draven

Nine Inch Nails Drop Out Of MTV Movie Awards Over Bush Dispute
05.27.2005 2:59 PM EDT

Band will not perform at awards show because of a disagreement over political content.

Nine Inch Nails have dropped out of the 2005 MTV Movie Awards following a dispute over their plan to incorporate an image of George W. Bush into their performance of the song "The Hand That Feeds."

The announcement was made Thursday via a statement posted by Nails frontman Trent Reznor on NIN.com.

"Nine Inch Nails will not be performing at the MTV Movie Awards as previously announced. We were set to perform 'The Hand That Feeds' with an unmolested, straightforward image of George W. Bush as the backdrop," Reznor wrote. "Apparently, the image of our president is as offensive to MTV as it is to me. See you on tour this fall when we return to play in America."

In a statement issued Friday (May 27), MTV expressed disappointment in Nine Inch Nails' decision.

"While we respect Nine Inch Nails' point of view, we were uncomfortable with their performance being built around a partisan political statement. When we discussed our discomfort with the band, their choice was to unfortunately pull out of the Movie Awards."

Nine Inch Nails' label, Interscope Records, had no comment on the matter.

NIN had been scheduled to play the Movie Awards on June 9 along with Eminem and Mariah Carey. At press time, several acts were being touted to take their slot on the show, though none could be confirmed.

The 2005 MTV Movie Awards air Thursday, June 9 at 8:30 p.m., with MTV News' pre-show kicking off the evening at 8 p.m.

— James Montgomery