The band "Nine Inch Nails" has an album titled "Pretty Hate Machine"
and I've found that the singer, Tori Amos, makes reference to a
"pretty hate machine" in her song "Caught a light sneeze."  I'd like
to know exactly what (if anything) a "pretty hate machine" is.

Dear dbroege-ga

Thank you for allowing me to answer your interesting question. A
?pretty hate machine? was the slang term for a wannbe groupie trying
to fit in with a group he or she does not necessarily belong to.  This
was particularly relative to the mid to late 1980?s punk and club-kid
scenes, and perhaps to some extent even the 1990?s grunge or Goth
scenes where certain outlandish appearances represented a person?s
affiliation. According to WIKIPEDIA?s entry on the Nine Inch Nails?
album, a ?pretty hate machine? is defined as ?an angst-filled youth
who tries too hard to look the part of a rebellious teen.?

WIKIPEDIA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Hate_Machine

A wholesome, normal looking, seemingly well-adjusted youth by day can
dress himself or herself up as a rebellious member of a particular fad
by night and the end result is a ?pretty hate machine?.

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Define:pretty hate machine

Very informative answer.  Good reference.  Just what I was looking for.

You might find this discussion helpful.
http://www.yessaid.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-1119.html

Pretty Hate Machine refers to religion. Many of the songs on the NIN
album are very critical of religion and Christianity especialy. In
their viewpoint, the "pretty" appearance of religion is attractive to
the masses. However despite its pleasant appreance, it is a "machine"
producing "hate" and serves as a devisive force within  humanity. I
read over the Tori Amos song. There is quit a few references to
religion: "St. John", "My spire is hot" (spires are usually found on
churches), "Sister Ernestine". When she says "Made my own pretty hate
machine", she is saying she made her own religion. Within the context
of the song, she may mean this literaly and/or metaphorically.

Maybe it would help to know that Tori Amos dated Trent Reznor for
quite some time. Trent is the lead singer and, essentially, the entire
band in Nine Inch Nails particularly during the band's earlier
recordings. Perhaps that was Tori's way of writing a song about Trent,
or at least referencing him through his music.

Hope this helps!

~* Schylaar *~