Former NINE INCH NAILS Drummer Explains His Departure

Former NINE INCH NAILS drummer Jerome Dillon recently spoke to Then It Must Be True regarding his departure from the group and his current activities. An excerpt from the chat follows:

Then It Must Be True: Let's start right off the bat with your departure from Nine Inch Nails. What do you want to say about what went on there?

Jerome Dillon: "Well, number one, it's been fairly documented recently that I had some health issues that kind of stalled the momentum of the tour. To be totally honest with you, I still have a lot of guilt over the three shows that were cancelled due to my issues. But these were definitely things that were beyond my control. It absolutely did look like there was something seriously wrong with me there for a minute. Anyone that has ever worked with Trent [Reznor] or knows the NINE INCH NAILS organization knows that shows do not get cancelled unless it is something serious or could potentially be something serious. The show has to go on.

"So, that said, it did not end up being anything serious. Lucky for me, it turned out to be an easily treatable condition that was addressed and diagnosed. Actually it took a little while to diagnose it, but as it turned out it wasn't anything that could end my career. The drag about it was that it took three cardiologists, three separate doctors/specialists, to find what exactly what was going on, which is why more than one show was cancelled.

"Let me tell you first-hand, it's embarrassing when everyone around you thinks you're dying. Anyway, I returned to L.A., saw a specialist, got diagnosed, started medication and played one of the best shows of my life at the Hollywood Bowl forty-eight hours later. Josh Freese was brought in to cover a couple of shows and I was going to rejoin the tour in a few weeks. I was given complete documentation from two specialists stating that I was treated and could immediately return to work. Obviously, that's not what happened.

"What did end up happening was I came back to L.A. and started gathering myself because it was a pretty scary time. I had never had anything like that happen before and I (and everyone around me) was stressing out like a motherfucker. I don't really want to get into specifics but it was definitely time for me to make my exit at that point. It really had nothing to do with my health because I was and am feeling great. But it had a lot more to do with the fact that emotions were running very high and there was a lot of stalled momentum. The band was under the gun because we had just gotten to a point where we were jelling musically and really starting to sound good. And those guys immediately had to switch gears and get into trying to find a replacement, first of all, and then work a replacement in. I know they had to work really hard to do that and I know there was a lot of stress that was caused as a result of my absence. I feel shitty about that but it really wasn't anything that I could control. I think all of that kind of built up and it was obvious to me that I didn't fit in anymore. I just had a completely different outlook on things. No big deal. The most important thing is that I'm healthy and that I can continue to do what I love and what I'm really good at.

"As a result, a lot of positive things came out of it. Many things that would not have happened to me, had I been still on the road with NINE INCH NAILS, have happened since I've been home. So as negative of a situation as it was, some positive things did come out of it. As bad of a situation as it was with my health and thinking that there was something seriously wrong when there wasn't…all of that stuff led to other things that are happening right now. And obviously, I wouldn't be doing this interview with you now if it wasn't for the fact that I was in NINE INCH NAILS for the better part of six years. I'm incredibly appreciative for all the doors it has opened for me, and the things that have happened to me during the course of that time."

Read the entire interview at ThenItMustBeTrue.com.