“Every city in America has at least one Gothic club. In New Orleans, it’s the Blue Crystal. When a band like the Cure is in town, the Blue Crystal throws a party after the show. The club called Reznor, the closest thing they have to a local dignitary, to invite him to the Cure after-show party. Further conversation revealed that the only way the Cure would show is if Reznor is there, too. You can’t hear it anywhere in Nine Inch Nails, but Reznor is a Cure fan from way back. He considers the Cure’s The Head On The Door” one of the best records ever.“ His favorite description of himself: “Robert Smith with a head cold.”

“I end up going to the club, and surprisingly, everyone from the Cure is there. And the bartender calls me over and says, ‘Robert really wants to talk to you.’” Reznor smiles, makes a face that says: You mean I have to meet one of my teen idols in a goth club in Louisiana? Now? In front of all these people?

“It ends up,” Reznor says, “me and him, hugging on the dance floor. He’s like, ‘I love you, dude,’ and I’m like, ‘I love you too, man.’” The Cure fans formed a loose circle around the pair while New Order’s “Blue Monday” pumped out of the speakers. “It was the greatest scene,” Reznor says.

“We were both fairly incoherent,” he feels compelled to add.“

A 1996 interview with Trent Reznor by Alternative Press