In a happy bit of coincidence, my friend and former co-worker Phil posted a comment on my Facebook wall about this post, in which he mentioned his choice would be “Kinda I Want To” by Nine Inch Nails. Meanwhile, my choice for today’s category is … a song by Nine Inch Nails. It’s not “Kinda I Want To” — or anything from “Pretty Hate Machine,” although Phil’s post did inspire me to pick up the remastered version on iTunes, because I had the original on, ahem, cassette tape. (What? It was 1989!)
Just like I have a playlist titled “This playlist makes you happy,” I have one designed especially to make me angry — but its actual title is “Free Weights,” because it was created for me to listen to on headphones at the gym. Not to be confused with “Cardio,” which is filled with Up! Peppy! Fast-Paced! Songs!, this playlist is chock full of screamy dudes and industrial music. (I never made it all the way to metal, sorry.)
Leading off the list is “Wish” by Nine Inch Nails, off the EP “Broken.” Back when I was trying to teach myself to like running, I also had a separate running playlist that was organized by speed — starting out slowly, then building to this song when it was time to haul ass. (I never could get into running.)
I loved this EP, and then “The Downward Spiral” a little less (I think I just got less angry? I kept “Closer” and “Hurt” like any faux fan), and that was it for me.
Not for Trent Reznor, of course: He and Atticus Ross just won an Oscar for the original score to “The Social Network;” he’s going to also score “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo“: and you can download “The Slip” for free off the Nine Inch Nails website. (Hear it now on iLike.)
Me, I’m sticking with the early stuff. It’s almost cathartic by the time I make it through “Wish,” “Gave Up” and the Adam Ant cover “Too Physical” (it came on a mini-disc!) — I feel wrung out and ready to relax.
Watch the “Wish” video on Vimeo here.
| WHAT SAM WORE: 3-16-11 | ||||
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| The shirt: Polo by Hugo Boss, on clearance at Bloomingdale’s, New York. | ||||
| The pants: Cargo track pants from Uniqlo, New York. Big Booty Judy called them “Lara Croft” pants. |
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| The shoes: Running shoes by Nike, from the factory outlet store in Anthem. | ||||
SAMMITT 
Yes, the “Wish” video really epitomized what the industrial music era of the early 90s was all about, and the frenetic pace was totally motivating.
I remember hanging out at a club in Phoenix called Paradox during that time when industrial rock seemed to really be at its peak and all the rage… good call.