Option 30
Encyclopedia
Option 30 was a New Wave
band from the early 1980s founded by Timothy K. ("TK") Smith on guitars and vocals, Jim Nordstrom on bass and saxophone, and Todd Nero on drums. The band also featured a young Trent Reznor
on keyboards and lead vocals.
Option 30's style was similar to that of Falco
and early albums by The Police
. The band managed to record one demo (see below) before Reznor left for the The Innocent
then onto Exotic Birds
and finally, forming his own band, Nine Inch Nails
. The demo was shelved until after the success of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral
, when it was re-released.
The band performed at clubs in and around Northwestern and Central Pennsylvania
, and Northern Ohio
as often as three times a week. After Reznor departed, the band continued on as a power trio with Smith on lead vocals. At this point, the band began performing a number of additional original songs penned by Smith and Nordstrom. Option 30 broke up in 1986.
Despite his later career, Reznor had little songwriting input; all songs were written by Smith and Nordstrom, with the exception of "Ice House" (a cover of an Icehouse
song), "Lies" (a cover of a song by The Thompson Twins
), and "Der Kommissar" (a cover, with English lyrics, of a song by Falco
).
Tim Smith died on October 31, 2009, at age 50. Nordstrom and Nero, joined by Smith's sons Roan (vocals) and Kelly (guitar), performed several Option 30 originals composed by Smith at his wake. In December 2009, a was created that includes unreleased live and studio recordings made by the band between 1984 and 1986.
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band from the early 1980s founded by Timothy K. ("TK") Smith on guitars and vocals, Jim Nordstrom on bass and saxophone, and Todd Nero on drums. The band also featured a young Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
on keyboards and lead vocals.
Option 30's style was similar to that of Falco
Falco (musician)
Johann Hölzel , better known by his stage name Falco, was an Austrian pop and rock musician and rapper. He had several international hits: "Der Kommissar", "Rock Me Amadeus", "Vienna Calling", "Jeanny", "The Sound of Musik", "Coming Home " and posthumously, "Out Of The Dark"...
and early albums by The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
. The band managed to record one demo (see below) before Reznor left for the The Innocent
The Innocent (band)
The Innocent was the band Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails played with after leaving Option 30. He then moved on to the Exotic Birds before creating his own band, Nine Inch Nails. The other members were Alan Greenblatt , Kevin Valentine, Rodney Cajka and Albritton McClain...
then onto Exotic Birds
Exotic Birds
The Exotic Birds was a synthpop music group formed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1983 by three Cleveland Institute of Music percussion students, Andy Kubiszewski, Tom Freer and Tim Adams. They wrote their own music, and were described as synth pop and dance...
and finally, forming his own band, Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
. The demo was shelved until after the success of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral
The Downward Spiral
The Downward Spiral is the second studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released March 8, 1994, on Interscope Records. It is a concept album detailing the destruction of a man, from the beginning of his "downward spiral" to his climactic attempt at suicide...
, when it was re-released.
The band performed at clubs in and around Northwestern and Central Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and Northern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
as often as three times a week. After Reznor departed, the band continued on as a power trio with Smith on lead vocals. At this point, the band began performing a number of additional original songs penned by Smith and Nordstrom. Option 30 broke up in 1986.
The Option 30 album
The band only released one self-titled album consisting of demos from 1983. The album was re-released in 1997 by Shriek Records, with bonus interview clips with the band from 1984. The re-release was short-lived, however, as only 1000 copies were pressed.Despite his later career, Reznor had little songwriting input; all songs were written by Smith and Nordstrom, with the exception of "Ice House" (a cover of an Icehouse
Icehouse (band)
Icehouse is an Australian rock band, formed as Flowers in 1977 in Sydney. Initially known in Australia for their pub rock style, they later achieved mainstream success playing new wave and synthpop style music and attained Top Ten singles chart success in both Europe and the U.S...
song), "Lies" (a cover of a song by The Thompson Twins
Thompson Twins
The Thompson Twins were a British pop group that were formed in April 1977 and disbanded in May 1993. They achieved considerable popularity in the mid 1980s, scoring a string of hits in the United Kingdom, the United States and around the globe. The band was named after the two bumbling detectives...
), and "Der Kommissar" (a cover, with English lyrics, of a song by Falco
Falco (musician)
Johann Hölzel , better known by his stage name Falco, was an Austrian pop and rock musician and rapper. He had several international hits: "Der Kommissar", "Rock Me Amadeus", "Vienna Calling", "Jeanny", "The Sound of Musik", "Coming Home " and posthumously, "Out Of The Dark"...
).
Track listing
- "Ice House" – 4:24
- "Edinboro radio interview" – 1:17
- "Time & Chance" – 3:23
- "Interview" – 3:13
- "Abomination" – 3:02
- "Interview" – 1:50
- "Der KommissarDer Kommissar (song)"'" is a song first recorded by Falco in Austria in 1981, covered a year later by After the Fire and reworked in 1983 by Laura Branigan. Originally written by Robert Ponger and Falco, the Falco version reached the top of the charts in many countries....
" – 4:11 - "Interview" – 4:30
- "Lies" – 3:19
- "Interview" – 2:54
- "Just Out Enough to Be In" – 2:43
- "Equal Rights" – 3:57
- "Old Habits Die Hard" – 3:09
- "Interview" – 1:10
- "Pandora's Box" – 4:02
Reunion and unreleased material
Jim Nordstrom made several attempts at reuniting the band to record more material, but none were successful due to scheduling conflicts.Tim Smith died on October 31, 2009, at age 50. Nordstrom and Nero, joined by Smith's sons Roan (vocals) and Kelly (guitar), performed several Option 30 originals composed by Smith at his wake. In December 2009, a was created that includes unreleased live and studio recordings made by the band between 1984 and 1986.
External links
- Trent Reznor's pre-NIN discography at Burning Souls