Broken

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Broken

EP by Nine Inch Nails
Released	September 22, 1992
Recorded	March to August 1992 at Hell, New Orleans; Royal Recorders, Lake Geneva; South Beach Studios, Miami Beach; Village Recorder & A&M, Los Angeles; Pig, Beverly Hills
Genre	Alternative rock Industrial rock
Length	31:32
Label	TVT Records / Nothing Records
Producer(s)	Trent Reznor, Flood
All Music Guide link
Nine Inch Nails chronology
Pretty Hate Machine (1989)	Broken (1992)	Fixed (1992)

Broken (also known as Halo 5) is an EP by Nine Inch Nails released in 1992. Broken is the fifth official Nine Inch Nails release. Although it is an EP, it is usually considered to be the band's second major release after Pretty Hate Machine since it consists entirely of new material. It was followed later in 1992 by Fixed, a companion EP of remixes of the songs on Broken.

1 Inspiration: Conflict with TVT Records
2 Audio texture and themes
3 Releases
4 Videos
5 Press sheet
6 Charts and awards
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Inspiration: Conflict with TVT Records

Released in autumn 1992 on the heels of a major disagreement between Trent Reznor and his label, TVT Records, Broken was a major departure from Pretty Hate Machine. Trent Reznor said that during the long, arduous tour for his debut album, the songs became more aggressive when played by a band, compared to the process of studio recording. The stage often turned violent as a result of everyone releasing pent-up frustration and anger on their instruments. Thus, Broken sounds a lot more abrasive with the increased prominence of distorted guitars.

The influence of Reznor's conflict with his former label is evident in multiple aspects of the album. After a long list of credits, the packaging reads, "no thanks: you know who you fucking are" followed by "the slave thinks he is released from bondage only to find a stronger set of chains." These comments are likely directed towards TVT Records' Steve Gottlieb, who refused to let Reznor out of his contract, sparking legal battles between the two parties. At the beginning of "Physical (You're So)", Reznor whispers, "eat your heart out, Steve." In a music video for "Gave Up", a computer monitor reads "fuck you steve".^[1]

[edit] Audio texture and themes

On this EP, there are louder mixes and more distortion on every instrument, including a classic Mellotron MKIV (originally owned by John Lennon), which can be heard most particularly on the track "Gave Up". The lyrics are less of a departure; for the most part the themes involve angst, control and dependency struggles. Reznor said he wanted the album to be "an ultra-fast chunk of death" for the listener, something that would "make your ears a little scratchy".^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Releases

TVT Records / Interscope Records / Atlantic Records 7 92213-2 - CD
TVT Records / Interscope Records INTD-92213 - CD Re-release

[edit] Track listing

"Pinion" – 1:02
"Wish" – 3:46
"Last" – 4:44
"Help Me I Am in Hell" – 1:56
"Happiness in Slavery" – 5:21
"Gave Up" – 4:08

"Physical" – 5:29
"Suck" – 5:07

[edit] Bonus tracks

Broken was originally packaged in a fold-out digipak, containing the six tracks on a regular CD and an additional three-inch mini CD with the two remaining songs ("Physical" and "Suck"). After Reznor discovered that some unscrupulous record store owners were removing the mini CD and selling it separately, Broken was re-released as one CD, with the bonus songs "hidden" on tracks 98 and 99, respectively, with tracks 7-97 each containing a second of silence (three seconds per track on the UK release).

"Physical" is a cover of the Adam & the Ants song "Physical (You're So)", originally released on the Kings of the Wild Frontier LP. In 1995, Nine Inch Nails performed "Physical" live with Adam Ant for two nights in a row. After Trent introduced Adam Ant and Marco Pirroni on the second night, Adam Ant proclaimed to the audience, "It's nice to be on stage with the best fucking band in the world."

"Suck" was written by Pigface, whose ever-changing lineup once included Reznor. The slower, sparser, radically different original version appeared a year earlier on Pigface's Gub album. Live, Pigface usually plays a version similar to Broken's, as evidenced by the super-group's various live recordings ("Welcome to Mexico, Asshole," "Glitch," etc.). However, their interpretation emphasizes the bass, de-emphasizes keyboards and computer effects, and lacks Reznor's "I am so dirty on the inside" break down. Moreover, Pigface's chorus consists of screaming "How does it feel? Suck! Suck! Suck!," whereas, on Broken, the word"suck" is shouted only near the end of the song, as something of a crescendo.

[edit] Personnel

Martin Atkins - Drums
Trent Reznor - Keyboards, Programming, Producer
Chris Vrenna - Drums, Programming, Beats, Artist

[edit] Videos

The mainstream music video for "Gave Up", as shown on Closure, features a young Marilyn Manson playing guitar, appearing sans makeup and eye contacts. This was filmed before Reznor signed Manson to Nothing Records.

The controversial Broken movie was made for the first 6 tracks (minus "Last"). It features the "Happiness in Slavery" music video, as well as the videos for "Pinion", "Wish", "Help Me I Am In Hell". There is also an alternate and more gruesome version of "Gave Up" at the very end, depicting a man being flogged, blowtorched, castrated with a razor and cut up with a chainsaw. The camera work in this video is similar to that of a snuff film, and it is widely regarded as drastically more violent than even the "Happiness in Slavery" music video.

[edit] Press sheet

The press sheet released for Broken had a note from Reznor on it. The note reads as follows, with the original formatting preserved:

Broken was secretly recorded from March to August 1992 in a variety of locations

without the permission of
the record label
to ensure it could fester without Divine Intervention
now They just leave me alone and let me do what I want

Broken was a hard recording to make
Broken is an ugly record made during an ugly time in my life
Broken marks phase three of nine inch nails: the becoming
I am starting to realize what this is all about
and I don't like it

Flood started out producing but I ended up
I'm not sure why

maybe I am what everybody seems to think I am♠

nine inch nails is still not a real band with real people playing real instruments
there will be no touring for Broken

I am starting work on my new full-length recording – The Downward Spiral – which I
hope will be finished the beginning of 1993

some will come along for the ride, some won't

Trent Reznor, 1992

[edit] Charts and awards

[edit] Album

Year	Chart	Position
1992	The Billboard 200	7

[edit] Singles

Year	Song	Chart	Position
1992	"Happiness in Slavery"	Modern Rock Tracks	13
1993	"Wish"	Modern Rock Tracks	25

[edit] Grammy Awards

The track "Wish", which includes the lyric "fist fuck", won the 1993 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. Reznor later joked that his epitaph should read: "REZNOR: Died. Said 'fist fuck' and won a Grammy."^{[citation needed]}