Aaron North
A guitarist who fused punk's raw energy with industrial noise, leaving a brief but searing mark on the 2000s rock scene.
Born 1979 (age 47)·American musician·Birthday: March 22·Generation X
Biography
Aaron North emerged from the Los Angeles punk underground, first as the frenetic guitarist for The Icarus Line, a band that weaponized chaos. His reputation for untamed live performances caught the attention of Trent Reznor, who recruited him for Nine Inch Nails' 2005 touring band. North's tenure with NIN was a collision of disciplined industrial rock and his own volatile, feedback-drenched style, captured on the live album "Beside You in Time." He later co-founded Jubilee, but his most notable post-NIN venture was the supergroup The Revolution Smile. North's career, defined by a physical and uncompromising approach to the guitar, was cut short by a severe hand injury, cementing his status as a brilliant, fleeting flash in modern rock's firmament.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Aaron was born in 1979, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aaron Was Born
The biggest hits of 1979
#1 Movie
Kramer vs. Kramer
Best Picture
Kramer vs. Kramer
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Aaron's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1979Born
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1984Started school
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1992Became a teenager
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1995Could drive
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1997Could vote
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2000Turned 21
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2009Turned 30
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 40
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 47 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the touring guitarist for Nine Inch Nails during their influential 2005-2006 period.
- Co-founded and played guitar for the alternative rock band Jubilee.
- Was a founding member of the aggressive punk act The Icarus Line.
- His guitar work is featured on Nine Inch Nails' live album and DVD "Beside You in Time."
Did You Know?
He famously destroyed his guitars on stage, once stating he went through over 200 instruments in a single year.
North was initially a bassist before switching to guitar to join The Icarus Line.
His hand injury, which effectively ended his playing career, occurred during a home renovation project.
He turned down an audition for the band Velvet Revolver prior to joining Nine Inch Nails.
“The guitar isn't a weapon; it's a detonator.”
