Tapeworm (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Tapeworm


Img_capt = Tapeworm as of 2002 (left to right): Maynard James Keenan, Danny Lohner, Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor
Img_size =
Landscape =
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = USA
Genre =
Years_active = 1995–2004
Label =
Associated_acts = Nine Inch Nails
A Perfect Circle
Tool
URL =
Past_members = See below

Tapeworm is a defunct side project of Nine Inch Nails which existed in various forms from 1995 to roughly 2004. Tapeworm never released any recordings, but was frequently referenced in interviews. The band started as a side-project between Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and live-band members Danny Lohner and Charlie Clouser. Through the years the group expanded and evolved numerous times to include artists such as Maynard James Keenan, Atticus Ross, and Alan Moulder, effectively turning the project into a supergroup. After many years of rumors and expected release dates, Reznor announced the end of the project in 2004. The only Tapeworm material to be released in any form was through Keenan's project A Perfect Circle, in which the unreleased track "Vacant" was performed and eventually released as "Passive".

History

Tapeworm's genesis occurred during Nine Inch Nails recording sessions following "The Downward Spiral" tours circa 1996. While working on Nine Inch Nails material, Danny Lohner and Charlie Clouser, both Nine Inch Nails live band members, would often come up with ideas that Reznor felt did not fit in with his vision for the band. Tapeworm developed as an outlet for this material—a democratic group in which Lohner and Clouser could act as equals with Reznor, as opposed to Nine Inch Nails, in which Reznor maintained sole artistic control. [cite magazine
title = Pretty Quake Machine
first = Paul
last = Semel
journal = "Incite"
month = June | year = 2000
issue = 7] [cite magazine
title = Ninechnails
author = Mark Blackwell
publisher = "Ray Gun"
month = February | year = 1997]

As time went on, Tapeworm evolved into a supergroup, with guest musicians such as Maynard James Keenan, Page Hamilton, and Phil Anselmo recording material ostensibly to be used by the group. In 1999 Lohner reported that three tracks had been completed, and described the various materials featuring Anselmo as "heavy NIN-meets-Pantera" and "mellow Pink Floyd "The Wall"-type songs", and the material featuring Keenan as "psychedelic, groove-oriented verses and anthemic choruses." [cite journal
title = Nin, Tool and Pantera men team up in Tapeworm. But will we ever hear it?
publisher = "Kerrang!"
month = December | year = 1999]
Tommy Victor recorded material with the band as well, and later told "Rolling Stone" that the continued delays on Tapeworm contributed to his decision to take a hiatus from music, as well as accusing Reznor of giving his Tapeworm guitar contribution to Marilyn Manson. [cite news
url = http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/prong/articles/story/5937169/prong_rise_again_on_scorpio
title = Prong Rise Again on "Scorpio"
author = Kirk Miller
publisher = "Rolling Stone"
date = 2004-03-03
accessdate = 2007-05-21]

In a statement issued to MTV News, Reznor reflected on his collaborations with Keenan:

"It has been an interesting experiment for Maynard and I to peek around in each other's heads, shining flashlights in some shadowy corners…We've realized we're each in somewhat similar places in our respective lives and outlook, so it's been great to collaborate on that level."cite web
url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1456878/20020806/id_1162708.jhtml
date = 2002-08-06
title = Nine Inch Nails, Tool Frontmen Recording Together
first = Jon
last = Wiederhorn
publisher = MTV.com
accessdate = 2008-02-16]

By 2001, long-time Nine Inch Nails collaborator Alan Moulder had tracked "more than an album's worth" of demos. Moulder further described the rough tracks as "very unlike "The Fragile" and were a deviation from most Nine Inch Nails material.cite web
url = http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1439359/20010213/id_1162708.jhtml
title = NIN's Reznor Teams With Tool's Keenan For Tapeworm
first = Joe
last = D'Angelo
publisher = MTV.com
date = 2001-02-13
accessdate = 2007-08-14] By 2002, Clouser had left Nine Inch Nails and was no longer associated with Tapeworm. The group, which now consisted of Reznor, Lohner, Keenan, and Atticus Ross, booked time in a recording studio in hopes of producing an album. An official website, tapeworm.net (now offline), was created to showcase pictures from various recording sessions, including images of Josh Freese behind a drum kit.cite web
url = http://www.tapeworm.net/06.html
archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20020802232006/www.tapeworm.net/06.html
accessdate = 2008-02-16
archivedate = 2002-08-02
title = tapeworm
publisher = Tapeworm]

In September 2003, Lohner told "Kerrang!" magazine that the album was "ready to mix" but had been held up by legal issues stemming from conflicts between Reznor and Keenan's record labels. [cite web
title = NINE INCH NAILS' DANNY LOHNER Comments On TAPEWORM Project
publisher = "Kerrang!"
date = 2003-09-27
url = http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=15526
accessdate = 2008-02-16] The Tapeworm material was reported numerous times as completion neared, most notably by MTV News and "Kerrang!", and was slated to be released on Reznor's Nothing Records label. Initial recording sessions for the band were staged in the Nothing Studios in New Orleans, though were later reported as being moved to Southern Tracks Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.

In 2004, Reznor announced that Tapeworm was "dead for the foreseeable future", citing label issues, Keenan's A Perfect Circle obligations, and Reznor's own waning enthusiasm for the project. Reznor summarized the project's demise by saying "the bottom line is this: if the music had been great, all of this probably could have been worked out."cite web
url = http://www.nin.com/access/5_08_04/index.asp
title = Nine Inch Nails: Access
author = Trent Reznor
publisher = Nine Inch Nails
date = 2004-05-08
accessdate = 2007-05-21
archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070718105114/http://www.nin.com/access/5_08_04/index.asp
archivedate = 2007-06-18] It is unknown whether any of the Tapeworm recordings will ever be released.

Contributors

Musicians who have been cited as recording material for Tapeworm, in alphabetical order.
*Phil Anselmo (Pantera/Down/Superjoint Ritual/Christ Inversion/Viking Crown)
*Charlie Clouser (Nine Inch Nails)
*Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle /The Vandals/Nine Inch Nails/Guns N' Roses/Ashes Divide)
*Toni Halliday (Curve) [cite journal
title = No Toni on Tapeworm
publisher = Curve.com Q&A
date = 2002-08-01]
*Page Hamilton (Helmet)
*Maynard James Keenan (Tool/A Perfect Circle/Puscifer)
*Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails/A Perfect Circle/Black Light Burns/Skrew)
*Alan Moulder (producer) [cite web
url = http://www.theninhotline.net/news/archives/backissue/02/8#1030134058
title = Tapeworm sessions 8/21/2002
publisher = The NIN Hotline
date = 2002-08-23
accessdate = 2007-08-14]
*Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails)
*Atticus Ross (12 Rounds/Error)
*Tommy Victor (Prong/Danzig)

"Vacant"

"Vacant" is the only publicly-performed song to be attributed to the Tapeworm project. It was initially written by Lohner and re-arranged by Clouser, with lyrics and melody by Keenan and chorus and backing vocals by Reznor. The song was first performed live by A Perfect Circle throughout their 2001 tour. Reznor was apparently not happy that Keenan performed the song: "I have to admit I find it mildly irritating for "Vacant" to debut in this fashion before feeling it has been properly realized," Reznor said in a post on the Nine Inch Nails official website. Nonetheless, a remake of the track appeared in a revised form on A Perfect Circle's 2004 cover album "eMOTIVe" under the title "Passive".cite web
title = A Perfect Circle – eMOTIVe
publisher = Sputnik Music
date = 2005-07-26
url = http://www.sputnikmusic.com/album.php?albumid=1021
accessdate = 2007-11-11]

References

External links

* [http://www.nin.com/ nin.com] − official Nine Inch Nails website
* [http://www.aperfectcircle.com/ A Perfect Circle.com] – official A Perfect Circle website