ATTICUS ROSS : 2020 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

2001: A Space Odyssey is one of my all time favorite films. Stepping into the control room at Nothing Studios at the beginning of that very year was, for me, something akin to the Stargate Sequence in the movie. This was where The Fragile was created, a record I’d obsessively listened to for the prior 18 months, it was the room I had mythologized into the spiritual home of Nine Inch Nails and the musician I most admired – Trent Reznor. Close to twenty years later I’m still obsessively listening to NIN, though from a different vantage point, and Trent remains the musician I most admire.

Nothing Studios has moved many times since 2001, and I have been lucky enough to move with it. Year after year we’ve toiled, unraveling life and music, whether that be in a fancy control room, the back of the bus, or a converted bedroom – what’s kept things exciting is the voyage of discovery. The further one sails the more there is to discover. To me that is the essence of NIN – so many bands have a formula but Nine Inch Nails is defined by not having one. An aesthetic, yes – but not a formula. From 1989 to present day every release or tour breaks down a new door. Fashion is transitory, but passion, authenticity and honesty are not.

Never one to make plans, it is with a deep sense of gratitude I look back on the last two decades – the friends I have made, the amazing bandmates I stand beside and most importantly the music. If ‘work’ is the opportunity to spend everyday doing the thing I love most with my closest friend I’m left with little to complain of (though I excel at complaining).

The Induction into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is an immense and unexpected honor. I’m incredibly thankful to all those who made it possible – everyone in the NIN galaxy, every fan who, like me, has leant on the songs to get them through, everyone at silva artist management and especially my wife and family. A crowning achievement for the band, no doubt, but not a finale. Trent shows no sign of slowing down and in the world of NIN the best may still be yet to come.

ATTICUS ROSS

ILAN RUBIN : 2020 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

The invitation to play with Nine Inch Nails is what I always see as the turning point in my life and career. The uncompromising drive, creativity, and quest for perfection were immediately evident, and I knew that this was the band for me. I’ve always been grateful to Trent and co. for having taken the chance on a then 20-year-old, and I feel an immense sense of pride looking back on the countless shows and hours spent playing the music. The songs have unquestionably stood the test of time, and bringing those pieces to life, night after night, city after city, for crowds with endless enthusiasm has been nothing but an honor. And as far as honors go, I’m proud to say I now have something in common with so many of my heroes who have been inducted into the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall Of Fame, as well. Never did I think I would reach this feat, let alone at the age of 32. I owe it to Trent Reznor, our friends and bandmates, my family, and of the course the Hall Of Fame itself. Thank you all so much.

ILAN RUBIN

CHRIS VRENNA : 2020 ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE

It’s hard for me to put into words just how much being inducted into the Rock and Roll HOF means to me. It is such an honor, and being inducted with my oldest friend makes it even more special. Life has come full circle in a way. Trent and I started this whole ride in Cleveland decades ago, and here we are back in Cleveland to be enshrined with some of the greatest artists in music history.

It’s hard to believe that NIN got its start over 30 years ago. In 1988, NIN was asked to open for Skinny Puppy on the east coast leg of the “Vivisect VI” tour. We did that tour driving up and down the coast crammed into Trent’s hatchback. It was the most exciting thing ever. I was 21 years old and had no idea what was to come.

One of my fondest memories was when we were living in the Sharon Tate house while making The Downward Spiral. We always worked hard, even though it never really felt like work. We knew something special was happening…You could just feel it. But I don’t think anyone could have predicted The Downward Spiral’s success and its longevity. We had the greatest live show on Earth, capped by our now legendary, mud-soaked Woodstock show in 1994 that we ultimately won a Grammy for.

My years with Trent and NIN are some of the best of my life, and I continue to treasure those memories. And now, those memories can live on in the Rock and Roll HOF. Thank you to every single fan…past, present, and future that continue to discover NIN. I personally appreciate all the fan support not only during my time in NIN, but for my career afterward as well. I am eternally grateful for everything we accomplished with NIN.

CHRIS VRENNA