Jericho: Hurt

I find it easy to say that Rock and Roll music, as diverse as it has become, irregularly produces a song that touches at the essence of some aspect of being human. I think all genres of music do this, but rock, being the music of the masses, is often overlooked. The passion and poetry applied to this form are often missed by those that hear only the clashing guitars and screaming vocals.

Hard Rock is often more of a victim of the hatred and neglect the rest of genre suffers. Other sub-genres, such as Techno, Industrial and the so-called Nu Metal suffer even more. Many miss the musicianship and lyrical depth because of the cacophony of the piece. The masses fail to see beyond the surface.

However, today I experienced one of those fleeting moments of Rock greatness.

Ever heard of a little band called Nine Inch Nails? They are a popular Industrial act headed up by the genius of Trent Reznor. Several years ago I started paying attention to NIN and Trent. About this time, MTV put into heavy rotation a live version of the song "Hurt". It didn't take me long to buy a copy of the album with that song. It touched the darkest parts of me in a way I've never been touched.

A few months later, Max and I got to see NIN in concert with David Bowie - this was an orgasmic concert. Trent came out and blew the crowd away. When David hit the stage, I had to fight to stay awake. But, in the middle, Reznor and Bowie did a duet of Hurt. It's a memory I will hold for a very long time. It's one of the most incredible things I've ever been witness to. If I ever get the chance to go back in time - I want to go see the look on my face at that moment.

Today, I was flipping through the channels on teevee in the bedroom. We only have basic cable in there, so there is rarely anything worth watching for very long. I tripped past CMT, the Country Music Channel and was stopped in my tracks. The lyrics grabbed me and held firm. The voice was unmistakable. It was Johnny Cash singing Hurt. I was stunned. One of the most tortured men in country music singing one of the darkest tunes I can think of. It was perfect. The changes in the lyrics were appropriate and striking. When Johnny sang "I wear this crown of thorns/upon my liar's chair", I was dumbfounded. Johnny changed Reznor's psycho/political commentary to a religious one. I was aware of some exchange between the Hard Rock world and Mr. Cash, as I had heard him do a Soundgarden song once, but I hadn't realized it went this deep. I'm awestruck as I write this.

Needless to say, I will be album shopping soon. My hope is that other serious musicians see the possibilities of the hard rock genre and go exploring their darker sides.