From 1988 to 2016, Trent Reznor was the only official member of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Following a bout of mainstream success in the ’90s with albums like Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral, Reznor added English musician Atticus Ross to the lineup. Eventually, the pair pivoted to composing film scores, winning Academy Awards for The Social Network and Soul. Wanting to give other film composers an opportunity to showcase their talents, Reznor and Ross planned to hold the inaugural Future Ruins music festival at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center on Nov. 8. However, organizers have announced the event’s cancellation a month ahead of its launch.
“Unfortunately Future Ruins will not move forward this year,” the festival’s official Instagram account announced Friday, Oct. 3. “The reality is, due to a number of logistical challenges and complications, we feel we cannot provide the experience that’s defined what this event was always intended to be. Rather than compromise, we’re choosing to re-think and re-evaluate. Meanwhile, we are sorry for any inconvenience and appreciate all the interest and support. Refunds will be automatically issued and ticket holders will receive an email with more information.”
Devo singer and Wes Anderson composer Mark Mothersbaugh was set to perform at the Future Ruins festival, along with legendary horror director and composer John Carpenter and Oscar-winning Joker composer Hildur Guðnadóttir. Additionally, the lineup also included hip-hop legend Questlove performing the Oscar-winning film scores of Curtis Mayfield.
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Other artists included Danny Elfman, Stranger Things duo Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, and Oscar nominee Terence Blanchard.
Why Trent Reznor Pivoted to Movie Scores
Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have found success composing film scores, winning the Golden Globe for Best Original Score for their work on the 2024 tennis drama Challengers. In an interview last year with IndieWire, the “Hurt” singer, 60, bluntly offered his reasoning for the career pivot.
“The culture of the music world sucks,” Reznor said.
Continuing, he added, “That’s another conversation, but what technology has done to disrupt the music business in terms of not only how people listen to music but the value they place on it is defeating… “Music [now] feels largely relegated to something that happens in the background or while you’re doing something else. That’s a long, bitter story.”
Featured image by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
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