12 Things Only Nine Inch Nails Fans Would Understand

4. Pretty Hate Machine & The FBI Connection

If you're going to go the whole anti-establishment route, the classic "middle finger to the law" rock 'n' roll thing, it's important to annoy the police and extended systems of authority as often and as vigorously as possible. Reznor was off to a flying start then, sending the Chicago Police Department and eventually the FBI on a wild goose chase for over a year as they tried to solve a murder case that never happened. Granted, Trent was wholly unaware of the affair at the time, but we'll just pretend it was an elaborate scheme to annoy the boys in blue. The Down In It mystery has become a favourite campfire story for NIN fans. For anyone who has just joined us, let's recap: Trent and co. were hacking together a music video for the first single from Nine Inch Nails' debut synth-fest, Pretty Hate Machine. For a closing shot, the ingenious crew had a Super-8 camera tied to a couple of helium balloons with an escape fantasy - the balloons promptly drifted off, only to land some 200 miles down the road in a field. To cut a long story short, when the camera was turned in to the authorities it was found to contain what looked like a cheap 'n nasty snuff film of some pasty chap lying dead in the back streets of Chicago. Queue the police department flipping out, the FBI being roped in and, a year later, Trent having a chuckle at their expense when the story eventually reached his ivory tower. It all smacks of a shameless marketing ploy, and we would be skeptical had Reznor pounced on the story as it happened. Instead, we'll just file this one under "NIN anecdotes to tell our grandchildren".