Nine Inch Nails replaces bassist ahead of tour

Trent Reznor of music group Nine Inch Nails performs at the Voodoo Music Experience concert held at Riverview Park in New Orleans, Louisiana October 29, 2005.

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Nine Inch Nails has reshuffled its new touring lineup announced in early April, with bassist Justin Meldal-Johnsen (Beck, Garbage) replacing British musician Rich Fownes.

Frontman Trent Reznor will also be backed by Robin Finck (who spent years in NIN prior to a recently ended stint in Guns N' Roses), drummer Josh Freese and keyboardist Alessandro Cortini on a North American trek that begins July 25 at British Columbia's Pemberton Festival.

"We've added, we've subtracted and we've wound up with unquestionably the strongest lineup I've EVER had," Reznor said on NIN's Web site (www.nin.com). "We've been working on something really special for these shows and so far I couldn't be happier with the results."

Reuters/Billboard