SANTA MONICA, California — Trent Reznor spent much of the six years since The Fragile recovering from a near-fatal heroin overdose and recording With Teeth, but he also found time to collaborate with other rock icons.
For the most part, however, the fruits of his labor have yet to surface — and may never.
The exception is "We Want It All," a Zack de la Rocha solo track produced by Reznor that appeared on last year's Songs and Artists That Inspired Fahrenheit 9/11. As for what will happen with the other 19 or so tracks the two worked on together, Reznor has no idea (nor did De la Rocha's spokesperson).
"We got together for a number of sessions in New Orleans just working on some material that, personally, I thought turned out excellent," Reznor said in a recent interview to promote With Teeth (see "New Nine Inch Nails LP Takes Risks — By Being Accessible"). "Over time, I think it was a matter of Zack not knowing what direction to go. I know the feeling of fear. He's in a difficult position of leaving one of the best bands of the '90s, and he wants to make an important statement when he makes it. And he will when he gets around to making it."
Reznor had never met De la Rocha when got a call from the former Rage Against the Machine vocalist, but the two are friends now. "I liked Zack right off the bat. We hit it off," Reznor said.
While the De la Rocha material is out of Reznor's hands, he has more control over Tapeworm, his collaboration with Tool/ A Perfect Circle singer Maynard James Keenan (see "Nine Inch Nails, Tool Frontmen Recording Together"). But with this project, he's the one who's unsure.
"It just didn't seem like it was that great to me," Reznor said of the project that also featured multi-instrumentalist Atticus Ross of 12 Rounds and one-time NIN bassist Danny Lohner. "At the end of the day I figure, if we are going to work together, it's got to be the greatest thing ever. It didn't feel like that to me.
"Plus I was starting to work on my thing and [Keenan] was on tour. It just got complicated and seemed like one not to pursue. It was pretty good, but I wouldn't put a record out of my own that I thought was 'pretty good.' "
Keenan once angered Reznor by performing a Tapeworm song during an A Perfect Circle show, but the Nine Inch Nails singer insists there's no bad blood between them. "I like him a lot and I really think he's the best vocalist out there today and a good friend," he said.
Reznor, who produced Marilyn Manson's Antichrist Superstar and also produced several shelved tracks for Ian Astbury before the Cult singer joined the Doors of the 21st Century, has lost his interest in producing other artists in recent years, mostly because he finds few bands inspiring.
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