A PERFECT CIRCLE — PASSIVE
Passive is a song that went through numerous controversies but still managed to carve its own unique path in A Perfect Circle’s discography, also making a strong appearance in the film Constantine (2005). Featured on the album eMOTIVe (2004), Passive is essentially a remake of the song Vacant, originally created by Tapeworm — a project founded by Trent Reznor himself.
«One of the recordings of the old "Vacant" performed by Maynard»
The reason you’ve most likely never heard of Tapeworm is quite simple: the project never officially released anything, despite numerous mentions in the press. Originally, Tapeworm was conceived as a side project by Nine Inch Nails, but over time it evolved into a collective featuring several other musicians (such as Maynard James Keenan — Tool’s frontman — as well as Danny Lohner and Atticus Ross). In 2004, Reznor disbanded the project, citing label complications and a growing lack of interest from the group itself.
— « Maynard Keenan, Danny Lohner, Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor »
During one of his concerts, Maynard suddenly performed Vacant — a song for which he wrote the lyrics back in 1999, while Trent Reznor contributed the chorus and backing vocals (that's why many still credit him as a co-writer). The music was composed by Danny Lohner, and Charlie Clouser was in charge of the mix — both were closely connected to Nine Inch Nails at the time.
Interestingly, Reznor originally did not approve of Vacant’s performance and was annoyed by Maynard’s decision (though their conflict eventually blew over, and the friends reconciled). During its transformation into Passive, the song found a new life and a unique voice within A Perfect Circle’s repertoire.
— «Trent Reznor about Maynard and Tapeworm»
(for those who don't want to watch, there is text below)
In his recollections of the project, Reznor says:
“The question that sticks with me. One of those things I was talking about years ago. Tapeworm — just to clear things up, I’ve already started to forget what it was — but I’m sure I came to realize that everything I was trying to do was a waste of time, because back then I was afraid to write new Nine Inch Nails albums, so I kept myself busy with side projects while I was living in New Orleans. I felt busy, but without much pressure in what I was doing. Maynard and I became friends over the years and tried to work together on this project, which also involved Danny Lohner and Atticus Ross. We tried to create a kind of democracy and see what we could come up with together.>> Maynard and I successfully did our respective things (Tool and Nine Inch Nails). But the final result was honestly just mediocre. I think it was due to a lack of focus and the commercial pressures that directly influenced us. Not from each of us individually, but from the overall climate at the time — it was the late nineties — when record labels put pressure on you to produce what I previously hinted at. If you tried to promote your record on the radio, you suddenly lost a ton of opportunities if it didn't make it there.>> It’s not just a matter of money, but a range of pressures that can affect many people. The music we made, and that we presented under the name Tapeworm, just never really went that far — it kind of fell into a similar groove. When you combine Tool and NIN, it’s supposed to be a 10 out of 10, not a 7. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that we kept landing at 7, which is ultimately why I decided to let it go. So there’s really not much to learn from it. I love Maynard — he’s a good friend — and I’m sure we’ll try to do something together again that’s truly a 10 out of 10.”
— Finally, we come to that very scene in the movie where Passive is playing.
Director Francis Lawrence carefully crafted the film’s soundscape, aiming to immerse the viewer in a supernatural, gothic world tinged with despair. Passive fit perfectly into this aesthetic.
The official music video for Passive also included footage from Constantine, adding a special atmosphere to the song.
In the film, the track plays during the scene where John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) enters Papa Midnight’s nightclub (played by Djimon Hounsou) to gather information about a demon invasion into the human world. The music serves as a background, blending seamlessly with the dark, ominous visuals, making the scene’s immersion absolutely spot on!
— Thank you for your attention and time!
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