Rights To NINE INCH NAILS' 'Pretty Hate Machine' CD Up For Grabs
- July 28, 2005
MTV.com reports: On August 17 NINE INCH NAILS fans will have an opportunity to score the ultimate collector's item — the ownership rights to Trent Reznor's groundbreaking debut, "Pretty Hate Machine". Yes, kids — you could own tracks like "Down in It", "Something I Can Never Have" and, of course, "Head Like a Hole", but it's going to cost you millions. The disc is one of several TVT Records titles on the auction block, compliments of Prudential Securities Financial Services. "Pretty Hate Machine" and numerous other recordings from the likes of KMFDM, SISTER MACHINE GUN and GRAVITY KILLS were presented as collateral in 1999 against a $32 million loan the label was approved for. TVT managed to pay back $10 million of that amount, but Prudential took the label to court three years ago, claiming the current home of the YING YANG TWINS defaulted on the loan. "Pretty Hate Machine" is part of an overall biddable package that also includes the rights to the TELEVISION's "Greatest Hits" compilations and the "Mortal Kombat" movie soundtracks. In addition, the highest bidder will be able to collect a percentage on future sales of NINE INCH NAILS' other TVT-related releases, including "Broken", "Fixed", "The Downward Spiral" and "Further Down the Spiral".
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COMMENT | posted by : Deth 7/28/2005 9:12:00 AM
WOW, let me start counting my pennies...
COMMENT | lol posted by : mevyhetal 7/28/2005 9:12:09 AM
<< Yes, kids — you could own tracks like "Down in It", "Something I Can Never Have" and, of course, "Head Like a Hole", but it's going to cost you millions >>
I like how they had to mention the cost.
COMMENT | posted by : Deth 7/28/2005 9:19:14 AM
It may not be worth shit to you but it means something to others. You would make millions on this deal, you don't have to like the music.
COMMENT | Trent really ought to get it. posted by : H3LL5P4WN 7/28/2005 9:29:48 AM
He made the music, he ought to own it.
I fucking hate TVT anymore. They made Sevendust suck, didn't promote Nothingface enough...
COMMENT | I wonder how T.R. feels about this posted by : Johnny Wildchild (~\m/~) 7/28/2005 9:30:30 AM
Maybe the fact that his songs are on the auction block due to his former record companies financial indiscretions, will motivate him to get really evil and pissed off again, get back on some good mind-altering drugs and write a good cd. Unlike the piece of shit "With Teeth" which sounds like happy camp.
COMMENT | I WANT MORE OPETH NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!! posted by : DLORE 7/28/2005 9:40:53 AM
I WANT MORE OPETH NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COMMENT | hahahahaha posted by : ferkando 7/28/2005 9:45:48 AM
C'mon Johnny! "With teeth" is not that bad!! It's just a record! you still have the others that you may like better... c'mon... just listen to it in the proper state of spirit... it's a good one...
Reggarding this problem: ok... the company screwed it... but as you all said it's the perfect moment for all the musicians to get their stuff to themselves, not only NIN... it's a perfect ocasion... I hope none of them will let this one pass through...
Sorry for any mistake, I hope NIN comes to Argentina this year as he promised...
COMMENT | That would suck... posted by : KentHiltz 7/28/2005 9:47:24 AM
...to have a fucking bank own your songs. Trent should make buddies with Metallica and have them buy it for him and he could pay them back in $20.00 increments for the rest of his life.
COMMENT | posted by : death leppercon 7/28/2005 9:47:39 AM
thats fucked up! a person who makes music is supposed to own their music. i hope reznor will win the rights to pretty hate machine. i would hate to see some idiot (like a preppy bitch) who dosent know the first thing about music own the greatest nin record.
COMMENT | Industry lesson here folks posted by : agelardi 7/28/2005 12:36:49 PM
Unless he signed a really fucked up PUBLISHING deal, Trent Reznor STILL OWNS THE SONGS THEMSELVES. What TVT owns are the ORIGINAL RECORDINGS.
Meaning: Trent wants to put the album version of Head Like a Hole in a commercial, TVT will get some money for that because they own the original recording. TVT, or the new owner, CANNOT make decisions about whether the songs can be used in commercials or movies, etc. That's the decision of the owner of the songs publishing. That's why Michael Jackson can put Beatles songs in commercials, he owns the publishing, not the members of the Beatles or the dead members estate. Note: The Beatles signed a really fucked up deal when they began.
As for the label owning the original sound recording, that's common industry practice. The label usually pays the band an advance, pays for the studio time to record the album, pays for manufacturing the album and pays for the promotion of the album (and hopefully pays some tour support as well). The label has to get something in return.
Yeah, I agree, most labels are run by evil scumbags. It should be a 50/50 deal. Label provides the money, artist provides the songs, and they just split the profits down the middle.
COMMENT | posted by : Rich376 7/28/2005 12:59:24 PM
I have to believe Trent Reznor will do evrything in His power to come up with enough money to Buy the ownership rights to the "Pretty Hate Machine" album and also collect a percentage on future sales of NINE INCH NAILS' other TVT-related releases, including "Broken", "Fixed", "The Downward Spiral" and "Further Down the Spiral".
But, Some corporation like Sony or Warner Brothers will probably end up getting it.
COMMENT | posted by : Rich376 7/28/2005 1:09:10 PM
I think whoever writes a song should own the song and should have full rights to it. Nobody, Should be making money off of something They had NOTHING to do with the creation of.
It's a disgrace that Michael Jackson owns the Beatles and Elvis catalogs and makes money off of what They created.
COMMENT | posted by : madhouse_11 7/28/2005 1:12:19 PM
Fuck NIN, I gotta get me that mortal combat soundtrack....
How much did they say it was again?
COMMENT | haha posted by : meat 7/28/2005 4:12:08 PM
The Mortal Kombat soundtrack was badass. Fear Factory, Type O Negative, Napalm Death. That cd basically introduced me to metal. Those were the good old days.
COMMENT | damn posted by : BlackBehemoth 7/28/2005 6:37:37 PM
you could own the rights to some classic KMFDM and you know option it for mtv shows and car commercials and football games and put it in jukeboxes at long john silvers!
"Nobody, Should be making money off of something They had NOTHING to do with the creation of."
That's pretty ignorant, it wouldn't have seen the light of day if it didn't go through a record company of some kind. All these people that think music is just about the artist have no clue, there are way more people to it.
COMMENT | posted by : agelardi 7/28/2005 10:03:02 PM
"Nobody, Should be making money off of something They had NOTHING to do with the creation of."
The label put up the money for the studio time & recording equipment and staff to record those songs, then paid for the manufacturing of the album. I'd say they had SOMETHING to do with the creation of the album. If it wern't for the label, not too many people outta Chicago would have heard Trent Reznor's music.
With your logic, I guess your parents shouldn't make any money when they sell their house. Afterall, they had less to do with the creation of that house than the label did with the album.
There's two sides to the coin here. Necessary evil if you wanna go global & be a rock star.
COMMENT | posted by : agelardi 7/28/2005 10:09:50 PM
Though with all due respect to Saxx cause I agree where he's coming from, but ya can do it yourself.
Book a local studio or record at home, burn the CD's yourself or pay a local manufacturer, then promote your shit on the internet, local press and local shows.
DIY isn't that hard, just takes more dedication & a little of your own cash than most lazy people wanna give.
But if ya wanna be an international rock star, you'll probably need a label's help.
COMMENT | A few notes on being clear..... posted by : absentmindedmuse 7/31/2005 6:34:52 AM
I thought this posting was about TVT's collection being auctioned off, but it seems that the conversation has taken a predictable turn. I think I'll join it.
First, on the issue of "ownership rights:" it is not at all unusual for those rights to be held by whomever is doing the publishing. I don't know very much about THE INDUSTRY, although living in LA people talk AT me about it all the time. I am, however, very familiar with the publishing industry. Anytime a book or short story or poem or anything is published, the publisher automatically pulls out the release forms that give them full power over future publications. Unless the artist specifically asks to reserve those rights, they automatically are retained by the publisher. To know this, you either have to have the social capital or you have to do the homework. Most 25 year olds (who aren't in law school) aren't that up on their legal knowledge, and especially ones who've put as much on the line as Trent did to get where he wanted to be.
Second, as to who should have the rights, it should clearly be Trent. Every interview I've heard or read about how he got where he was going, he pretty much scrubbed toilets for studio time, and PHM stayed the way it was, despite TVT's efforts to change it. The issue here is how large corporations exploit anyone and everyone they can to make a dime. I don't personally believe that the way the music business works is ethical in any way, shape or form. In fact, I don't believe that most of the corporate world is ethical, and they certainly don't follow the true principals of free enterprise, or capitalism for that matter (and if you think they do, you need to spend some time with the original theorists). Trent is the one who created it, and Trent should retain the rights, but with all the legal mumbo-jumbo, he doesn't. Just because it's legal doesn't always make it ethical or moral.
Third, there were several comments made here about Trent's music. If you want to make a criticism, then why not make it interesting? I mean, why not be specific? My guess is that you don't actually know enough about music to make a specific comment. First people scream and yell that all the music is depressing, and now you're complaining that the music is too cheerful. Well, I guess it just proves that you can't please anyone, so why bother? I believe that while Trent's music has always shown an amazing range in musical composition, his music is finally showing a range in emotion. I mean, it's nice to know that men don't all have the emotional range of a tea kettle. It's refreshing, and it shows amazing growth as an artist. Personally, I love music. I mean ALL music. Some of it's good; some of it is bad; some of it is mediocre. The point is that I like music enough to be able to make a comment beyond "this sucks" or whatever. Music is fundamental to life and expression, and Trent's music is exceptional. He shows great depth in musical composition ranging from the pop sheen on PHM, to the amazing array of musical instruments on The Fragile. In addition, he shows a brilliant use of "la retour" both within each album and between albums. And what's even more brilliant about this is that LA MER is explicit in how "la retour" functions for him.
Finally, I think that bagging on Trent is just low and childish. You are either very, very lucky, completely in denial, or completely lack empathy. First, if you have never experienced any type of depression or have never known anyone who has any type of depression, then you are very, very lucky. You could also be in denial about yourself or others, which is probably more likely. You could also just lack empathy, which is the most likely. Things really have gone to hell in a hen basket since they took out the philosophical foundations that emphasize empathy and morality. Depression is a serious and debilitating condition that causes great suffering both for those who suffer from it, and for those who love them. I think that Trent is a phenomenal person. I have always been drawn to his personality, his experience, and his gift for expressing himself. The most important quality I've seen in him lately is his bravery. I am impressed with how brave he had to be to do all of the things he has done in the past four or five years. It took great bravery to leave behind everything that had become familiar to him and dive into the unknown, not sure what would happen. In my opinion, bravery is one of the most important characteristics a person can have, if not THE most importnat. Life is difficult and it takes a lot of bravery to see it around the curves, but it takes nothing to just give up and not to try.
I totally agree with that last comment by 'deeddone'(is that right??), i wish people would stop wasting time saying they hate 'NIN'....its fine if you don't...no ones forcing you to like them for fuck sake!!! but that doesn't mean you can fucking slate them all the time...what the hell has Trent or the rest of the band for that matter ever done to you??? Personnally, i think NIN are awesome and i'm very glad they are still making great music for us that love them!! Can't believe some fool might own the rights to Pretty Hate Machine though!! :(
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