Ministry (band)
Encyclopedia
Ministry is an American
industrial metal
band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen
in 1981. Originally a synthpop
outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs
(1992) and touring as part of the Lollapalooza
festival. After 27 years of performing, Jourgensen decided to end the band in 2008, and since then stated that a reunion would never happen. However, on August 7, 2011, a reunion was announced and Ministry will play their first show in 4 years at the Wacken Open Air
festival in August 2012. They also plan to release a new album, entitled Relapse
, on March 3, 2012.
, Illinois
in 1981. His first band prior to Ministry was Special Affect with Groovie Mann (of My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
), drummer Harry Rushakoff (Concrete Blonde
) and bassist Marty Sorenson. After that was the short-lived Silly Charmichaels, with Ben Krug, Tom Krug and Tom Wall (all of The Imports
). The original line-up of Ministry consisted mainly of Jourgensen (vocals and guitar), Stephen George
(drums), Robert Roberts (keyboards), and John Davis (keyboards), although with a few personnel changes, the band's image would begin to focus more on Jourgensen and Stephen George. Ministry's original sound was essentially New Wave synthpop that was more melodic and stylized than the aggressive music for which they would become known. Ministry released four 12" singles on Wax Trax! Records
from 1981 to 1984 (anthologized on Twelve Inch Singles (1981–1984) that featured the club favorite "Everyday is Halloween"). Their first LP, With Sympathy
, was issued on Arista Records in 1983, and sold slowly but hit the upper 90s in the Billboard 200
. The music in With Sympathy, and the various singles that Arista issued in association with it, was melodic pop. Jourgensen has always expressed disappointment with Ministry's music during those early years, reportedly referring to With Sympathy as an "abortion of an album." According to him, after signing the record contract, all artistic control of Ministry was "handed" over to other writers and producers. Some of his preferred recordings from that era were collected into the CD Early Trax
(Rykodisc Records, 2004).
. Jourgensen performed mostly solo for Ministry's next LP, Twitch (1986), which sold well, but was still considered to be "underground". The music was danceable electronic music, but wasn't pop music, and the sound was harsher and more aggressive than what Ministry had recorded before. According to Jourgensen, "Twitch was stuff that I was doing before With Sympathy came out. Some of that stuff was already four or five years old, but the record company didn't want to use it, so...". Much of the new sound was created with the use of digital sampling
and the input of producer Adrian Sherwood
.
of the Seattle band The Blackouts into the Ministry camp; Barker would remain Jourgensen's bandmate for many years when he was the only person credited as a member of the band other than Jourgensen. With the addition of The Blackouts drummer William Rieflin
, Ministry recorded The Land of Rape and Honey
(1988). The LP continued their success in the underground music scene. The Land of Rape and Honey made use of synthesizers, keyboards, tape loops, jackhammering drum machines, dialogue excerpted from movies, unconventional electronic processing, and, in parts, heavy distorted electric guitar and bass. The album was supported by a tour in 1988 and the singles and music videos for "Stigmata
" and "Flashback". Stigmata was also used in a key scene in Richard Stanley's 1990 film Hardware, although the band shown performing the song was Gwar
.
was supported by the "RollerBall" tour from 1989 to 1990. Due to the complex nature of the album's drumming, a second drummer, Martin Atkins
, was used. In addition to Atkins, a ten piece touring line-up was formed, consisting of Chris Connelly (keyboards and vocals), Nivek Ogre
(vocals and keyboards), Joe Kelly (vocals and backing vocals) and guitarists Mike Scaccia
, Terry Roberts, and William Tucker
, with Jourgensen, Barker and Rieflin serving as the groups core members. This tour was documented on In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up
. One single, "Burning Inside
" (for which a video was made), was released from the album.
Throughout the late 1980s Jourgensen and Barker expanded their ideas beyond Ministry into a seemingly endless parade of side projects and collaborations. Many of these bore Ministry's signature sound and the duo's "Hypo Luxa/Hermes Pan" production imprint. (These side-projects were also responsible for the delayed release of Ministry's next album.) Foremost of these was Ministry's alter ego, the Revolting Cocks
. "RevCo", as it is often referred to, essentially became the same band as it had originally featured Belgian musicians Richard 23 (of Front 242
) and Luc Van Acker
. Jourgensen and Barker also formed Lard
with Dead Kennedys
lead singer Jello Biafra
, Acid Horse
with Cabaret Voltaire
, 1000 Homo DJs
(which featured Nine Inch Nails
' Trent Reznor
doing vocals on a cover of Black Sabbath
's Supernaut), PTP
with Chris Connelly and Pailhead
with Ian MacKaye
of Minor Threat
and Fugazi. Barker released his own material as Lead Into Gold
and Jourgensen produced and played electric guitar on Skinny Puppy
's Rabies LP. Atkins and Rieflin also formed the band Pigface
, which featured Barker on several tracks, as well. The smaller of these projects were later collected on the CD Side Trax
(Rykodisc Records, 2004), and the RevCo discography was remastered and reissued.
" (co-authored by Gibby Haynes
of the Butthole Surfers
and Michael Balch of Frontline Assembly affiliation). The music video
was a hit on MTV
, and the band scored second billing on the Lollapalooza tour and managed, by some accounts, to steal the show. As the single would have indicated, the sound of the following LP, Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs
(1992), was the most metal-oriented Ministry had put to record at that point, the focal point of the sound shifting almost entirely from synths to Jourgensen's and new members Mike Scaccia
's and Louis Svitek
's electric guitars.
ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ, which is printed on the record, is a concatenation of "κεφαλή" (Greek
for "head" or "leader") and "ΞΘ" (the number 69 in Greek numerals
). The title was borrowed from Aleister Crowley
's work: The Book of Lies
(Chapter 69, "The Way to Succeed—and the Way to Suck Eggs!"). Psalm 69 became Ministry's biggest hit, including in addition to "Jesus Built My Hotrod", the singles "N.W.O." (a protest of the Persian Gulf War
and attack directed at then-President George H.W. Bush
) and "Just One Fix" (a collaboration with poet/novelist William S. Burroughs
). The single "N.W.O." was used in the 1992 live-action/animated movie Cool World
.
charity concert, covering songs by Bob Dylan
, Ten Years After
, and The Grateful Dead, and playing a new song, " Oh...Presley, Come Hither, Presley...", which was intended to be on their next album. In 1995, Ministry was one of the headlining acts for Australia
and New Zealand
's Big Day Out
touring festival. In spite of their growing success, Ministry was nearly derailed by a series of arrests and drug problems. The band did not issue their next album, Filth Pig
, until 1996. For Filth Pig, Ministry stripped all synthesizers and most samples from their style and made the music almost entirely with ultra-noisy guitars, heavy bass, and real drums. The songs were played mostly at slower tempos than the very fast ones that were used for the compositions on their previous three LPs, giving it an almost doom metal
feel. Filth Pig was supported with the singles/videos "Reload
", "The Fall", "Lay Lady Lay
" (an unusual and unexpected cover of Bob Dylan's old country-tinged hit) and "Brick Windows" and with a tour in 1996 (the live performances were later anthologized on the Sphinctour
album and DVD in 2002). The album has been considered by Jourgensen to be his response to fan expectations of where Ministry's sound was heading, and it's also been speculated that it was an attempt to move away from the "industrial" label of the band's music.
committed suicide in 1999 by cutting his own throat. Ministry then recorded their final studio album for Warner Bros. Records, Dark Side of the Spoon
(1999), which they dedicated to Tucker. For Dark Side of the Spoon, Ministry tried to diversify their sound by adding some melodic and synthetic touches, to their usual electro-metal sound, along with some jazz influences, but the album was not well received. However, the single "Bad Blood" appeared on the soundtrack album of The Matrix
and was nominated for a 2000 Grammy award.
In the summer of 2000, Ministry was invited to that year's Ozzfest
. They would fill in the co-headliner position left vacant by a failed-reuniting of the original Judas Priest
. Ministry was later dropped from the bill after a management changeover, although Al's drug habits may have actually played the culprit in this. They were replaced by Soulfly
.
being canceled (although its contents had been compiled), resulting instead in Sphinctour appearing on Sanctuary Records
.
Around 2001, Jourgensen almost lost his arm when he was bitten by a venomous spider. According to Jourgensen, the realization that he could have lost his livelihood caused him to kick his heroin addiction and focus on music once again. Jourgensen and Barker, along with Max Brody
who had joined as a saxophone player for the 1999 tour, focused on developing songs for a new record during 2001 and 2002, with the band issuing Animositisomina
on Sanctuary Records in 2003. The sound was strongly heavy metal laden with voice effects, and matched the ferocity of Psalm 69 (though it featured an almost-pop cover of Magazine
's "The Light Pours Out Of Me"). Animositisomina did poorly in terms of sales and singles for "Animosity" and "Piss" were canceled before they could be released.
Barker left the Ministry camp in 2003 due to dissatisfaction with the direction of his life. He stated that the trigger was his father dying while the band was wrapping up a summer tour in Europe, and also stated in early 2004 that his family life was his main focus at that particular time. Jourgensen continued Ministry with Mike Scaccia and various other musicians.
", an attack on then-U.S. President George W. Bush
; an alternate version of the track was placed on the multi-performer compilation Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1
. The follow-up LP, Houses of the Molé
(2004), contained the most explicitly political lyrics Jourgensen had yet written, with songs in Ministry's classic industrial
electro-metallic sound played messier, more crudely and more freely than ever before, giving the album the most metal-oriented sound of their career. In 2006 the band released Rio Grande Blood
, an LP on Jourgensen's own 13th Planet Records
. With Prong's Tommy Victor
and Killing Joke
's Paul Raven, the album featured an even heavier thrash metal sound drawing comparison to Slayer
. The single "Lieslieslies" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
at the 49th annual Grammy Awards. It, along with another song on the album, "The Great Satan", is also available as a downloadable content
song for the 2008 video game Rock Band 2
. In July 2007, the band released Rio Grande Dub
, an album featuring remixes from the band's 2006 Rio Grande Blood
album.
, was released on September 18, 2007.
On June 4, 2007, Al Jourgensen filed a Tortious Interference
lawsuit against ex-bassist Paul Barker
and Spurburn Music in Los Angeles Superior Court. (case #SC094122) The case was dismissed on October 24, 2008.
Paul Raven died on October 20, 2007. He suffered an apparent heart attack shortly after arriving in Europe to commence recording for the French industrial band Treponem Pal
near the Swiss border.
Al Jourgensen remixed and co-produced Spyder Baby's "Bitter", which was released by Blind Prophecy Records in early 2008.
A song titled "Keys to the City
", the theme song for the Chicago Blackhawks
was released on March 5, 2008. In addition to this single, two albums of covers/remixes, Cover Up
(April 1, 2008) and Undercover
(December 7, 2010) were released. All of these releases are credited to Ministry and Co-Conspirators, since they feature collaboration
s between Al Jourgensen and other musicians.
Ministry's farewell tour, the "C-U-LaTour", started its North American leg on March 26, 2008 with Meshuggah
performing as special guests and Hemlock
as an opening act. They played their final North American show in Chicago on 12 May 2008. The final date on their farewell tour was at the Tripod in Dublin, Ireland on 18 July 2008. During the performance, Jourgensen repeatedly reaffirmed that it would indeed be the last ever Ministry show. Due to a large demand for tickets, an extra gig was added at the Tripod on 19 July 2008. The band again played to a full house. It was clear that the band were not expecting so much support, as the merchandise stall was sold out before the gig even got under way. Ministry's final song at this show (and ostensibly their last ever live performance) was a rendition of their cover version of "What a Wonderful World
" to the music of "Jesus built my Hot-Rod".
Adios... Puta Madres, a live album featuring material culled from Ministry's final tour, was released in 2009 on CD and DVD.
Three of the group's songs were featured in the Academy Award-winning 2009 film The Hurt Locker
.
A documentary film
, called Fix, was planned for release sometime in 2010. However, the release date was pushed back to early 2011. The documentary premiered at the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival. Jourgensen is suing the maker, Doug Freel, for failing to fulfill his part of the contract (giving Jourgensen approval over the final cut, along with "thousands of dollars"). The lawsuit was dropped in July of 2011. On July 21st, the film was screened privately at the Music Box Theater in Los Angeles.
festival, set to take place August 2-4, 2012. The reunion lineup features Al Jourgensen
on vocals, Mike Scaccia
and Tommy Victor
both on guitar, Aaron Rossi
on drums, John Bechdel
on keyboards and Tony Campos
on bass.
Jourgensen told Metal Hammer in August 2011 that Ministry has been working on a new album called Relapse
, which they hope to release by Christmas. Regarding the sound of the new material, he explained, "We've only got five songs to go. I've been listening to it the last couple of weeks and I wasn't really in the mood, I was just taking it as a joke. Just to pass the time at first but [Mikey's] raving about it. It's like, dude c'mon, this is not about Bush, so… that parts over. The ulcers are gone and Bush is gone so it's time for something new. I think this is actually gonna wind up being the fastest and heaviest record I've ever done. Just because we did it as anti-therapy therapy against the country music we would just take days off and thrash faster than I've done in a long time, faster than Mikey's done in a long time. He just did a Rigor Mortis
tour and said it was easy compared to this Ministry stuff so it's gonna be brutal and it's gonna freak a lot of people out." Ministry announced on their website that they entered the studio on September 1, 2011 with engineer Sammy D'Ambruoso to begin recording their new album. During the third webisode featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Relapse, a release date of March 3, 2012 was announced.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
industrial metal
Industrial metal
Industrial metal is a musical genre that draws from industrial music and many different types of heavy metal, using repeating metal guitar riffs, sampling, synthesizer or sequencer lines, and distorted vocals. Founding industrial metal acts include Ministry, Godflesh, and KMFDM.Industrial metal's...
band founded by lead singer Al Jourgensen
Al Jourgensen
Alain David Jourgensen , is a Cuban-American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa , Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan...
in 1981. Originally a synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
outfit, Ministry changed its style to industrial metal in the late 1980s. Ministry found mainstream success in the early 1990s with its most successful album Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs
Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs
-Samples:Samples.N.W.O.*"All right! It's all right!" - Apocalypse Now*"What we are looking at is good and evil, right and wrong." "A new world order!" "We're not about to make that same mistake twice." "God bless America! [crowd cheering]" "Wait...watch and learn." "I believe in freedom." -...
(1992) and touring as part of the Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
festival. After 27 years of performing, Jourgensen decided to end the band in 2008, and since then stated that a reunion would never happen. However, on August 7, 2011, a reunion was announced and Ministry will play their first show in 4 years at the Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
festival in August 2012. They also plan to release a new album, entitled Relapse
Relapse (Ministry album)
Relapse is the twelfth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, to be released on March 30, 2012 through 13th Planet Records. It was recorded in the wake of their three year hiatus from November 2008 to August 2011.-Background:...
, on March 3, 2012.
Early years and With Sympathy (1981–1984)
Al Jourgensen began Ministry in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
in 1981. His first band prior to Ministry was Special Affect with Groovie Mann (of My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult
My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult is an American electronic industrial rock band originally based out of Chicago, Illinois.-History:...
), drummer Harry Rushakoff (Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde
Concrete Blonde is an alternative rock band based in the United States. They were initially active from 1982 to 1995, and again from 2001 to 2004, and once again in 2010.-Biography:...
) and bassist Marty Sorenson. After that was the short-lived Silly Charmichaels, with Ben Krug, Tom Krug and Tom Wall (all of The Imports
The Imports
One of Chicago's first punk rock bands, The Imports influenced the burgeoning midwest alternative music scene in 1980, out of which sprang acts such as Big Black, Ministry , Naked Raygun, and Urge Overkill...
). The original line-up of Ministry consisted mainly of Jourgensen (vocals and guitar), Stephen George
Stephen George
- External links :**...
(drums), Robert Roberts (keyboards), and John Davis (keyboards), although with a few personnel changes, the band's image would begin to focus more on Jourgensen and Stephen George. Ministry's original sound was essentially New Wave synthpop that was more melodic and stylized than the aggressive music for which they would become known. Ministry released four 12" singles on Wax Trax! Records
Wax Trax! Records
Wax Trax! Records was an independent record label in the United States. Wax Trax! began as a record shop in Denver, Colorado opened by Jim Nash and Dannie Flesher. They sold the store in 1978 and, in November of that year, opened a new one under the same name at 2449 North Lincoln Avenue in...
from 1981 to 1984 (anthologized on Twelve Inch Singles (1981–1984) that featured the club favorite "Everyday is Halloween"). Their first LP, With Sympathy
With Sympathy
-European release "Work for Love":*"What He Say" was renamed "Do the Etawa" on the European release.-Ministry:* Alain Jourgensen - vocals, guitar , keyboards, drums * Stephen George - drums , percussion -Additional musicians:...
, was issued on Arista Records in 1983, and sold slowly but hit the upper 90s in the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
. The music in With Sympathy, and the various singles that Arista issued in association with it, was melodic pop. Jourgensen has always expressed disappointment with Ministry's music during those early years, reportedly referring to With Sympathy as an "abortion of an album." According to him, after signing the record contract, all artistic control of Ministry was "handed" over to other writers and producers. Some of his preferred recordings from that era were collected into the CD Early Trax
Early Trax
Early Trax is a compilation album from industrial metal band Ministry. The album was released in October 2004. It contains either released or unreleased songs from 1981 through to 1984, as well as some remixes of those songs...
(Rykodisc Records, 2004).
Twitch (1985–1986)
By the mid-1980s, Jourgensen parted ways with George and signed to Sire RecordsSire Records
Sire Records is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehrer, each investing ten thousand dollars into the new company. Its early releases as a...
. Jourgensen performed mostly solo for Ministry's next LP, Twitch (1986), which sold well, but was still considered to be "underground". The music was danceable electronic music, but wasn't pop music, and the sound was harsher and more aggressive than what Ministry had recorded before. According to Jourgensen, "Twitch was stuff that I was doing before With Sympathy came out. Some of that stuff was already four or five years old, but the record company didn't want to use it, so...". Much of the new sound was created with the use of digital sampling
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
and the input of producer Adrian Sherwood
Adrian Sherwood
Adrian Sherwood is an English record producer best known for his work with dub music as well as for remixing a number of popular acts such as Coldcut, Depeche Mode, The Woodentops, Primal Scream, Pop Will Eat Itself, Sinéad O'Connor, and Skinny Puppy...
.
The Land of Rape and Honey (1987–1988)
After Twitch, Jourgensen made the most significant change in Ministry's history when he became re-enchanted with the electric guitar. Jourgensen also brought bass guitarist Paul BarkerPaul Barker
Paul Barker , also referred to as Hermes Pan, is the former bass guitarist, producer and engineer with the industrial metal band Ministry from 1986 to 2004...
of the Seattle band The Blackouts into the Ministry camp; Barker would remain Jourgensen's bandmate for many years when he was the only person credited as a member of the band other than Jourgensen. With the addition of The Blackouts drummer William Rieflin
William Rieflin
William "Bill" Rieflin is an American musician.In the past, Reiflin has worked with many notable groups in the industrial rock, experimental metal and related genres, including Ministry, the Revolting Cocks, Lard, KMFDM, Pigface, Swans, Chris Connelly, Nine Inch Nails, R.E.M., and many others...
, Ministry recorded The Land of Rape and Honey
The Land of Rape and Honey
The Land of Rape and Honey is the third studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1988 on Sire Records. The image on the cover appears to be an electronically processed version of a photo of a burned corpse in the Leipzig-Thekla sub-camp of Buchenwald...
(1988). The LP continued their success in the underground music scene. The Land of Rape and Honey made use of synthesizers, keyboards, tape loops, jackhammering drum machines, dialogue excerpted from movies, unconventional electronic processing, and, in parts, heavy distorted electric guitar and bass. The album was supported by a tour in 1988 and the singles and music videos for "Stigmata
Stigmata (song)
"Stigmata" is a song by industrial metal band Ministry, released as a single from their 1988 album The Land of Rape and Honey. The song was an underground hit...
" and "Flashback". Stigmata was also used in a key scene in Richard Stanley's 1990 film Hardware, although the band shown performing the song was Gwar
Gwar
Gwar is a satirical heavy metal band formed in Richmond, Virginia, United States, in 1984. The band is best known for its elaborate science fiction/horror film inspired costumes, obscene lyrics and graphic stage performances, which feature humorous enactments of politically and morally taboo...
.
The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989–1990)
The follow-up, The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to TasteThe Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste
The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste is the fourth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1989 through Sire/Warner Bros. Records. The music took a more hardcore, aggressively guitar-driven direction...
was supported by the "RollerBall" tour from 1989 to 1990. Due to the complex nature of the album's drumming, a second drummer, Martin Atkins
Martin Atkins
Martin Clive Atkins is an English drummer and session musician, best known for his work in post-punk and industrial groups including Public Image Ltd., Ministry, Pigface, and Killing Joke...
, was used. In addition to Atkins, a ten piece touring line-up was formed, consisting of Chris Connelly (keyboards and vocals), Nivek Ogre
Nivek Ogre
Nivek Ogre is a Canadian musician, performance artist and actor best known as a founding member of the industrial band Skinny Puppy. Since that band featured another Kevin and was produced by another Ogilvie Nivek Ogre (born Kevin Graham Ogilvie December 5, 1962) is a Canadian musician,...
(vocals and keyboards), Joe Kelly (vocals and backing vocals) and guitarists Mike Scaccia
Mike Scaccia
Michael "Mike" Scaccia is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist for the metal bands Ministry, Rigor Mortis, and The Revolting Cocks.- Professional life :...
, Terry Roberts, and William Tucker
William Tucker (musician)
William Tucker was a guitarist whose credits included work with Ministry, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Pigface, Chemlab, and Chris Connelly. He grew up in New Jersey where he formed Regressive Aid with Andrew Weiss and Sim Cain...
, with Jourgensen, Barker and Rieflin serving as the groups core members. This tour was documented on In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up
In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up
-Video:A companion home video of the concert also exists, featuring the same tracks as the audio except it is bookended by two "bonus" songs. The beginning of the concert starts with a very textured dual drum jam than segues into "Breathe". After playing Stigmata, Jello Biafra comes on stage and...
. One single, "Burning Inside
Burning Inside (song)
"Burning Inside" is a song from American industrial metal band, Ministry, and was the band's breakout single. It was released as the first single from the band's 1989 album The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste. The band Burning Inside named themselves after this song. The song was covered by...
" (for which a video was made), was released from the album.
Throughout the late 1980s Jourgensen and Barker expanded their ideas beyond Ministry into a seemingly endless parade of side projects and collaborations. Many of these bore Ministry's signature sound and the duo's "Hypo Luxa/Hermes Pan" production imprint. (These side-projects were also responsible for the delayed release of Ministry's next album.) Foremost of these was Ministry's alter ego, the Revolting Cocks
Revolting Cocks
Revolting Cocks, also known as RevCo, is an American–Belgian industrial rock band and sometime supergroup that began as a musical side-project for Richard 23 of Front 242, Luc Van Acker, and Al Jourgensen of Ministry.-History:...
. "RevCo", as it is often referred to, essentially became the same band as it had originally featured Belgian musicians Richard 23 (of Front 242
Front 242
Front 242 is a pioneering Belgian electronic music group that came into prominence during the 1980s. They are known for being the premier pioneer of electronic body music and as a major influence on the electronic and industrial music genres.-Formation:...
) and Luc Van Acker
Luc Van Acker
Luc van Acker is a musician from Tienen, Belgium. He began writing and releasing solo material in 1982, and worked with a few other bands and with Anna Domino over the next few years. Then in 1985, he met Richard 23 of Front 242 at the DNA Club in Brussels, Belgium, and thereby became a founding...
. Jourgensen and Barker also formed Lard
Lard (band)
Lard is a hardcore punk/industrial band founded in 1988 as a side project by Jello Biafra , Al Jourgensen , Paul Barker , and Jeff Ward . Biafra is perhaps best known as the former frontman of the punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
with Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys
Dead Kennedys are an American punk rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1978. The band became part of the American hardcore punk movement of the early 1980s. They gained a large underground fanbase in the international punk music scene....
lead singer Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra
Jello Biafra is an American musician, spoken word artist and leading figure of the Green Party of the United States. Biafra first gained attention as the lead singer and songwriter for San Francisco punk rock band Dead Kennedys...
, Acid Horse
Acid Horse
Acid Horse was a one-off collaborative side project between two industrial music pioneers, Ministry and Cabaret Voltaire. Only one single, "No Name, No Slogan", was released in 1989 on Wax Trax! records...
with Cabaret Voltaire
Cabaret Voltaire (band)
Cabaret Voltaire were a British music group from Sheffield, England.Initially composed of Stephen Mallinder, Richard H. Kirk and Chris Watson, the group was named after the Cabaret Voltaire, a nightclub in Zürich, Switzerland that was a centre for the early Dada movement.Their earliest performances...
, 1000 Homo DJs
1000 Homo DJs
1000 Homo DJs was a side project of industrial music band Ministry. It is best known for its cover of Black Sabbath's "Supernaut." The project was released through industrial label Wax Trax! Records....
(which featured Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
' Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
doing vocals on a cover of Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
's Supernaut), PTP
PTP (band)
The industrial band PTP was a short-lived side project of Ministry's Alain Jourgensen. The band's total recorded legacy consists of three songs....
with Chris Connelly and Pailhead
Pailhead
Pailhead was a short-lived side project of the industrial metal band Ministry, which featured Ian MacKaye on vocals...
with Ian MacKaye
Ian MacKaye
Ian Thomas Garner MacKaye is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, musician, label owner, and producer. Active since 1979, MacKaye is best known for being the frontman of the influential hardcore punk bands Minor Threat and The Teen Idles, the post-hardcore bands Embrace and Fugazi, as well...
of Minor Threat
Minor Threat
Minor Threat was an American hardcore punk band formed in Washington, D.C. in 1980 and disbanded in 1983. The band was relatively short-lived, but had a strong influence on the hardcore punk music scene, both stylistically and in establishing a "do it yourself" ethic for music distribution and...
and Fugazi. Barker released his own material as Lead Into Gold
Lead Into Gold
Lead Into Gold was a side project of American industrial musician Paul Barker, best known as the bassist for Ministry. Primarily a solo project by Barker, Lead Into Gold featured occasional guest performances by his Ministry bandmates Al Jourgensen and Bill Rieflin.Lead Into Gold only released two...
and Jourgensen produced and played electric guitar on Skinny Puppy
Skinny Puppy
Skinny Puppy is a Canadian industrial musical group, formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1982. The group is widely considered to be the founders of the electro-industrial genre....
's Rabies LP. Atkins and Rieflin also formed the band Pigface
Pigface
Pigface is an industrial rock supergroup formed in 1990 by Martin Atkins and William Rieflin.-History:Pigface was formed from Ministry's The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste tour, which produced the In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up live album and video. For the tour, Al Jourgensen brought...
, which featured Barker on several tracks, as well. The smaller of these projects were later collected on the CD Side Trax
Side Trax
-1000 Homo DJs:-PTP:-Acid Horse:...
(Rykodisc Records, 2004), and the RevCo discography was remastered and reissued.
Psalm 69 (1991–1993)
Ministry broke into the mainstream in 1991 with "Jesus Built My HotrodJesus Built My Hotrod
"Jesus Built My Hotrod" is a 1991 single by Ministry and was the band's most popular song up to that point. The track features a driving beat and speed metal guitar work backing Butthole Surfers' singer Gibby Haynes gonzo vocal stylings....
" (co-authored by Gibby Haynes
Gibby Haynes
Gibson Jerome "Gibby" Haynes is an American musician, radio personality, and painter, and the lead singer of the group Butthole Surfers.-Early life and career:...
of the Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
and Michael Balch of Frontline Assembly affiliation). The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was a hit on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, and the band scored second billing on the Lollapalooza tour and managed, by some accounts, to steal the show. As the single would have indicated, the sound of the following LP, Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs
Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs
-Samples:Samples.N.W.O.*"All right! It's all right!" - Apocalypse Now*"What we are looking at is good and evil, right and wrong." "A new world order!" "We're not about to make that same mistake twice." "God bless America! [crowd cheering]" "Wait...watch and learn." "I believe in freedom." -...
(1992), was the most metal-oriented Ministry had put to record at that point, the focal point of the sound shifting almost entirely from synths to Jourgensen's and new members Mike Scaccia
Mike Scaccia
Michael "Mike" Scaccia is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist for the metal bands Ministry, Rigor Mortis, and The Revolting Cocks.- Professional life :...
's and Louis Svitek
Louis Svitek
Louis Svitek is a musician and former guitarist for a number of bands including M.O.D., Ministry, Pigface, Mind Funk, The Hollow steps and Project .44...
's electric guitars.
ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ, which is printed on the record, is a concatenation of "κεφαλή" (Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
for "head" or "leader") and "ΞΘ" (the number 69 in Greek numerals
Greek numerals
Greek numerals are a system of representing numbers using letters of the Greek alphabet. They are also known by the names Ionian numerals, Milesian numerals , Alexandrian numerals, or alphabetic numerals...
). The title was borrowed from Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley
Aleister Crowley , born Edward Alexander Crowley, and also known as both Frater Perdurabo and The Great Beast, was an influential English occultist, astrologer, mystic and ceremonial magician, responsible for founding the religious philosophy of Thelema. He was also successful in various other...
's work: The Book of Lies
The Book of Lies (Crowley)
The Book of Lies was written by English occultist and teacher Aleister Crowley and first published in 1912 or 1913...
(Chapter 69, "The Way to Succeed—and the Way to Suck Eggs!"). Psalm 69 became Ministry's biggest hit, including in addition to "Jesus Built My Hotrod", the singles "N.W.O." (a protest of the Persian Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
and attack directed at then-President George H.W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
) and "Just One Fix" (a collaboration with poet/novelist William S. Burroughs
William S. Burroughs
William Seward Burroughs II was an American novelist, poet, essayist and spoken word performer. A primary figure of the Beat Generation and a major postmodernist author, he is considered to be "one of the most politically trenchant, culturally influential, and innovative artists of the 20th...
). The single "N.W.O." was used in the 1992 live-action/animated movie Cool World
Cool World
Cool World is a 1992 American live-action/animated film directed by Ralph Bakshi, and starring Kim Basinger, Gabriel Byrne, and Brad Pitt. It tells the story of a cartoonist who finds himself in the animated world he created, and is seduced by one of his characters, a comic strip vamp who wants to...
.
Filth Pig (1994–1996)
In 1994, Ministry performed at the Bridge School BenefitBridge School Benefit
The Bridge School Benefit is an annual non-profit charity concert held in Mountain View, California, every October at the Shoreline Amphitheatre. The concerts are all organized by musician Neil Young and his wife, Pegi....
charity concert, covering songs by Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Ten Years After
Ten Years After
Ten Years After is an English blues-rock band, most popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Between 1968 and 1973, Ten Years After scored eight Top 40 albums on the UK Albums Chart...
, and The Grateful Dead, and playing a new song, " Oh...Presley, Come Hither, Presley...", which was intended to be on their next album. In 1995, Ministry was one of the headlining acts for Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
touring festival. In spite of their growing success, Ministry was nearly derailed by a series of arrests and drug problems. The band did not issue their next album, Filth Pig
Filth Pig
Filth Pig is the sixth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1996 on Warner Bros. Records. The title was allegedly derived from a statement made in the British Houses of Parliament, where bandleader Jourgensen was described as a filthy pig by MP Teddy Taylor...
, until 1996. For Filth Pig, Ministry stripped all synthesizers and most samples from their style and made the music almost entirely with ultra-noisy guitars, heavy bass, and real drums. The songs were played mostly at slower tempos than the very fast ones that were used for the compositions on their previous three LPs, giving it an almost doom metal
Doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme form of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other metal genres...
feel. Filth Pig was supported with the singles/videos "Reload
Reload (song)
"Reload" is a song from American industrial metal band Ministry. The song was the third single from the band's 1996 album Filth Pig. The single was unsuccessful and failed to reach a position on any chart. There was a video released for the song....
", "The Fall", "Lay Lady Lay
Lay Lady Lay
"Lay Lady Lay" is a song written by Bob Dylan and originally released in 1969 on his Nashville Skyline album. Like many of the tracks on the album, Dylan sings the song in a low croon, rather than in the high nasal singing style associated with his earlier recordings...
" (an unusual and unexpected cover of Bob Dylan's old country-tinged hit) and "Brick Windows" and with a tour in 1996 (the live performances were later anthologized on the Sphinctour
Sphinctour
Sphinctour is a live CD/DVD/VHS release by the industrial band Ministry released in 2002. It contains various tracks recorded on their 1996 world tour in support of the album Filth Pig.-Track listing:*Track 5 and 13 not included on CD releases...
album and DVD in 2002). The album has been considered by Jourgensen to be his response to fan expectations of where Ministry's sound was heading, and it's also been speculated that it was an attempt to move away from the "industrial" label of the band's music.
Dark Side of the Spoon (1998–2000)
The members of Ministry experienced greater devastation when former guitarist William TuckerWilliam Tucker (musician)
William Tucker was a guitarist whose credits included work with Ministry, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Pigface, Chemlab, and Chris Connelly. He grew up in New Jersey where he formed Regressive Aid with Andrew Weiss and Sim Cain...
committed suicide in 1999 by cutting his own throat. Ministry then recorded their final studio album for Warner Bros. Records, Dark Side of the Spoon
Dark Side of the Spoon
Dark Side of the Spoon is the seventh studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1999 through Warner Bros. Records. "Bad Blood" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2000....
(1999), which they dedicated to Tucker. For Dark Side of the Spoon, Ministry tried to diversify their sound by adding some melodic and synthetic touches, to their usual electro-metal sound, along with some jazz influences, but the album was not well received. However, the single "Bad Blood" appeared on the soundtrack album of The Matrix
The Matrix: Music from the Motion Picture
The Matrix: Music from the Motion Picture is one of the two 1999 soundtrack albums from the blockbuster film, The Matrix ....
and was nominated for a 2000 Grammy award.
In the summer of 2000, Ministry was invited to that year's Ozzfest
Ozzfest
Ozzfest is an annual festival tour of the United States featuring performances by many heavy metal and hard rock musical groups. It was founded by Ozzy Osbourne and his wife Sharon Osbourne, both of whom also organize each yearly tour with their son Jack Osbourne...
. They would fill in the co-headliner position left vacant by a failed-reuniting of the original Judas Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
. Ministry was later dropped from the bill after a management changeover, although Al's drug habits may have actually played the culprit in this. They were replaced by Soulfly
Soulfly
Soulfly is a heavy metal band formed in 1997 based in Phoenix, Arizona. The original lyrical content revolved around spirituality and religious themes, with later albums encompassing other themes including war, violence, aggression, hatred and anger. Soulfly is led by former Sepultura frontman Max...
.
Hiatus and Animositisomina (2001–2003)
Parting with their longtime record imprint, Warner Bros. Records issued the collection Greatest Fits in 2001, which featured a new song, "What About Us?". Ministry would later make a brief cameo appearance in the Steven Spielberg film AI: Artificial Intelligence, performing the song. During 2000-2002, record-company (Warner Bros. Records) disputes resulted in the planned albums Live Psalm 69, Sphinctour and ClittourUS on Ipecac RecordingsIpecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 by Greg Werckman (ex-label manager of Alternative Tentacles,...
being canceled (although its contents had been compiled), resulting instead in Sphinctour appearing on Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records
Sanctuary Records Group Limited was a record label based in the United Kingdom and a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Until June 2007, it was the largest independent record label in the UK and the largest independent music management company in the world...
.
Around 2001, Jourgensen almost lost his arm when he was bitten by a venomous spider. According to Jourgensen, the realization that he could have lost his livelihood caused him to kick his heroin addiction and focus on music once again. Jourgensen and Barker, along with Max Brody
Max Brody
Max Brody , is an American musician based outside of Austin, TX, best known as the one-time percussionist/saxophonist for the hard rock band Ministry.- Biography :...
who had joined as a saxophone player for the 1999 tour, focused on developing songs for a new record during 2001 and 2002, with the band issuing Animositisomina
Animositisomina
Animositisomina is the eighth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2003. It is the group's first studio album and second overall release through Sanctuary Records, following the live album Sphinctour....
on Sanctuary Records in 2003. The sound was strongly heavy metal laden with voice effects, and matched the ferocity of Psalm 69 (though it featured an almost-pop cover of Magazine
Magazine (band)
Magazine are an English post-punk group active from 1977 to 1981, then reformed in 2009. Their debut single, "Shot by Both Sides", is now acknowledged as a classic and their debut album, Real Life, is still widely admired as one of the greatest albums of all time...
's "The Light Pours Out Of Me"). Animositisomina did poorly in terms of sales and singles for "Animosity" and "Piss" were canceled before they could be released.
Barker left the Ministry camp in 2003 due to dissatisfaction with the direction of his life. He stated that the trigger was his father dying while the band was wrapping up a summer tour in Europe, and also stated in early 2004 that his family life was his main focus at that particular time. Jourgensen continued Ministry with Mike Scaccia and various other musicians.
Houses of the Molé and Rio Grande Blood (2004–2006)
For Ministry's next album, Jourgensen released the song "No WNo W
"No W" is a single by industrial metal band Ministry. The song was the first single from their 2004 album, Houses of the Molé.-Versions:...
", an attack on then-U.S. President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
; an alternate version of the track was placed on the multi-performer compilation Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1
Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1
Rock Against Bush, Vol. 1 is a Rock Against Bush compilation album released on the Fat Wreck Chords record label. It contains a collection of songs, both released and unreleased, by various punk rock artists and includes a bonus DVD with political facts, commentary regarding the U.S...
. The follow-up LP, Houses of the Molé
Houses of the Molé
Houses of the Molé is the ninth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry. The album was released on June 21, 2004 internationally and a day later in the United States through Sanctuary Records.-Album information:...
(2004), contained the most explicitly political lyrics Jourgensen had yet written, with songs in Ministry's classic industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
electro-metallic sound played messier, more crudely and more freely than ever before, giving the album the most metal-oriented sound of their career. In 2006 the band released Rio Grande Blood
Rio Grande Blood
Rio Grande Blood is the tenth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2006. It is their first release through 13th Planet and Megaforce Records.- Overview :The album is the 2nd part of the band's anti-George W...
, an LP on Jourgensen's own 13th Planet Records
13th Planet Records
13th Planet Records is a record label founded by Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen and his wife, Angelina Jourgensen in 2004. In addition to its function as an artist-run, artist-friendly independent label, 13th Planet encompasses several realms of the music industry including artist management,...
. With Prong's Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor is the lead singer and guitarist for the crossover thrash/industrial metal band Prong that he founded in New York in 1986. In the late 1980s Victor worked as a soundman at CBGB's. After the release of Rude Awakening in 1996, Prong disbanded and Victor moved to Los Angeles. Since then...
and Killing Joke
Killing Joke
Killing Joke are an English post-punk band formed in October 1978 in Notting Hill, London, England; other sources report the band formed in early 1979.Related news articles: Founding members Jaz Coleman and Geordie Walker have been the only constant members.A key influence on industrial rock,...
's Paul Raven, the album featured an even heavier thrash metal sound drawing comparison to Slayer
Slayer
Slayer is an American thrash metal band formed in Huntington Park, California, in 1981 by guitarists Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King. Slayer rose to fame with their 1986 release, Reign in Blood, and is credited as one of the "Big Four" thrash metal acts, along with Metallica, Megadeth and...
. The single "Lieslieslies" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance was an award presented at the Grammy Awards to recording artists for works containing quality performances in the heavy metal music genre...
at the 49th annual Grammy Awards. It, along with another song on the album, "The Great Satan", is also available as a downloadable content
Downloadable content
Downloadable content is official additional content for a video game distributed through the Internet. Downloadable content can be of several types, ranging from a single in-game outfit to an entirely new, extensive storyline, similarly to an expansion pack. As such, DLC may add new game modes,...
song for the 2008 video game Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2
Rock Band 2 is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems. It is the sequel to Rock Band and is the second title in the series. The game allows up to four players to simulate the performance of popular songs by playing with controllers modeled after musical instruments...
. In July 2007, the band released Rio Grande Dub
Rio Grande Dub
Rio Grande Dub Ya is a remix album by industrial metal band Ministry. The album is composed of remixes from the band's 2006 album Rio Grande Blood. John Bechdel is responsible for the "Fear Is Big Business ". The rest of the remixes on this album were done by Clayton Worbeck.-Track listing:*Track...
, an album featuring remixes from the band's 2006 Rio Grande Blood
Rio Grande Blood
Rio Grande Blood is the tenth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2006. It is their first release through 13th Planet and Megaforce Records.- Overview :The album is the 2nd part of the band's anti-George W...
album.
The Last Sucker, Cover Up and Undercover (2007–2010)
Ministry's "final" album, The Last SuckerThe Last Sucker
The Last Sucker is the eleventh studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2007 through 13th Planet Records. For three years until their reformation in 2011, it was band's last studio album featuring new material....
, was released on September 18, 2007.
On June 4, 2007, Al Jourgensen filed a Tortious Interference
Tortious interference
Tortious interference, also known as intentional interference with contractual relations, in the common law of tort, occurs when a person intentionally damages the plaintiff's contractual or other business relationships...
lawsuit against ex-bassist Paul Barker
Paul Barker
Paul Barker , also referred to as Hermes Pan, is the former bass guitarist, producer and engineer with the industrial metal band Ministry from 1986 to 2004...
and Spurburn Music in Los Angeles Superior Court. (case #SC094122) The case was dismissed on October 24, 2008.
Paul Raven died on October 20, 2007. He suffered an apparent heart attack shortly after arriving in Europe to commence recording for the French industrial band Treponem Pal
Treponem Pal
Treponem Pal is a French industrial metal band formed in 1986. Early tracks such as "Embodiment of Frustration" mix together the relentless hypnotic heaviness popularized by Swans and bursts of thrash metal and hardcore...
near the Swiss border.
Al Jourgensen remixed and co-produced Spyder Baby's "Bitter", which was released by Blind Prophecy Records in early 2008.
A song titled "Keys to the City
Keys to the City (song)
-Personnel:*Josh Bradford: vocals, backing vocals*Al Jourgensen: guitars, programming, backing vocals*Sin Quirin: guitars*Paul Raven: bass*Clayton Worbeck: keyboards*John Billberry: drum programming...
", the theme song for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
was released on March 5, 2008. In addition to this single, two albums of covers/remixes, Cover Up
Cover Up (Ministry album)
Cover Up is an album of cover versions by Ministry & Co-Conspirators released on April 1, 2008. The album includes previously released covers "Roadhouse Blues", "Lay Lady Lay" and "Supernaut". Cover Up was supposedly Ministry's final release before their three year break up from 2008 to 2011...
(April 1, 2008) and Undercover
Undercover (Ministry album)
Undercover is an album of cover versions and remixes by Ministry & Co-Conspirators released on December 6, 2010. The album includes remixes of previously released songs such as "N.W.O.", "Stigmata", "Jesus Built My Hotrod", and more. Every Day Is Halloween: The Anthology features almost all of the...
(December 7, 2010) were released. All of these releases are credited to Ministry and Co-Conspirators, since they feature collaboration
Collaboration
Collaboration is working together to achieve a goal. It is a recursive process where two or more people or organizations work together to realize shared goals, — for example, an intriguing endeavor that is creative in nature—by sharing...
s between Al Jourgensen and other musicians.
Ministry's farewell tour, the "C-U-LaTour", started its North American leg on March 26, 2008 with Meshuggah
Meshuggah
Meshuggah is an extreme metal band from Umeå, Sweden, formed in 1987. Meshuggah's line-up has primarily consisted of founding members vocalist Jens Kidman and lead guitarist Fredrik Thordendal, drummer Tomas Haake, who joined in 1990, and rhythm guitarist Mårten Hagström, who joined in 1992...
performing as special guests and Hemlock
Hemlock (band)
Hemlock is a heavy metal band from Las Vegas, Nevada. The band has been together for more than 17 years , and has played concerts with likes of Lamb of God, Hatebreed, Soulfly, Otep, Slipknot, Snot, Coal Chamber, Obituary, Drowning Pool, Hed PE, Chimaira, Meshuggah, Korn & Ministry.- Biography...
as an opening act. They played their final North American show in Chicago on 12 May 2008. The final date on their farewell tour was at the Tripod in Dublin, Ireland on 18 July 2008. During the performance, Jourgensen repeatedly reaffirmed that it would indeed be the last ever Ministry show. Due to a large demand for tickets, an extra gig was added at the Tripod on 19 July 2008. The band again played to a full house. It was clear that the band were not expecting so much support, as the merchandise stall was sold out before the gig even got under way. Ministry's final song at this show (and ostensibly their last ever live performance) was a rendition of their cover version of "What a Wonderful World
What a Wonderful World
"What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released as a single in 1968. Thiele and Weiss were both prominent in the music world . Armstrong's recording was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999...
" to the music of "Jesus built my Hot-Rod".
Adios... Puta Madres, a live album featuring material culled from Ministry's final tour, was released in 2009 on CD and DVD.
Three of the group's songs were featured in the Academy Award-winning 2009 film The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker is a 2009 American war film about a three-man United States Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal team during the Iraq War. The film was directed by Kathryn Bigelow and the screenplay was written by Mark Boal, a freelance writer who was embedded as a journalist in 2004 with a US bomb...
.
A documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, called Fix, was planned for release sometime in 2010. However, the release date was pushed back to early 2011. The documentary premiered at the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival. Jourgensen is suing the maker, Doug Freel, for failing to fulfill his part of the contract (giving Jourgensen approval over the final cut, along with "thousands of dollars"). The lawsuit was dropped in July of 2011. On July 21st, the film was screened privately at the Music Box Theater in Los Angeles.
Reunion and Relapse (2011–present)
On August 7, 2011, it was announced that Ministry was reforming and would play at Germany's Wacken Open AirWacken Open Air
Wacken Open Air is a summer open air heavy metal music festival. It takes place annually in the small town of Wacken in Schleswig-Holstein, northern Germany...
festival, set to take place August 2-4, 2012. The reunion lineup features Al Jourgensen
Al Jourgensen
Alain David Jourgensen , is a Cuban-American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa , Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan...
on vocals, Mike Scaccia
Mike Scaccia
Michael "Mike" Scaccia is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist for the metal bands Ministry, Rigor Mortis, and The Revolting Cocks.- Professional life :...
and Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor is the lead singer and guitarist for the crossover thrash/industrial metal band Prong that he founded in New York in 1986. In the late 1980s Victor worked as a soundman at CBGB's. After the release of Rude Awakening in 1996, Prong disbanded and Victor moved to Los Angeles. Since then...
both on guitar, Aaron Rossi
Aaron Rossi
Aaron Rossi is an American drummer, most notable for his performance with industrial metal band Ministry, and the heavy metal band Prong. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States recognized Aaron for the first time at the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony, which was held...
on drums, John Bechdel
John Bechdel
John Bechdel is a keyboardist, and has been a part of many bands over the years including Ministry, Fear Factory, Abstinence, Prong, Killing Joke, Murder, Inc. and Brian Brain to name a few...
on keyboards and Tony Campos
Tony Campos
Tony Campos is a Mexican American musician. He is the bass guitarist for the heavy metal band Soulfly and former bass guitarist of industrial metal band Static-X and frontman/bassist for Asesino. Campos was the final bassist for Ministry, which retired in 2008, though he rejoined when the band...
on bass.
Jourgensen told Metal Hammer in August 2011 that Ministry has been working on a new album called Relapse
Relapse (Ministry album)
Relapse is the twelfth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, to be released on March 30, 2012 through 13th Planet Records. It was recorded in the wake of their three year hiatus from November 2008 to August 2011.-Background:...
, which they hope to release by Christmas. Regarding the sound of the new material, he explained, "We've only got five songs to go. I've been listening to it the last couple of weeks and I wasn't really in the mood, I was just taking it as a joke. Just to pass the time at first but [Mikey's] raving about it. It's like, dude c'mon, this is not about Bush, so… that parts over. The ulcers are gone and Bush is gone so it's time for something new. I think this is actually gonna wind up being the fastest and heaviest record I've ever done. Just because we did it as anti-therapy therapy against the country music we would just take days off and thrash faster than I've done in a long time, faster than Mikey's done in a long time. He just did a Rigor Mortis
Rigor Mortis (band)
Rigor Mortis is a speed metal band that formed in 1983. Two schoolmates Harden Harrison and Casey Orr formed the band when they met Mike Scaccia . The three young men shared an interest in horror/gore films and very heavy music. With Bruce Corbitt on vocals they created some of the heaviest...
tour and said it was easy compared to this Ministry stuff so it's gonna be brutal and it's gonna freak a lot of people out." Ministry announced on their website that they entered the studio on September 1, 2011 with engineer Sammy D'Ambruoso to begin recording their new album. During the third webisode featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Relapse, a release date of March 3, 2012 was announced.
World tours
- Early Shows, 1981–1983 (not an actual tour)
- With Sympathy Tour, 1983
- Wax Trax Singles Tour, 1984
- Twitch Tour, 1986–1987
- The Land of Tape and Honey Tour, 1988
- RollerBall Tour, 1989–1990
- Psalm 69 Tour, 1992–1994
- Sphinctour, 1996
- Clitour, 1999
- Ozzfest Tour, 2000 (cancelled due to management company changes)
- Fornicatour, 2003
- Evil Doer Tour, 2004–2005
- MasterBaTour, 2006
- C-U-LaTour, 2008
- Relapse TourRelapse TourThe Relapse Tour is a 2012 concert tour by the American industrial metal band Ministry in support of their upcoming twelfth studio album, Relapse. It will be their first tour together in 4 years as well as their first in 6 years with guitarist Mike Scaccia....
, 2012
Studio albums
- With SympathyWith Sympathy-European release "Work for Love":*"What He Say" was renamed "Do the Etawa" on the European release.-Ministry:* Alain Jourgensen - vocals, guitar , keyboards, drums * Stephen George - drums , percussion -Additional musicians:...
(1983) - Twitch (1986)
- The Land of Rape and HoneyThe Land of Rape and HoneyThe Land of Rape and Honey is the third studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1988 on Sire Records. The image on the cover appears to be an electronically processed version of a photo of a burned corpse in the Leipzig-Thekla sub-camp of Buchenwald...
(1988) - The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to TasteThe Mind Is a Terrible Thing to TasteThe Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste is the fourth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1989 through Sire/Warner Bros. Records. The music took a more hardcore, aggressively guitar-driven direction...
(1989) - Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck EggsPsalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs-Samples:Samples.N.W.O.*"All right! It's all right!" - Apocalypse Now*"What we are looking at is good and evil, right and wrong." "A new world order!" "We're not about to make that same mistake twice." "God bless America! [crowd cheering]" "Wait...watch and learn." "I believe in freedom." -...
(1992) - Filth PigFilth PigFilth Pig is the sixth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1996 on Warner Bros. Records. The title was allegedly derived from a statement made in the British Houses of Parliament, where bandleader Jourgensen was described as a filthy pig by MP Teddy Taylor...
(1996) - Dark Side of the SpoonDark Side of the SpoonDark Side of the Spoon is the seventh studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 1999 through Warner Bros. Records. "Bad Blood" was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2000....
(1999) - AnimositisominaAnimositisominaAnimositisomina is the eighth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2003. It is the group's first studio album and second overall release through Sanctuary Records, following the live album Sphinctour....
(2003) - Houses of the MoléHouses of the MoléHouses of the Molé is the ninth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry. The album was released on June 21, 2004 internationally and a day later in the United States through Sanctuary Records.-Album information:...
(2004) - Rio Grande BloodRio Grande BloodRio Grande Blood is the tenth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2006. It is their first release through 13th Planet and Megaforce Records.- Overview :The album is the 2nd part of the band's anti-George W...
(2006) - The Last SuckerThe Last SuckerThe Last Sucker is the eleventh studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, released in 2007 through 13th Planet Records. For three years until their reformation in 2011, it was band's last studio album featuring new material....
(2007) - RelapseRelapse (Ministry album)Relapse is the twelfth studio album by industrial metal band Ministry, to be released on March 30, 2012 through 13th Planet Records. It was recorded in the wake of their three year hiatus from November 2008 to August 2011.-Background:...
(2012)
Current members
- Al JourgensenAl JourgensenAlain David Jourgensen , is a Cuban-American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa , Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan...
- vocals, guitar, bass, keyboards, other various instruments (1981–present) - Mike ScacciaMike ScacciaMichael "Mike" Scaccia is an American musician, best known as the lead guitarist for the metal bands Ministry, Rigor Mortis, and The Revolting Cocks.- Professional life :...
- guitars, bass (1989–1995, 2003–2006, 2011–present) - Tommy VictorTommy VictorTommy Victor is the lead singer and guitarist for the crossover thrash/industrial metal band Prong that he founded in New York in 1986. In the late 1980s Victor worked as a soundman at CBGB's. After the release of Rude Awakening in 1996, Prong disbanded and Victor moved to Los Angeles. Since then...
- guitars, bass (2005–2008, 2011–present) - John BechdelJohn BechdelJohn Bechdel is a keyboardist, and has been a part of many bands over the years including Ministry, Fear Factory, Abstinence, Prong, Killing Joke, Murder, Inc. and Brian Brain to name a few...
- keyboards (2006–2008, 2011–present) - Tony CamposTony CamposTony Campos is a Mexican American musician. He is the bass guitarist for the heavy metal band Soulfly and former bass guitarist of industrial metal band Static-X and frontman/bassist for Asesino. Campos was the final bassist for Ministry, which retired in 2008, though he rejoined when the band...
- bass (2007–2008, 2011–present) - Aaron RossiAaron RossiAaron Rossi is an American drummer, most notable for his performance with industrial metal band Ministry, and the heavy metal band Prong. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States recognized Aaron for the first time at the 52nd Grammy Awards ceremony, which was held...
- drums (2007–2008, 2011–present)
Former members
- John Davis - keyboards (1981–1982)
- Stephen GeorgeStephen George- External links :**...
- drums (1981–1985) - Robert Roberts - keyboards (1981–1984)
- Marty Sorenson - bass (1981–1982)
- Shay Jones - vocals (1982–1983)
- Brad Hallen - bass (1983–1985)
- Paul BarkerPaul BarkerPaul Barker , also referred to as Hermes Pan, is the former bass guitarist, producer and engineer with the industrial metal band Ministry from 1986 to 2004...
- bass, keyboards, programming, vocals (1986-2003) - Bill Rieflin - drums, keyboards, programming, guitar (1986-1995)
- Chris Connelly - vocals, keyboards & various songwriting credits (1987–1993)
- Nivek OgreNivek OgreNivek Ogre is a Canadian musician, performance artist and actor best known as a founding member of the industrial band Skinny Puppy. Since that band featured another Kevin and was produced by another Ogilvie Nivek Ogre (born Kevin Graham Ogilvie December 5, 1962) is a Canadian musician,...
- vocals, guitar, keyboards (1988–1990) - Howie BenoHowie BenoHowie Beno is a recording engineer and producer who has worked with a wide range of artists in various genres, including Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, and a long series of rock and industrial bands, including Ministry.- Chicago :...
- programming, editing (1990–1993) - Michael Balch - keyboards, programming (1991–1992)
- Louis SvitekLouis SvitekLouis Svitek is a musician and former guitarist for a number of bands including M.O.D., Ministry, Pigface, Mind Funk, The Hollow steps and Project .44...
- guitar (1992–1999, 2003) - Duane Buford - keyboards (1995–1999)
- Zlatko Hukic - electronics, guitar (1995–1999)
- Rey WashamRey WashamRey Washam is a drummer who has been performing for more than 20 years. He has collaborated with many bands, the most notable of which include: Scratch Acid, Rapeman, Ministry, the Big Boys, Helios Creed, the Didjits, Lard, and Tad and Butthole Surfers offshoot Daddy Longhead...
- drums, percussion, programming (1995–1999, 2003) - Max BrodyMax BrodyMax Brody , is an American musician based outside of Austin, TX, best known as the one-time percussionist/saxophonist for the hard rock band Ministry.- Biography :...
- drums, percussion, programming, saxophone (1999–2004) - Mark Baker - drums (2004–2005)
- John MonteJohn MonteJohn Monte is the bassist for Evan Seinfeld's new band, The Spyderz. He was a bassist for M.O.D., Mind Funk, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Human Waste Project and a guitarist for Dragpipe and Handful Of Dust. John can often be seen at Lakeland Baseball Academy in Lakeland, Florida.- References :...
- bass (2004) - Paul Raven - bass, keyboards, guitar, drums (2005–2007)
- Sin QuirinSin QuirinSin Quirin is a guitar player from LA. He was a member of Ministry and is featured throughout the 2007 Ministry album The Last Sucker.In addition to his role in Ministry and co-writing credits for RevCo’s Sex-O Olympic-O and Got Cock?, Sin Quirin has worked with DJ Hardware on the...
- guitars, bass (2007–2008)
Live line-ups
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| Lollapalooza Lollapalooza Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a... (1992) |
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| Big Day Out Big Day Out The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994... festival (1995) |
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External links
- Official site
- Unofficial site
- Jon Wiederhorn, MTV News, 10:11 p.m. EDT May 6, 2004, "In President Bush, Ministry Find Both A Monster And A Muse".
- Kirk Miller, Rolling Stone, June 21, 2004, "Ministry's War on Bush".
- Bernard Van Isacker, Side-Line, November 25, 2005, “Taming the old demons”.