Trent Reznor has got to hate YouTube. Several embarrassing videos of the industrial rock icon from his pre-Nine Inch Nails days have surfaced on the video sharing site in the past couple of years, but now an hilarious clip of Reznor lip-syncing the NIN track ‘Down In It’ on ’80s television is making the rounds online.

The late 80′s were an ugly time for fashion and dancing, as evidenced by the audience in this recently unburied footage of an early Nine Inch Nails rocking ‘Down In It’ on ‘Dance Party U.S.A.’ Stereogum reports that the footage was culled from a video cassette bought for $100 by a NIN superfan — it was worth every penny. Trent Reznor gave the backstory of the now infamous performance in a multi-part tweet yesterday (March 28).

Many years ago, a young and naive Nine Inch Nails were asked what TV shows they’d be interested in appearing on. As a joke (and likely drunk), they thought of the most absurd choice they could come up with at the time. They were then informed their bluff had been called and were actually booked on said show… They hopped in their Honda Civic touring vehicle (hatchback) and travelled many miles to (I think) NJ for the big show. They had a laugh making fun of the people, their fashion choices and hairstyles. Life was good. Years later, the internet is discovered… There’s a moral in there somewhere. Come to think of it, Skrillex may indeed owe me some publishing on that hairdo…

Nine Inch Nails are set to return in 2012 after retiring from the road with the ‘Wave Goodbye’ tour 2009. Reznor recently disclosed his plans to dedicate much of this year to reviving the band after the extended hiatus. He will also release the full-length debut from How to Destroy Angels. The project features Reznor, his wife Mariqueen Maandig and frequent collaborator Atticus Ross.

Watch Nine Inch Nails Get ‘Down In It’ on ‘Dance Party U.S.A.’

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