Countdown to Year Zero - Page 2

Cringer · 04-08-2007, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

I hadn't really spent much time on the web sites until recently. To be honest, the Year Zero storyline combines too things I'm not a fan of -- science fiction and anti-government parnoia. But I have to say that the quality of the storytelling here is pretty solid. Some of the sites are really well-written.

See, both of those are things I can get into. Science fiction big time, and resistence to a big-brother type government. I agree, the writing seems to have been given more then just a few minutes thought, and that is what got me interested even more.

Hopefully whoever is behind the quality of the website will help make sure a movie is of high quality, too. Good idea/story doesn't always mean a good movie.

Maple Leafs · 04-09-2007, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cringer

I agree, the writing seems to have been given more then just a few minutes thought, and that is what got me interested even more.

The one with the kid's journal (posted by his grandfather) was really kind of depressing.

No idea if they'll actually do a movie, if they do my guess is it's an extended online clip of some sort as opposed to an actual full length theatre release.

Maple Leafs · 04-12-2007, 09:26 AM

A big wall mural showed up in LA, which lead to the discovery of this depressing but very creative site:
http://onecountryatatime.net

(Each page has one hidden link, just use tab to find it.)

Ksyrup · 04-16-2007, 07:05 AM

Got this from another board:

"so i got a promo of this in the mail on Friday... the actual cd has a heat sensitive label on it, tha is brown with just "year zero" in white at the bottom, but when you touch it or hold it, it almost immediately starts to turn white and reveals some text underneath the brown, and then if you leave it be it turns back to brown."

Maple Leafs · 04-16-2007, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

"so i got a promo of this in the mail on Friday... the actual cd has a heat sensitive label on it, tha is brown with just "year zero" in white at the bottom, but when you touch it or hold it, it almost immediately starts to turn white and reveals some text underneath the brown, and then if you leave it be it turns back to brown."

Neat. That would explain the reports of people claiming the CD looks different right after it's played.

People received e-mails telling them to find a van at an intersection in LA. When they got there they were given kits with various materials (stencils, stickers, etc). But some of the kits also had a cell phone, with instructions to wait for a call about a "meeting" on Wednesday. Rumor is it could be an unadvertised concert.

Edit: Another new site... http://www.freerebelart.net. Try entering your name and phone number.

JetsIn06 · 04-23-2007, 01:09 AM

I don't think this was brought up before. This whole marketing campaign was created by 4orty2wo Entertainment, who were behing the whole I Love Bees campaign for Halo 2.

Trent basically created this world and 42, along with himself, designed the whole viral marketing campaign.

As for Year Zero, I really like the album as a whole.

Maple Leafs · 04-30-2007, 07:55 PM

It seems that "act one" of the game has wrapped up with the discovery of a site that summarizes everything found up until now:
http://exhibit24.net/default.htm

Side note, there's a page on that site that lists everyone who's been active on the two major NIN forums in regards to the game. On one forum my name is there, and I'm one of only a dozen people out of over 3,000 who is listed as having been executed.

Personally, I think SkyDog went crazy with the banstick. That's just my theory.

Ksyrup · 05-23-2007, 03:59 PM

NINE INCH NAILS Frontman Says His Record Company Is Run By 'Thieves' - May 22, 2007

Australia's Herald Sun recently conducted an interview with NINE INCH NAILS mainman Trent Reznor. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

Herald Sun: It must be an odd time then to have a new album, "Year Zero", out?

Trent: It's a very odd time to be a musician on a major label, because there's so much resentment towards the record industry that it's hard to position yourself in a place with the fans where you don't look like a greedy asshole. But at the same time, when our record came out I was disappointed at the number of people that actually bought it. If this had been 10 years ago I would think "Well, not that many people are into it. OK, that kinda sucks. Yeah I could point fingers but the blame would be with me, maybe I'm not relevant." But on this record, I know people have it and I know it's on everybody's iPods, but the climate is such that people don't buy it because it's easier to steal it.

Herald Sun: You're a bit of a computer geek. You must have been there, too?

Trent: Oh, I understand that — I steal music too, I'm not gonna say I don't. But it's tough not to resent people for doing it when you're the guy making the music that would like to reap a benefit from that. On the other hand, you got record labels that are doing everything they can to piss people off and rip them off. I created a little issue down here because the first thing I did when I got to Sydney is I walk into HMV, the week the record's out, and I see it on the rack with a bunch of other releases. And every release I see: $21.99, $22.99, $24.99. And ours doesn't have a sticker on it. I look close and "Oh, it's $34.99." So I walk over to see our live DVD "Beside You in Time", and I see that it's also priced six, seven, eight dollars more than every other disc on there. And I can't figure out why that would be.

Herald Sun: Did you have a word to anyone?

Trent: Well, in Brisbane I end up meeting and greeting some record label people, who are pleasant enough, and one of them is a sales guy, so I say "Why is this the case?" He goes "Because your packaging is a lot more expensive". I know how much the packaging costs — it costs me, not them, it costs me 83 cents more to have a CD with the colour-changing ink on it. I'm taking the hit on that, not them. So I said "Well, it doesn't cost $10 more." "Ah, well, you're right, it doesn't. Basically it's because we know you've got a core audience that's gonna buy whatever we put out, so we can charge more for that. It's the pop stuff we have to discount to get people to buy it. True fans will pay whatever." And I just said "That's the most insulting thing I've heard. I've garnered a core audience that you feel it's OK to rip off? F--- you." That's also why you don't see any label people here, 'cos I said "F--- you people. Stay out of my f---ing show. If you wanna come, pay the ticket like anyone else. F--- you guys." They're thieves. I don't blame people for stealing music if this is the kind of s--- that they pull off.

Herald Sun: Where does that extra $10 on your album go?

Trent: That money's not going into my pocket, I can promise you that. It's just these guys who have f---ed themselves out of a job essentially, that now take it out on ripping off the public. I've got a battle where I'm trying to put out quality material that matters and I've got fans that feel it's their right to steal it and I've got a company that's so bureaucratic and clumsy and ignorant and behind the times they don't know what to do, so they rip the people off.

Herald Sun: Given all that, do you have any idea how to approach the release of your next album?

Trent: I have one record left that I owe a major label, then I will never be seen in a situation like this again. If I could do what I want right now, I would put out my next album, you could download it from my site at as high a bit-rate as you want, pay $4 through PayPal. Come see the show and buy a T-shirt if you like it. I would put out a nicely packaged merchandise piece, if you want to own a physical thing. And it would come out the day that it's done in the studio, not this "Let's wait three months" bulls---.

Herald Sun: When your U.S. label, Interscope, discovered the web-based alternate reality game (ARG) you'd built around "Year Zero", were they happy for the free marketing or angry you hadn't let them in on it?

Trent: I chose to do this on my own, at great financial expense to myself, because I knew they wouldn't understand what it is, for one. And secondly, I didn't want it coming from a place of marketing, I wanted it coming from a place that was pure to the project. It's a way to present the story and the backdrop, something I would be excited to find as a fan. I knew the minute I talked to someone at the record label about it, they would be looking at it in terms of "How can we tie this in with a mobile provider?" That's what they do. If something lent itself to that, OK, I'm not opposed to the idea of not losing a lot of money (laughs). But it would only be if it made sense. I've had to position myself as the irrational, stubborn, crazy artist. At the end of the day, I'm not out to sabotage my career, but quality matters, and integrity matters. Jumping through any hoop or taking advantage of any desperate situation that comes up just to sell a product is harmful. It is.

Herald Sun: Is the "Year Zero" ARG something labels will copy now?

Trent: Well, their response, when they saw that it did catch on like wildfire, was "Look how smart we are the way we marketed this record". That's the feedback I've gotten -- other artists who've met with that label ask 'em about it: "Yeah, you like what we did for Trent? Look what we did for Trent." They've then gone on to try to buy the company that did it to apply it to all their other acts. So, glad I could help them out. I'm sure they still don't understand what it is that we did or why it worked. But I will look forward to the BLACK EYED PEAS ARG, that should be amazing.

Ksyrup · 05-23-2007, 04:02 PM

I don't like his music much any more, but damn if he isn't spot-on in this interview.

st.cronin · 05-23-2007, 04:11 PM

He's always been full of hate. I'm sure he's awful to work with for all parties when things are going well.

Passacaglia · 05-23-2007, 04:38 PM

I do think it's awesome that he called them out when they said that they have to discount pop music, but his music can sell for more.

Maple Leafs · 05-23-2007, 04:42 PM

Interesting to hear that he did the ARG stuff on his own. I didn't know that.

By the way, the ARG stuff is on hiatus right now -- basically there was an "act one" that wrapped up with the discovery of a summary site, along with this very well-writren but depressing site that feels a lot like a final chapter: http://hourofarrival.net/ (use CTRL+A to be able to read it clearly).

Based on his comments, I wonder if it's coming back or if he'll just let it end this way.

CamEdwards · 05-23-2007, 05:15 PM

Well that was a fucking depressing website. The hand couldn't have handed him an ice cream cone or something?

Maple Leafs · 05-24-2007, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CamEdwards

Well that was a fucking depressing website. The hand couldn't have handed him an ice cream cone or something?

Maybe it did. That could be why it ends that way... because hey, who has time for typing when there's free ice cream?

Passacaglia · 05-24-2007, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maple Leafs

Interesting to hear that he did the ARG stuff on his own. I didn't know that.

By the way, the ARG stuff is on hiatus right now -- basically there was an "act one" that wrapped up with the discovery of a summary site, along with this very well-writren but depressing site that feels a lot like a final chapter: http://hourofarrival.net/ (use CTRL+A to be able to read it clearly).

Based on his comments, I wonder if it's coming back or if he'll just let it end this way.

He said something about his label trying to buy the company that did the ARG, so I figure he didn't do it on his own.

Maple Leafs · 05-24-2007, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Passacaglia

He said something about his label trying to buy the company that did the ARG, so I figure he didn't do it on his own.

Well, the ARG itself is done by Level 42, the same company that did the Halo one a few years ago. I meant that he did it in the sense that it was his idea and he paid for it, rather than having everything go through the label.

JetsIn06 · 11-05-2008, 09:09 PM

Update:

Supposedly, TR is working with HBO to do some kind of YZ Series. I'm definitely hoping it works out.

Also, I'm working on a research paper right now for school for an independent marketing study class. My paper is about ARG's, but mostly this one.

04-12-2007, 09:26 AM	#53
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	A big wall mural showed up in LA, which lead to the discovery of this depressing but very creative site: http://onecountryatatime.net (Each page has one hidden link, just use tab to find it.) __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis

04-16-2007, 07:05 AM	#54
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	Got this from another board: "so i got a promo of this in the mail on Friday... the actual cd has a heat sensitive label on it, tha is brown with just "year zero" in white at the bottom, but when you touch it or hold it, it almost immediately starts to turn white and reveals some text underneath the brown, and then if you leave it be it turns back to brown." __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

04-30-2007, 07:55 PM	#57
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	It seems that "act one" of the game has wrapped up with the discovery of a site that summarizes everything found up until now: http://exhibit24.net/default.htm Side note, there's a page on that site that lists everyone who's been active on the two major NIN forums in regards to the game. On one forum my name is there, and I'm one of only a dozen people out of over 3,000 who is listed as having been executed. Personally, I think SkyDog went crazy with the banstick. That's just my theory. __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis

05-23-2007, 03:59 PM	#58
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	NINE INCH NAILS Frontman Says His Record Company Is Run By 'Thieves' - May 22, 2007 Australia's Herald Sun recently conducted an interview with NINE INCH NAILS mainman Trent Reznor. A few excerpts from the chat follow: Herald Sun: It must be an odd time then to have a new album, "Year Zero", out? Trent: It's a very odd time to be a musician on a major label, because there's so much resentment towards the record industry that it's hard to position yourself in a place with the fans where you don't look like a greedy asshole. But at the same time, when our record came out I was disappointed at the number of people that actually bought it. If this had been 10 years ago I would think "Well, not that many people are into it. OK, that kinda sucks. Yeah I could point fingers but the blame would be with me, maybe I'm not relevant." But on this record, I know people have it and I know it's on everybody's iPods, but the climate is such that people don't buy it because it's easier to steal it. Herald Sun: You're a bit of a computer geek. You must have been there, too? Trent: Oh, I understand that — I steal music too, I'm not gonna say I don't. But it's tough not to resent people for doing it when you're the guy making the music that would like to reap a benefit from that. On the other hand, you got record labels that are doing everything they can to piss people off and rip them off. I created a little issue down here because the first thing I did when I got to Sydney is I walk into HMV, the week the record's out, and I see it on the rack with a bunch of other releases. And every release I see: $21.99, $22.99, $24.99. And ours doesn't have a sticker on it. I look close and "Oh, it's $34.99." So I walk over to see our live DVD "Beside You in Time", and I see that it's also priced six, seven, eight dollars more than every other disc on there. And I can't figure out why that would be. Herald Sun: Did you have a word to anyone? Trent: Well, in Brisbane I end up meeting and greeting some record label people, who are pleasant enough, and one of them is a sales guy, so I say "Why is this the case?" He goes "Because your packaging is a lot more expensive". I know how much the packaging costs — it costs me, not them, it costs me 83 cents more to have a CD with the colour-changing ink on it. I'm taking the hit on that, not them. So I said "Well, it doesn't cost $10 more." "Ah, well, you're right, it doesn't. Basically it's because we know you've got a core audience that's gonna buy whatever we put out, so we can charge more for that. It's the pop stuff we have to discount to get people to buy it. True fans will pay whatever." And I just said "That's the most insulting thing I've heard. I've garnered a core audience that you feel it's OK to rip off? F--- you." That's also why you don't see any label people here, 'cos I said "F--- you people. Stay out of my f---ing show. If you wanna come, pay the ticket like anyone else. F--- you guys." They're thieves. I don't blame people for stealing music if this is the kind of s--- that they pull off. Herald Sun: Where does that extra $10 on your album go? Trent: That money's not going into my pocket, I can promise you that. It's just these guys who have f---ed themselves out of a job essentially, that now take it out on ripping off the public. I've got a battle where I'm trying to put out quality material that matters and I've got fans that feel it's their right to steal it and I've got a company that's so bureaucratic and clumsy and ignorant and behind the times they don't know what to do, so they rip the people off. Herald Sun: Given all that, do you have any idea how to approach the release of your next album? Trent: I have one record left that I owe a major label, then I will never be seen in a situation like this again. If I could do what I want right now, I would put out my next album, you could download it from my site at as high a bit-rate as you want, pay $4 through PayPal. Come see the show and buy a T-shirt if you like it. I would put out a nicely packaged merchandise piece, if you want to own a physical thing. And it would come out the day that it's done in the studio, not this "Let's wait three months" bulls---. Herald Sun: When your U.S. label, Interscope, discovered the web-based alternate reality game (ARG) you'd built around "Year Zero", were they happy for the free marketing or angry you hadn't let them in on it? Trent: I chose to do this on my own, at great financial expense to myself, because I knew they wouldn't understand what it is, for one. And secondly, I didn't want it coming from a place of marketing, I wanted it coming from a place that was pure to the project. It's a way to present the story and the backdrop, something I would be excited to find as a fan. I knew the minute I talked to someone at the record label about it, they would be looking at it in terms of "How can we tie this in with a mobile provider?" That's what they do. If something lent itself to that, OK, I'm not opposed to the idea of not losing a lot of money (laughs). But it would only be if it made sense. I've had to position myself as the irrational, stubborn, crazy artist. At the end of the day, I'm not out to sabotage my career, but quality matters, and integrity matters. Jumping through any hoop or taking advantage of any desperate situation that comes up just to sell a product is harmful. It is. Herald Sun: Is the "Year Zero" ARG something labels will copy now? Trent: Well, their response, when they saw that it did catch on like wildfire, was "Look how smart we are the way we marketed this record". That's the feedback I've gotten -- other artists who've met with that label ask 'em about it: "Yeah, you like what we did for Trent? Look what we did for Trent." They've then gone on to try to buy the company that did it to apply it to all their other acts. So, glad I could help them out. I'm sure they still don't understand what it is that we did or why it worked. But I will look forward to the BLACK EYED PEAS ARG, that should be amazing. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

05-23-2007, 04:02 PM	#59
Ksyrup This guy has posted so much, his fingers are about to fall off. Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: In Absentia	I don't like his music much any more, but damn if he isn't spot-on in this interview. __________________ M's pitcher Miguel Batista: "Now, I feel like I've had everything. I've talked pitching with Sandy Koufax, had Kenny G play for me. Maybe if I could have an interview with God, then I'd be served. I'd be complete."

04-23-2007, 01:09 AM	#56
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	I don't think this was brought up before. This whole marketing campaign was created by 4orty2wo Entertainment, who were behing the whole I Love Bees campaign for Halo 2. Trent basically created this world and 42, along with himself, designed the whole viral marketing campaign. As for Year Zero, I really like the album as a whole.

05-23-2007, 04:11 PM	#60
st.cronin General Manager Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: New Mexico	He's always been full of hate. I'm sure he's awful to work with for all parties when things are going well. __________________ co-commish: bb-bbcf.net knives out

05-23-2007, 04:38 PM	#61
Passacaglia Coordinator Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Big Ten Country	I do think it's awesome that he called them out when they said that they have to discount pop music, but his music can sell for more.

05-23-2007, 04:42 PM	#62
Maple Leafs Coordinator Join Date: Jan 2002	Interesting to hear that he did the ARG stuff on his own. I didn't know that. By the way, the ARG stuff is on hiatus right now -- basically there was an "act one" that wrapped up with the discovery of a summary site, along with this very well-writren but depressing site that feels a lot like a final chapter: http://hourofarrival.net/ (use CTRL+A to be able to read it clearly). Based on his comments, I wonder if it's coming back or if he'll just let it end this way. __________________ Down Goes Brown: Toronto Maple Leafs Humor and Analysis Last edited by Maple Leafs : 05-23-2007 at 04:44 PM.

05-23-2007, 05:15 PM	#63
CamEdwards Stadium Announcer Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Burke, VA	Well that was a fucking depressing website. The hand couldn't have handed him an ice cream cone or something? __________________ I don't want the world. I just want your half.

11-05-2008, 09:09 PM	#67
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	Update: Supposedly, TR is working with HBO to do some kind of YZ Series. I'm definitely hoping it works out. Also, I'm working on a research paper right now for school for an independent marketing study class. My paper is about ARG's, but mostly this one. Last edited by JetsIn06 : 11-05-2008 at 09:10 PM.

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