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He joined [[Nine Inch Nails]] as part of their [[Nine Inch Nails: Live|touring band]] in 1994–95 for their ''Self-Destruct'' and ''Further Down the Spiral'' tours following the departure of previous guitarist [[Richard Patrick]]. Finck appeared with Nine Inch Nails at [[Woodstock '94]],<ref name="AMG Bio" /> and saw his first official release with them, the ''[[Closure (Nine Inch Nails VHS)|Closure]]'' video, released in 1997.<ref name="AMG Credits">{{cite web | url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p435767|pure_url=yes}} | publisher = Allmusic | title = Robin Finck > Credits | accessdate = 2008-04-10}}</ref> Once the tour was completed, he took a job playing for the circus troupe [[Cirque du Soleil]] in the original tour of [[Quidam]].<ref name="AMG Bio" /> In 1997 Finck signed a two-year contract with [[Guns N' Roses]] as the replacement for [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] (who had quit the band at the end of the previous year) and began work on what was ultimately to become the band's long delayed album [[Chinese Democracy (album)|Chinese Democracy]]. When the two years were up the album had not been completed, although the song ''[[Oh My God (Guns N' Roses song)|Oh My God]]'' was released on the ''[[End of Days (1999 film)|End of Days]]'' soundtrack. Whether or not Finck played on the song is in dispute; GNR vocalist [[Axl Rose]] says he did while Finck himself says he did not.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/releases/newalbum.htm |title=Here Today... Gone To Hell! Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" (The New Album) info |publisher=Heretodaygonetohell.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref>
He joined [[Nine Inch Nails]] as part of their [[Nine Inch Nails: Live|touring band]] in 1994–95 for their ''Self-Destruct'' and ''Further Down the Spiral'' tours following the departure of previous guitarist [[Richard Patrick]]. Finck appeared with Nine Inch Nails at [[Woodstock '94]],<ref name="AMG Bio" /> and saw his first official release with them, the ''[[Closure (Nine Inch Nails VHS)|Closure]]'' video, released in 1997.<ref name="AMG Credits">{{cite web | url = {{Allmusic|class=artist|id=p435767|pure_url=yes}} | publisher = Allmusic | title = Robin Finck > Credits | accessdate = 2008-04-10}}</ref> Once the tour was completed, he took a job playing for the circus troupe [[Cirque du Soleil]] in the original tour of [[Quidam]].<ref name="AMG Bio" /> In 1997 Finck signed a two-year contract with [[Guns N' Roses]] as the replacement for [[Slash (musician)|Slash]] (who had quit the band at the end of the previous year) and began work on what was ultimately to become the band's long delayed album [[Chinese Democracy (album)|Chinese Democracy]]. When the two years were up the album had not been completed, although the song ''[[Oh My God (Guns N' Roses song)|Oh My God]]'' was released on the ''[[End of Days (1999 film)|End of Days]]'' soundtrack. Whether or not Finck played on the song is in dispute; GNR vocalist [[Axl Rose]] says he did while Finck himself says he did not.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/releases/newalbum.htm |title=Here Today... Gone To Hell! Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" (The New Album) info |publisher=Heretodaygonetohell.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref>
[[File:Download Feastival 2006 -1 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Finck playing with Guns N' Roses in 2006.]]
[[File:Download Feastival 2006 -1 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Finck playing with Guns N' Roses in 2006.]]
Finck rejoined Nine Inch Nails as the band embarked on their ''Fragility v1.0'' and ''Fragility v2.0'' tours in support of the 1999 album ''[[The Fragile (Nine Inch Nails album)|The Fragile]]''.<ref name="AMG Bio" /> These tours were recorded and released as the live album/DVD, ''[[And All That Could Have Been]]'', which marked Finck's second release with them.<ref name="AMG Credits" /> He also played on a studio-recorded version of ''[[The Day The World Went Away]]'' on the companion album ''Still'', which was included with the deluxe version of ''[[And All That Could Have Been#Still|And All That Could Have Been]]'' and later made available as a standalone CD through nin.com.<ref>[http://www.merch.com/nineinchnails/prodinfo.asp?number=NIN.CD.STL ]{{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> Shortly after the tour ended in 2000 he returned to Guns N' Roses, playing four shows with them in late 2001 followed by a brief tour of Europe and Asia in mid-2002 and a live appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oz4VqyQASI |title=Guns N' Roses Live at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards – Welcome to the Jungle, Madagascar, Paradise City gnr axl buckethead VMA. |publisher=YouTube |date=November 22, 2008 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> A planned US tour was meant to continue through the remainder of 2002 but was called off by the promoter after two cancelled shows led to rioting by fans.<ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4648996-1.html ]{{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> Around this time Finck and then-bandmate [[Buckethead]] contributed to the soundtrack of the John Carpenter movie ''[[Ghosts of Mars]]'', playing alongside members of thrash metal group [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] and guitar virtuoso [[Steve Vai]].<ref name="John Carpenter">{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/gm/gmstrk.html |title=John Carpenter: Ghosts of Mars |publisher=Theofficialjohncarpenter.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> After his touring obligations with GNR were fulfilled he joined the LedZAriel production (a performance by acrobats set to the music of the band [[Led Zeppelin]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ledzaerial.com/video.html |title=LedZAerial One, LLC |publisher=Ledzaerial.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref>
Finck rejoined Nine Inch Nails as the band embarked on their ''Fragility v1.0'' and ''Fragility v2.0'' tours in support of the 1999 album ''[[The Fragile (Nine Inch Nails album)|The Fragile]]''.<ref name="AMG Bio" /> These tours were recorded and released as the live album/DVD, ''[[And All That Could Have Been]]'', which marked Finck's second release with them.<ref name="AMG Credits" /> He also played on a studio-recorded version of ''[[The Day The World Went Away]]'' on the companion album ''Still'', which was included with the deluxe version of ''[[And All That Could Have Been#Still|And All That Could Have Been]]'' and later made available as a standalone CD through nin.com.<ref>[http://www.merch.com/nineinchnails/prodinfo.asp?number=NIN.CD.STL ] {{wayback|url=http://www.merch.com/nineinchnails/prodinfo.asp?number=NIN.CD.STL |date=20090401064658 }}</ref> Shortly after the tour ended in 2000 he returned to Guns N' Roses, playing four shows with them in late 2001 followed by a brief tour of Europe and Asia in mid-2002 and a live appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oz4VqyQASI |title=Guns N' Roses Live at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards – Welcome to the Jungle, Madagascar, Paradise City gnr axl buckethead VMA. |publisher=YouTube |date=November 22, 2008 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> A planned US tour was meant to continue through the remainder of 2002 but was called off by the promoter after two cancelled shows led to rioting by fans.<ref>[http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4648996-1.html ] {{wayback|url=http://www.allbusiness.com/retail-trade/miscellaneous-retail-retail-stores-not/4648996-1.html |date=20081215013407 }}</ref> Around this time Finck and then-bandmate [[Buckethead]] contributed to the soundtrack of the John Carpenter movie ''[[Ghosts of Mars]]'', playing alongside members of thrash metal group [[Anthrax (American band)|Anthrax]] and guitar virtuoso [[Steve Vai]].<ref name="John Carpenter">{{cite web|url=http://www.theofficialjohncarpenter.com/pages/themovies/gm/gmstrk.html |title=John Carpenter: Ghosts of Mars |publisher=Theofficialjohncarpenter.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> After his touring obligations with GNR were fulfilled he joined the LedZAriel production (a performance by acrobats set to the music of the band [[Led Zeppelin]]).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ledzaerial.com/video.html |title=LedZAerial One, LLC |publisher=Ledzaerial.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref>


Finck was invited to rejoin NIN to tour in support of their 2005 album ''[[With Teeth]]'' but chose not to and the position was filled by [[Aaron North]]. In the summer of 2006, he toured Europe with Guns N' Roses playing in front of over 700,000 people.<ref>[http://web.gunsnroses.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060928&content_id=pr1&vkey=news&fext=.jsp ]{{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> They finished up by touring North America for the remainder of the year, and went to Mexico, Australia and Japan in 2007.
Finck was invited to rejoin NIN to tour in support of their 2005 album ''[[With Teeth]]'' but chose not to and the position was filled by [[Aaron North]]. In the summer of 2006, he toured Europe with Guns N' Roses playing in front of over 700,000 people.<ref>[http://web.gunsnroses.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060928&content_id=pr1&vkey=news&fext=.jsp ] {{wayback|url=http://web.gunsnroses.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060928&content_id=pr1&vkey=news&fext=.jsp |date=20070204125952 }}</ref> They finished up by touring North America for the remainder of the year, and went to Mexico, Australia and Japan in 2007.


On April 4, 2008, it was announced via nin.com that Finck would be rejoining [[Nine Inch Nails]] as a member of the live band [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robin_Finck_Victoria.jpg]. He subsequently contributed to the [[Nine Inch Nails]] album ''[[The Slip (album)|The Slip]]'', earning a performance credit alongside then-band members [[Josh Freese]] and [[Alessandro Cortini]].
On April 4, 2008, it was announced via nin.com that Finck would be rejoining [[Nine Inch Nails]] as a member of the live band [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Robin_Finck_Victoria.jpg]. He subsequently contributed to the [[Nine Inch Nails]] album ''[[The Slip (album)|The Slip]]'', earning a performance credit alongside then-band members [[Josh Freese]] and [[Alessandro Cortini]].


In November 2008 Guns N' Roses' long awaited album ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' was released. Finck has a co-writing credit on the song "Better", which was later released as a single. He also played guitar on every track, performed 7 of the guitar solos and has additional credits for keyboards, arrangements and pre-production. He chose to remain with NIN after the album's release and, as of March 21, 2009, has been replaced as the lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses by [[DJ Ashba]].<ref name="Official GNR">[http://web.gunsnroses.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090321&content_id=a1&vkey=news&fext=.jsp ]{{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> The official [[Guns N' Roses]] website states that "Robin continues to be part of GN'R, by virtue of Guns' history and his involvement in Chinese Democracy".<ref name="Official GNR"/>
In November 2008 Guns N' Roses' long awaited album ''[[Chinese Democracy]]'' was released. Finck has a co-writing credit on the song "Better", which was later released as a single. He also played guitar on every track, performed 7 of the guitar solos and has additional credits for keyboards, arrangements and pre-production. He chose to remain with NIN after the album's release and, as of March 21, 2009, has been replaced as the lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses by [[DJ Ashba]].<ref name="Official GNR">[http://web.gunsnroses.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090321&content_id=a1&vkey=news&fext=.jsp ] {{wayback|url=http://web.gunsnroses.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090321&content_id=a1&vkey=news&fext=.jsp |date=20090325073928 }}</ref> The official [[Guns N' Roses]] website states that "Robin continues to be part of GN'R, by virtue of Guns' history and his involvement in Chinese Democracy".<ref name="Official GNR"/>


Following the departure of NIN live band members [[Alessandro Cortini]] and [[Josh Freese]] at the end of 2008 Finck and bassist [[Justin Meldal-Johnson]] re-grouped [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Justin_Meldal-Johnsen_Victoria,_BC_2008_.jpg] with band leader [[Trent Reznor]] and new drummer [[Ilan Rubin]] and the 4-piece band completed an 8-date tour of Australia and New Zealand between February and March 2009. Finck continued to perform with the band throughout the 2009 [[Nine Inch Nails]]/[[Janes Addiction]] (NIN|JA) tour, with shows throughout North America [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trent_Reznor_and_Robin_Finck,_Santa_Barbara,_California.jpg], and the subsequent Wave Goodbye tour through Europe and Asia. The band then returned to the US to play a series of shows culminating in the final live appearance of Nine Inch Nails.
Following the departure of NIN live band members [[Alessandro Cortini]] and [[Josh Freese]] at the end of 2008 Finck and bassist [[Justin Meldal-Johnson]] re-grouped [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Justin_Meldal-Johnsen_Victoria,_BC_2008_.jpg] with band leader [[Trent Reznor]] and new drummer [[Ilan Rubin]] and the 4-piece band completed an 8-date tour of Australia and New Zealand between February and March 2009. Finck continued to perform with the band throughout the 2009 [[Nine Inch Nails]]/[[Janes Addiction]] (NIN|JA) tour, with shows throughout North America [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Trent_Reznor_and_Robin_Finck,_Santa_Barbara,_California.jpg], and the subsequent Wave Goodbye tour through Europe and Asia. The band then returned to the US to play a series of shows culminating in the final live appearance of Nine Inch Nails.
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==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Since 2001, Finck has been married to [[acrobatics|acrobat]] [[Bianca Sapetto]], by whom he has a daughter. They met while working in [[Cirque du Soleil]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}} Besides being a musician he also creates artwork and displays some of his own drawings and photos on his website. In 2007 he contributed artwork in the form of ink drawings to the album ''[[Frames (Oceansize album)|Frames]]'' by [[Oceansize]] at the request of their guitarist Gambler.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/MagSitePages/Article.aspx?id=4478 |title=Oceansize : Interview |publisher=Pennyblackmusic.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> In 2003, Finck was credited as one of the writers of a production called "My Birthday Party", which incorporated acrobatics, storytelling, music, acting, and clowning. The show included actor [[Viggo Mortensen]] and was performed at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in [[Santa Monica]], California.<ref>[http://guitarbites.com/Robin-Finck.html ]{{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref>
Since 2001, Finck has been married to [[acrobatics|acrobat]] [[Bianca Sapetto]], by whom he has a daughter. They met while working in [[Cirque du Soleil]].{{Citation needed|date=August 2007}} Besides being a musician he also creates artwork and displays some of his own drawings and photos on his website. In 2007 he contributed artwork in the form of ink drawings to the album ''[[Frames (Oceansize album)|Frames]]'' by [[Oceansize]] at the request of their guitarist Gambler.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/MagSitePages/Article.aspx?id=4478 |title=Oceansize : Interview |publisher=Pennyblackmusic.co.uk |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> In 2003, Finck was credited as one of the writers of a production called "My Birthday Party", which incorporated acrobatics, storytelling, music, acting, and clowning. The show included actor [[Viggo Mortensen]] and was performed at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in [[Santa Monica]], California.<ref>[http://guitarbites.com/Robin-Finck.html ] {{wayback|url=http://guitarbites.com/Robin-Finck.html |date=20090415190834 }}</ref>


On February 23, 2009 session drummer [[Josh Freese]], who has been a bandmate of Finck's in both Guns N' Roses and Nine Inch Nails, announced that as part of the pricing strategy for his new solo album ''[[Since 1972]]'' a one-off package costing $75,000 would include "a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN" followed by a visit to Robin's place afterwards where "his wife will make you raw lasagna".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/23/full-list-josh-freese-album-package-deals | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Josh Freese album package deals in full | date=February 23, 2009 | accessdate=2010-05-22}}</ref>
On February 23, 2009 session drummer [[Josh Freese]], who has been a bandmate of Finck's in both Guns N' Roses and Nine Inch Nails, announced that as part of the pricing strategy for his new solo album ''[[Since 1972]]'' a one-off package costing $75,000 would include "a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN" followed by a visit to Robin's place afterwards where "his wife will make you raw lasagna".<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/23/full-list-josh-freese-album-package-deals | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=Josh Freese album package deals in full | date=February 23, 2009 | accessdate=2010-05-22}}</ref>
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Finck is closely associated with [[Gibson Les Paul]] guitars and uses different versions of the guitar that are built from a variety of woods and equipped with numerous pickup combinations (in 2006 he was photographed at the New York City Gibson Guitar showroom collecting a Custom Les Paul Standard '58 Reissue for use on tour with Guns N' Roses).<ref>http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/002517.html</ref> Many of them have been customized and he often moves the pickup selector switch from the top of the guitar's body, as he has said the standard configuration is obstructive. After re-joining [[Nine Inch Nails]] in 2008 he began using several other guitars on stage, including Jerry Jones baritone guitars (similar in shape to [[Danelectro]] guitars), [[Fender Jazzmaster]]s, [[Fender Telecasters]] and [[Gibson ES-355]]s.
Finck is closely associated with [[Gibson Les Paul]] guitars and uses different versions of the guitar that are built from a variety of woods and equipped with numerous pickup combinations (in 2006 he was photographed at the New York City Gibson Guitar showroom collecting a Custom Les Paul Standard '58 Reissue for use on tour with Guns N' Roses).<ref>http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/002517.html</ref> Many of them have been customized and he often moves the pickup selector switch from the top of the guitar's body, as he has said the standard configuration is obstructive. After re-joining [[Nine Inch Nails]] in 2008 he began using several other guitars on stage, including Jerry Jones baritone guitars (similar in shape to [[Danelectro]] guitars), [[Fender Jazzmaster]]s, [[Fender Telecasters]] and [[Gibson ES-355]]s.


In 2009 Finck signed with [[Schecter Guitar Research]] as an official endorsee and started using a number of Schecter guitars while touring with NIN, including custom versions of the PT Fastback and Ultra III.<ref>[http://www.schecterguitars.com/news.asp ]{{dead link|date=July 2013}}</ref> He also ordered a custom "Tempest Classic" guitar with gold top finish, an in-built compressor and a wah effect in place of the two tone controls.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOfCfkicVN4 |title=NAMM '09-Schecter Guitars Hellraiser Singlecut, ATX Series.. |publisher=YouTube |date=February 26, 2009 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> In late 2009 Schecter issued a press release which announced a limited edition Robin Finck signature guitar based on the Ultra Cure and Ultra III models was entering production.<ref>http://news.harmony-central.com/Product-news/Schecter-Guitars-and-Robin-Finck-of-Nine-Inch-Nails-Burn-Together</ref> Finck is also listed as a user of Godin guitars on the company's official website<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.godinguitars.com/endorsees.htm |title=Godin Dealers |publisher=Godinguitars.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> and can be seen playing Godin guitars on the Nine Inch Nails live DVD ''[[And All That Could Have Been]]''.
In 2009 Finck signed with [[Schecter Guitar Research]] as an official endorsee and started using a number of Schecter guitars while touring with NIN, including custom versions of the PT Fastback and Ultra III.<ref>[http://www.schecterguitars.com/news.asp ] {{wayback|url=http://www.schecterguitars.com/news.asp |date=20090228183824 }}</ref> He also ordered a custom "Tempest Classic" guitar with gold top finish, an in-built compressor and a wah effect in place of the two tone controls.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOfCfkicVN4 |title=NAMM '09-Schecter Guitars Hellraiser Singlecut, ATX Series.. |publisher=YouTube |date=February 26, 2009 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> In late 2009 Schecter issued a press release which announced a limited edition Robin Finck signature guitar based on the Ultra Cure and Ultra III models was entering production.<ref>http://news.harmony-central.com/Product-news/Schecter-Guitars-and-Robin-Finck-of-Nine-Inch-Nails-Burn-Together</ref> Finck is also listed as a user of Godin guitars on the company's official website<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.godinguitars.com/endorsees.htm |title=Godin Dealers |publisher=Godinguitars.com |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> and can be seen playing Godin guitars on the Nine Inch Nails live DVD ''[[And All That Could Have Been]]''.


He uses a broad range of guitar amps (various models by [[Marshall Amplification]] and [[Mesa Boogie]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarfxdepot.com/rigs/robin-finck-nine-inch-nails-guitar-rig/ |title=Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails) guitar rig |publisher=Guitar FX Depot |date=March 10, 2010 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> and effects (including the [[Boss Corporation|BOSS]] DD-5 Digital Delay, [[Jim Dunlop]] wah-wah, [[Devi Ever]] bit, the legend of fuzz, and RockTron Vodoo Valve)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/misc/equipment.html |title=GN'R's Equipment |publisher=Here Today... Gone To Hell! |date=August 1, 1999 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> and is known to work very hard to re-create studio tones and textures when playing on stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenitmustbetrue.com/dillon/dillon1.html |title=Jerome Dillon |publisher=Then It Must Be True |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> He frequently shoves the body of his guitar up against the speakers of his amplifiers during live performances to generate feedback and increased distortion. For some NIN songs he has been known to use an [[e-bow]], as seen during the clip for "La Mer" on the ''And All That Could Have Been'' live DVD.
He uses a broad range of guitar amps (various models by [[Marshall Amplification]] and [[Mesa Boogie]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guitarfxdepot.com/rigs/robin-finck-nine-inch-nails-guitar-rig/ |title=Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails) guitar rig |publisher=Guitar FX Depot |date=March 10, 2010 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> and effects (including the [[Boss Corporation|BOSS]] DD-5 Digital Delay, [[Jim Dunlop]] wah-wah, [[Devi Ever]] bit, the legend of fuzz, and RockTron Vodoo Valve)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heretodaygonetohell.com/misc/equipment.html |title=GN'R's Equipment |publisher=Here Today... Gone To Hell! |date=August 1, 1999 |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> and is known to work very hard to re-create studio tones and textures when playing on stage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenitmustbetrue.com/dillon/dillon1.html |title=Jerome Dillon |publisher=Then It Must Be True |date= |accessdate=2013-07-10}}</ref> He frequently shoves the body of his guitar up against the speakers of his amplifiers during live performances to generate feedback and increased distortion. For some NIN songs he has been known to use an [[e-bow]], as seen during the clip for "La Mer" on the ''And All That Could Have Been'' live DVD.

Revision as of 03:10, 9 September 2015

Robin Finck
Finck performing with Nine Inch Nails in 2009
Finck performing with Nine Inch Nails in 2009
Background information
Birth nameRobert John Finck
Born (1971-11-07) November 7, 1971 (age 52)
Park Ridge, New Jersey
GenresIndustrial rock, alternative rock, hard rock
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar
Years active1993–present
LabelsGeffen, Interscope, Nothing, The Null Corporation
Websitewww.robinfinck.com

Robert John "Robin" Finck (born November 7, 1971) is an American guitarist. He is one of only a few artists who has played in two different bands listed on VH1's "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock": Nine Inch Nails (ranked no. 43[1]) and Guns N' Roses (ranked no. 9[1]).

Career

Finck grew up in Marietta, Georgia and played with several unsigned bands based primarily in the Atlanta area,[2] including acts such as Prowess, Bat Your Lashes, Sik Dik (bandmates of which included Steve "Holiday" Childress and Michael Allen, currently of The Goodies and Greg Thum), and Impotent Sea Snakes.

He joined Nine Inch Nails as part of their touring band in 1994–95 for their Self-Destruct and Further Down the Spiral tours following the departure of previous guitarist Richard Patrick. Finck appeared with Nine Inch Nails at Woodstock '94,[2] and saw his first official release with them, the Closure video, released in 1997.[3] Once the tour was completed, he took a job playing for the circus troupe Cirque du Soleil in the original tour of Quidam.[2] In 1997 Finck signed a two-year contract with Guns N' Roses as the replacement for Slash (who had quit the band at the end of the previous year) and began work on what was ultimately to become the band's long delayed album Chinese Democracy. When the two years were up the album had not been completed, although the song Oh My God was released on the End of Days soundtrack. Whether or not Finck played on the song is in dispute; GNR vocalist Axl Rose says he did while Finck himself says he did not.[4]

Finck playing with Guns N' Roses in 2006.

Finck rejoined Nine Inch Nails as the band embarked on their Fragility v1.0 and Fragility v2.0 tours in support of the 1999 album The Fragile.[2] These tours were recorded and released as the live album/DVD, And All That Could Have Been, which marked Finck's second release with them.[3] He also played on a studio-recorded version of The Day The World Went Away on the companion album Still, which was included with the deluxe version of And All That Could Have Been and later made available as a standalone CD through nin.com.[5] Shortly after the tour ended in 2000 he returned to Guns N' Roses, playing four shows with them in late 2001 followed by a brief tour of Europe and Asia in mid-2002 and a live appearance at the MTV Video Music Awards.[6] A planned US tour was meant to continue through the remainder of 2002 but was called off by the promoter after two cancelled shows led to rioting by fans.[7] Around this time Finck and then-bandmate Buckethead contributed to the soundtrack of the John Carpenter movie Ghosts of Mars, playing alongside members of thrash metal group Anthrax and guitar virtuoso Steve Vai.[8] After his touring obligations with GNR were fulfilled he joined the LedZAriel production (a performance by acrobats set to the music of the band Led Zeppelin).[9]

Finck was invited to rejoin NIN to tour in support of their 2005 album With Teeth but chose not to and the position was filled by Aaron North. In the summer of 2006, he toured Europe with Guns N' Roses playing in front of over 700,000 people.[10] They finished up by touring North America for the remainder of the year, and went to Mexico, Australia and Japan in 2007.

On April 4, 2008, it was announced via nin.com that Finck would be rejoining Nine Inch Nails as a member of the live band [7]. He subsequently contributed to the Nine Inch Nails album The Slip, earning a performance credit alongside then-band members Josh Freese and Alessandro Cortini.

In November 2008 Guns N' Roses' long awaited album Chinese Democracy was released. Finck has a co-writing credit on the song "Better", which was later released as a single. He also played guitar on every track, performed 7 of the guitar solos and has additional credits for keyboards, arrangements and pre-production. He chose to remain with NIN after the album's release and, as of March 21, 2009, has been replaced as the lead guitarist of Guns N' Roses by DJ Ashba.[11] The official Guns N' Roses website states that "Robin continues to be part of GN'R, by virtue of Guns' history and his involvement in Chinese Democracy".[11]

Following the departure of NIN live band members Alessandro Cortini and Josh Freese at the end of 2008 Finck and bassist Justin Meldal-Johnson re-grouped [8] with band leader Trent Reznor and new drummer Ilan Rubin and the 4-piece band completed an 8-date tour of Australia and New Zealand between February and March 2009. Finck continued to perform with the band throughout the 2009 Nine Inch Nails/Janes Addiction (NIN|JA) tour, with shows throughout North America [9], and the subsequent Wave Goodbye tour through Europe and Asia. The band then returned to the US to play a series of shows culminating in the final live appearance of Nine Inch Nails.

In October 2009 Finck and former Guns N' Roses bandmates Axl Rose, Tommy Stinson and Buckethead were named in a lawsuit by electronic musician Ulrich Schnauss's record labels Independiente and Domino alleging that they had committed copyright infringement by using portions of his compositions in the song "Riad 'n the Bedouins".[12] Finck appears on the 2010 album The Lady Killer by artist Cee-Lo Green, performing guitar on the track "The Lady Killer Theme (Outro)".

On March 12, 2012, Finck appeared on-stage with Guns N' Roses, performing "Better", a song he co-wrote with Axl Rose.

On May 17, 2013, it was announced by Trent Reznor via his Twitter account and the nin.com home page, that Finck would be rejoining Nine Inch Nails for the 2013–14 tours.[13]

Personal life

Since 2001, Finck has been married to acrobat Bianca Sapetto, by whom he has a daughter. They met while working in Cirque du Soleil.[citation needed] Besides being a musician he also creates artwork and displays some of his own drawings and photos on his website. In 2007 he contributed artwork in the form of ink drawings to the album Frames by Oceansize at the request of their guitarist Gambler.[14] In 2003, Finck was credited as one of the writers of a production called "My Birthday Party", which incorporated acrobatics, storytelling, music, acting, and clowning. The show included actor Viggo Mortensen and was performed at the Miles Memorial Playhouse in Santa Monica, California.[15]

On February 23, 2009 session drummer Josh Freese, who has been a bandmate of Finck's in both Guns N' Roses and Nine Inch Nails, announced that as part of the pricing strategy for his new solo album Since 1972 a one-off package costing $75,000 would include "a flying trapeze lesson with Josh and Robin from NIN" followed by a visit to Robin's place afterwards where "his wife will make you raw lasagna".[16]

Finck is known for his theatrical appearance when performing, making use of makeup, costumes and clothing to enhance his stage presence. He has also been known to break out into eccentric dance moves during songs with various facial expressions. Between tours and appearances he frequently makes radical alterations to his image, and is particularly famous among fans for his many distinctive and often unusual hair styles. Axl Rose has described him as leading "one of the most different lives I know of starting with the trapeze in his backyard to the tv in his closet"[17]

Equipment

Robin Finck with Nine Inch Nails in 2008

Finck is closely associated with Gibson Les Paul guitars and uses different versions of the guitar that are built from a variety of woods and equipped with numerous pickup combinations (in 2006 he was photographed at the New York City Gibson Guitar showroom collecting a Custom Les Paul Standard '58 Reissue for use on tour with Guns N' Roses).[18] Many of them have been customized and he often moves the pickup selector switch from the top of the guitar's body, as he has said the standard configuration is obstructive. After re-joining Nine Inch Nails in 2008 he began using several other guitars on stage, including Jerry Jones baritone guitars (similar in shape to Danelectro guitars), Fender Jazzmasters, Fender Telecasters and Gibson ES-355s.

In 2009 Finck signed with Schecter Guitar Research as an official endorsee and started using a number of Schecter guitars while touring with NIN, including custom versions of the PT Fastback and Ultra III.[19] He also ordered a custom "Tempest Classic" guitar with gold top finish, an in-built compressor and a wah effect in place of the two tone controls.[20] In late 2009 Schecter issued a press release which announced a limited edition Robin Finck signature guitar based on the Ultra Cure and Ultra III models was entering production.[21] Finck is also listed as a user of Godin guitars on the company's official website[22] and can be seen playing Godin guitars on the Nine Inch Nails live DVD And All That Could Have Been.

He uses a broad range of guitar amps (various models by Marshall Amplification and Mesa Boogie)[23] and effects (including the BOSS DD-5 Digital Delay, Jim Dunlop wah-wah, Devi Ever bit, the legend of fuzz, and RockTron Vodoo Valve)[24] and is known to work very hard to re-create studio tones and textures when playing on stage.[25] He frequently shoves the body of his guitar up against the speakers of his amplifiers during live performances to generate feedback and increased distortion. For some NIN songs he has been known to use an e-bow, as seen during the clip for "La Mer" on the And All That Could Have Been live DVD.

While his primary role in Guns N' Roses was that of lead guitarist, Finck is credited with playing some of the electronic keyboard parts on Chinese Democracy. Similarly, although he performs with Nine Inch Nails mainly as a guitarist he often plays other instruments on stage, including lap steel guitar (with effects pedals mounted to the body of the instrument), ukulele, mandolin and keyboards/synthesizers. He also contributes backing vocals.

Discography

Finck performing with Nine Inch Nails in 2008

With Nine Inch Nails

Title Release Date Label
Closer to God[3] 1994 Nothing Records
Further Down the Spiral[3] 1995 Nothing Records
And All That Could Have Been[3] 2002 Nothing Records
The Downward Spiral (Deluxe Edition)[3] 2004 Nothing Records
The Slip [3] 2008 The Null Corporation

Contributions:

  • Closer To God – "Memorabilia" (Soft Cell cover)
  • Further Down the Spiral – Remixes
  • And All That Could Have Been – Live Performances
  • Still – "The Day The World Went Away"
  • The Downward Spiral – "Hurt" Live
  • The Slip – Performance

With Guns N' Roses

Title Release Date Label
Chinese Democracy[3] 2008 Geffen Records

Contributions (on Chinese Democracy):

  • Lead guitar on all tracks
  • Guitar solos on "Chinese Democracy", "Better", "Street of Dreams", "There Was a Time", "Catcher in the Rye", "I.R.S." and "This I Love"
  • Acoustic guitar on "Sorry"
  • Keyboards on "Better" and "If the World"
  • Co-writer, arrangements, drum arrangement, digital editing and initial production on "Better"

Miscellaneous

Title Release date Label
Ghosts of Mars (Film Soundtrack)[3][8] 2001 Varese Sarabande

Contributions:

  • 02. Love Siege
  • 03. Fight Train
  • 07. Power Station
  • 12. Ghost Poppin'
Title Release date Label
Frames by Oceansize 2007 Superball Music

Contributions:

  • Album artwork – ink drawings
Title Release date Label
The Lady Killer by Cee-Lo Green 2010 Elektra Records / Roadrunner Records

Contributions:

  • 14. The Lady Killer Theme (Outro)
Title Release date Label
Splinter by Gary Numan 2013 Mortal Records / Cooking Vinyl

Contributions:

  • 01. I Am Dust
  • 06. Lost
  • 09. Where I Can Never Be
  • 10. We're The Unforgiven

References

  1. ^ a b "List of Vh1's "Greatest Artists of Hard Rock". Retrieved March 10, 2008. Cite error: The named reference "Vh1" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Jim. "Robin Finck > Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Robin Finck > Credits". Allmusic. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
  4. ^ "Here Today... Gone To Hell! Guns N' Roses "Chinese Democracy" (The New Album) info". Heretodaygonetohell.com. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  5. ^ [1] Template:Wayback
  6. ^ "Guns N' Roses Live at the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards – Welcome to the Jungle, Madagascar, Paradise City gnr axl buckethead VMA". YouTube. November 22, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  7. ^ [2] Template:Wayback
  8. ^ a b "John Carpenter: Ghosts of Mars". Theofficialjohncarpenter.com. Retrieved July 10, 2013. Cite error: The named reference "John Carpenter" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  9. ^ "LedZAerial One, LLC". Ledzaerial.com. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  10. ^ [3] Template:Wayback
  11. ^ a b [4] Template:Wayback
  12. ^ Guns N' Roses Sued For Copying Songs
  13. ^ "Twitter / trent_reznor: It just didn't feel like". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  14. ^ "Oceansize : Interview". Pennyblackmusic.co.uk. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  15. ^ [5] Template:Wayback
  16. ^ "Josh Freese album package deals in full". The Guardian. London. February 23, 2009. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  17. ^ "Axl answers our questions – the whole thing in one thread". Heretodaygonetohell.com. December 12, 2008. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  18. ^ http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/002517.html
  19. ^ [6] Template:Wayback
  20. ^ "NAMM '09-Schecter Guitars Hellraiser Singlecut, ATX Series." YouTube. February 26, 2009. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  21. ^ http://news.harmony-central.com/Product-news/Schecter-Guitars-and-Robin-Finck-of-Nine-Inch-Nails-Burn-Together
  22. ^ "Godin Dealers". Godinguitars.com. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  23. ^ "Robin Finck (Nine Inch Nails) guitar rig". Guitar FX Depot. March 10, 2010. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  24. ^ "GN'R's Equipment". Here Today... Gone To Hell!. August 1, 1999. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  25. ^ "Jerome Dillon". Then It Must Be True. Retrieved July 10, 2013.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robin Finck.

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