Trent Reznor is a man whose reputation and genius truly precede him. Since forming Nine Inch Nails in 1988, the group has sold over 20 million records, including landmark albums Pretty Hate Machine and The Downward Spiral.
Currently attending to the bass role for the industrial rock band’s Peel It Back tour is the multi-talented Stu Brooks, who replaced longtime bassist Alessandro Cortini earlier this year. Luckily, in drummer Josh Freese and guitarist Robin Finck, Brooks has two dedicated role models.
“Josh and Robin are longtime friends,” says Brooks. “We’d previously formed a band for Danny Elfman’s Coachella performance in 2020, which was postponed due to the pandemic. Instead we ended up recording Danny’s record Big Mess.
Article continues below“I then had the privilege of producing a companion release, Bigger. Messier., which included collaborations with Trent Reznor on True and Native Intelligence. That was my first introduction to Trent.”
“I actually feel like I’ve been molded for this gig. Trent has been an influence on me from the beginning of my career, and I’ve known these songs for years. That’s not to say it isn’t still a very challenging gig. I certainly had a ton of homework to do, but it has all felt very natural.
“The team has made me feel like I’m right where I belong. I’m super-grateful for that, and I’m excited to see the band get better and better.”
Diving into an experimental mix of sounds, Brooks displays the kind of creativity and restraint that had previously defined his role within Elfman’s band, but has still found a way to carve his own distinctive voice within the mix.
“Trent gave me the opportunity to experiment in preparation for the tour, but if there was something that needed adjustments he would always chime in. His ears are so dialed.
“I had some freedom to come up with new bass parts for Heresy and Copy of A. We went back and forth a bit and eventually came up with a unique arrangement that’s specific for this tour.”
Add to this the fact that tuning varies from song to song, and that Brooks is often obliged to switch from guitar to bass to keyboards.
“For this tour I need to cover guitar, synth, piano and bass parts, not to mention vocals. I jump from guitar to bass guitar on Mr. Self Destruct, and Reptile is another one that’s busy with a whole array of samples and synths.
“Gave Up is super-fun having to multi-task between guitar and synth parts, and playing piano on Hurt is devastatingly beautiful.”
And what of the Nine Inch Nails bass sound?
“I’ve been able to utilize the team: Jamie Pollack at front of house, Connor Hawkins at monitors, Dustin Mosley, my tech Edward Mendoza, and of course Robin Finck and Atticus Ross. They have all helped out with tones on bass.
“Sound design is a huge part of this gig, but the experience has been highly collaborative, with patience, attention to detail, and nuance that have been truly inspiring and will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression on me.”
What was it like preparing for the tour?
Robin and I literally went knee to knee with our guitars for a couple of weeks and went over everything that I had prepped. He knows the material so intimately that by the end of those practice sessions with him I had come a long way.
We then took it to a sound stage with a PA, added our techs to the mix and started focusing in on “the rig” and sound design. We prepped about 40 songs.
After about a week of that we had tech rehearsals with the audio crew and the rest of the band. Then we moved it to New Orleans and rehearsed a couple of times at the venue, adding lights and visuals. It was a very well organized and gradual ramp up to the first show.
What’s been your most memorable moment so far?
That first show was such a giant shot of adrenaline and it was such a huge relief to have it under my belt. I had a quiet moment after the show by myself, reflecting and full of gratitude, savouring the moment.
What’s been the biggest challenge?
To be completely honest, I’d say the time leading up to the first rehearsal was the hardest part. Staying confident in myself, keeping anxiety at bay and fighting off any negative thought patterns. I’ve done a lot of work on that over the past few months and I have a grown a lot.
How have you approached the gig?
I’m aiming to replicate the studio albums as accurately as possible, while naturally incorporating some of my own personality. The exciting aspect of Nine Inch Nails is the diverse styles and range present in their catalog. I’ve always been a big fan of Danny Lohner’s and if I can incorporate just a percentage of his spirit on stage then I’m happy.
What’s your bass and pedal setup for this tour?
The pedal setup is all Neural DSP Quad Cortex into a Jad Freer Sisma. There are no actual stompboxes. That really helps with the consistency element.
I needed a different bass for every tuning and some with Hipshot detuners, so I’ve been using several P-Basses. Fender’s new American Pro II is ridiculously good. I’m using those, along with a couple vintage P’s from 1978.
I love LaBella’s Olinto basses and I’m using a couple of those as well. I’m also using the new Yamaha Broadbass BB734A. Peter Hook always used the BB basses and his name is referenced all the time.
I’ve always used LaBella strings, and for this gig I have these on all the basses: RX-S4D Rx Stainless, 45-65-85-105.
I’m also playing some baritone guitar, but for guitar I’m mostly playing a Gibson Les Paul Black Beauty. James Carbonetti, who is part of the LaBella and Olinto family, also made me an incredible guitar called a Moonphase.
You’ve also worked with the likes of Lady Gaga, Mary J Blige, Lauryn Hill and 50 Cent – what would you count as your highlights?
50 Cent was actually the sponsor for my first artist visa to the USA. Around that time, I was also working on demos with Stefani Germanotta, and midway through the project she changed her name to Lady Gaga.
Being there at the beginning of her career, watching her get signed and then have the career that she’s had has been amazing to watch.
I’ve also been playing with Dominic Fike for around 4 or 5 years. He’s incredibly talented, and his voice is like a soothing ASMR experience for me. His entire journey is so unique, and I’m so grateful to be a part of it.
Joining Danny Elfman’s band in early 2020 was another career highlight. When I was working with him for his Bigger Messier record, I had the chance to put together an entire album that led to collaborations with Squarepusher, Iggy Pop, Death Grips, Scientist, and Ghostemane. We have a record that we have been working on coming out in the Fall of 2026 on Sumerian records.
Do you feel your experience as a composer and producer has helped your bass playing to develop in a more musical way?
Absolutely! It’s a constant challenge to strike the right balance between keeping things simple and making them engaging. Knowing when to stay supportive and when to really let the bass shine is key.
Producing and arranging in the studio are great ways to hone that skill. It helps you understand dynamics, the flow of a song, how to blend with other instruments, and how to create tones that sit well in the mix.
Where can we hear more of your music?
I recently returned from Jamaica where I recorded a bunch of tunes with the late drummer and producer Sly Dunbar. We recorded in his studio at Anchor Studios and the legendary Tuff Gong Studios. I will be including that on the solo stuff I’ve been working on.
Last year I released an album under my name on Dine Alone Records that features collaborations between me and Flowdan, Richard Divine, Machine Girl, HR of Bad Brains, Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy, Paul Leary of Butthole Surfers, Scientist, Twin Shadow, Fever 333, N8NOFACE, and more.
My most recent release is a collaboration between me and N8NOFACE called Bad Man Back Again, which I produced with Dustin Mosley. He has been working with Nine Inch Nails in the studio and as a tech for 20 years now.
If you had some lasting advice for bass players, what would it be?
One of the most important things about being a bassist is to stay true to your personality and let your life and musical journey come through in your bass playing.
Stay authentic to your true self. Be confident in that, but remain humble and gracious. Be respectful and treat people with dignity and respect.
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