MovieChat Forums > Helter Skelter (2004) Discussion > Nine Inch Nails/The New House

Nine Inch Nails/The New House


I just wanted to say that I never listened to the Nine Inch Nails album "Downward Spiral" (which was recorded in the Tate house right before they tore it down). I finally saw the album and read some of the lyrics and I was appalled! (Ok, I know I sound like an old fuddy-duddy). There are songs on the album called "Piggy", etc. which I think is a total disrespect and for some reason, it makes me sick to my stomach. And the lead singer claims he had "no idea he was staying in the Tate House" when he was there--yeah, whatever. I don't understand how people can glorify the act of a murder--I'd like to see how they could handle it if they or one of their loved ones had something like that happen to them (though I would NEVER wish anything like that on anyone--just my anger talking).

I have a good friend who is from Los Feliz and lived not too far from the LaBianca house. She said she remembers going down into Benedict Canyon and seeing the Tate House sitting up on the mountain. She said it was creepy--no one wanted to live there and it sat for many years in an "eery silence". Does anyone know if the new house that's built on the site has occupants yet? Just curious.

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I think it's cool that they recorded the album there. Some artists get more inspiration that way then just recording it in a regular studio. I don't really see it as "glorifying" the murders.

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I can appreciate that, it just seemed that some of the songs made references to the murders--probably just me.

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[deleted]

It isn't just you. Most people have no idea what Nine Inch Nails is about, nor do they know any of the thoughts or feelings of the vocalist (Trent Reznor). The song Piggy has absolutely nothing to do with the Manson Murders. People should read the lyrics, do some research on the band, do something before you present their one sided, ingorant arguments. It might seem like he was talking about something like a "pig" or a policeman, but, as a fan of the band and himself as an artist who has done extensive research on his lyrics, it's something compeltely secretive and private that he chooses not to share with anyone. He covers it all up by presenting a negative image of authoritive figures.

And how are you presenting this just now? The Downward Spiral was recorded YEARS ago - in the mid 90's. He's changed in amazing amounts since then.

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"It's not on... nothing's on... it's off." - Stan's dad

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UMmm.. they recorded a song called "piggy" and what was found sprawled on the front door in Sharon's blood?(Pig) You don't think thats glorifying the murders?
How could anyone walk in that house and not get nauseous

just thinking about what happened. wow. i never could thank God. they tore it down.

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I read the interview you're talking about and Trent said that once he thought about what Debra said, he agreed with her. He also said that the house had a vibe of sadness to it.

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[deleted]

It may be wrong, but I liked the old house--the ranch style, the swimming pool, and the landscaping was beautiful. The new house is monstrous and overwhelming.

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[deleted]


The Downward Spiral is a concept album about every aspect of ones life falling apart. I don't think any of the songs are related to the Tate thing since the murders don't have anything to do with the story the album tells. He might have got the Pig referance from the Tate murders but the songs arn't about that.

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[deleted]

I keep hearing reports that the new house remains unoccupied more than a dozen years after it was built. This is even though the asking price has been reduced several times. I don't really think it's because of the notoriety of the property since the original house is gone and the surroundings look different now but because of the sheer size of the place. It's at least three times bigger than the original house.

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"While I was working on Downward Spiral, I was living in the house where Sharon Tate was killed. Then one day I met her sister. It was a random thing, just a brief encounter. And she said: 'Are you exploiting my sister's death by living in her house? 'For the first time, the whole thing kind of slapped me in the face. I said, 'No, it's just sort of my own interest in American folklore. I'm in this place where a weird part of history occurred. 'I guess it never really struck me before, but it did then. She lost her sister from a senseless, ignorant situation that I don't want to support. When she was talking to me, I realized for the first time, 'What if it was my sister?' I thought, *beep* Charlie Manson. 'I went home and cried that night. It made me see there's another side to things, you know?"
-Trent Reznor

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You know, with all due respect to the Tate family, I think that Patti Tate's actions in approaching Trent Reznor were completely out of line. Firstly, that house wasn't even Sharon's; it was being leased by her and Polanski. They lived there for what...a minute? What if someone else were to move in? Would it be alright for Patti to approach THEM and ask them the same question? Hell no!
Secondly, Patti sure had a hell of a lot to say about Leslie Van Houten in every interview where she was given the chance. Newsflash: Van Houten wasn't even present at the Tate murder; she was back at the ranch BABYSITTING. Whatever she did at the LaBianca home has NOTHING to do with Patti. If Patti had a beef with any of Charlie's girls, it should've been Krenwinkle and Atkins.
Don't get me wrong, I admire the Tate family for the amazing work they have done over the years on behalf of victims rights, and I am extremely sorry that they have lost Patti to breast cancer.

And I don't think there's anything wrong with preferring the original house. Sharon Tate loved that house, as did Candice Bergen. It was a beautiful property and it's incredibly sad that the Polanskis never had a chance to raise their son there.

And if Trent Reznor really went home and cried all night over Sharon Tate, then why did he have the front door of that house removed just prior to demolition and used as a door in one of his studios?

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Reznor demolished the entire house, he filmed it on the Broken movie.

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She lost her sister from a senseless, ignorant situation that I don't want to support. When she was talking to me, I realized for the first time, 'What if it was my sister?' I thought, *beep* Charlie Manson. 'I went home and cried that night. It made me see there's another side to things, you know?"

Judging by this quote it sounds like he had another perception of Charlie before being confronted by Patti...

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lol but he remembered to take the front door with him when he left.. The one that had Sharon Tates blood on it at one time.. And recored a home video in the house..

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he wrote the songs bfore he was was at the house, and has no reason to lie about not knowing at first about the house (read the liner notes, and you will see that the studio was named 'pig' and read the bio of trent reznor, and you will learn that the front door of the tate house is now the front door to nothing studios (the record label trent runs).

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my revenge on you will not kill you. it will make you want to kill yourself.

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[deleted]

Great points, AntoineSugar!

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i also read trent was unaware he bought the tate house until an interview or press said so.

the sun eclipse behind the cloud

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[deleted]


He obviously knew it was the Tate house, because when he left, he took the "PIG" door with him. While he was there he also had the house decorated just as it was the night of the murders.
www.Cultarama.com, the Cult Classics Cosmos!

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I'd say that making a poorly disguised gorefest (not this movie) based around the murders is more disrespectful than recording an album in the house where it occurred. Of course, the Manson murders are part of the pop culture Reznor (and more obviously Marilyn Manson) were raised on, just as Jack the Ripper or the Moors murderers have become embedded in our consciousness. Nowhere does he glorify it, he just objectively references it. As, I dare say, we're all doing by posting on this board.

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[deleted]

Why was the front door left there until Reznor moved in?

"I only wish I could make you cry like I do."

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