertrumpers -were until President Trump came along.

Seems it doesn't matter what he actually *does* or what policies he supports, no THE most important thing is he doesn't drink tea with his pinky raised.

Oh my heavens, how could they have let that *plebeian* into the White House. He's not the right sort, my dear.; 7/26/17, 8:01 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Oh. "Nine Inch Nails" a cultural treasure.

You got that right. And an extremely successful and influential one, at that.

So who's the elitist now? And how do you reconcile your holier-than-thou attitude and Chablis sipping ways with the very different and much less elite preferences of the typical Trump voter?

Probably with the same cognitive dissonance and ruptured identity issues as their phony "man of the people" leader has.; 7/26/17, 8:02 PM
Night Owl said...: @Darrell

Forget it.... He's trolling.; 7/26/17, 8:04 PM
Hari said...: Trump represents everything Trent hates. Trump being in favor of something is a necessary and sufficient condition for Trent hating that something. Must make for a pretty boring life.; 7/26/17, 8:04 PM
JohnAnnArbor said...: Hey Trent: we elected Trump because we'd rather die than give you--or your ilk--control.

Sound familiar?; 7/26/17, 8:05 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: It's a band, not a solo act.

Another one with his finger on the pulse of American culture. NIN is synonymous with Reznor. His ensemble is about as much a "band"/group effort as John Lennon's post-Beatles bands were.

Try again.; 7/26/17, 8:05 PM
Jael (Gone Windwalking) said...: “There shouldn't be, but there can't not be.”

Wait a minute. I’m eating real or imaginary bread crumbs on this trail and I don’t know which. I just read the article. Most of it had nothing to do with Trump.

Examples: promoting a new release, “ Hesitation Marks,” backward comparing to Morrissey and Smith, [insert Trump here], then David Bowie, “he was a fucking alien [that one made me close my blinds and change my mind about Reznor], then Radiohead, then “what if I want to take a detour into free jazz? How is that going to go over? When you’re not thinking about the audience, you can make more pure art,” I liked that, and then, ‘I’m not as well-rounded as I used to be about pop culture,” and then, “what a load of bullshit that is [Beats and tech related to his music] .. important to unpack a couple things: What’s your quantification of success? Is it money or something else?”, no Trump reference there, unless implicit associations take over, and it's a good question. I liked it.; 7/26/17, 8:07 PM
rcocean said...: BTW, you can't make this crap up.

We had Obama, who thinks there are 58 states, and probably couldn't pick Shakespeare out of a line up.

Before that, it was Bush II, who sounds and acts like your local HS Baseball coach.

And then there's Billy Bob Clinton, who always acted and sounded like a Little Rock used car salesman.

And I haven't even mentioned McCain, who called his fellow Senators "motherfuckers" on several occasions.

But Trump is just too crass for the White House.; 7/26/17, 8:07 PM
n.n said...: Reznor is the "Man". Fight the Man!

Oh, and trim your Nails.; 7/26/17, 8:08 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: The Crickets were a band. It's important not to give Buddy Holly too much credit.; 7/26/17, 8:11 PM
Wince said...: A complete lack of specificity in Reznor's critique of Trump.

And didnt Reznor at one time relish exuding vulgarity from every pore?

Recording music at 10050 Cielo Drive being a prime example.; 7/26/17, 8:17 PM
YoungHegelian said...: And what exactly happens to the career of a performing artist (outside of the C&W market) if he comes out with "That Trump! He kicks ass, doesn't he?! I don't know how much I like his policies, but I sure like him for the enemies he makes!"?

For most performing artists today, that quotation above would be a career ender.; 7/26/17, 8:19 PM
Ralph L said...: I never realized how sophisticated and elite our political commentators - especially the #nevertrumpers -were until President Trump came along.

Someone should start a Strange New Disrespect award, but there's so much competition, it will have to be like kids' sports--everyone gets a trophy.; 7/26/17, 8:19 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: A complete lack of specificity in Reznor's critique of Trump.

I know. What a failure. And there's so little of it already out there. It's good you're here to remind us of the important question -- Where to begin?

Thanks for your service.; 7/26/17, 8:21 PM
Darrell said...: Recording music at 10050 Cielo Drive being a prime example.

Don't bring up the Tate murders. Bernadine Dorn and Ritmo will start with that three-finger stabbing motion to the belly again.; 7/26/17, 8:22 PM
Achilles said...: Blogger The Toothless Revolutionary said...
A complete lack of specificity in Reznor's critique of Trump.

"I know. What a failure. And there's so little of it already out there. It's good you're here to remind us of the important question -- Where to begin?"

Start with the crime that was being investigated that justified the appointment of a special prosecutor.; 7/26/17, 8:27 PM
Fabi said...: NIN has permanent members -- it's a band.; 7/26/17, 8:27 PM
rhhardin said...: There's nothing wrong with fucking vulgarian, except it's not true.

Why does he think Trump is a vulgarian.; 7/26/17, 8:27 PM
rhhardin said...: NaN is an overflow.; 7/26/17, 8:28 PM
traditionalguy said...: This guy must be watching his own horror movie and only sees vulgarity when Trump smashes Fake News Hoax of the day and crushes Hillary's inept message free Campaign and laughs at Global Warming Cons.

But the rest of us see Trump as Babe calling his shot and General Patton driving the Third Army east across France and then north to Bastogne.

Scott Adams knows Trump has won it all.; 7/26/17, 8:29 PM
bagoh20 said...: The Presidency is a job. It can be done poorly, or well, and especially in a leadership position where a turnaround is needed, the employee charged with that responsibility will not be well liked by all. The nation is like a giant company with effective as well as badly performing departments, and with an overall corporate culture that is failing and clearly dysfunctional. Many in the failing units cannot admit the failure and will cling to their lies and religion at all costs. They will always blame the reformer, and he becomes a convenient and timely scapegoat for what they have built before he arrived.; 7/26/17, 8:30 PM
rhhardin said...: A vulgarian is one who does not see virtue in lying.

I think that's it.; 7/26/17, 8:30 PM
Michael K said...: Leftist comments are not something I care to respond to,; 7/26/17, 8:32 PM
bagoh20 said...: We have always been at war with Vulgaria.; 7/26/17, 8:36 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Start with the crime that was being investigated that justified the appointment of a special prosecutor.

One thing's for sure: If Achilles ever got arrested and/or indicted for a crime I would love to see him demand he represent himself as his own attorney. I mean, it would be cruel and I would hate to see what would happen to him because of it. But the entertainment value alone of someone who never even had a high-school practical law course waxing as uneloquently as he does on matters of law is top-notch.

You say a crime has to be ruled before an investigation or trial takes place? Hilarious. I suppose we will no longer be able to prosecute alleged murderers in cases where the body is missing.

The circumstantial evidence alone on the Trump Family Criminal Money Laundering Syndicate is enough for me not to trust him. As well as for the vast and increasing majority of your country. But you take for granted this Hitlerian Blood Oath of Allegiance you've sworn to him and seem to feel you have some right to expect it of American citizens. You don't have that right and the investigation of the loser Russian Mob Money Launderer Trump will continue until every agency and branch of government legally charged with investigating crimes and/or checking his government power is satisfied that there's nothing there. Which will take a very long time, given how much evidence he throws out there like breadcrumbs on the proverbial trail and how guilty he acts.

People who have nothing to hide don't act as he does - esp. when given the amount of power he likes waving around, as if it's a Rolls Royce. He's obviously not used to being held accountable. But we will see what happens now that your Republican Bill Clinton Analog is finally held to account.

Keep defending him like the Clintonians defended the Clintons. Can't see how it will end well but blood brothers gots to bleed, I suppose.; 7/26/17, 8:38 PM
The Vault Dweller said...: Something tells me that people who say,

I grew up in a shitty little town full of Trump voters, so I think I can I understand the point of view of someone who supports his message.

actually don't understand the point of view of people who voted for Trump, or for that matter anyone who doesn't actually hold their well curated coastal American cosmopolitan views.; 7/26/17, 8:39 PM
Laslo Spatula said...: Reznor made his money off of teen angst and depression.

Of course, Kurt Cobain and Chris Cornell did, too, but they didn't chicken out at the end.

I am Laslo.; 7/26/17, 8:42 PM
Wince said...: The Toothless Revolutionary said...
[About EDH observing] A complete lack of specificity in Reznor's critique of Trump.

I know. What a failure. And there's so little of it already out there. It's good you're here to remind us of the important question -- Where to begin?

That's my point. Reznor was essentially mute, simply genuflecting at what's "already out there."

The interested reader wants to know where Reznor (now, as a parent?) "begins" to draw the boundaries of vulgarity, and how those contours intersect with Trump. Is there any overlap or convergence? How do Reznor's criticisms match against his own past behavior?

So little from a guy who cultivated a reputation for always making a statement from a unique, subversive viewpoint.; 7/26/17, 8:44 PM
Laslo Spatula said...: Nine Inch Nails: the fancy dour lads' Insane Clown Posse.

I am Laslo.; 7/26/17, 8:46 PM
Fabi said...: That's gonna leave a mark, Laslo!; 7/26/17, 8:48 PM
Anonymous said...: My first question was: Who is Trent Reznor? I googled him and that didn't help much. From above apparently he has something to do with Nine Inch Nails whoever or whatever they are. Watching MSNBC and CNN told me everything I needed to know.; 7/26/17, 8:52 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: The interested reader wants to know where Reznor ...

No they don't. They just want to know if he's on "their" side.

If he is, they feel one more piece of vindication - as when any other additional citizen agrees and depresses Trump's favorability rating yet another few percentage points. If he isn't, they get annoyed.

There are talented artists who perplex me in their conservatism - Mamet and Nick DiPaolo come to mind. Perhaps if I'd appreciate Clint Eastwood more I'd throw him in that category too. But I don't get nearly as pissy about it as conservatives do when another liberal unsurprisingly admit to his/her persuasion yet again among those in the arts and humanities. But I suppose that bothers them because of their predominance in it.

They never seem to understand that if conservatives were more concerned with the human condition perhaps more of their ranks might gravitate to the humanities, as well. Two plus two equals four and all.; 7/26/17, 8:54 PM
The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...: "You say a crime has to be ruled before an investigation or trial takes place? Hilarious. I suppose we will no longer be able to prosecute alleged murderers in cases where the body is missing."

Seriously? A trial before the crime? Leftists aren't famed for critical thinking but this example of idiocy lapsing into incoherence must be an embarrassment even by their low standards.; 7/26/17, 8:55 PM
Henry said...: He’s a fucking vulgarian.

That encapsulates the zeitgeist, right there.

How old are his kids? I talk to mine and I never have the moving pictures on unless we're watching a show together.; 7/26/17, 8:56 PM
buwaya said...: And here I am thinking that all those institutions that the PTB support are vulgarian. Deeply vulgarian. As with, for instance, the public schools in major cities housing the PTB themselves, such as San Francisco.

Culture? They have none, they despise it. They dislike it so much that they deliberately keep it away from the children in their care, and even from the intelligent ones.

There is nothing more vulgar, and ignorant, as your typical California public high school English Lit class.; 7/26/17, 8:57 PM
Gahrie said...: Run Reznor against Kid Rock in Michigan.; 7/26/17, 8:58 PM
Henry said...: I feel like an old out-of-touch guy most of the time, but all these "who's Trent Reznor" comments are hard to grok. The guy's been around forever.; 7/26/17, 9:00 PM
buwaya said...: "if conservatives were more concerned with the human condition"

If liberals were more concerned with the human condition they would be studying agriculture and engineering to prepare themselves for careers supplying genuine human needs, maintaining public infrastructure, such as water, energy, irrigation, sewage, communications, roads; besides which providing food and clothing and shelter, and all those other things upon which human welfare actually does depend.

Note I leave out medicine. Medical progress has actually had a quite limited effect on things like infant mortality, vs say adequate and sanitary water supplies.

As for the liberal idea of the liberal arts, it is amusing. They are complete barbarians these days.; 7/26/17, 9:04 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Seriously? A trial before the crime? Leftists aren't famed for critical thinking but this example of idiocy lapsing into incoherence must be an embarrassment even by their low standards.

A disappearance might be ruled a likely crime by the cops, but since we don't live in a police state that ruling is not legally binding, dumbass. Whatever "event" precipitates an arrest/indictment/trial doesn't achieve an authoritative description until that outcome. We don't prejudge a determination of what event happened, regardless of whenever it's eventually ruled a crime or not. But if you prefer it the other way around, there are police states that you might prefer to live in: Russia or China, for instance.

You're apparently another one who never took a high school civics or practical law course. This condition seems to be rife among you reactionary Republican types.

Your contemptuous ignorance of the realities of life in a constitutional republic is appalling.; 7/26/17, 9:04 PM
Henry said...: Run Reznor against Kid Rock in Michigan.

That would be awesome.; 7/26/17, 9:05 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: If liberals were more concerned with the human condition they would be studying agriculture and engineering to prepare themselves for careers supplying genuine human needs, maintaining public infrastructure, such as water, energy, irrigation, sewage, communications, roads; besides which providing food and clothing and shelter, and all those other things upon which human welfare actually does depend.

Nah, they'd be having less children and taking more care of the ones they have. And voting out Republicans who always vote against infrastructure anyway. Which they do. Engineers are like calculators. They're machines. Good to have, but no more essentially/spiritually humanistic than plumbing is to poop.; 7/26/17, 9:08 PM
Michael K said...: I'm afraid that is true.

It is the Second Law of Thermodynamics again.

Plus the ignorance of the left

Civilization is not the default state of society,; 7/26/17, 9:09 PM
Henry said...: Reznor's a thoughtful guy and a great technician. I made fun of him upstream, but maybe he has young enough kids that he doesn't know how to talk about political distress. Not spilling animosity onto kids is a theme around here. I almost always play devil's advocate with my kids, but maybe they're older than his.; 7/26/17, 9:10 PM
buwaya said...: "Your contemptuous ignorance of the realities of life in a constitutional republic is appalling. "

You deliberately misunderstand him, or rather, as is your usual practice, you insert some assumed meaning in order to rage against it. This is a formula you follow rather mechanically.

Now, I don't want to spoil your fun really, but I have to wonder why you find this a fulfilling exercise. I understand your personal demons reasonably well, what you are doing is not really a good way to go about putting them to rest.; 7/26/17, 9:11 PM
buwaya said...: "Nah, they'd be having less children and taking more care of the ones they have."

They are, in fact, having very few children, at least at the top end of the high-low political mix of the liberal side. This is a rather silly thing to do under any circumstances, even in case of overpopulation. There are much greater dysgenic risks from the groups that choose not to compete in a condition of overpopulation.; 7/26/17, 9:14 PM
Sebastian said...: If progs had any self-awareness, they'd read the first few comments and wonder if, quite possibly, they are the vulgarians, and they tore down the culture to the point that Trump could make inroads. Of course, they like vulgarity, the Tom Perezes, and they also like to criticize vulgarity, if it comes in handy. Their rhetorical sensitivities, like their political ethics, are entirely situational. This Trent Whathisname is a good example of the species.

He also shows that rebellion and alienation are just another prog pose: it all has to be PC, strictly to epater les bourgeois, on the assumption, of course, that deplorably decent people somehow keep society running. When faced with real rebellion, he mutes the TV and starts whispering sweet nothings to his kids.; 7/26/17, 9:15 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: You deliberately misunderstand him, or rather, as is your usual practice, you insert some assumed meaning in order to rage against it. This is a formula you follow rather mechanically.

Bullshit. You really are a horrible reader, and just as ignorant as he is about due process. He was the one who demanded that a crime was anything other than a provisional police-based determination before a trial in court definitively rules it and the guilty party as such.

Just take a reading class, already. And a law class. And read something other than an engineering text, for a change. And try to have a conversation where truth presumes greater importance than navel gazing. I imagine I'd have better conversations with teenage boys as they hide in the bathroom from everyone to masturbate. You really are that bad. And much more pointless.; 7/26/17, 9:16 PM
buwaya said...: "Engineers are like calculators. They're machines. "

They are, rather, the pinnacle of human achievement. Man the problem-solver in his modern essence, the sine qua non of existence in this modern world. Without us, nothing.

More, the raw talent in this lot puts the remainder of humanity to shame. You do not plug numbers into engineers. At best you present them a poorly-defined problem. We are used to hearing poorly defined problems from the non-technical. We have the job of finding out what is actually wanted by the unthinking brutes.; 7/26/17, 9:21 PM
Lewis Wetzel said...: And voting out Republicans who always vote against infrastructure anyway.
The transcontinental railroad was a Republican project (not Obama's mythical intercontinental railroad. What an ignorant vulgarian he was!).
The interstate freeway was built by Republican Eisenhower (his brainchild), and was supported by American industry.
You clearly did not think before you wrote what I have quoted. This is the mark of an ideologue. It is knee-jerk reaction, not action.; 7/26/17, 9:22 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Laslo Spatula said... [hush][hide comment]

Nine Inch Nails: the fancy dour lads' Insane Clown Posse.

I am Laslo.

7/26/17, 8:46 PM

Boogaloo, Joogaloo. Whatevz.; 7/26/17, 9:23 PM
LordSomber said...: This is like asking Gene Vincent about his political opinions on Nixon in 1972 (assuming GV was still alive at the time).

Politicians' musical tastes do not keep me up at night, as well as musicians' political tastes.; 7/26/17, 9:24 PM
Birkel said...: TTR is sad because buwaya took the time to call him out exactly.

Now I like the idea of a good show trial as much as the next Lavrenty Pavlovich Beria but we demand a crime be alleged before trial, by proof of a preponderance of the evidence. TTR is a good Soviet.; 7/26/17, 9:25 PM
Jon Ericson said...: Juggalo.
Proper spelling.
Sorry.; 7/26/17, 9:26 PM
buwaya said...: " He was the one who demanded that a crime was anything other than a provisional police-based determination before"...

No, what you are up to there is adding a mischaracterization to your own misunderstanding of his point to make it a point you can rail against. Your purpose is to rail against any snippet of text you dislike, why I don't know. You are a curious creature.

I have quite a lot of law under my belt, sadly. Everything from tax to corporate to labor to environmental to insurance to inheritance to.. good lord, it goes on and on. And the procedurals of the law I know much too well. I have been a participant in what amounted to a real-world example of Dickens' Jarndyce and Jarndyce (Bleak House). No, this is not a field designed to solve human problems, but simply a symptom, often enough, of systemic failure. The US legal system for instance is a horrible expensive mess by developed-country standards.; 7/26/17, 9:31 PM
Birkel said...: My favorite argument is that Leftists are more likely to be artistic. On the one hand, artists are known to have higher likelihood of mental instability. On the other hand, after demanding conformity in an industry, Leftist Collectivists cannot imagine why so few conservatives make it in showbiz.

It's a conundrum that totally works to the argumentative advantage of Leftist Collectivists.; 7/26/17, 9:33 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: "He’s a fucking vulgarian. "

From Trent REznor.. that's rich.; 7/26/17, 9:35 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Whew - at least we are not THAT deplorable.

Head like a hole, man. Head like a hole.; 7/26/17, 9:36 PM
buwaya said...: A much more productive exercise I think, is what I usually follow to relax the brain after a stressful day (after everyone has gone to bed; like Mr. Trump I don't sleep much).

A good mechanical hobby, to make and build things; to study a language; to read a difficult work (here- try Unamuno's "Tragic Sense of Life")
http://www.archive.org/stream/tragicsenseoflif14636gut/14636.txt; 7/26/17, 9:37 PM
Birkel said...: I was told Nine Inch Nails is a religious statement. The nails used to fix Christ to the cross were called Nine Inch Nails.

Is that accurate, Althouse commentariat?; 7/26/17, 9:40 PM
Jon Ericson said...: http://www.davidlynch.de/chevalangry2.jpg; 7/26/17, 9:40 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Progressives know how to farm for victims and bitch & moan.; 7/26/17, 9:42 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: "Engineers are like calculators. They're machines. "

They are, rather, the pinnacle of human achievement.

They don't "achieve" anything, just like Rain Man didn't "achieve" anything. You are just another butthurt engineer, confused at why he can't achieve the respect that a Nobel laureate can have.

Man the problem-solver in his modern essence, the sine qua non of existence in this modern world.

So are beavers. And mound-building termites. Etc.

Without us, nothing.

Without you, people could rightly focus on the moral and social achievements that actually make them different and better than animals. Unlike whatever you're offering.; 7/26/17, 9:42 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: Birkel @ 9:40 - I think you are correct.; 7/26/17, 9:44 PM
Birkel said...: Without the smug moral superiority Leftist Collectivism offers, what else does it have? Mass graves? Hatred of the other?; 7/26/17, 9:44 PM
Fernandinande said...: Fabi said...
Nine Inch Nails is not punk.

The Woman says "why are you playing that rap shit?" when I occasionally play any NIN stuff. I say "It's not rap, I dunno what it is."

His performance on the recent Twin Peaks was pedestrian.; 7/26/17, 9:45 PM
Bleach Drinkers Curing Coronavirus Together said...: Your purpose is to rail against any snippet of text you dislike, why I don't know. You are a curious creature.

Why? Because I'm anti-ignorance. You OTOH seem to revel in ignorance.

I have quite a lot of law under my belt, sadly.

Except for due process and basic criminal procedure, apparently - that part you couldn't care less about. But nice to know. I guess that's the part of your body where the state thought it would do you the most good.; 7/26/17, 9:47 PM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: It's good family music for the kids; 7/26/17, 9:49 PM
Birkel said...: A Leftist is anti-ignorance and other marvels of online sophistry...

Catch the next episode of Smug Superiority on NBCBS&E at fourteen o'clock PM this Thurpsday.; 7/26/17, 9:55 PM
buwaya said...: "Without you, people could rightly focus on the moral and social achievements that actually make them different and better than animals."

Worse actually, they would mostly be dead. The (very) few survivors would have a happy life chasing animals as did their long ago ancestors. Which is a benefit of a sort I guess, turning man back into the animal he evolved as, performing in the ecological niche he was made for.

Everything in human cultures (other than technologies) is a redundant, contingent, substitutable superstructure over the fundamentals. Secondary sexual signals on an animal, just more clever. But each actual expression is not an achievement, merely one of infinitely many possible expressions.

There are an infinity of possible human cultures, and in each an infinite space of possible human cultural expressions, or specific "achievements". That one happens and the other doesn't matters not at all apparently. What incredible genius is locked up in all those things that have never been done yet? Those novels not written, that music never played? Do we miss them? Apparently not.; 7/26/17, 10:01 PM
grackle said...: What I don’t understand is supporting that messenger.

Reznor, the eGOP, the MSM, academia, the entertainment industry – all in the same distressful situation of not knowing what is happening, why their usual propaganda is ineffective, why their tired, pedestrian false assumptions and artificial memes are disappearing like vapor and why their world is changing around them as if they were irrelevant. I can well understand the frustration Trump must bring to their elitist lives.

This Trump supporter hopes they never wise up.; 7/26/17, 10:11 PM
Known Unknown said...: "I grew up in a shitty little town full of Trump voters, so I think I can I understand the point of view of someone who supports his message."

I'm sure his father, who still lives in Mercer, Pa. loves to hear that.; 7/26/17, 10:21 PM
Birkel said...: I don't support the messenger. Rather, I support the message that the messenger, seemingly singlehandedly, carried across the finish line.

The elitists are not elite. The institutions are broken but the inertia compels them.

20 trillion in debt and still the persist. The lot of them are eating the seed corn.; 7/26/17, 10:27 PM
Brookzene said...: What does this guy tell his kids when they ask him what he does for a living ?

Superstar.; 7/26/17, 10:34 PM
Brookzene said...: It is nothing short of psychopathic to put personal style preferences ahead of practical ability

First I don't think we're talking about his personal style preferences (maybe you mean like the long tie?) I think it's the style and behaviors to which he is enslaved. He's not making rational *choices* about his so-called personal style preferences, imo. He's doing what he knows. It's not likely he can be anything else.; 7/26/17, 10:40 PM
Brookzene said...: I'm sure his father, who still lives in Mercer, Pa. loves to hear that.

Aw, and which one of you mugs is gonna tell him?; 7/26/17, 10:58 PM
dwarzel said...: "Grew up in Mercer, PA. I'm sure a fine place of good people."

Absolutely can confirm this.

(And not only good, but prescient as well. He "grew up in a shitty little town full of Trump voters," which--inasmuch as he's 52 years old--tells us that people in Mercer have been writing in Trump for President for decades. I bet they're happy the culture finally caught up with them.); 7/26/17, 11:01 PM
Michael said...: "What I don’t understand is supporting that messenger."

One more time: They tried the Tea Party, they tried John McCain, they tried Mitt Romney - and those officers and gentlemen were slagged and vilified by the Left and the Media as though they were Klansmen or Nazis. So finally they decided: fine, let's see how you like this!; 7/26/17, 11:06 PM
David Begley said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/26/17, 11:09 PM
David Begley said...: In answer to question above re source of the name Nine Inch Nails.

"Contrary to popular notion the nails which held Jesus to the cross must have been driven into His wrists and not his palms. Jesus' nails would have been made of heavy, probably square, iron material, 7-9 inches long. Many great painters from the past have depicted Jesus being nailed through His palms to the cross; it is a medical impossibility for this to be the case. You may have to really work your mind to grasp the enormity of what was going on here. The weight of a fully grown man was going to be suspended by three nails."; 7/26/17, 11:11 PM
Unknown said...: Trump has supernatural ability to expose hypocrites

The sanctimonious mainstream media shows its true face for him
He made Stephen King incoherent and cliche
Stepen King Twitter
Liberals agree Boy Scouts are Hitler Youth
And the creator of "Closer"
Closer
With the chorus "I want to fuck you like an animal"
Declares others are vulgarians

Even better, Reznor is now a conformist, parroting "any liberal twitter account"

If he really wanted to provoke
He'd pull something more like Scott Adams
And make everyone look at how "they brought this on themselves".; 7/26/17, 11:12 PM
mccullough said...: Reznor combines get off my lawn with what about the children. Tell your son his old man is a poser.; 7/26/17, 11:29 PM
chickelit said...: Not in my iTunes; 7/27/17, 12:07 AM
Achilles said...: The Toothless Revolutionary said...

You say a crime has to be ruled before an investigation or trial takes place? Hilarious. I suppose we will no longer be able to prosecute alleged murderers in cases where the body is missing.

From Wikipedia:

"In the United States, a special prosecutor (or special counsel or independent counsel) is a lawyer appointed to investigate, and potentially prosecute, a particular case of suspected wrongdoing for which a conflict of interest exists for the usual prosecuting authority."

So far the suspected wrongdoing is Trump peed on a bed. Good work.

Starr was appointed because Billy was accused of rape and other sexual exploits. It turns out he was guilty of rape and lying in the depositions.

Totally on the same level as peeing on a bed.

It isn't like Trump told the Russians he would have more flexibility after the election or sold them Uranium or anything.; 7/27/17, 12:48 AM
Thuglawlibrarian said...: He seems so angry. I'd rather hear Tim Conway's political views.; 7/27/17, 1:02 AM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/27/17, 1:29 AM
Left Bank of the Charles said...: When Johnny Cash recorded Trent Reznor's song Hurt, Trent could only say "that song isn't mine anymore".; 7/27/17, 1:31 AM
Ralph L said...: Billy was accused of rape
No, it was originally perjury (denying sex with Monica in Jones' lawsuit) and suborning perjury (Monica's).

Rewarding Monica with a paying job for sexual services rendered was germane to Jones' lawsuit, which is why, in his deposition to Starr, the Big He lied about when they first had sex. He said it was after she got a paying job, she said before. The reporting I saw ignored that.

Broderick's credible rape accusation probably shocked some House Republicans into action.; 7/27/17, 1:40 AM
Clyde said...: Suck it up, Buttercup.; 7/27/17, 1:42 AM
Unknown said...: conservatives hate when celebrities espouse political opinions. except for all the ones they vote into office.; 7/27/17, 1:51 AM
Lewis Wetzel said...: Did you ever notice that only liberals insult the place that made and formed them? There is some pretty fucked-up brain issues behind conventional liberalism. Hate the town they grew up in, hate the parents that raised them. Bill Ayres told people his father "worked for the power company". Thomas Ayres was president of Commonwealth Edison at the time.; 7/27/17, 1:53 AM
Lewis Wetzel said...: vicari valdez said...
conservatives hate when celebrities espouse political opinions. except for all the ones they vote into office.
Where, exactly, do you hear celebrities espouse conservative political opinions? The Oscars? The Emmies? The Golden Globes? The Tonies?
Maybe when they receive a MacArthur grant? Or get a Nobel or a Pulitzer? The last real celebrity to make his conservative political views known while he was still in the biz was probably John Wayne.
Trump backed gay marriage before Obama backed gay marriage and has adopted many non-conservative positions. This is why so many conventional conservatives say "Trump is not a conservative." The new Democrat "A Better Deal" initiative borrows from themes Trump introduced in 2016.; 7/27/17, 2:04 AM
Chris N said...: Trent Reznor is kind of industrial rock/pop synth/hardcore mid 90's house angsty industrial metal.

He who yells most like an angry, wounded and tortured animal, wins, but it's melodic and moody with layered compositions recorded from and looped through various machines.

The NY Times seems full of mostly unoriginal writers, journalists and 'thought-leaders' with inflated senses of their own importance and value, especially in the realms of history, much intellectual history, religion and comparative religion, much of how politics, war, business and industry actually work.

Since they've been lately undercut in their business model, it's not clear how much value they actually provide for the citizens/little guys they supposedly serve in the fishbowl of NYC politics and daily life in the five boroughs.

Since they've followed particularly explicit Left and Left liberal ideals, from where I sit, they've become increasingly narrow and predictably partisan in their understanding of current events, filtering those events through lenses of the secular 'isms', and the righteous indignation of their own supposed commitments and preening moralism.

I'm guessing they especially loathe Trump because he is so similar in many respects, and reflects much of who they really are, and throws it right back at them.

Whether that's who the rest of we Americans really are, and whether we tell ourselves we are capable of being something better is probably up to us, as always.; 7/27/17, 3:15 AM
stlcdr said...: They should have asked him what he had for lunch, so we can really see how much he loathes Trump.; 7/27/17, 4:31 AM
Scientific Socialist said...: "Janey, Jimmy, I won't let you watch CNN or MSNBC because Trump is a fucking vulgarian.."; 7/27/17, 4:54 AM
Rusty said...: "They don't "achieve" anything, just like Rain Man didn't "achieve" anything. "

Every time you open a pop top thank an engineer named 'Burke'. Ever own a Weber grill? Thank they guy on third shift who, instead of making a nose cone for a missile, decided to make himself a BBQ. Ever wonder why a solid axel railroad wheel never spins or goes backwards in a turn? Thank an engineer.

"Without you, people could rightly focus on the moral and social achievements that actually make them different and better than animals. Unlike whatever you're offering."

Why? We have you to bleed all over this thread. Now have another drink and behave.

"; 7/27/17, 5:55 AM
traditionalguy said...: The reasoning he pushes is that Trump does Good, but he is still Bad. Got it.

That reminds me of prominent Frenchmen who liked the restoration of French Hegemony over Europe but hated that strange little Corsican Artillery Officer getting the credit.; 7/27/17, 6:27 AM
Lost My Cookies said...: This is great. Keep it up. The kids, mostly, are alright.

Reminds me of my brother who told me he was embarrassed that our "piece of shit president could fucking talk to people like that."; 7/27/17, 6:59 AM
Delayna said...: "Did you ever notice that only liberals insult the place that made and formed them? There is some pretty fucked-up brain issues behind conventional liberalism."

Democrats are the Daddy Issues party.

Whatever they say, just visualize it coming from a 14 year old brat, and tack "I hate you, daddy!" on the end. It will make more sense that way.; 7/27/17, 7:08 AM
Lucien said...: "You say a crime has to be ruled before an investigation or trial takes place?"

Do we really put people on trial before we determine there has been a crime? I'm not a lawyer and don't know much about the law, so this is a genuine question. Personally, doing that sounds really bad to me.; 7/27/17, 7:50 AM
Renee said...: " I haven’t figured out how to rationalize that to my kids’ beautiful little optimistic minds. I grew up in a shitty little town full of Trump voters"

Yeah, he sees half of America as 'deplorable', it isn't Trump he hates. He hates half of America.

I see progressives as trying to do good, but I a disagree with. There are still some of them out there that see it the same way. This dude... and his 90's disco music (listen to it with older ears, and that's what it was) doesn't see people he disagrees with, he see half of America as wicked and needing to be punished.; 7/27/17, 7:56 AM
Renee said...: In regards to Mercer County, it is considered a 'bell weather county'. This is a county that voted for Al Gore in 2000. And even though it did go to Romney in 2012, it the democrats lost 12 points from 2016!!!! 12 points!!! The republicans gained 10 points, and a jump in 3rd party voted bu 4 point!!!

His town isn't full of'shitty Trump voters, it is also a town of shitty Al Gore voters as well.; 7/27/17, 8:08 AM
Biotrekker said...: "He's a fucking vulgarian". Hmmmm, something about that sentence seems ironic to me. I can't quite place my finger on it.; 7/27/17, 8:14 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: Yes, yes, Trent Reznor complaining about vulgar people--about a person with fame an prestige being overly vulgar.
Wonderful.; 7/27/17, 9:20 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: YT: David Bowie - Afraid of America

That's Reznor, playing the creepy guy.

Semi-related (more a take on Marilyn Manson, of course, but in the same vein):

Mr Show: Marilyn Monster

Mr Show: Norma Jean Monster; 7/27/17, 9:25 AM
HoodlumDoodlum said...: YT: This Is A Trent Reznor Song
[Parody]

There was a funny sketch where the exgirlfriend of Reznor or Manson or one of those guys brings her new boyfriend over to his mansion to make fun of him, and the rocker turns out to be a huge whiny baby, etc, but I can't remember which group did it.; 7/27/17, 9:28 AM
Seeing Red said...: Is this like when the lead singer of GreenDay(?) won an MTV or Kids Choice award and encouraged the tug rats to speak truth to power or question power and was clueless in realizing he was a representative of what he wanted challenged?; 7/27/17, 9:35 AM
Seeing Red said...: Tug rats. Rugrats. Whatever.; 7/27/17, 9:36 AM
Lewis Wetzel said...: Blogger Delayna said...
". . .
Democrats are the Daddy Issues party.
Whatever they say, just visualize it coming from a 14 year old brat, and tack "I hate you, daddy!" on the end. It will make more sense that way."

. . .
If I’ve killed one man, I’ve killed two——
The vampire who said he was you
And drank my blood for a year,
Seven years, if you want to know.
Daddy, you can lie back now.

There’s a stake in your fat black heart
And the villagers never liked you.
They are dancing and stamping on you.
They always knew it was you.
Daddy, daddy, you bastard, I’m through.

-Sylvia Plath; 7/27/17, 10:05 AM
Unknown said...: Lewis Wetzel said...
vicari valdez said...
conservatives hate when celebrities espouse political opinions. except for all the ones they vote into office.
Where, exactly, do you hear celebrities espouse conservative political opinions? The Oscars? The Emmies? The Golden Globes? The Tonies?
Maybe when they receive a MacArthur grant? Or get a Nobel or a Pulitzer? The last real celebrity to make his conservative political views known while he was still in the biz was probably John Wayne.
Trump backed gay marriage before Obama backed gay marriage and has adopted many non-conservative positions. This is why so many conventional conservatives say "Trump is not a conservative." The new Democrat "A Better Deal" initiative borrows from themes Trump introduced in 2016.
7/27/17, 2:04 AM

i really don't get the point of your questions, nor how anything else you've written contradicts my op. did conservatives not vote for trump, schwarzenegger, reagan, etc? aren't they thinking about voting for kid rock?; 7/27/17, 12:20 PM
Unknown said...: "I don’t want to get into a discussion about how embarrassing the president is. He’s a fucking vulgarian."

Do you suppose his kids are interested enough in their father to read an interview with him?; 7/27/17, 12:44 PM
Night Owl said...: @HoodlumDoodlum:

The group was The Whitest Kids You know, a politically incorrect comedy group from about 10 years ago that would make today's campus snowflakes run and hide in their safe spaces. This is the sketch, which is NSFW.

The left is responsible for the coarseness of today's culture, and yet people like Reznor complain about Trump being vulgar. (I wonder what Mr. Reznor thought about Clinton using Monica as a humidor? ) Somewhere along the way the left lost its sense of humor. Otherwise they would be able to laugh at themselves and how ridiculous they sound.; 7/27/17, 1:39 PM
Unknown said...: "You say a crime has to be ruled before an investigation or trial takes place?"

Just need to repeat my question above, as TTR's assertion about this sounds really Kafka-esque. Do we really (in the US, for clarity) put people on trial before we determine there has been a crime? I'm not a lawyer and don't know much about the law, so this is a genuine question.

Happy to post this on the next thread TTR posts on because he doesn't seem inclined to answer on this thread.; 7/27/17, 5:34 PM