Chris Vrenna

Chris Vrenna
Chris Vrenna and his wife Carrie in 2002. (Photo by Jim Kenefick)
Background information
Birth name	Christopher R. Vrenna
Born	February 23 1967 (1967--) (age 40) Erie, Pennsylvania
Genre(s)	Industrial Electronic Alternative Metal
Instrument(s)	Drums Vocals Piano Synthesizer Keyboards Guitar Bass Guitar Programming
Years active	1980s - Present
Label(s)	Interscope Records Waxploitation
Associated acts	Marilyn Manson Tweaker Nine Inch Nails Die Warzau Stabbing Westward Jack Off Jill Skinny Puppy KMFDM Billy Corgan
Website	http://www.tweaker.net

Chris Vrenna (born February 23 1967 in Erie, Pennsylvania) is an American musician, Grammy-winning producer, engineer, remixer, songwriter, programmer, and founder of the electronic band Tweaker. Vrenna also played drums for the industrial/rock band Nine Inch Nails from 1989 until 1997.

In the mid- to late-'80s Chris moved to Chicago, quickly becoming a part of the Chicago industrial music scene and was briefly a member of Die Warzau and Stabbing Westward.

He later reconnected with Trent Reznor, whom he met in the early 1980s, when they both were in local Cleveland, Ohio band the Exotic Birds. Also toured as a live drummer for KMFDM during the Money era tours, in 92. He is currently recording under the name Tweaker, and has released two albums under that name, The Attraction To All Things Uncertain (2001) and 2am Wakeup Call (2004). Tweaker toured select North American dates with Skinny Puppy in 2004.

As producer, remixer, or engineer Vrenna has worked for Rammstein, The Rasmus, U2, Weezer, P.O.D., David Bowie, Cold, underwater, Scarling., The Smashing Pumpkins, Hole, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Green Day, Adema, the Wallflowers, and the Japanese rock band Dir en grey. He has also worked with the underground industrial group Pigface and produced songs and albums for underground girl groups TCR, Jack Off Jill, and Rasputina.

Vrenna has also worked on music for several video games, including Doom 3 (as producer with Clint Walsh), Quake 4, American McGee's Alice (with additional vocals from Jessicka Jack Off Jill/Scarling.), Enter The Matrix, Sonic The Hedgehog, Area 51, and Need for Speed Most Wanted. In 2004 he started soundtrack work on Tabula Rasa, a massive multiplayer online game. He also helped compose the theme song to the animated series Xiaolin Showdown.

He can be seen performing in the music videos for the songs Gave Up, Wish, and March of the Pigs on the Nine Inch Nails video compilation Closure, and also makes a brief appearance in The Perfect Drug.

Vrenna won a Grammy award as a member of Nine Inch Nails for "Best Metal Performance" for Happiness in Slavery in 1995 for the live performance of the song on Woodstock '94.

Vrenna was Billy Corgan's programmer for four months in 1997. While he was on tour with the Smashing Pumpkins, Vrenna got a call from Axl Rose, who invited Vrenna to spend time with Guns N' Roses. "I did for a couple weeks, but then decided I didn't want to join the band", said Vrenna ^{[citation needed]}.

Vrenna was chosen to take over the drumming responsibilities for Marilyn Manson after Ginger Fish was injured in 2004. He is currently the live keyboardist for Marilyn Manson.

External links

• Official site
• Drum It Up, Fuzzball: Chris Vrenna

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