#Russell mills
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Hard to believe Nine Inch Nails' classic The Downward Spiral is 30 years old today! Here is some detail photography I took of the original album cover painting by Russell Mills for the 10th anniversary deluxe edition release, which I had the unique honor of designing, and somehow that is now 20 year old.
Everyone has that one album that hit at just the right moment of adolescence to change their perspective on music and get them through their teenage angst. The Downward Spiral was that album for me, released as it was in 1994, when I was a freshman in high school (and an absolute banner year for music/films/games all around). I must have stared at the artwork for hours over those years, without even much detail to draw from on its tiny 5” CD slip case. So five years later, when I found myself inexplicably working for Nine Inch Nails, it was surreal to see the actual original painting in the flesh, hanging as it was at the time in Trent Reznor’s office at Nothing Studios, New Orleans.
I was struck by how much dimension and texture there was in the artwork that never translated on that tiny slipcase printing, how much detail was happening in the physical materials of the art: Flies, moths, wires, blood… I had been staring at this “painting” for so long, yet suddenly it was like I had never seen it before. I also noticed that it had aged - the wires had wilted over the years, drooping down from their original position as captured in the original album cover (interestingly, judging by the photo posted today by NIN, the piece has since been restored); a tooth was missing from the other main piece.
That experience stuck with me and it was the first thing I thought about when the task of re-imagining the album package fell upon me in 2004. I wanted to re-photograph the artwork, subtly updating the cover to show that ten years had changed it physically, much like our perceptions of art and music and memories change over time with perspective. I also wanted to dig into the previously unseen details of the work and explore it with my macro lens, so that fans like me, old and new, could have new layers of texture to pore over for hours while listening to a legendary album.
Happy birthday, old friend.
#nine inch nails#the downward spiral#nin#trent reznor#90s nostalgia#90s music#industrial#rob sheridan#Russell mills#photography#album art#album design
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Further Down The Spiral (1995)
#old magazines#90s#music#nin#coil#aphex twin#rick rubin#nine inch nails#nothing records#trent reznor#russell mills#the downward spiral#1995#hologram parade#robin finck#danny lohner#chris vrenna#charlie clouser#dave navarro#new musical express#further down the spiral
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According to Russell Mills, who created the artwork, a live album was also planned as a companion to Closure and artwork was made for it, but the idea was scrapped.
enjoy it
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The Downward Spiral (1994)
#behind the scenes#music#art#album art#90s#russell mills#nin#trent reznor#nine inch nails#the downward spiral
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album art by Russell Mills (b. 1952)
#russell mills#nine inch nails#hesitation marks#the downward spiral#japan band#david sylvian#brian eno#roger eno#hugo largo#harold budd#yazoo#ambient music#industrial#synth pop#.ph
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“Spending too much time looking backwards feels dangerous to me, but this day on the calendar caught my attention. Has it really been that long, old friend? I just spent an hour listening to this time capsule of what 28 year old me had to say, and it still excites me and breaks my heart. Be kind to yourselves. Hope to see you soon." TR 3.8.24
Trent Reznor posted this on Instagram to commemorate the 30th anniversary of The Downward Spiral. He is pictured with the album cover designed by Russell Mills titled "Wound".
Nine Inch Nails | Instagram
#the downward spiral#nine inch nails#nin#trent reznor#russell mills#wound#tds era#industrial rock#goths of tumblr#goth aesthetic#90's music#90's rock#1994#90's alternative
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Russell Mills
Wound, 1994
Crystal Teeth, 1994
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ANYA TAYLOR-JOY ▸ 2022 Filmography:
▸Peaky Blinders
▸The Menu
▸Amsterdam
▸The Northman
#anya taylor joy#peaky blinders#the menu#amsterdam#the northman#film#tv#olga of the birch forest#libby voze#margot mills#gina gray#gif by ria#tw flashing#david o russell#robert eggers
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Hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Hesitation Marks, the last NIN album I worked on. The great Russell Mills (who did the iconic artwork for The Downward Spiral) returned to create new paintings for this album. I took macro photographs of the paintings in the same way I did for the 10th anniversary deluxe package of The Downward Spiral, finding little moments in all the incredible details and textures of Russell’s massive physical pieces.
I wrote an extensive breakdown of the album's art and design process on my Patreon. It covers a lot of topics: Working with Russell Mills, channeling NIN design decisions of the past, the typography of The Downward Spiral, the concept behind the minimal NIN logo, David Carson and the design philosophies of what isn't shown, photographing Russell's artwork, and spending months living in "a surreal, claustrophobic warehouse of dead things and old blood."
Below are some of my photography from the interior package, alternate cover and single designs, and a couple photos of original printer proofs from the production of the album.
#rob sheridan#nine inch nails#nin#hesitation marks#the downward spiral#trent reznor#russell mills#album design#design#photography#macro photography
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march of the pigs (1994)
halo seven: uk limited edition 9″ vinyl
I admired this act of quiet, non-violent subversion and felt it to be a relevant metaphor for the 5 track single March of the Pigs. The work is made of plaster, acrylics, oils, gold leaf, metal and smoked rose petals on a wooden panel - Russell Mills
#album art#music#1994#march of the pigs#hologram parade#the downward spiral#nin#90s#vinyl#records#russell mills#nine inch nails
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Another beautiful work scrapped for TDS, called: "Liquid History" was made towards possible use on the Nine Inch Nails' seminal Downward Spiral release of 1994.
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The Downward Spiral (1994)
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Just a little Ed thot I had 🤭
Smut below!
Imagine sitting on Ed’s lap while his back Is against the couch, and you’re watching a movie. It’s late, and both of you are just enjoying the warmth of your bodies so close together.
You start to squirm when a more sexual scene appears on TV, making Edward chuckle. “Honey calm down, just stay still.” The remark makes you slow your movements and you try your hardest to still.
Your squirming must have been a bit too much, as a stiff warmth makes itself at home on your ass. You turn your head, making a sarcastic look of surprise, and he gives you a playful swat. “Hun, you know it’s your fault with all that damn squirming. I could feel you fucking clenching around nothing all over my lap baby.” His crude, bold remark makes your brain go feral.
His hand creeps down your flimsy sleep-shorts, dragging them to the side. “Oh honey, such a damn mess already. Just from sitting on my lap?”
His fingers slide under the band of your panties, making way to your pulsating warmth. Two of his large, calloused fingers enter you as your head leans back onto his shoulder.
He keeps a steady slow pace, fingers penetrating you so deeply, it feels as though you could cry. Your whimpers and moans are music to his ears, as he hums lowly, his lips tracing your neck with sloppy open-mouth kisses.
You feel so close, your hips bucking forward while Edward holds you down. “Finish for me baby, come on. You’re doing so well, so good for me my love.” Praise spills out of his mouth sending you over the edge.
With your mouth agape, a choked cry emits as warmth surrounds your body. Edwards finger slow, and his hands surround your body.
“Shh, it’s okay. You did so well honey, so well.” Your chests heaving slows, as you lay yourself on his warm chest, letting him lull you to sleep.
Requests are open <3 ty for reading!
#ethan hawke#ethan hawke x reader#ethan hawke smut#edward dalton#edward dalton x reader#Edward dalton smut#the grabber#the grabber smut#daybreakers#jolly the pimp#arthur harrow#arthur harrow smut#arthur harrow x reader#russell millings#james sandin#ellison oswalt#smut
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