The Fragile (also known as Halo 14) is a double album by Nine Inch Nails released in 1999. The Fragile is the fourteenth official Nine Inch Nails release and the band's fourth major release. It was preceded by The Downward Spiral and is followed by With Teeth.

The first single from The Fragile was the track "The Day the World Went Away" which was released several months before the album. The b-side on the single was "Starfuckers, Inc." Strangely, not only was that track included on the final album, but it also became a single itself with an accompanying video.

Reznor described The Fragile in a 1999 interview:

"There's a general theme to the album of systems failing and things sort of falling apart. In keeping with the idea of making everything sound a little broken, I chose stringed instruments because they're imperfect by nature. Although it may not sound like it, most of the album is actually guitar - and that includes the orchestral sounds and weird melodic lines. When it came to instruments that I didn't really know how to play - like the ukulele or the slide guitar - we were able to get some really interesting sounds by making the studio the main instrument." [1]

Prior to its release, Trent Reznor said many things about the direction The Fragile would take and what it would include that did end up happening. In particular, he said that he was very interested in IDM and that the new album might incorporate that genre.

Releases

• Nothing Records / Interscope Records 0694904732 - CD
• Nothing Records / Interscope Records 0694904731 - 12" Vinyl
• Nothing Records / Interscope Records 0694904734 - Cassette

Track Listing

CD version

(disc 1: left)

1. "Somewhat Damaged" - 4:31
2. "The Day the World Went Away" - 4:33
3. "The Frail" - 1:54
4. "The Wretched" - 5:25
5. "We're in This Together" - 7:16
6. "The Fragile" - 4:35
7. "Just Like You Imagined" - 3:49
8. "Even Deeper" - 5:47
9. "Pilgrimage" - 3:31
10. "No, You Don't" - 3:35
11. "La Mer" - 4:37
12. "The Great Below" - 5:17

(disc 2: right)

1. "The Way Out Is Through" - 4:17
2. "Into the Void" - 4:49
3. "Where Is Everybody?" - 5:40
4. "The Mark Has Been Made" - 5:15
5. "Please" - 3:30
6. "Starfuckers, Inc." - 5:00
7. "Complication" - 2:30
8. "I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally" - 4:13
9. "The Big Come Down" - 4:12
10. "Underneath It All" - 2:46
11. "Ripe (With Decay)" - 6:34

Vinyl version

(disc 1)

1. "Somewhat Damaged" - 4:31
2. "The Day the World Went Away" - 4:33
3. "The Frail" - 1:54
4. "The Wretched" - 5:25
5. "We're in This Together" - 7:16
6. "The Fragile" - 4:35
7. "Just Like You Imagined" - 3:49
8. "Even Deeper" - 5:47

(disc 2)

1. "Pilgrimage" - 3:31
2. "No, You Don't" - 3:35
3. "La Mer" - 4:37
4. "The Great Below" - 5:17
5. "The Way Out Is Through" - 4:17
6. "Into the Void" - 4:49
7. "Where Is Everybody?" - 5:40
8. "The Mark Has Been Made" - 5:15

(disc 3)

1. "10 Miles High" - 5:13
2. "Please" - 3:30
3. "Starfuckers, Inc." - 5:00
4. "Complication" - 2:30
5. "The New Flesh" - 3:40
6. "I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally" - 4:13
7. "The Big Come Down" - 4:12
8. "Underneath It All" - 2:46
9. "Ripe" - ?:??

Cassette version

(tape 1)

1. "Somewhat Damaged" - 4:31
2. "The Day the World Went Away" - 4:33
3. "The Frail" - 1:54
4. "The Wretched" - 5:25
5. "We're in This Together" - 7:16
6. "The Fragile" - 4:35
7. "Just Like You Imagined" - 3:49
8. "Even Deeper" - 5:47
9. "Pilgrimage" - 3:31
10. "No, You Don't" - 3:35
11. "La Mer" - 4:37
12. "The Great Below" - 5:17

(tape 2)

1. "The Way Out Is Through" - 4:17
2. "Into the Void" - 4:49
3. "Where Is Everybody?" - 5:40
4. "The Mark Has Been Made" - 5:15
5. "Please (+appendage)" - 6:19
6. "Starfuckers, Inc." - 5:00
7. "Complication" - 2:30
8. "I'm Looking Forward to Joining You, Finally" - 4:13
9. "The Big Come Down" - 4:12
10. "Underneath It All" - 2:46
11. "Ripe (With Decay)" - 6:34

Personnel

• Steve Albini - Engineer
• Tom Baker - Mastering
• Adrian Belew - Guitar
• Heather Bennet - Vocals (Background)
• Paul Bradley - Programming
• Buddha Boys Choir - Choir, Chorus, Chant
• Buddha Debutante Choir - Vocals (Background)
• Di Coleman - Vocals (Background)
• Charles Clouser - Programming, Atmosphere
• Melissa Daigle - Vocals (Background)
• Paul DeCarli - Programming
• Jerome Dillon - Drums
• Dr. Dre - Mixing Assistant
• Mike Garson - Piano
• Page Hamilton - Guitar
• Tracy Hardin - Vocals (Background)
• Leo Herrera - Engineer
• Keith Hillebrandt - Programming, Choir, Chorus, Sound Design
• Danny Lohner - Drum Programming, Ambience, Synthesizer, Guitar
• Clint Mansell - Choir, Chorus
• Alan Moulder - Producer, Engineer, Mixing
• Dave Ogilvie - Engineer
• Brian Pollack - Engineer
• Trent Reznor - Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Programming, Producer
• Elquine Rice - Vocals (Background)
• Terry Rice - Vocals (Background)
• Bill Rieflin - Drums
• Barbara Wilson - Vocals (Background)
• Leslie Wilson - Vocals (Background)
• Steve Duda - Programming, Choir, Chorus, Percussion, Violin
• Eric Edmonson - Choir, Chorus
• Cherry Holly - Trumpet
• Doug Idleman - Choir, Chorus
• Marcus London - Choir, Chorus
• Denise Milfrot - Vocals
• Judy Miller - Vocals (Background)
• Gary I. Neal - Vocals (Background)
• Christine Parrish - Vocals (Background)
• Adam Persaud - Choir, Chorus
• Martha Prevost - Vocals
• M. Gabriela Rivas - Vocals (Background)
• Nick Scott - Choir, Chorus
• Rodney Sulton - Vocals (Background)
• Stefani Taylor - Vocals (Background)
• Nigel Wiesehan - Choir, Chorus
• Willie - Cello
• Martha Wood - Vocals (Background)

Chart Positions

Album

1999   The Fragile                    The Billboard 200        No. 1
1999   The Fragile                    Top Canadian Albums      No. 2
1999   The Fragile                    Top Internet Albums      No. 1
2000   The Fragile                    The Billboard 200        No. 1

Singles

1999   The Day The World Went Away    The Billboard Hot 100    No. 17
1999   We re In This Together         Mainstream Rock Tracks   No. 21
1999   Starf**kers, Inc.              Modern Rock Tracks       No. 39
1999   We re In This Together         Modern Rock Tracks       No. 11
1999   The Day The World Went Away    Canadian Singles Chart   No. 1
2000   Into The Void                  Mainstream Rock Tracks   No. 27

External Links

• nin.com
• Halo 14 Lyrics
• nincollector.com: halo fourteen
• discogs.com: The Fragile (US 2xCD)
• discogs.com: The Fragile (US 3x12")
• discogs.com: The Fragile (US 2xCassette)