Many people have mentioned Nine-Inch Nails' "Ghosts I-IV" project, two hours of impulsive instrumental soundscapes by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, and Alan Moulder, with some help from Alessandro Cortini, Adrian Belew, and Brian Viglione. Aside from being an interesting experiment in music distribution, it features a 40-page downloadable .PDF booklet of photographs by Phillip Graybill and Rob Sheridan that NIN calls "visual aesthetic accompaniments to the music from the recording process and the outside world."
You can stream the music from the site or download or purchase multiple versions (although the $300 Ultra-Deluxe Limited-Edition package is sold out already) in a variety of formats. There is no charge to download the .PDF alone.
______________________
Mike (Thanks to David Rea, Michael Arcila and others)
"The first 9 tracks from the Nine Inch Nails Ghosts I-IV collection are available as official high-quality, DRM-free MP3s, including the complete PDF. No credit card or payment information is required for this download.
Click here ( http://ghosts.nin.com/main/order_options ) for instructions on downloading your free NIN Tracks"
[ Source: http://smartcanucks.ca/canadian-freebies-free-stuff-canada/nin-ghosts-i-free-mp3-download/ ]
Posted by: Tig | Wednesday, 16 April 2008 at 04:47 AM
I just bought the 2 CD set. Can't seem to bring myself to download it FREE
Never heard of this but I am a fan of both instrumental and experimental sound.
Oh and if Adrian Belew is on it I gotta buy it.
Thanks
Posted by: charlie d | Wednesday, 16 April 2008 at 07:38 AM
charlie d,
Hear ya. The twang bar king also plays on a couple of tracks on Porcupine Tree's "Deadwing."
Mike J.
Posted by: Mike Johnston | Wednesday, 16 April 2008 at 07:51 AM
Oh don't do that to me Mike. I am trying to pay off my debt to the I.R.S (and I don't mean the defunct record label) I own Lone Rhinoceros and Twang Bar King on Vinyl, but never bought anything on CD. I have seen him many times both solo and with the Bears and actually had a drink with him and T. Leary in the early 80's (Leary was speaking about computers at my college)
I just spent 10 minutes going through his entire discography including as contributor or producer.
What an amazing collection and what an amazingly down to earth guy he is. I could go broke buying all those CD's from Zappa to Cindy Lauper!
Later....
Posted by: charlie d | Wednesday, 16 April 2008 at 09:16 AM
best five bucks you'll ever spend.....
Posted by: JCdeR | Wednesday, 16 April 2008 at 12:44 PM
wow, amazing stuff..i came late to the NIN party, buying my first CD just a few weeks ago, falling in love and now have several CD's. I clicked this link expecting some screaming wall of sound i wasn't really sure i wanted to crash into tonight but have been rewarded with something so fine, so complicated, layered and inspiring i just had to write and say thanks!
Posted by: dyathink | Thursday, 17 April 2008 at 12:01 AM
Oh my God, online music sharing will starve the artists to death!
Not.
Another proof that the only things that will be killed by the MP3 revolution are the mammoth record companies. The artists will keep doing very well, thank you.
The dinosaurs die, the small mammals thrive. Nature repeats itself.
Posted by: Thiago Silva | Thursday, 17 April 2008 at 12:18 PM