Nine Inch Nails / Early Live Band
Richard Patrick
Guitarist and backing vocalist in the first sustained Nine Inch Nails touring lineup from 1989 to 1993, with later guest appearances in 1996 and 2022.
- With Nine Inch Nails
- 1989–1993; guest 1996 and 2022
- Selected work
- Filter; Army of Anyone; The Damning Well
Profile
Richard Patrick and Nine Inch Nails
- NIN relationship
- Early touring guitarist
- Documented span
- 1989–1993; guest 1996 and 2022
- Primary roles
- Guitar and backing vocals
Work with Nine Inch Nails
Richard Patrick joined the first sustained Nine Inch Nails touring lineup in 1989, helping translate the studio-built Pretty Hate Machine material into a physical live-band format. He appears in several early videos and contributed a guitar texture to Sanctified.
Patrick left during work on The Downward Spiral and formed Filter. Later guest appearances, including the 2022 Cleveland reunion, reconnected the earliest touring era with the continuing NIN live history.
NIN Timeline
1989
Joins the early live band
Becomes the principal touring guitarist as NIN begins its first club and support dates.
1990–1991
Hate, Sin and Lollapalooza
Performs through the first major touring cycle as the live audience expands.
1993
Leaves Nine Inch Nails
Departs during the transition toward The Downward Spiral and begins focusing on Filter.
1996
Nights of Nothing guest
Returns for a one-show guest appearance during the Nothing Records package dates.
2022
Cleveland reunion
Joins Reznor and multiple former members for the final six songs at Blossom Music Center.
Tours and Live Roles
1989–1991
Pretty Hate Machine Live
Guitar and backing vocals across the early club, support, Hate, Sin and Lollapalooza phases.
2022 guest
The Trilogy & NIN 2022
Appears at the Cleveland reunion as an event guest rather than a member of the full tour.
Release Contributions
Pretty Hate Machine
The early touring record includes a credited guitar texture at the end of Sanctified.
Closure
Early video and live documents preserve Patrick’s role in the first touring configurations.
Notable Performances and Documents
1989
Down in It
One of several early music-video appearances documenting the first live-band period.
1990
Head Like a Hole
The performance-based video shows the physical identity of the early lineup.
2022
Cleveland Reunion
Patrick returns for six songs, including Filter’s Hey Man Nice Shot.
Selected Work Beyond NIN
Filter
Founder, vocalist and principal continuing member of the band formed after his NIN tenure.
Army of Anyone
Co-founded the group with Robert and Dean DeLeo and Ray Luzier.
The Damning Well
Participated in the project alongside former NIN-associated musicians Danny Lohner and Josh Freese.