Trent Reznor Reveals Why the Internet Causes Young Musicians to Create ‘Shit’
When he isn’t composing music for filmmakers like David Fincher (“The Social Network”), Peter Berg (“Patriots Day”) or Ken Burns (“The Vietnam War”), Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor does what a lot of artists do: rage against opinionated internet users. In a new interview with Yahoo! Music, Reznor does just that — especially since he thinks it results in “made to please, vegan restaurant patron-type shit.”
READ MORE: ‘Patriots Day’ Soundtrack: Stream Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ Moody, Ominous Score
“What has crept in is that everyone’s a commentator now,” Reznor laments. “The internet is giving voice to everybody thinking that someone gives a shit what they have to say and they have the right. I think, in general, that has created a toxic environment for artists and led to some very safe music. Artists are trying to make music to please the tastemakers that tell the sheep what to like.” Sheep! Sheep, I tell you!
“It’s a vicious cycle and I think it’s unhealthy. I don’t see any Princes emerging on the scene today,” continues Reznor. “I see a lot of people making formulaic, made to please, vegan restaurant patron-type shit. And I think it creates an environment where people are too fuckin’ worried about what other people have to say. And people who have never made anything think it’s OK to talk shit about stuff they have no right to talk about. You got a Facebook account? Nobody gives a fuck. You haven’t achieved anything.”
READ MORE: Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross Composing the Score to Ken Burns’ ‘The Vietnam War’
That’s right, reader — the fact that you don’t create music of your own means you’re not entitled to criticize others. An old argument, as invalid now as it’s always been, but there you have it. Read the full interview here.
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