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2006.07.14
[Call_&_Response_#_16: The_Dear_Trent_Edition]
Dear Trent,
I've been wracking my brains for the right words to tell you how magnificent and resplendent you have been this past year, and to thank you for your beautiful work, which, as it always has, has made my life inestimably richer with all the things it's made me think about and feel. If this website has any purpose, it's to tell you every single day that you are not just loved, but adored, and not just for your hot ass, but for the way you have shown us all just how rich the human heart can be.
If that sounds operatic and overblown, I'm sorry, but I just can't seem to find the clever irony that will convey hip distance and absolute sincerity in the same sentence, so I gave up the effort. Here's the bottom line, Trent: I love you, and I love your work. You make me so happy. It's as simple as that.
I've heard a lot of people say that they're glad the horrible [With_Teeth] era is over; mostly people who are pining away for another round of The Fragile. Personally, I have no idea how anyone can want that, and for me, that kind of nostalgia is about the most stultifying thing ever. I'm glad your endless tour is over because that means you can take your tremendous creative vitality into the studio and make me another record. I am on the edge of my fucking seat on that score, because I have high hopes that it will be the most beautiful record you've ever made. I know everyone's hoping that "shortly" is an upgrade on "soon," but I hope you take exactly the time you need. I want you back, you sexy beast, but I want you to stun me with beauty I never dreamed of, and I am so thrilled by how open your road is right now. However long it takes, Sparklepants, I'll be here.
On that note, I'm opening the comments up to all of my compatriots here at WTC. I think you should know that all of us love you, and I hope they will all tell you how much and exactly why in this thread.
I hope you're well and happy, dear Trent. I wish you all the best things, and more than anything else, I wish you satisfying work.
Love,
Dierdre
Posted by Dierdre ~ in call_&_response / with_questions, dear_trent | Permalink
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Comments
More love letters to Trent? BIG SURPRISE THERE!
Posted by: Hannah | Jul 14, 2006 7:48:08 AM
Hannah, this site has a purpose, and that purpose is LOVE LETTERS TO TRENT. If you don't like it I'm sure we'd all be ok with it if you fucked off.
Posted by: Dierdre | Jul 14, 2006 7:55:26 AM
Do NOT fuck with Dierdre and her love letters, man. Rule #1.
Posted by: maise | Jul 14, 2006 8:15:27 AM
Yes, maam.
Posted by: Hannah | Jul 14, 2006 8:24:08 AM
Haikus for Trent, by maise
I know everyone
says this to you, but you helped
me through some rough shit.
Although you don't know
me and weren't *trying* to help
per se, but still--thanks.
I hope you don't mind
that I've made you my muse here.
I've had scads of fun.
Seeing you live this
year has been a real joy. See
you on the next tour!
You make this fucked-up
world a better place with your
art. Seriously.
I can't wait for the
next album. I'm sure that your
best is yet to come.
Don't ever doubt that
you are loved, no matter what
you've got going on.
I think this is the
most I have written without
unleashing the snark.
Posted by: maise | Jul 14, 2006 8:35:58 AM
Oh, wait--the snark has returned, a haiku by maise
Even your man-pris
won't puncture my iron-clad
crush on you, Schatzi.
Posted by: maise | Jul 14, 2006 8:49:48 AM
"so I gave up the effort." - dierdre
please don't. :) because the truth of the matter is, i don't even know if i like TR. i don't know him, i'll never meet him, and i don't wish to.
he makes great music ,yes, but that doesn't change the fact that he is just another human living on this earth, breathing oxygen and drinking water(or protein shakes, whatever). however you make him out to be so much more than that, interestingly.
good night, and good luck.
ps. i guess because of the nature of "call&response" i needed to say what i like about TR. i am very happy that TR was born so that dierdre can write about him. :)
ps2. maise, once you get your haiku on, you're unstoppable. haiku on!
Posted by: guLin | Jul 14, 2006 11:23:28 AM
Quandary, a haiku by maise
Am I smitten with
the real Trent or Dierdre's Trent?
Or Dierdre herself?
to guLin, a haiku by maise
Thank you for saving
this thread from crassness, decay,
and stupidity.
Posted by: maise | Jul 14, 2006 11:35:00 AM
Wait a sec, guLin...you don't want to meet him? Not even briefly? Aw, c'mon! ;)
He makes amazing music, always seems to have something interesting to say and seems to have a pretty good sense of humor in spite of all the absurdity that's been built up around him...or maybe because of it.
I'd jump at the chance, even though it would probably be a lot more awkward than I would hope, and I'd probably emerge from the encounter thinking, "Christ, I'm such an asshole!"
Although choosing not to meet him is kind of a romantic gesture too, inasmuch as it reveals a desire to not be disappointed, but I think it would be worth the risk.
Posted by: maise | Jul 14, 2006 11:47:24 AM
I Think I'll Join Maise In Haiku
by Jane, the joiner
Trent, you are the man.
You have been especially
thrilling this year. Thanks.
I think Dierdre is
a little crazy, but I
like to hope that I
might truly feel the
love like she does, one fine day.
As objects go, I
think you're worthy of
a little hopeless longing,
Sexy beast is right.
Posted by: Jane | Jul 14, 2006 11:58:37 AM
I can write haiku. it all sucks when i do
Posted by: Hannah | Jul 14, 2006 12:23:17 PM
Hannah, can you get through a single post without some typographical or grammatical foul up? Proofreading is the practice of taking a quick look over what you write before you hit "post" just to make sure it makes sense, and that, to the best of your ability, you tried to get shit right. It's SUCH a cool thing to do, even for over-sexed 14-year-olds.
Posted by: Jane | Jul 14, 2006 12:25:49 PM
poetry is the highest form of communication, my english teacher taught me. (we were reading the odyssey) he was right, however for a non-native speaker of the english language it is demanding enough to write prose that makes sense. i do enjoy reading it tough, very much.
on a side note, i do have an important idea that i would like to share with you people. tr started out as a classical pianist and later lived in new orleans for a number of years. this is all wikipedia knowledge up to so far. i ,for one and for example, would like to see classical or jazz influences in his music.
"why have a band, when you can have an orchestra? why write songs, when you can write symphonies?" i thought one day about trent reznor. i say this because he has the musical foundation and the talent. plus dedication. not even that is enough, he is diligent and disciplined. (let's face it, it doesn't seem like he has a life outside of music. that's his choice to make, or maybe not (reminder to myself: think about this. can people help if all they want to do is one thing and one thing only? like paint? or read?))
as for jazz, wouldn't it be cool to see tr perform in a jazz club? think of the atmosphere. except that he doesn't drink, but you know what, music was never about alcohol in the first place. i have my hopes too high about this.
what i am trying to say is, he can do so much more. that's why i keep tuning into nine inch nails i guess. a great potential, slowing converting itself to art and performance.
see, i did find what i like about trent reznor. all it took was a little brainstroming. you should all try. :)
with_love,
guLin
maise: the only way i could ever want to meet trent is if he needs something, like a lecture on electromagnetism. or a guide to the city. you get the idea. other than that, i can only hope that he develops healthy relationships with the people that he already knows.
because i think he already knows he makes music that people like. ("like" is general, i know some people say that nine inch nails saved their lives and all ) also i hope he likes the music that he makes, that's really more important than any of us liking it.
Posted by: guLin | Jul 14, 2006 12:33:15 PM
Hi Gulin!
I'm not sure I really want to see Trent play Jazz or Classical, because I think what he already does is so much richer... but I love the potential there is for him to all manner of beautiful work.
Thanks for commenting! It's awesome to hear from you again.
Posted by: Dierdre | Jul 14, 2006 12:43:47 PM
I read the oddesy. it was damn cool. i just didnt understand most of it.
Posted by: Hannah | Jul 14, 2006 12:47:03 PM
There's tons of great ideas in your post, guLin...thanks SO MUCH for commenting here!
A few thoughts:
First of all, if Trent wanted to bust out some Chopin or Debussy or Rachmaninoff, be my fucking guest. I would eat that shit up.
My taste in jazz tends to run more to stuff from the '30s-'50s, and I'm more into the female vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald, so I don't think there's much that Trent could do for me in this regard. When I listen to jazz, I want to feel like I'm hanging out with young Truman Capote before his alcoholic decline.
I don't generally like when rock stars decide to be all jazzy and nonoffensive, like Sting or Elvis Costello, due to the implication that rock is somehow an "immature" artform. I'll get to that more below. But I can also say that whatever genre Trent wanted to experiment with, I'd be happy to go along with him and give it a shot.
What I'm not a huge fan of is the concept that classical music or jazz are "serious" art forms, and that rock is a form of screwing around. My favorite college professor, for example, is a contemporary classical composer, but he is *passionate* about rock music and teaches classes on the history of rock. There have been some amazing artistic accomplishments in the genre of rock, and I believe that the best of Trent's work is among them. I would hate to see him abandon what he does best out of a sense that it's not "grown up" enough or out of a sense that he'd be contributing to society in a more valuable way by building bridges or whatever.
What Trent does *now* is certainly art and even with all the bombast and broken guitars, there is real beauty in his music. It is the reason that fans are so passionate about his work and have been listening to him for about 17 years now.
Dierdre is better at describing the music in poetic terms, but even in the harshest, loudest, most profane song, they are so well composed and aesthetically pleasing. Like "Closer," for example...sure everyone makes a HUGE deal out of the words "fuck you like an animal," but what I find so *compelling* about that song, even after hearing it 27,765 times is the very strange combination of sounds that he turns into a song...a song that is really cold and mechanical but also vulnerable and human. Just layers upon layers of the strangest sounds...half the time, I'm thinking, "What the hell is making that sound?" but he makes it part of a complete, organic composition. That song gets berated because of its commercial success, but it's genius in many, many ways.
Sure, Trent could be plugging away in some prestigious orchestra, but what we would lose is his individuality and his real gift for song-writing. His work *right now* has real value and purpose and that is because so many people connect with it in such a deep, important way. When you're feeling really desperate, and you hardly know how to express the pain you're in, sometimes there's just *one song* you want to hear...one song that really captures what you're going through. And you listen to that song, maybe even a few times in a row, and your heart feels lighter. You feel a little unburdened. That's why people keep saying that he's saved their lives. I mean, he could be an EMT and do that literally, but he's affected millions of people the world over in a positive way, and he has been able to do that *through* the genre of rock, which allows you to not be so formal and to be more confessional.
I wouldn't change a thing about what he's doing, but if he ever wanted to change, then more power to him.
Posted by: maise | Jul 14, 2006 12:58:40 PM
My mind is a box and anyone attempting to break into this box will be sprayed with toxic slime. Recovery from this would require the immediate shedding of the 7 layers of skin.
Posted by: Hannah | Jul 14, 2006 12:59:55 PM
oh no, i am not saying he should play all classical or all jazz. just influences. bits and pieces put together.
see that's what i trust tr for. there are thousands of classical piano players, there are thousands of jazz musicians. this guy holds the key to all, he can draw from different styles of music.
like you pointed out, the keyword is "potential"
hannah: i speak only when i am spoken to, hence i only respond to "call&response". get the idea? :) i know that dierdre,maise,jane and iris are not saving the world by talking about tr, but i sure as hell like reading it . "reading" is the keyword. ( keyword is the keyword of the day )
just let the big girls do the talking, please? please? pretty please? i am begging you. because i dont how it can be, but it actually makes me sad when discussions are hindered by your comments. i am emotionally bonded to this blog. can somebody please explain me this? is wrong to love a website?
:)
Posted by: guLin | Jul 14, 2006 1:01:28 PM
i wrote my last post without getting to read your last post maise.
as for jazz and classical being attributed to as "grown up" or generally as "stuck up", it is really a notion that i never had. i am very supportive and interested in musicians that fuse the boundaries between genres.
take for example, rob dougan. i dont know if you're familiar with him. the guy is an electronic musician, he did some of the matrix soundtrack. but altough he can generate every single sound on the computer, he gets a 126 piece orchestra in the studio. that's sort of what i am talking about.
or matthew herbert, also electronic musician. but has jazz influences all over it. not i am not saying tr should change a thing about himself, just explore more. not be afraid. be more confident. seriously, i love his music.
because i sometimes get the idea that tr kind of contrains himself to the studio with him in it, alone. he said it himself that he feels busied by just screwing around with sounds. (i am sure that dierdre can think up a lot of ways for tr to busy himself. i feel obligated not to elaborate on that, because dierdre does it best.) and that screwing around has sprouted some beautiful sounds indeed. i am just saying maybe he can try screwing it in a new way. (seriously, i dont know what that means)
i am sure and full of hope that the new record is going to be different from everything he has done, and he will make sure that it rocks and rolls at the same time.
i'm proud of him for what he has done so far, not an easy feat. especially with all the bullshit that comes along with it.
Posted by: guLin | Jul 14, 2006 1:25:06 PM
The new album will kick ass. Just like every other album that he put out.
Hi maise. I could use more advice. On anything. I dont care what. Your advice really helps.
Posted by: Hannah | Jul 14, 2006 1:29:00 PM
Oh yeah, and I'm certainly not anti-jazz or classical by any means. I'd just hate to see him give up everything he's doing now to tour the world playing other people's music or to, I don't know, tame the primal, screaming beast onstage. But there's worlds of room for experimentation, and I'm sure he knows best what would sound right. I might scoff at the man's posters, but we all know he knows what he's doing in the studio.
Posted by: maise | Jul 14, 2006 1:35:20 PM
Trent says that his new record isn't like the last one -- that it's more of a collage of sound, less a straight-ahead rock record. He also said that he's not sure if a rock band is going to be the best format for presenting it live. Also, he said that the music is mostly finished, and that now he is working on words.
Seriously, did I just wake up from a really sexy dream? I feel all spent just thinking about that new record!
guLin, I think Trent will get more experimental as time goes by. I have a feeling that he needed to resetablish his place in the order of things, and that he made a record that was honest for him at the time, and which accomplished that end, but I don't see him stopping there.
In fact, creatively, I think he moved on from it a long time ago...
Posted by: Dierdre | Jul 14, 2006 1:41:03 PM
At least he is doing well. I sometimes wonder if he is lonely? He has money but he still seems so lonely.
I like how noone cares what I have to say. It just makes me feel so welcome...
Posted by: Hannah | Jul 14, 2006 1:43:07 PM
Fuck, Dierdre. A little proof-reading wouldn't hurt you, either.
Posted by: Jane | Jul 14, 2006 1:43:41 PM
i hope with all my heart that you're right dierdre, that he will keep experimenting and that he has moved on. not that this era hasn't been GREAT, i loved it.
you know what, it is kind of like that book. you know you want to read it, it is so good. but if you read it all at once, it is going to end. do i turn the page? yes i do :) because before with_teeth it could have ended, nine inch nails might not have come back.
but this time you know there is something on the way and everybody is just ecstatic of not being afraid to turn the page.
although like you said, tr should take all the time he needs, i am not going anywhere and also there is other great music. it is all just a celebration of emotion. (this post officially ended here, with that phrase)
Posted by: guLin | Jul 14, 2006 2:12:18 PM
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