Robin Finck

[Voodoochild]

Wow, that's a trully great find man, thanks a lot!

Just for the record, what's the source?

So, the good news is that he's open to the possibility of doing a solo record (or start a band with him being the lead singer?). That would be awesome and I just can't figure out what weirdness he would put out from all of this, haha. It would be awesome, tho.

About the GNR thing... I think he certainly shows some bad feelings. I don't know, it was my impression. I wonder if what he says here apply to Axl:

"but he also has an ear for others' input. And he always shows up and really has a love and a care for what he's doing with these songs and really with everything in Nine Inch Nails."

[One.In.A.Million]

(Source Added)

This an interview Robin did while with NIN, and I believe it is from early 2009. It's very interesting to hear his comment on GN'R, since to his credit, he chooses not to discuss GN'R at all in interviews.

Robin handles the interviewer brilliantly who is obviously fishing for a bad word about Axl. But Robin doesn't give the interviewer what he wants, he speaks about GN'R respectfully and even wishes them luck. 

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Credit for this interview goes to...
 
http://www.finckaholics.com/forum/index.php  (Amazing forum by the way)

Who in turn credit miss_hazy for the article.

Source

http://www.timeoutsydney.com.au/music/nine-inch-nails-interview-54.aspx

Nine Inch Nails
Robin Finck is looking forward to playing on Nine Inch Nails' Australian tour. Just don't ask about his former boss.
By Andrew P Street

Last time Nine Inch Nails were here it seemed like the band were finished. Trent Reznor notoriously encouraged the Luna Park audience to pirate his records during an on-stage rant, much to the displeasure of his then-record company Universal, and the tour ended with him sacking the entire band.

"Oh, is that right?" laughs guitarist Robin Finck. He wasn't part of that line-up, but he has been in NIN more often than just about anyone, having toured with them on and off from the mid-90s and playing on last year's The Slip. That's not all: he toured with (and met his acrobat wife through) Cirque du Soleil, as guitarist for their show Quidam. He was also part of Guns n' Roses, co-writing and playing on much of Chinese Democracy ? although he's loathe to even mention the fact. He's sounding chipper about his current job, though.

"It's still exciting. I still get a charge from stepping into these songs and playing in front of these audiences and playing with the guys in the band," he begins. "We're just about to start making noise with these songs, the four of us. We're gonna flesh out these songs and see what we come up with. We're already excited about doing it - we've been talking about it, but we haven't gotten in the room and hammered them out."

Those who saw the band last time around should take note: this time around the band will be a lean, rockin', guitar-based quartet. "We're going out as a four piece, as opposed to five, and we're really gonna strip these songs down and build them back up in a way that's exciting and fresh and feels alive for the four of us."

Finck has enjoyed a remarkable ? arguably unique ? degree of creative input in his recent projects, considering he's been working with people regarded as highly idiosyncratic creative mavericks. "Oh sure. I'm fortunate to have been involved in the... teams that I've been playing with," he says, carefully. "I'm certainly grateful."

And he's worked with some people who are notoriously, shall we say, challenging to work with...

"Sure, they're terribly different people," he says hesitantly, accurately predicting where this line of questioning is headed. "Trent is really forthright with the vision, whether it's a song or the stage or the presentation or the concepts or the sound design, or just getting a song together ? but he also has an ear for others' input. And he always shows up and really has a love and a care for what he's doing with these songs and really with everything in Nine Inch Nails. And that's inspiring and refreshing, you know? We put in long hours when we're working on this stuff and it's very satisfying."

As opposed to, say, working with... certain other people?

"Look, I'm not really here to talk about the Guns n' Roses guys," he counters, with the sort of diplomacy one might use when discussing a notoriously litigious former employer who likes to start feuds at the drop of a hat. "I certainly wish them the best, though."

Alright, fine. So how does one go from being lead guitarist with a couple of the biggest rock bands on the planet to playing fiddly classical guitar for a circus?

"That was kind of a trip," he laughs. "I jumped two feet over the fence and I don't know where I landed - I landed in some crazy place. It was wonderful and it was very romantic and charming and I met some lifelong friends through that experience, and I married one of 'em. And it was quite an inspiration too, just to step away from the rock world, specifically the touring life of a rock band at that time for me in my life. Really, the music: that was all second to the lifestyle that I was seeking. I was looking for something to turn my world around, first and foremost, and playing music was really secondary."

Any desire to go back to something like that?

"I'm always open to things. I mean, right now I'm chest-deep in Nine Inch Nails - there's a lot for me to be excited about and to apply myself towards - but eventually I see myself singing my own record. But right now I'm leaning into Nine Inch Nails with everything I've got. And there's a lot to lean into."

Nine Inch Nails headline Soundwave at Eastern Creek Racecourse on Sun 22 Feb and play the Hordern Pavilion on Tue 24 Feb.

 

[Voodoochild]

http://www.finckaholics.com/forum/index.php  (Amazing forum by the way)

AMAZING forum indeed. Just found there that Robin recorded the solo of this song by Cee-Lo Green called The Lady Killer Theme:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B0041WLBEC/ref=pd_krex_dp_001_011?ie=UTF8&track=011&disc=001


Here's the full track (its really a quicky):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iakp3wU0Vso

[DeN]

it sounds like there was a clash between him & Axl, right?

[One.In.A.Million]

it sounds like there was a clash between him & Axl, right?

Well it's hard to argue against that point, certainly seems like something along that direction.

Since Axl has been speaking favourably towards Robin, during the last few interviews and chats. Maybe to a degree, Axl understands where he is coming from, who knows. 

[Voodoochild]

Well, to be fair it's been a couple of years already... I'd love if any bad blood - if it ever existed - would be settled down by now.

[DeN]

if it was the case I suppose Robin could talk openly about Guns without any circumventions.

[Voodoochild]

Maybe he can, but we all know how he's currently hiding in his cave.

[One.In.A.Million]

http://www.finckaholics.com/forum/index.php  (Amazing forum by the way)

AMAZING forum indeed. Just found there that Robin recorded the solo of this song by Cee-Lo Green called The Lady Killer Theme:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B0041WLBEC/ref=pd_krex_dp_001_011?ie=UTF8&track=011&disc=001


Here's the full track (its really a quicky):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iakp3wU0Vso

What a sexy guitar tone, you can tell instantly that it's the Finckster. 

[Voodoochild]

His wah tone is unbeatable.

[One.In.A.Million]

Robin once proclaimed himself on his site that he is no gear head or anything. But the stuff he does have, he knows how to use like a wizard.

Give Robin a Wah Wah pedal, and he can turn the sound into the most versatile and unique tone just by adding his own style to it. 

[Ali]

Wow, that's a trully great find man, thanks a lot!

Just for the record, what's the source?

So, the good news is that he's open to the possibility of doing a solo record (or start a band with him being the lead singer?). That would be awesome and I just can't figure out what weirdness he would put out from all of this, haha. It would be awesome, tho.

About the GNR thing... I think he certainly shows some bad feelings. I don't know, it was my impression. I wonder if what he says here apply to Axl:

"but he also has an ear for others' input. And he always shows up and really has a love and a care for what he's doing with these songs and really with everything in Nine Inch Nails."

The ear for others' input comment makes no sense if it was a dig at Axl.  Chinese Democracy was definitely a band effort with many people contributing song ideas, including Robin himself.  In fact, Tommy has said that Axl wanted everyone to write their parts for each song so as to take partial ownership of that song. 

I know Robin before complained about Axl not finishing vocals and lyrics and that was frustrating for him.  Axl just has a different style of working than Trent, obviously.

I just have to wonder, if Robin had all these issues with Axl about the way he worked, the way he recorded and wrote songs, why did he ever come back to GN'R after doing The Fragile tour?

It just seems strange to me.  But, I think things are as they should be with Robin out of the band and doing whatever he wants.

Ali

[One.In.A.Million]

Can someone clarify, was it Robin who did the backing vocals for Madagascar on the outro during 2002. I always thought it was, but someone suggested it was Tommy or Chris. I still think it was Robin as his voice is totally recognizable, and he sounds the same when he sang the outro backing vocals to Head Down, during NIN's Lights In The Sky tour in 2008.

[Voodoochild]

It was Robin indeed, but seems like in 2001 Pitman also did some backing - and then only in 2007 it seemed like Dizzy and Pitman also did some backing, along with Robin. I dunno about Tommy.

@Ali, I really think Robin came back to GNR because he wanted to tour and also because he strongly believed in the material. Obviously, Axl would have to ask or agree with this and all seemed like it was settled between them.

[Ali]

It was Robin indeed, but seems like in 2001 Pitman also did some backing - and then only in 2007 it seemed like Dizzy and Pitman also did some backing, along with Robin. I dunno about Tommy.

@Ali, I really think Robin came back to GNR because he wanted to tour and also because he strongly believed in the material. Obviously, Axl would have to ask or agree with this and all seemed like it was settled between them.

That may be the case, but to tour and work on the material, which was clearly not ready for release when he came back, he'd have to work with Axl.  So, again, if he had an issue with how Axl worked, why did he come back?

And this thing about Trent Reznor having a ear for others' inputs?  Has anyone ever seen the credits for a NIN record.  Trent writes almost every single song by himself and records a bulk of the instrumentation, too.  Robin had far more creative input and songwriting capability in GN'R than he ever has or will ever have in NIN.  So, I don't understand the thinking behind that comment.

Ali

[Voodoochild]

I think he was talking about rehearsals and stuff from live gigs, but you're 100% right about the creative freedom he had in GNR.

[One.In.A.Million]

Happy New Year Robin Finck. 

I hope in 2011, you can continue to enjoy your life. If that means keeping a low profile, so be it. Obviously we would prefer to see you rocking out in a musical project, but that's just because we love you.

So take care, and we wish you all the Love, Health and Joy in the world in 2011.

Have a great year Robin. 

 

[Smoking Guns]

http://www.finckaholics.com/forum/index.php  (Amazing forum by the way)

AMAZING forum indeed. Just found there that Robin recorded the solo of this song by Cee-Lo Green called The Lady Killer Theme:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B0041WLBEC/ref=pd_krex_dp_001_011?ie=UTF8&track=011&disc=001


Here's the full track (its really a quicky):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iakp3wU0Vso

What a sexy guitar tone, you can tell instantly that it's the Finckster. 

I really don't find anything unique about his wah tone.  The solo sounds like it was recorded in one take and was just him noodling around. 

[One.In.A.Million]

I'm talking about how his guitar and technique in the clip, is recognisable by Robin fans. I could instantly tell that it was him, once Voodoo posted the clip. And that's purely because, I'm a hardcore Robin fan, and love listening to his guitar work.

You obviously don't, so you will have a different opinion even though I don't agree with it. But that lick at 37sec, is totally Robin and any Robin fan can tell that. I love Robin's use of the Wah Wah pedal, he just makes it sound so full and vibrant. 

[Smoking Guns]

I'm talking about how his guitar and technique in the clip, is recognisable by Robin fans. I could instantly tell that it was him, once Voodoo posted the clip. And that's purely because, I'm a hardcore Robin fan, and love listening to his guitar work.

You obviously don't, so you will have a different opinion even though I don't agree with it. But that lick at 37sec, is totally Robin and any Robin fan can tell that. I love Robin's use of the Wah Wah pedal, he just makes it sound so full and vibrant. 

Okay, I gotcha now, you like Robin's style, unique pharsing, use of wah.. I can see that.  Thought some on here were talking about his "wah" tone being unique.  His tone to me sounded like Les Paul to Wah to Marshall... See Zakk, or Slash, Michael Schenker..  Robin has a pretty good tone, unique or not, most of the time.  Its tough to beat the sound of a cranked Marshall.