The December 1995 interview with Trent Reznor was very insightful and detailed. I appreciate your magazine's continuous coverage of this misunderstood yet talented artist, and it is quite refreshing to read a Nine Inch Nails article which focuses mainly on music. Following the tradition of genre-stretching and convention-defying keyboard players such as Herbie Hancock and Thomas Dolby, Reznor has undoubtedly helped influence many up-and-coming musicians, and his contributions to the music world cannot be overlooked.

In general, kudos to Keyboard for providing a diverse palette of artists (although I would like more diversity in general) who bring their musical and creative philosophies into the foray. Although I may strongly disagree with some of their motives, find their music unappealing, or despise the way they present their thoughts, I usually find that I can learn something from these artists, whether they are working in the field of industrial, academic, avant-garde, hip-hop, jazz, or whatever. Even when I don't agree with an artist's musical direction or motivation, I like to find out what each artist and style has to offer. This is why I enjoy reading Keyboard. To those who are going to spend the next several issues complaining about Reznor's use of profanity in his interviews: fornicate you. I am personally sick of reading inane drivel about how Keyboard shouldn't interview an artist because of the language she or he chooses to utilize. That is utter bovine defecation. If you don't like the way the artists express themselves, then you have two options. Don't read the article, plain and simple. No one is forcing you to read Keyboard. Better yet, start your own maternal-fornicating music publication! I'm sure that there is an untapped market for pretentiously puritanical, lexiconically holier-than-thou keyboard players who easily get offended by the use of a few Anglo-Saxon four-letter words.

Personally, I am more offended by the musically regressive attitudes of some musicians featured in Keyboard than by Reznor's use of foul language, and I'd rather see more visionary artists who stretch the envelope featured in the magazine, instead of accomplished regurgitators of traditional musical styles. But keyboardists and electronic artists come from all walks of life, and that's what makes today's state of music interesting.

Thanks again for the excellent Trent Reznor article, and please keep up the coverage of innovative artists and music technology.

M.C. Death
(via Internet)

(Editor's note: M.C. Death is a notorious a.m.nin synth geek. This letter actually was published, in part, in the March 1996 issue of Keyboard. They left out the parts about fornicating, though, so we're publishing it in its entirety because we like that kind of stuff. -- KT)

hope and vaseline -- hnv@nin.net