Tom Morello: Nine Inch Nails Stole the Show at Lollapalooza 1991

Unveil the electrifying performance of Nine Inch Nails at the 1991 Lollapalooza tour that left a lasting impression, as shared by Tom Morello.

The Inaugural Lollapalooza Tour

Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello recently shared his thoughts on the legendary Nine Inch Nails performance during the inaugural Lollapalooza tour in 1991. He boldly declared that Nine Inch Nails “kicked everybody’s ass” during this groundbreaking event.

The first Lollapalooza tour was a significant moment in music history, running through the ‘90s before transforming into a destination festival in Chicago in 2005. Headlined by Jane's Addiction, the tour also featured an impressive lineup including Siouxsie And The Banshees, Living Colour, Ice-T & Body Count, Butthole Surfers, and Rollins Band, with Nine Inch Nails taking the stage in a mid-afternoon slot.

A Game-Changing Performance

At the time, Trent Reznor’s Nine Inch Nails had only released their debut album, Pretty Hate Machine, which positioned them lower on the festival bill. However, as Morello recounts in the recently published book, Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story Of Alternative Rock’s Wildest Festival, they delivered a performance that truly stole the spotlight.

Here’s a glimpse of that iconic moment:

“That first Lollapalooza? Let’s not mince words: Nine Inch Nails kicked everybody’s ass,” Morello stated. “I never heard of that band. Would unreservedly never buy a cassette that had keyboards on it other than Pink Floyd.”

He continued with excitement about the concert experience:

“And let me say, I went to the LA show, and I ran out the next day to buy Pretty Hate Machine. They did the thing that concerts are supposed to do – create converts. And I was one.”

A Memorable Experience for All

Dave Navarro, the guitarist from Jane's Addiction, also echoed Morello's sentiments in the book, stating that witnessing Nine Inch Nails perform was one of the most thrilling experiences of his life. He reminisced, “Watching [Nine Inch Nails] on Lollapalooza was one of the most exciting things I’d ever seen, probably up until this day. Here you’ve got this brand-new band, this brand-new sound, and they went on at four in the afternoon, in broad daylight … so every day I was at the venue at four.”

Navarro vividly described the electric atmosphere:

“The band would start playing and Trent would come out, and I’m telling you, man, it was like Elvis or The Beatles … you can hear the girls losing their minds. It was like old Beatles footage where you hear the screams and you’re expecting girls to faint out there.”

Behind the Scenes of Lollapalooza 1991

In the book, it was also revealed that Perry Farrell, the founder of Lollapalooza, had a quirky idea for the festival: he initially planned for a giant burrito to be shared among all festivalgoers at each stop of the original 1991 tour. An interesting anecdote shared was how Nine Inch Nails’ equipment “literally melted in hot weather” when it was all connected to a single electrical outlet at one of the venues.

As we look ahead, Nine Inch Nails are gearing up for their tour across the UK, Europe, and North America later this summer. This marks their first live performances since 2022, with support from Boys Noize.

Upcoming Festivals

Lollapalooza 2025 is just around the corner, running from July 31 to August 3 at Grant Park. The lineup features major artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Olivia Rodrigo, KoRn, A$AP Rocky, Tyler, The Creator, and Gracie Abrams.

FAQs

• What year did the first Lollapalooza tour take place?
  The inaugural Lollapalooza tour took place in 1991.
• Who headlined the first Lollapalooza tour?
  Jane's Addiction was the headlining band for the first Lollapalooza tour.
• What was Nine Inch Nails' debut album?
  Nine Inch Nails released their first album, Pretty Hate Machine, in 1989.
• Who were some of the other artists featured in the 1991 Lollapalooza lineup?
  The lineup included Siouxsie And The Banshees, Living Colour, Ice-T & Body Count, Butthole Surfers, and Rollins Band.
• Are Nine Inch Nails going on tour soon?
  Yes, Nine Inch Nails are touring across the UK, Europe, and North America later this summer.

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