Behind the scenes of the pictures that made history.
The ’90s were a weird time. After Nirvana kicked the door wide open with Nevermind, the rock & roll scene changed fast: suddenly, underground artists were riding a wave of mainstream media visibility and disruptive festivals like Lollapalooza started popping up. So, how better to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original Woodstock than by launching a reboot?
It was August ’94, a three-day festival, two of which were rainy. The entire area was covered in mud, earning the event the nickname Mudstock. There were 350,000 spectators, and Nine Inch Nails were part of the lineup.
Trent Reznor (the voice and mind behind NIN), not at all convinced by what seemed like a foolish event, agreed to perform at the festival only because the hefty sum offered could fund the band’s upcoming tour. Grabbing the chance to rake in a large amount of money in one go, Reznor hoped the show would fly under the radar, leaving the band’s reputation intact. But the story took a different turn. Reznor had drastically underestimated the impact Woodstock would have on NIN’s visibility.
That night, Joseph Cultice, the NIN photographer (who would follow them throughout The Downward Spiral era), had a wild idea while tripping on mushrooms. He suggested the band dive into a mud pit and hit the stage covered in mud, saying the photos would turn out amazing. Since NIN was known for its destructive energy, Cultice’s idea led to a wild wrestling match backstage just minutes before they went on.
Instead of flying under the radar, Nine Inch Nails’ appearance at Woodstock burned itself into the public’s consciousness almost instantly. Covered head to toe in mud, they presented a dramatic image that still holds its allure. Just like in 1969, heavy rains had turned the Woodstock ’94 grounds into a giant mud bath. When NIN hit the North Stage on the second night with mud crusted on their faces and bodies, they looked like demonic figures – perfectly matching the dark, hostile tone of the music they were about to unleash on the crowd.
Trent looked at me like, “Fucking Cultice, what are you doing?” This was the biggest show of their lives.
Joseph Cultice
It was all cool until the mud, which was in their eyes, hands, and mouths, started to dry and cause problems for the band and their instruments, which occasionally stopped working. None of this was really thought through. Trent looked at Cultice like, “Fucking Cultice, what are you doing?” It was the biggest show of their lives. They were stressed, freezing, and covered in mud. Their equipment wasn’t working. It could have easily ended Cultice’s career as a photographer. Instead, his idea made this NIN performance iconic.
The stage was enveloped in fog, with the riff of “Pinion” in the background, starting to slow down, sounding increasingly mechanized, insistent, and menacing. An atmosphere of terror pervaded the scene. The moment built towards an exquisitely prolonged climax. (More bands should create this level of feverish anticipation). Then, at just the right moment, the five figures emerged from the fog, and Reznor himself uncurled his body in a way that resembled zombies rising from the grave, before launching into “Terrible Lie.”
NIN are making a huge racket, they’re frustrated and smashing things (as they always do). Despite all that, their performance will go down in history, stealing the spotlight from bands like Metallica.
The anguish—and especially the vulnerability—in Reznor’s voice is real. Just like Robin Finck’s (guitar) ability to translate some of the non-tonal, industrial noise from NIN recordings into creative guitar riffs. Covered in mud up to their eyes, they put on a show that kicks ass. Among the songs, there’s “Happiness in Slavery,” from their secretly recorded EP “Broken.” This performance will win a Grammy. Totally normal for the era it happened in.
The buzz of the ’90s and what remains 30 years later.
A performance like that today would raise both eyebrows and probably get sued for inciting violence. The thing is, NIN’s brand of unrestrained, openly violent negativity, misanthropy, and self-hatred was perfectly in tune with the times.
Throughout the ’90s, bands like Nine Inch Nails were mainstream. Erotic and aggressive, yet revealing their vulnerability through turbulently sung lyrics. Anger, frustration, and the revolutionary act that came from it were raw and genuine, coloring the entire decade and giving us musical masterpieces. Festivals were a cathartic act for both bands and audiences, lived in the moment, and remembered for a lifetime.
Thirty years later, today’s music scene is sadly heading towards forced theatrical acts, where music has become just a sound to support these appearances. The need for approval and the resulting chase for followers has distorted the original motivation for creating. Music, one of the strongest means of communication, has lost its power, turning into an act of Instagrammable self-indulgence.
Blessed were the analog years.
Back to Woodstock ’94, this event could, and maybe should, be in history books as a testament to the cultural evolution and the buzz of the ’90s. Watch it like a documentary because music, which has always been a socially accepted means of protest, goes hand in hand with the historical period it happens in, revealing the dreams, frustrations, and fears of society at that time.
