Now, I admit to being a NiN fan, and I’ve long thought that was a great turn of phrase. Pithy, catchy, embodying a depth of contempt and anger and pity in just a few words. Wow, sez I, Trent Reznor can actually write.
Except he didn’t write it.
I was just re-reading Clive Barker’s Books of Blood, published in 1984. In the story “In the Hills, the Cities,” one of Barker’s characters uses the exact same line to express his disgust with the aging Eastern European churches his travelling companion keeps dragging him to. Stale incense, old sweat, and lies . . .
So, then.
Since I know Trent cribbed the line from someone, who was it? Did Barker first write it, or was he echoing some other work?
I’m not familiar with the Barker story, but it’s about expressing disgust with churches, etc., maybe Trent didn’t “steal” the line so much as used it to pay homage to a source of inspiration. . .
Well, in the liner notes of “Pretty Hate Machine”, he does credit Clive Barker (among others) with “Ideas and Sounds (with all due respect)”, so I’m guessing it’s a Barker original.
It seems a bit odd, is all. The story in question wasn’t about religion except in passing, and the line, while a great one, is easy to miss. Guess it just resonated with Trent.
Well, pending any other ideas, I’ll just assume it was indeed a Clive Barker original and leave it at that . . .