Future-thinking, technology-embracing Nine Inch Nails leader Trent Reznor--who left Interscope Records in 2007 and now independently releases music using technologies like BitTorrent--recently further delved into the digital age by creating a new, GPS-enabled iPhone app that allows fans to interact with each other at concerts in real time. It's a pretty cool tool for NIN diehards, sort of like a NIN-specialized Twitter.
But the new update of the NIN app seems to have downward-spiraled, so to speak, as it has been rejected by Apple due to "obscene, pornographic, offensive, or defamatory content."
Trent just posted this bummer news on Twitter, saying: "Apple rejects the NIN iPhone update because it contains objectionable content. The objectionable content referenced is [the NIN album] The Downward Spiral."
Trent also discussed the controversy on the Nine Inch Nails website, likening the situation to one NIN dealt with previously:
"I'll voice the same issue I had with Wal-Mart years ago, which is a matter of consistency and hypocrisy. Wal-Mart went on a rampage years ago insisting all music they carry be censored of all profanity and 'clean' versions be made for them to carry. Bands (including Nirvana) tripped over themselves editing out words, changing album art, etc to meet Wal-Mart's standards of decency--because Wal-Mart sells a lot of records. NIN refused, and you'll notice a pretty empty NIN section at any Wal-Mart. My reasoning was this: I can understand if you want the moral posturing of not having any "indecent" material for sale--but you could literally turn around 180 degrees from where the NIN record would be and purchase the film 'Scarface' completely uncensored, or buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto where you can be rewarded for beating up prostitutes. How does that make sense?"
Seems like the iPhone has become a pretty hate machine for Trent.
