Tapeworm (band)
| Company type | Side project / Supergroup |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1995 |
| Defunct | 2004 |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Trent Reznor, Danny Lohner, Charlie Clouser, Maynard James Keenan, Atticus Ross, Alan Moulder |
| Products | Music recordings (unreleased) |
Tapeworm was a United States-based side project linked to Nine Inch Nails, active approximately between 1995 and 2004. Despite never officially releasing any recordings, it was frequently referenced during interviews. The initiative originated as a partnership between Nine Inch Nails’ lead Trent Reznor and live members Danny Lohner and Charlie Clouser. Over time, the lineup broadened to incorporate artists such as Maynard James Keenan, Atticus Ross, and Alan Moulder, transforming Tapeworm into a supergroup. After prolonged postponements and speculation, Reznor formally discontinued the project in 2004.
History
Tapeworm emerged amid sessions for Nine Inch Nails following the The Downward Spiral tour period around 1996. During work on Nine Inch Nails tracks, Lohner and Clouser developed material that Reznor felt diverged from his vision for the band. Consequently, Tapeworm became a creative space where Lohner and Clouser contributed equally, contrasting with Reznor’s usual sole leadership in Nine Inch Nails.
As the project matured into a supergroup, guest contributors including Maynard James Keenan, Page Hamilton, and Phil Anselmo added their input. By 1999, three songs were reportedly finished, spanning genres from "heavy NIN-meets-Pantera" sounds to "soft Pink Floyd The Wall-style compositions," along with psychedelic rhythms featuring anthemic choruses with Keenan’s vocals. Tommy Victor also participated in recordings but later cited delays as a reason for his musical pause and alleged that Reznor reused his guitar parts for Marilyn Manson.
Reznor described working with Keenan as a mutual creative exploration during parallel phases in their lives.
By 2001, longtime collaborator Alan Moulder had recorded over an album’s worth of demos, noted as distinct from typical Nine Inch Nails material. Following Clouser’s departure by 2002, Reznor, Lohner, Keenan, and Atticus Ross scheduled studio sessions aiming toward an album release. A dedicated website displayed images from recording sessions featuring drummer Josh Freese.
In September 2003, Lohner revealed that the album was "ready to mix" but stalled due to legal disputes involving Reznor’s and Keenan’s record companies. The project was consistently reported as nearing completion and anticipated to be released on Reznor’s Nothing Records label. Initial recordings took place at Nothing Studios in New Orleans before relocating to Southern Tracks Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
In 2004, Reznor declared Tapeworm was "dead for the foreseeable future," attributing this to label conflicts, Keenan’s obligations with A Perfect Circle, and his own waning enthusiasm. He remarked that stronger material might have enabled resolution of these issues. During a 2009 interview with digg founder Kevin Rose, Reznor expressed skepticism regarding the quality of the recordings and their potential release but remained open to future collaborations with Keenan.
Contributors
Artists reported to have recorded material for Tapeworm include:
- Dimebag Darrell (Pantera, Damageplan)
- Phil Anselmo (Pantera, Down, Superjoint Ritual)
- Charlie Clouser (Nine Inch Nails)
- Jerome Dillon (Nine Inch Nails)
- Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails, Guns N' Roses)
- Josh Freese (Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, Devo, The Vandals)
- Toni Halliday (Curve)
- Page Hamilton (Helmet)
- Maynard James Keenan (Tool, A Perfect Circle, Puscifer)
- Danny Lohner (Nine Inch Nails, A Perfect Circle, Black Light Burns, Skrew)
- Alan Moulder (producer)
- Richard Patrick (Nine Inch Nails, Filter, Army of Anyone)
- Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails, How to Destroy Angels)
- Atticus Ross (Nine Inch Nails, 12 Rounds, Error, How to Destroy Angels)
- Erik Schrody (House of Pain)
- Tommy Victor (Prong, Danzig, Ministry)
- Chris Vrenna (Nine Inch Nails, Stabbing Westward, Die Warzau)
- Alexander Wilke-Steinhof (Atari Teenage Riot)
Songs
Only two compositions, "Vacant" and "Potions," are attributed to Tapeworm, and neither has seen an official release. However, renditions have surfaced through other endeavors involving Maynard James Keenan. The track "Vacant," initially composed by Lohner and rearranged by Clouser, features lyrics and melody by Keenan alongside backing vocals from Reznor. This song was first introduced live by A Perfect Circle during their 2001 tour. Reznor expressed frustration that "Vacant" was performed before its completion. Following the disbandment of Tapeworm, Keenan adapted the piece into "Passive," which appeared on A Perfect Circle's 2004 album Emotive.
Keenan’s side project Puscifer included "Potions (Deliverance Mix)" on the album ["C" Is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference HERE)], crediting Trent Reznor as a co-writer.
In response to speculation that Keenan released an unaltered Tapeworm track, a blog post on the Puscifer website clarified that writing credits indicate authorship rather than performance. For instance, John Lennon is acknowledged as the writer of "Imagine," which A Perfect Circle covered without his direct involvement.
Keenan also confirmed via Twitter that "Potions" originated from Tapeworm but was ultimately produced and issued by Puscifer as a collaborative effort, describing it as his wedding gift to Reznor.
External links
- nin.com – official Nine Inch Nails website
- A Perfect Circle.com – official A Perfect Circle website