Cash gave NIN confidence

Country icon's cover of Hurt got With Teeth off the ground

04 May 05 - Trent Reznor says the Johnny Cash cover of Hurt gave him the confidence to make the current Nine Inch Nails record.

With Teeth has been a long time in the making. It's the bands first studio album since 1999's The Fragile, and Reznor says he spent the intervening years getting fit and sober.

And he says Cash's version of Hurt came along at just the right moment:

"It hit me at a time when I was about to start writing my album and I was feeling insecure and I was questioning my whole role in things, and didn't know if I had anything to say or any validity.

"I couldn't believe how powerful that track had become juxtaposed into his life."
Trent Reznor

"Somehow when that came up, the recognition it garnered, y'know as a songwriter - which was nice as a change - really felt like a warm hug."

Although he admits it took him a while to come round to Cash's version:

"I heard it and I didn't quite get it.

"It felt invasive a little bit, felt like it was my song - y'know that was a real personal song of mine - it felt funny hearing his big voice on it.

"And then shortly thereafter I got the video on the mail, and that's really when it really hit home, that knocked me over.

"I couldn't believe how powerful that track had become juxtaposed into his life."

With Teeth is released this week, and the band return to the UK for a sold out tour in July.


Lucy O'Doherty