Nine Inch Nails Bootlegs

Nine Inch Nails: Purest Feeling

Format: CD
Catalog: hawk026
Produced: Hawk Records
Date: November, 1988
Cover:
* Front: Three small pictures of Trent singing adorn the front cover with the title in small letters printed below them.
* Booklet: The booklet is fourpages long, the center spread being a larger version of one of the pictures on the cover. The back page of the booklet has a picture of Trent Reznor with Richard Patrick (NIN's old live guitarist, now Filter).
* Back: The back of the case is completely orange with a track listing in black printing at the bottom and the name.
* CD: The CD is all orange with black lettering reading 'nine inch nails: purest feeling'
Sources: Studio Recordings

Tracks:
1. Intro         2:23
2. Sanctified         5:39
3. Maybe Just Once     5:10
4. The Only Time     5:12
5. Kinda I Want To     5:02
6. That's What I Get     4:19
7. Purest Feeling     2:59
8. Ringfinger         5:54 [Twist]
9. Down In It         6:17
    Total: 42:58

Quality:
* Sup+

Comments:
* Recorded at "the right track studios" - cleveland, ohio. november 1988.

These are the studio demos for Pretty Hate Machine (halo 2). They appear to have been mastered off of the original DAT tapes used for recording in the studio.
This is a studio recording, with live vocals, and drums. Excellent quality, highly recommended. I'm pretty sure it's just a studio recording, like a trial run, of their concert from the time.
It has the only known studio recordings of "Maybe Just Once", "Purest Feeling", and "Intro to Sanctified". It has a version of "Twist" on it, labeled as "Ringfinger" in the liner notes. The version of "Kinda I Want To" is the very 80's euro pop sounding version. The whole album has a very 80's electronic-pop sound to it.
The vocals in the version of "The Only Time" on it make it sound like he really is drunk.
Excellent quality, full stereo seperation. Very highly recommended to hear where Trent was coming from when he made Pretty Hate Machine. No audience noise, as there wasn't an audience.

Another review, by individual Tracks:
1. A cool instrumental, with a Sanctified-like sound.
2. A little diffrent from the version on PHM . This one sounds creepier. The samples from Midnight Express are replaced with: "Get in there and give it a try, go ahead give it a try right now, doesn't that feel good? There, now you're ready get in there and get the job done. Life is good life is terrific, thank you God for another wonderful day!". Anyone know what this comes from?
3. I like this song a lot. It has a strong 80's synthpop feel to, which can be good when done right (Ministy's 'With Sympathy' did it dead wrong).
4. Like 3, this one has a strong synthpop sound to it, which I like. I wish they had released this version instead of that tribal crap.
5. In this one Trent actually sounds drunk. It sounds more 80's-ish than the released version, but is still very simular.
6. This is about the same as PHM, but a little more rough.
7. This song sounds pretty bad. Parts of it are sort of cool, though. And the lyrics are great ("she could be a savior, with everything she does, or some kind of punishment, for people just like us").
8. Sounds a lot like PHM only with diffrent lyrics. It also loses the Jane's Addiction sample.
9. This is a strange mix, less hip-hopish with more industrial, a real cool sample at the beginning (a scream). It still retains the original flavour of the original version.
    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: Demos And Remixes

Format: CD
Catalog: BMCD13
Produced: Blue Moon Records
Date: 1988-1992
Cover:
* Front: The front cover has a promotional picture of Trent Reznor with the title in the lower left corner and the NIN emblem in a small rectangular box.
* Booklet: The booklet is four pages, the center spread is a collection of live and promotional photographs of Trent Reznor. The last page is a collection of all of the pictures in smaller form with the track listing printed in the middle with some notes at the bottom.
* Back: This is the same as page 4 of the booklet.
* CD: The CD has a random orange design on it with NIN in the Sin style font.
Sources: Studio Recordings

Tracks:
1. Down In It         4:35
2. Sanctified         5:44
3. Kinda I Want To         4:43
4. Twist (Version)         4:47
5. Down In It (Big Whole Mix)     4:08
6. Suck (Live)         5:25
7. Supernaut (Original)     6:29
8. Down In It (Demo)     4:01
9. Head (Version) Flood Mix     5:50
10. Sin (DJ Edit)         3:30
11. Head Like A Hole (Go-Go Mix)     5:24
12. Wish (DJ Edit)         3:59
13. Suck (Demo)         3:49
14. Down In It (Skin Mix)     3:55
    Total: 66:31

Quality:
* Sup

Comments:
* Tracks 1-5: studio demos from 1988
* Track 6: live
* Track 7: original version
* Tracks 6 and 7 are from Suck (halo 0)
* Tracks 8-14: various promotional mixes

This is a collection of rare demos/remixes. This bootleg is AWESOME. It has unreleased remixes. Unfortunately, only the 2nd print of it is being manufactured nowadays. The 2nd print is just a little bit... hissy, at the silent parts of the CD. Other than that, it's worth getting if you see it.

Track by Track Breakdown
1. Down In It -- This cool version of DII has the traditional DII intro, then breaks into a version of the song similar to that on Head Like A Hole (halo 3) (demo version).
2. Sanctified -- A happy-ish version of Sanctified. It has this cool beat for the whole thing not in the Pretty Hate Machine (halo2) version (similar to the one on Purest Feeling).
3. Kinda I Want To -- The silliest version of this (or any NIN) song. Think of it as a Depeche Mode song with Trent on vocals (similar to the one on Purest Feeling).
4. Twist (Version) -- Different version of Twist (similar to the one on Purest Feeling).
5. Down In It (Big Whole Mix) -- DII mostly whispered over a hi-hat, and a spacey feel to it.
6. Suck (Live) -- Soundboard recording of "Suck" live at Lollapalooza (Same as Suck (halo 0)).
7. Supernaut (Original) -- The original "Supernaut": very hard. (Same as Suck (halo 0)).
8. Down In It (Demo) -- Same as the demo version as on Head Like A Hole (halo 3).
9. Head Like A Hole (Version) (Flood Mix) -- This one was called "You Know Who You Are" On Head Like A Hole (halo 3). It is all instrumental.
10. Sin (DJ Edit) -- From a vinyl LP. Sounds like a mix of Sin from Sin (halo 4). Not actually on it, and not significantly different than any other version. Slightly different beginning and the middle bridge is a bit shorter.
11. Head Like A Hole (Go-Go Mix) -- From a vinyl LP. A hip-hop version of Head Like A Hole. This is the infamous "Opal Mix" from the import version of Head Like A Hole (halo 3). It is somewhat upbeat, and has the "You Know Who You Are" at the end of the song. The "Head like a hole, black as your soul" bridges are muffled (intentionally).
12. Wish (DJ Edit) -- From a Vinyl LP. Same as Wish from Broken (halo 5) with 3 differences: "Now there's nothing more Fauled up I can do", "I'm the one with this big hiding hole", and "Gotta listen to your big time, hard line, bad luck ------". This is the UK Promo version.
13. Suck (Demo) -- This is the Pigface version. Minimalistic, with just a drum as backup.
14. Down In It (Skin Mix) -- This is directly from Down In It (halo 1). It has a riff from Terrible Lie fade out at the end.
    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: Solid Gold Hell

Format: CD
Catalog: CM 012
Produced: Cocomelos Records
Date:
* September 1, 1991 (Rotterdam, Holland)
* July 12, 1991 (New Orleans, LA)
Cover:
* Front: This cover has a promotional picture of Trent Reznor looking up at the camera. The titles are in the middle of the bottom of the cover.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: ?
* CD: The disc has a picture of Trent singing into a microphone, the whole thing bathed in a blueish light. The same NIN as the cover is on the left hand side, complete with copyright information and whatnot.
Sources: Soundboard/Audience

Tracks:
1. Down In It             3:52
2. Sin                  4:07
3. Get Down Make Love              2:49
4. Head Like A Hole              6:00
5. Terrible Lie [Now I'm Nothing/Terrible Lie]     7:01
6. Sin                  4:13
7. Physical                  4:58
8. The Only Time                  5:20
9. Suck                  5:19
10. That's What I Get              4:26
11. Wish                  4:02
12. Get Down Make Love              3:18
13. Ringfinger              6:01
14. Down In It              3:36
15. Head Like A Hole              6:28
            Total: 71:32

Quality:
* VG-

Comments:
* Tracks 1-4: recorded live in Vienna, 1991 [Rotterdam, Holland 09/01/91]
* Tracks 5-15: recorded live in New Orleans, LA, 07/12/91

This is the same show as Slaves, but with four extra songs at the beginning from September '91 and it also includes the "Now I'm Nothing" intro to Terrible Lie.
The first four songs are from a Holland Radio Interview broadcast the day after the concert in Rotterdam, Holland. They are mislabelled on the cover as being in Vienna. However, they are soundboard recordings of these songs, and they are mixed very well on this CD, and are of excellent quality.

    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: When The Whip Comes Down

Format: CD
Catalog: KTS 343
Produced: Kiss The Stone Records
Date: August 13, 1994 (Saugerties, NY)
Cover:
* Front: The front depicts a blurry Trent Reznor singing at Woodstock. The titles are printed across the bottom of it.
* Booklet: The booklet opens up to depict a wide picture of the entire live band playing, along with names and instruments. There is a written blurb about the show on the back of the booklet. Under the tray is a blurry picture of Trent superimposed on a very faint picture of the cover.
* Back: The back has a track listing along with yet another live picture of the band.
* CD: The CD has the same picture as the tray picture, with the titles printed across the bottom half of it.
Sources: Soundboard

Tracks:

1. Terrible Lie            7:15
2. Sin                 4:16
3. March Of The Pigs         3:52
4. Something I Can Never Have     6:37
5. Closer         6:14
6. Reptile         4:01
7. Wish         3:39
8. Suck         4:31
9. Burn         5:11
10. The Only Time         5:23
11. Down In It         5:09
12. Dead Souls         5:42
13. Help Me I Am In Hell     2:57
14. Happiness In Slavery     5:28
15. Head Like A Hole         5:30
    Total: 75:45

Quality:
* Ex+

Comments:

Probably the best live recording around. It is a soundboard quality recording from the "Woodstock Fest" (as it says), but unlike Mud Pigs, this one is in stereo. It makes a huge difference. It does have its drawbacks though. There were sound problems at Woodstock, and you can hear them here. Sometimes, instruments even cut out. The sound quality of this recording is vastly superior to Mud Pigs.
It should be noted, however, that although it does have the full "March of the Pigs", which Mud Pigs does not, It has edited down versions of Pinion (2:20 as opposed to Mud Pigs' 4:00) and most of Reptile (3 minutes worth) has been removed. It starts right after Mud Pigs' "give it.." line.
Even with its minute problems, it is very highly recommended.

    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: Children Of The Night

Format: CD
Catalog: KTS 498
Produced: Kiss The Stone Records
Date: October 8, 1995 (Raleigh, NC)
Cover:
* Front: The cover is of Trent Reznor leaning towards the mike and singing, facing the left hand edge. The titles are in blurry letters running across the middle of the cover.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: ?
* CD: ?
Sources: Soundboard

Tracks:
1. Terrible Lie              4.12
2. March Of The Pigs         3.49
3. The Becoming              4.57
4. Sanctified             7.09
5. Piggy                  4.25
6. Burn                  4.55
7. Closer                 6.25
8. Wish                  3.41
9. Broken Machine [Gave Up]     4.34
10. Down In It              4.12
11. Eraser             4.03
12. Scary Monsters         5.22
13. Reptile             6.25
14. Hurt                  5.55
Total: 70:40

Quality:
* Sup

Comments:
* Tracks 12-14 are with David Bowie.
* This CD is also available in the KTS set entitled 'Inside '95' which contains 'Inside: David Bowie' which is a double CD containing the David Bowie portion of the show and 'Inside: Children Of The Night' which is this release.

This boot has been referred as the closest thing to an official NIN live album.
A VERY NICE soundboard recording from the Outside 1995 Bowie tour. The only audible audience noise is at the beginning and the end. The live songs have much, much, much more put into it, and it almost sounds like you're listening to one of the official NIN releases (the music at least).
The last song, Hurt, is _very_ different. It has a looping guitar/whatever melody playing, with other sounds from the original Hurt melody, and Bowie begins singing, with Trent singing not long after.
Trent doesn't make those "extra comments" a whole lot. In fact, the only thing he says to the audience is "fuck you!" in March of the Pigs

    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: A Thousand Pleasures

Format: CD
Catalog:
Produced:
Date: October 11, 1994 (Los Angeles, CA)
Cover:
* Front: The cover of this is the left hand side of Trent Reznor's face. The titles are along the right hand edge of the cover.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: ?
* CD: ?
Sources: Audience Recording/Studio Recordings

Tracks:
Disc 1:
1. Mr. Self Destruct     6:15
2. Sin     4:14
3. March Of The Pigs 3:56
4. Piggy     5:23
5. Reptile     5:57
6. Gave Up     4:35
7. Happiness In Slavery 7:43
8. Eraser     4:32
9. Hurt     5:02
10. The Downward Spiral 3:32
11. Wish     3:38
12. Suck     3:38
13. Ruiner     5:05
14. Down In It     4:17
15. Head Like A Hole 5:31

Disc 2:
16. Closer     6:32
17. Dead Souls 7:00
18. I Do Not Want This 6:11
19. Something I Can Never Have 7:02
20. Intro     2:23
21. Sanctified     5:39
22. Maybe Just Once 5:10
23. The Only Time     5:12
24. Kinda I Want To     5:02
25. That's What I Get     4:19
26. Purest Feeling     2:59
27. Ringfinger [Twist]    5:54
28. Down In It     6:17
Total: 137:01

Quality:
* VG-

Comments:
* Tracks 1-19 are live from Los Angeles
* Tracks 20-28 are the Purest Feeling tracks.

This title is nice because it lets you compare their more current performance style to Trent's original. Part one was recorded October 11th, 1994 at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles.
Part two was recorded in November 1988 at the Right Track (Trent original Demos). This is straight from the mixboard tapes and comes in super-stereo. There are definite left and right tracks (Extremely rare in imports) and makes it sound GREAT!!

The sound quality on this one is average. The stereo image shifts all around a bit. It gets annoying, but since this is the only CD boot (that i know of) of the second leg of the tour, it is dealable. It sounds like it is being played back form a tapedeck with dolby(tm) noise reduction turned on, without the recording being encoded for it. (It is muffled when it gets quiet. My guess is that this was done to quiet down the crowd noise. It worked, but a bit too well. The beginning of Eraser is almost inaudible. And Hurt is hard to hear. Bass definition is a bit messy. It's about on par with Coming Down Fast. Audience noise is usally fairly low. Every once in a while you can hear someone talking. There is a loud feedback whine for about 2 second in Ruiner... In the beginning of "Head Like a Hole", he mumbles "Ohhh.... ohhh.... Annie..... Annie....". and in the beginning of "Piggy" he says in a very meek voice, "I'm stuck, somebody help me."

    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: Hellraisers

Format: CD
Catalog:
Produced:
Date:
* November 13, 1994 (Columbus, OH)
* December 9, 1994 (New York, NY)
Cover:
* Front: This cover is heavily based on bright yellows. A NIN logo is in the center of the top edge, and the titles are along the bottom edge. A picture of Trent singing in a bright yellow light dominates the center of the cover.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: ?
* CD: ?
Sources: Audience Recording

Tracks:
1. Pinion/Mr. Self Destruct
2. Sin
3. March Of The Pigs
4. Piggy
5. Happiness In Slavery
6. Eraser
7. Hurt
8. The Downward Spiral
9. Wish
10. Suck
11. Ruiner
12. Down In It
13. Head Like A Hole
14. Reptile
15. Gave Up
Total: 75:54

Quality:
* Ex

Comments:
* Tracks 1-13: recorded live at the Convention Center in Columbus, OH, 11/13/94
* Tracks 14-15: recorded live at Madison Square Gardens in New York City, NY, 12/9/94

This is a great show, with excellent sound quality.
After March Of The Pigs, Trent gives a two minute warning about the chairs on the floor.

    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: Coming Down Fast

Format: CD
Catalog: KTS 303
Produced: Kiss The Stone Records
Date: May 5, 1994 (Atlanta, GA)
Cover:
* Front: The cover is a promotional picture of Trent Reznor in a black outfit standing in the shadows. He is facing upwards. The titles are printed across the middle of the cover.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: The back photo is of some sort of sphere with a number of wires coming out of it in all directions. The track listing is given down the left hand side.
* CD: The image on the CD is Trent's face bathed in a yellowish light. The titles are written across the bottom of it.
Sources: Audience Recording

Tracks:

1. Terrible Lie 5:16
2. Sin 4:13
3. March of the Pigs 3:55
4. Something I Could Never Have 6:19
5. Closer 6:29
6. Reptile 6:04
7. Wish 3:38
8. Suck 4:22
9. The Only Time 5:14
10. Get Down Make Love 3:26
11. Down In It 4:23
12. Big Man With a Gun 2:23
13. Head Like a Hole 7:13
14. Dead Souls 7:04
15. Help Me I Am In Hell 2:45
16. Happiness in Slavery 6:35
Total: 79:22

Xref: * Atlanta, GA

Quality: * VG+

Comments:

This disc is rumoured to actually be a show from New Orleans, LA rather than Atlanta, GA.

A very good recording. Supplimental material is also very good. The quality is quite good for an audience. It does have a full set, including all of the encore. Clarity of the sound is a bit above average, although bass is a tad undefined and messy.

Audience noise is decent. You can hear particular people.

    _________________________________________________________________


Nine Inch Nails: Nails In My Head

Format: CD
Catalog:
Produced: World Flashback Productions
Date: December 31, 1994 (Auburn Hills, MI)
Cover:
* Front: This cover has a picture of a rag doll at the bottom and a fuzzy NIN at the top with the titles right below it.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: ?
* CD: ?
Sources: Soundboard

Tracks:

1. Sin 4:14
2. March Of The Pigs 3:48
3. Piggy 4:44
4. Reptile 5:55
5. Gave Up 4:22
6. Happiness In Slavery 7:08
7. Erasure 4:19 [Eraser]
8. Hurt 4:40
9. A Warm Place 3:19 [The Downward Spiral]
10. Wish 3:36
11. Suck 4:04
12. Ruiner 9:19 [Ruiner/Down In It]
13. Head Like A Hole 4:50
14. Closer 5:43
Total: 63:01

Xref: * None

Quality: * Ex+

Comments:

* This is misdated as 11/4/94

Another recording from Flashback Worldproductions, and a damn fine recording too (not as good as Crossed Nails though). Lots of bass, but not an overdose-distorting amount, make this another must-have.

Something was edited out between Head Like A Hole and Closer. The only bug/error on this recording is in Closer at the end of the last few verses, there is a loud 'THUMP' which you have to be prepared for.

This is a very loud recording and it has one of the best live recordings of The Downward Spiral.

_________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: Crossed Nails

Format: CD
Catalog: 05.94.0232
Produced: World Flashback Productions
Date: April 21, 1994 (Portland, OR)
Cover:
* Front: The cover of this is made up of the title with what could be small nails sticking out of the edges. 'nine inch nails' is written along the bottom edge.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: ?
* CD: ?
Sources: ?

Tracks:

1. Pinion/Terrible Lie 6:43
2. Sin 4:24
3. March of the Pigs 3:52
4. Something I Can Never Have 5:59
5. Closer 5:54
6. Reptile 7:04
7. Wish 3:38
8. Suck 4:04
9. The Only Time 5:32
10. Get Down Make Love 2:19
11. Down In It 5:29
12. Big Man With a Gun 2:15
13. Head Like a Hole 7:05
Total: 64:25

Xref: * Sympathy For The Evil

Quality: * Sup

Comments:

Crossed Nails has very clear sound quality to it, although sometimes distorted. It is one of the best non-soundboard bootlegs out there, but it is not worth buying if you're looking for something new (ie its first few songs playlist are the same first songs they played at Woodstock... almost in the same order... ya know?) The concert isn't that long either.

Probably the best live audience recording of NIN. Excellent clarity, excellent bass definition. There is no encore on the disc though. It seems as if Trent was not happy about the audience's participation, or lack thereof.

Some lines he said:

In the end of "March Of The Pigs", he changes the line "now they can all sleep soundly", to "Now all of you people can just suck my dick", and he makes it fit in perfectly.

In the beginning of "Suck", he gives an explanation for the song: "This song is about wrapping your dick in a fly strip, and fucking a cow up the ass with it"

In "Sin", "Why don't you people just fucking sit down?"

Audience noise is very very low. the Audience sounds like a whole. Hard to pick out particular people.

Very highly recommended. It is not as good as When The Whip Comes Down, which is soundboard quality.

    _________________________________________________________________

Nine Inch Nails: March Of The Devil

Format: CD
Catalog:
Produced: Razor Blade
Date: November 24, 1994 (Tampa, FL)
Cover:
* Front: This cover has a stretched picture of the live band on it with the titles in the upper left corner in red and white.
* Booklet: ?
* Back: ?
* CD: ?
Sources: Soundboard

Tracks:

1. Pinion 2:36
2. Mr. Self Destruct 3:40
3. Sin 4:20
4. March Of The Pigs 3:58
5. Piggy 4:59
6. Reptile 6:25
7. Gave Up 4:27
8. Happiness In Slavery 6:22
9. Eraser/Hurt/The Downward Spiral 8:45
10. Wish 3:39
11. Suck 4:15
12. The Only Time 5:20
13. Down In It 4:30
14. Head Like A Hole 5:38
15. Closer 6:02
Total: 75:03

Xref: * None

Quality: * Ex-