Ministry (band)
Ministry | |
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Hellfest in 2017. From left to right: Al Jourgensen, Jason Christopher and Cesar Soto. Keyboardist John Bechdel is in the background. | |
Background information | |
Origin | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
Genres | |
Discography | Ministry discography |
Years active |
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Labels |
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Spinoffs | |
Spinoff of | Special Affect |
Members |
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Past members |
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Website | ministryband |
Ministry is an American
Ministry attained commercial success during the late 1980s and early 1990s with three of their studio albums:
Following Jourgensen's recovery, Ministry resurfaced in 2003 with Animositisomina, which turned out to be their last album with Paul Barker, who would leave the band the following year after nearly two decades as an official member.[5] Ministry returned to the thrash/industrial style of Psalm 69 and released three albums critical of then-President of the United States, George W. Bush, dubbed the "Bush Trilogy": Houses of the Molé (2004), Rio Grande Blood (2006) and The Last Sucker (2007); these albums effectively revitalized the band's commercial viability. Although The Last Sucker was initially intended to be the band's final album, Ministry reformed in 2011 and released Relapse in the following year. On December 23, 2012, longtime guitar contributor Mike Scaccia died of a heart attack, and he was posthumously featured in the next Ministry album, From Beer to Eternity (2013), which was again supposed to be their last album, as Jourgensen thought his death was the end of the band.[6] Despite this, Ministry has since released three more albums, AmeriKKKant (2018), Moral Hygiene (2021) and Hopiumforthemasses (2024), while tentative talks of a second break up of the band, after at least one more album, have ensued since 2022.[7][8][9]
The band has been nominated for six
History
Formation and early days (1981–1982)
Ministry's origins date to 1978, when Jourgensen moved from
In 1981, Jourgensen met Jim Nash and Danny Flesher, co-founders and co-owners of the indie record label and shop Wax Trax! Records who recommended him as a touring guitarist for Divine.[17] After playing a few concerts with the latter, Jourgensen began to write and record songs in his apartment, using a newly bought ARP Omni synthesizer, a drum machine, and a reel-to-reel tape recorder.[18] He presented a demo to Jim Nash, who suggested Jourgensen record a single and form a touring band, which Jourgensen decided to call Ministry.[a][18][24][25]
The first line-up of Ministry consisted of keyboardists Robert Roberts and John Davis, bassist Sorenson, and drummer
Ministry performed their debut concert on January 1, 1982 in the Chicago club Misfits,
With Sympathy and later Wax Trax! singles (1983–1985)
The band's initial success drew the attention of
A 12-inch single containing the song "Same Old Madness" was recorded and planned for release, along with its accompanying music video.
In spite of With Sympathy's success, Jourgensen's relations with Arista were acrimonious. Eventually, Jourgensen sent a demo tape featuring a cover version of
Departed from Arista, Jourgensen returned with Ministry on Wax Trax! in mid-1984.[35] While working as a cashier in the Wax Trax! store, he continued to record new material.[60] In autumn 1984, Ministry embarked on a new tour with a renewed line-up, supported by Belgian industrial dance act Front 242.[61] During this tour, Sire Records co-owner Seymour Stein attended several gigs, offering the band a new deal; Jourgensen, recalling his negative experience with Arista, repeatedly declined, but eventually agreed to sign on the condition that Sire would provide resources to support the Wax Trax! imprint; as Jourgensen put it, "it was kind of a personal sacrifice to keep that company rolling and allow them to keep signing bands."[62] George left Ministry soon after this tour, disagreeing with Jourgensen over increased use of drum machines,[63][38] and went on to form the short-lived band Colortone,[63] and, much later, to pursue a record engineering career.[64] Ministry released several singles throughout the summer of 1985—"All Day", "(Every Day Is) Halloween" and "The Nature of Love", as well as a reissue of "Cold Life"—which were cited as marking Jourgensen's first attempt at injecting industrial elements into Ministry's sound.[37][25][65][11] Initially the B-side on "All Day" single, "... Halloween" became viewed as a goth anthem similar to Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead";[47][66] "The Nature of Love", which came out in June 1985, became Ministry's final single on Wax Trax!;[25] in July 1985, the band was shown as signed to Sire Records.[67][68]
Twitch (1985–1987)
Ministry's first release with Sire/Warner Bros. was the single "Over the Shoulder" in 1985,[69][68] preceding the release of the band's second studio album, Twitch, in March 1986.[68] Twitch was recorded and mixed largely at Southern Studios in London and Hansa Tonstudio in West Berlin during 1985, with the On-U Sound Records owner Adrian Sherwood and Jourgensen sharing co-production duties.[70][71] Despite the contribution of several others (namely Belgian singer Luc van Acker and Sherwood's Tackhead bandmate Keith LeBlanc), the album material was mainly performed by Jourgensen, listed as the band's sole member.[11] Some material, recorded during the Twitch sessions, was later used for LeBlanc's and Sherwood's other projects, most prominently LeBlanc's solo album Major Malfunction.[72]: 20 [73]
On release, Twitch hit No. 194 in Billboard 200, and was supported by a US and Canadian tour. Jourgensen assembled a new touring line-up, featuring Roland Barker on keyboards, Paul Barker on bass and Bill Rieflin on drums.[74][75] Twitch received mixed reviews, with a music critic Robert Christgau stating, "Chicago's Anglodisco clones meet Anglodisco renegade Adrian Sherwood and promptly improve themselves by trading in wimpy on arty"; nevertheless, the album came to be viewed as a pivotal point in the band's discography, as it signaled ongoing changes in Ministry's sound.[76][37] In later publications, Jourgensen credited Sherwood with giving his music an aggressive edge and providing production advice, but considered the record "so Adrian Sherwood-influenced."[77][71]
Breakthrough success (1988–1993)
After Twitch, Paul Barker became Jourgensen's primary collaborator in Ministry;[78] until his departure, he was the only person credited as a member of the band other than Jourgensen.[79] Jourgensen then made another significant change to Ministry's sound when he resumed playing electric guitar.[11] With Rieflin on drums, Ministry recorded The Land of Rape and Honey (1988). The album 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 "
The follow-up album,
After completing the Revolting Cocks tour in early 1991, Jourgensen and his bandmates began work on a follow-up to The Mind ... at Chicago Trax! studios, amidst problems brought on by growing substance abuse.[81][82] During these initial sessions, Gibby Haynes of the Butthole Surfers recorded vocals for what became "Jesus Built My Hotrod", which hit No. 19 in the Modern Rock Tracks chart with approximately 128,000 copies as of mid-July 1992; considered Ministry's first and biggest commercial hit, it built significant anticipation for their upcoming album, then titled The Tapes of Wrath.[83][84][81][85] [86] In an attempt to distance themselves from drugs and find fresh perspective, the band relocated from Chicago to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to record at Royal Recorders studios for ten weeks.[87][85] After considering the Wisconsin sessions a "washout", they returned to Chicago to complete the album – now entitled Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs, after a chapter from Aleister Crowley's The Book of Lies – by early May 1992, with only nine of about thirty songs written being chosen to feature.[83][85] The album was influenced by speed and thrash metal, often being described as their fastest record by fans and critics. It was released on July 14, 1992 and peaked at No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart. Soon after, Ministry was invited to headline the second Lollapalooza tour with Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Soundgarden, among others,[88][89] before commencing a tour of Europe and the US, with Helmet and Sepultura as supporting acts.[90][91]
Middle years, turmoil and Jourgensen's drug addiction (1994–2001)
In October 1994, Ministry performed at the eighth
The album's songs were played mostly at slower tempos than those 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" and "Brick Windows" and with a tour in 1996 (the live performances were later anthologized on the Sphinctour album and DVD in 2002). Jourgensen has subsequently said that he was severely depressed during this period, that Filth Pig reflects this, and that he dislikes performing music from Filth Pig.[101]
Ministry recorded their final studio album for Warner Bros. Records, Dark Side of the Spoon (1999), which they dedicated to William Tucker, who committed suicide earlier that year. 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,[97] but the album was not well received, critically or commercially. However, the single "Bad Blood" appeared on the soundtrack album of The Matrix and was nominated for a 2000 Grammy award.[102]: 72 [103] During this period, Jourgensen had an infected toe amputated after accidentally stepping on a discarded hypodermic needle.[104]
In the summer of 2000, Ministry was invited to that year's Ozzfest;[105] amidst a management changeover, they were dropped from the bill and replaced by Soulfly.[106][37]
After Ministry were dropped from Warner Bros. in 2000, the label issued the 2001 collection
Jourgensen's recovery from drug addiction and comeback (2001–2007)
Around 2001, Jourgensen almost lost his arm when he was bitten by a venomous spider.
Barker announced his departure from Ministry in January 2004. He stated that the trigger was his father dying while the band was wrapping up a summer tour in Europe, and also stated that his family life was his main focus at that particular time.[110] Lukacin stated in 2013 that Jourgensen fell out with Barker over the band's finances.[111] Jourgensen continued Ministry with Mike Scaccia and various other musicians.
For Ministry's next album, Jourgensen released the song "No W", a song critical of 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 played more crudely than on previous recordings, 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.
What Jourgensen expected to be Ministry's "final" album,[112] The Last Sucker was released on September 18, 2007.
Paul Raven died on October 20, 2007, a month and two-days after the release of The Last Sucker, suffering an apparent heart attack shortly after arriving in Europe to commence recording for the French industrial band Treponem Pal near the Swiss border.[113][114]
Breakup and posthumous releases (2008–2011)
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", which became 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 6, 2010) were released. All of these releases are credited to Ministry and Co-Conspirators, since they feature collaborations between 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 shows in Chicago on May 10 and 12, 2008.[115][116] The final date on the international leg of the tour was at the Tripod in Dublin, Ireland on July 18, 2008. During the performance, Jourgensen repeatedly reaffirmed it would indeed be the last Ministry show. Due to a large demand for tickets, an extra gig was added at the Tripod on July 19, 2008. The band again played to a full house. Ministry's final song at this show (and ostensibly their last live performance) was a rendition of their cover version of "What a Wonderful World".[117]
Adios ... Puta Madres, a live album featuring material culled from the tour, was released in 2009 on CD and DVD.[118]
A documentary film called Fix: The Ministry Movie was planned for release sometime in 2010. However, the release date was pushed back to early 2011. Eventually, it premiered at the Chicago International Movies & Music Festival. Jourgensen sued the filmmaker, Doug Freel, for failing to fulfill a portion of the contract giving Jourgensen approval over the final cut, along with "thousands of dollars".[119] The lawsuit was dropped in July 2011. On July 21, the film was screened privately at the Music Box Theater in Los Angeles.
Reunion, Relapse, death of Mike Scaccia and From Beer to Eternity (2011–2015)
On August 7, 2011, Ministry announced they would reform and would play at Germany's Wacken Open Air festival, set to take place on August 2–4, 2012.[120] The reunion lineup featured Al Jourgensen on vocals, Mike Scaccia and Tommy Victor on guitars, Aaron Rossi on drums, John Bechdel on keyboards, and Tony Campos on bass.[121][122]
Jourgensen told Metal Hammer in August 2011 that Ministry was working on a new album called Relapse, which they hoped 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 part's 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."[121][122]
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.[120] During the third webisode featuring behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Relapse, a release date of March 23, 2012 was announced.[123]
On December 23, 2011, Ministry released "99 Percenters", the first single from Relapse, and began streaming it on their Facebook page two days later. On February 24, 2012, Ministry released a second single, "Double Tap", which was included in the April 2012 issue of the Metal Hammer magazine. On March 23, 2012, Relapse was released;[124] it was supported with "Defibrillatour", a concert tour which lasted from that year's June to August.
On December 23, 2012, guitarist Mike Scaccia died[125] following an on-stage heart attack, while playing with his other band, Rigor Mortis.[126] In an interview with Noisey in March 2013, Jourgensen announced that Ministry would break up again, explaining that he did not want to carry on without Scaccia. He explained, "Mikey was my best friend in the world and there's no Ministry without him. But I know the music we recorded together during the last weeks of his life had to be released to honor him. So after his funeral, I locked myself in my studio and turned the songs we had recorded into the best and last Ministry record anyone will ever hear. I can't do it without Mikey and I don't want to. So yes, this will be Ministry's last album."[127] The album, titled From Beer to Eternity, was released on September 6, 2013. Jourgensen stated that Ministry would tour in support of From Beer to Eternity, but would not record any more albums.[128][129]
AmeriKKKant and Moral Hygiene (2016–2022)
In an April 2016 interview with Loudwire, Jourgensen stated that Ministry would make a follow-up to From Beer to Eternity "if the circumstances are right."[130] When asked in July about the possibility of a new album, Jourgensen stated, "When I was asked [before], it was after Mikey passed and the entire media immediately starts asking me what is going to happen to Ministry. He wasn't even buried yet. I thought, 'Fuck you.' I was really pissed and really angry. I said, 'Fuck Ministry and fuck you for asking.' They want to comment on Ministry when my best friend had died. It's been more than two years now, and I got more ideas and I have done albums with Mikey and have done them without him. It's time to get another record out. I have a bunch of songs written in my head. I wanted to have time to mourn before people start asking me about touring dates. It was sick. I was bombarded and email boxes were overloaded with 'what are you going to do now?' It was kind of creepy."[131]
By February 2017, Ministry had begun working on their fourteenth studio album,[132] titled AmeriKKKant.[133] The album, released on March 9, 2018,[134] includes guest appearances from Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory, former N.W.A member Arabian Prince, DJ Swamp and Lord of the Cello.[133][135] During their performance at the Blackest of the Black Fest in Silverado, California in May 2017, Ministry debuted their first song in four years, "Antifa", which, at the time, was expected to appear on AmeriKKKant.[136]
In an October 2018 interview with Billboard magazine, Jourgensen revealed that he had begun working on new material for Ministry's fifteenth studio album. He explained, "I have to get as many albums as I can done while Trump is still president, and then what am I going to do: write those crappy albums that I write while Democrats are president?"[137][138] A month later, media reports noted that Jourgensen had reconnected with former member Paul Barker after 15 years, hinting that the two might collaborate once again on the upcoming Ministry album.[139]
In a 2019 interview with Revolver magazine, Jourgensen reaffirmed that he had been working on new material since 2018, and revealed that he had hired Paul D'Amour (formerly of Tool) as the new bassist of Ministry.[140] The band – alongside Primus and Philip H. Anselmo & The Illegals – opened for Slayer on the final North American leg of their farewell tour, which took place in November 2019.[141]
In December 2019, the band released a visual history coffee table book, Ministry: Prescripture, with author Aaron Tanner.[142]
In January 2020, Ministry announced the "Industrial Strength Tour" would start in 2020, with drummer London May of Samhain, which would feature both KMFDM and Front Line Assembly as guests. The tour was to begin on 1 July and extend until August.[143] In May 2020, the band announced that they postponed all dates on the Industrial Strength Tour until 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 25–date tour, with KMFDM and Front Line Assembly, was scheduled to take place in March and April 2021;[144] the trek was once again postponed to the fall of 2021, this time with Helmet replacing KMFDM, who were unable to partake in the tour because of restrictions caused by the COVID in their native Germany.[145] On September 24, 2021, Ministry announced that The Industrial Strength tour had been postponed once more because of the pandemic, with the tour now scheduled to take place in March and April 2022, and the Melvins and Corrosion of Conformity replacing Front Line Assembly and Helmet as special guests.[146]
On January 17, 2020, Billboard released an exposé on guitar player Sin Quirin, detailing accounts of Quirin's alleged behavior including sexual relationships with underage females while touring in San Antonio, TX, Portland, OR, and Tacoma, WA, in the early 2000s.[147] In May 2021, Quirin announced via Facebook that he was leaving Ministry.[148]
On March 24, 2020, longtime drummer Bill Rieflin died of cancer, which had been kept private. His death was announced the next day by Robert Fripp of King Crimson via Facebook.[149]
On April 24, 2020, one month after Rieflin's passing, Ministry released their first song in two-and-a-half years, "Alert Level", which was expected to appear on the band's then-upcoming fifteenth studio album.[150][151]
In May 2021, the band announced that drummer Roy Mayorga has rejoined the band.[148]
On July 8, 2021, Ministry released "Good Trouble" as the first single from their fifteenth studio album Moral Hygiene, which was released on October 1.[152][153]
Hopiumforthemasses and purported future albums (2022–present)
About two weeks after the release of Moral Hygiene, Jourgensen revealed that another Ministry album would "be out in 6-8 months."[154] In a March 2022 interview with Metal Edge, Jourgensen said that the album would feature an arena rock-styled sound, and he also hinted at one final Ministry album.[7] He reiterated his idea of disbanding Ministry in 2023, expecting the last Ministry material to be a re-recording of their first album With Sympathy.[8]
In early 2023, Ministry announced a tour with Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly, which lasted from April 20 to May 13, 2023.[155] The band performed a cover of Ricky's Hand by Fad Gadget with Numan, on two nights.[156][157]
In April 2023, the band played a new song live titled "Goddamn White Trash" from their then-upcoming album Hopium for the Masses, which was planned to be released on August 4.[158] However, it was announced that the album (with the new title Hopiumforthemasses) would be released on March 1, 2024.[159]
In the fall of 2023, Ministry, along with Filter, opened the Freaks on Parade tour, headlined by Alice Cooper and Rob Zombie.[160] The tour spanned one month, lasting from August 24, 2023 until September 24, 2023, visiting 19 venues across the United States and Canada. After the Freaks on Parade tour ended, Ministry announced that they would be touring with Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly again for the Hopiumforthemasses Tour, which began on February 27 and ended on April 5, 2024.[161]
In February 2024, Jourgensen confirmed in an interview with Loudwire that Ministry will not release any more albums or continue as a band after they release a follow-up to Hopiumforthemasses (which will include Barker), declaring, "I think it's a good time to stop."[9]
Artistry
Ministry's experimentation, stylistic variation and changes during its career cross several genres of popular music. Alternative rock subgenres such as
Despite Jourgensen's dislike of touring, Ministry are noted for their live performances, featuring extended versions of songs (as evidenced on In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up)[191] and disturbing visual imagery.[192] MTV also recognized the band as an influential heavy metal act, highlighting the use of sampling during their heyday.[193] Alternative Press included Ministry in their 1996 list of 100 underground inspirations of the past 20 years, stating that they merged "metal, samples, synths, and the 100-mph sound of urban paranoia, they pretty much created industrial music as we know it."[194] Jourgensen revealed in 2008 that Ministry music is mostly on drop D and standard E tuning.[195]
Related projects
Jourgensen, with former and current bandmates, has been active in a number of musical projects besides Ministry. Foremost of these was the
Barker has released several solo recordings under various monikers, including Age of Reason and Chicks & Speed: Futurism as Lead into Gold in 1990,[201][68][202] The Perfect Pair as Flowering Blight in 2008,[203] and Fix This!!!, an accompanying soundtrack of Fix: The Ministry Movie, under his own name in 2012.[204] Through the 2000s, Barker formed Pink Anvil with Max Brody[205] and U.S.S.A. with the Jesus Lizard guitarist Duane Denison.[206] Brody and Scaccia have also released materials as Goobersmoochers via Brody's Bandcamp site.
Members
Current members
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Al Jourgensen | 1981–present |
|
all releases | |
John Bechdel |
|
keyboards |
| |
Monte Pittman |
|
|
Hopiumforthemasses (2024) | |
Cesar Soto | 2015–present |
| ||
Roy Mayorga |
|
drums | ||
Paul D'Amour | 2019–present | bass |
|
Former members
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Stephen George | 1981–1984 |
|
| |
Robert Roberts | 1981–1983 |
|
| |
John Davis | 1981–1982 (died 2005) | |||
Martin Sorenson | 1981–1982 | bass | ||
Brad Hallen | 1983–1984 | |||
Paul Barker | 1986–2003 |
|
| |
William "Bill" Rieflin | 1986–1994 (died 2020) |
|
| |
Mike Scaccia |
|
|
| |
Louis Svitek |
|
guitars |
| |
Duane Buford | 1994–1999 |
|
| |
Rey Washam |
|
drums |
| |
Zlatko Hukic | 1996–1999 | guitars |
| |
Max Brody | 1999–2004 |
|
| |
John Monte | 2004 |
|
| |
Mark Baker | 2004–2005 |
|
| |
Tommy Victor |
|
|
| |
Paul Raven | 2005–2007 (until his death) |
|
| |
Sin Quirin |
|
|
| |
Tony Campos |
|
|
| |
Aaron Rossi |
|
drums | From Beer to Eternity (2013) | |
Jason Christopher
|
2016–2017 |
|
AmeriKKKant (2018) | |
Derek Abrams | 2017–2019 | drums | ||
DJ Swamp | 2017–2018 | turntables | AmeriKKKant (2018) | |
London May | 2020–2021 | drums |
Additional/touring musicians
Image | Name | Years active | Instruments | Release contributions |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paul Taylor | 1981 | keyboards | none | |
Audrey Stanzler | 1981–1982 | vocals | ||
Shay Jones | 1982–1983 | With Sympathy (1983) | ||
Yvonne Gage |
|
Dark Side of the Spoon (1999) | ||
Mark Pothier | 1983 |
|
none | |
Doug Chamberlin | 1983–1984 | |||
Patty Jourgensen | 1984 |
| ||
John Soroka |
|
none | ||
Roland Barker |
|
| ||
Sarolta DeFaltay | 1986 |
| ||
Marston Daley
|
1987 | keyboards | ||
Jeff Ward | 1988 (died 1993) |
|
| |
William Tucker | 1989–1990 (died 1999) | guitar | In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up (1990) | |
Terry Roberts | 1988–1990 |
| ||
Martin Atkins | drums | |||
Nivek Ogre |
| |||
Joe Kelly | vocals | |||
Chris Connelly |
|
|
| |
Michael Balch | 1991–1992 |
|
| |
Marco Neves | 1992 | vocals | none | |
Michel Bassin | guitar | |||
Sam Ladwig | guitar | |||
Casey Orr |
|
|
Relapse (2012) | |
Darrell James | 2003–2004 | keyboards | ||
Tia Sprocket | 2003 (died 2017) | drums | ||
Eddy Garcia | 2004 | bass | ||
Rick Valles | guitar | |||
Joey Jordison | 2006 (died 2021) | drums | ||
Burton C. Bell |
|
vocals |
| |
Thomas Holtgreve | 2017 | drums |
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
- With Sympathy (1983)
- Twitch (1986)
- The Land of Rape and Honey (1988)
- The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste (1989)
- ΚΕΦΑΛΗΞΘ(1992)
- Filth Pig (1996)
- Dark Side of the Spoon (1999)
- Animositisomina (2003)
- Houses of the Molé (2004)
- Rio Grande Blood (2006)
- The Last Sucker (2007)
- Relapse (2012)
- From Beer to Eternity (2013)
- AmeriKKKant (2018)
- Moral Hygiene (2021)
- Hopiumforthemasses (2024)
Tours
- With Sympathy Tour, 1983
- Wax Trax! Singles Tour, 1984
- Twitch Tour, 1986–1987
- The Land of Rape and Honey Tour, 1988
- The Mind Tour, 1989–1990
- Lollapalooza 1992
- Psalm 69 Tour, 1992–1994
- Big Day Out, 1995
- Sphinctour, 1996
- ClitourUS, 1999
- Fornicatour, 2003
- Evil Doer Tour, 2004–2005
- MasterBaTour, 2006
- C-U-LaTour, 2008
- DeFiBriLaTouR / Relapse Tour, 2012
- From Beer to EternaTour, 2015
- Death Grips and Ministry US Tour 2017[207]
- The AmeriKKKant Tour, 2018
- EU/UK Summer Tour, 2019
- Slayer's Final Campaign Tour with Primus and Phillip H. Anselmo & The Illegals, 2019
- Industrial Strength Tour, 2022 (initially scheduled to take place in summer 2020, later rescheduled to fall 2021 and then spring 2022 due to
- Moral Hygiene Tour, 2022
- Ministry, Gary Numan and Front Line Assembly Tour 2023[212]
Notes
- ^ In an article published in the September 1982 issue of Illinois Entertainer, Jourgensen was said to discuss several possible names for the band (including "Fallen Pillar", "Ministry of Fear" and "Ministry of Funk"), before settling on Ministry as it combined "the doom / gloom chromosomes of Fear and the dance feel of Funk."[18] Much later publications has Jourgensen giving a credit to Fritz Lang's 1944 movie Ministry of Fear for inspiring the band's name;[19][20] AllMusic editor Greg Prato reiterated this point in Jourgensen's profile,[21] and so did Burton C. Bell and John Bechdel in an interview to James Hester for Target Audience Magazine.[22]
In the November 1988 interview for Rockpool, Jourgensen explains:[23]Everyone interprets the name, Ministry, differently. Some people interpret it religiously ... To a lot of people I'm the Ministry of Assholes and others think I'm the Ministry of whatever. The whole point being that the name conjures up the image of a big omnipotent corporation behind closed doors, in darkened rooms, wheeling and dealing, powerplay type of thing. So to some people the name is along government lines and to others it's along religious lines, but when it all boils down to it what's the fucking difference. Power brokers is all that it is, behind closed doors, running your lives. And that's what it's supposed to conjure up and that's what I wanted to generate and that's what it will always be within Ministry.
- ^ According to Jello Biafra, it was intended to be a seven-inch single featuring the song "Overkill" with the B-side "I'm Falling".[27]
- ^ Alternative rock subgenres such as industrial rock[162][163][164][116][165] and industrial metal[166][167][168][169][170] are umbrella terms predominately used to describe the band's career in general.
References
- ^ Brooks 2017, p. 49.
- ^ "Gold & Platinum – RIAA". RIAA.com. Retrieved September 27, 2017.
- ^ "Ministry – Chart history". Billboard. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
- ^ "Ministry | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ Archive-Jon-Wiederhorn. "Founding Bassist Paul Barker Leaves Ministry". MTV News. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ "Al Jourgensen Announces the End of Ministry". www.ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
- ^ a b "Al Jourgensen talks Ministry, Mötley, Madonna and his upcoming 'arena rock' album". Metal Edge. March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
- ^ a b "Ministry's Al Jourgensen exclusively reveals plans to re-record long-disavowed 'With Sympathy' songs: 'F*** it. Instead of being owned, let's own it.'". Yahoo!. June 16, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
- ^ a b Blabbermouth (February 21, 2024). "AL JOURGENSEN Says MINISTRY's Next Album Will Be Band's Last: 'I Think It's A Good Time To Stop'". BLABBERMOUTH.NET. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
- ^ Thompson 2000, p. 497; Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, pp. 45–46
- ^ a b c d e Wolanski, Coreen (March 1, 2003). "Ministry – Nothing Exceeds Like Excess". Exclaim!. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- Revolver Magazine. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
- ^ "Interview with Ben Krug regarding the Silly Charmichaels". Prongs.org. March 18, 2006. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
- ^ Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, p. 47.
- ^ Krakow, Steve (December 11, 2016). "Hyde Park postpunks the Imports could've been America's Joy Division | Bleader". Chicago Reader. Retrieved September 2, 2018.
- ^ Alamo-Costello, Chester (August 7, 2016). "ONO – An Unabridged History In Conversation". The COMP Magazine. Retrieved December 4, 2017.
- ^ Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, pp. 47–48.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Baker, Cary (September 1982). "Ministry: Ordained by Dance" (transcription). Illinois Entertainer. Vol. 2, no. 103. Retrieved September 12, 2018 – via Prongs.org archive. See also Reed 2013, p. 236.
- ISBN 978-0-8065-2046-9– via the Internet Archive.
- ^ ISBN 0893569860– via the Internet Archive.
- ^ a b Prato, Greg. "Al Jourgensen – Biography". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved December 2, 2017.
- ISBN 978-1-4401-2773-1.
- ^ a b Dunkley, Andy (November 15, 1988). "Ministry of Mayhem" (scan). Rockpool. Vol. 9, no. 20 (206). pp. 14–15. Retrieved March 25, 2018 – via Prongs.org archive.
- ^ a b Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, p. 49.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Rod (March 27, 2014). "Wax Trax: An Introduction". Red Bull Music Academy Daily. Red Bull Music Academy. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f "Interview with Robert Roberts". Prongs.org. n.d. Retrieved September 12, 2018.
- ^ Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, p. 104.
- ^ Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, p. 50.
- OCLC 1036803142– via the Internet Archive.
- ^ Greene 1993, p. 26; Fontenoy 2003, p. 645.
- ^ McCormick, Moira (September 11, 1982). "Indie New Music Labes Proliferating In Chicago". Billboard Magazine. Vol. 94, no. 36. pp. 9, 54. Retrieved January 26, 2018. See also Reed 2013, p. 236.
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: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ Greene 1993, p. 26; Reed 2013, p. 236; Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, pp. 50–51
- ^ Snapes, Laura (November 4, 2021). "Aimee Mann: 'Any woman my age is traumatised by growing up in the 60s and 70s'". The Guardian. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
- ^ Glickman 1994, p. 164; Jourgensen & Wiederhorn 2013, p. 51.
- ^ a b c Zaleski, Annie (May 10, 2018). "35 Year Ago: Ministry Release Disavowed Debut, 'With Sympathy'". Ultimate Classic Rock. Townsquare Media. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
- ISBN 0312572107– via Internet Archive.
- ^ All Media Network. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
- ^ a b c Brooks 2017, p. 48.
- ^ ISSN 0025-9012. Retrieved February 5, 2018 – via Prongs.org archive. See also Reed 2013, p. 236.)
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: CS1 maint: postscript (link - ^ ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 23, 2018 – via Google Books.
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: CS1 maint: postscript (linkWith its bouncy synthpop rhythms and lyrics all about woe-begotten Goth life, it's up there to 'Bela Lugosi's Dead' on the short list of universal Goth anthems ...
- "Ministry: Over The Shoulder". Album & Singles Reviews. Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 47. November 23, 1985. p. 67. Retrieved October 31, 2017 – via Google Books.
- "12' Reviews". Dance. Cash Box. Vol. XLIX, no. 24. November 23, 1985. p. 20. Retrieved February 27, 2018 – via the Internet Archive.
- Wurster, Jon (October 2011). "Back Through The Stack: Bill Rieflin" (pt. 1). Modern Drummer. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
- ————— (October 2011). "Back Through The Stack: Bill Rieflin" (pt. 2). Modern Drummer. Retrieved October 23, 2017.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
Multi-instrumentalist also performed with Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Swans, and many others
In 1996, after the release of their album Filth Pig, pioneering industrial rock troublemakers Ministry set out on a worldwide tour, leaving dazzled and dazed audiences in the wake of their brutal live shows.
nine inch nails might sell more records, but the Al Jourgensen-led Ministry is the most influential American industrial-rock band.
Industrial metal veterans MINISTRY debuted a new song called "Antifa" during their May 27 appearance at this year's edition of the "Blackest Of The Black" festival, which took place May 26–27 at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, California.
... one of Jourgensen's latter-day descriptions is more accurate: The music he prefers to call 'aggro' is 'erotic, neurotic, psychotic, cyberaggresive, new-beat dance, country new wave punk with a metal edge ... and just a touch of insanity.'
Everyone puts us in this 'We're an industrial band' [stuff]. I don't know about industrial because I never worked in a construction site or an industrial site. What is industrial? ZZ Top uses drum programming and samples and stuff. Is ZZ Top industrial? I don't think so. So I've never considered us an industrial band. We're an industrious band. How about that? We're still around after 35 years. That makes us industrious. But I don't know about industrial.
- Stone, Doug. "Lead Into Gold – Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- Mason, James. "Chicks & Speed: Futurism". AllMusic. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
- Mason, James. "Age of Reason – Lead Into Gold". AllMusic. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
Bibliography
- Barker, Paul (Spring 1996). "Ministry". .
- Berelian, Essi (2005). The Rough Guide to Heavy Metal. London: Rough Guides. pp. 161, 198, 225–227. OCLC 1256510439– via the Internet Archive.
- Brooks, Jeffrey S. (2017). "Chapter 5: The Evolution of a Revolution". In Terri N. Watson; Jeffrey S. Brooks; Floyd D. Beachum (eds.). Educational Leadership and Music: Lessons for Tomorrow's School Leaders. Charlotte, NC: ISBN 9781681238579 – via Google Books.
- Brown, Jake (2012). "Chapter 18: Al Jourgensen—The Ministry of Industrial Rock". Behind the Boards: The Making of Rock 'n' Roll's Greatest Records Revealed. Hal Leonard Books. pp. 195–202. ISBN 978-1-4584-1972-9.
- Fontenoy, Richard (2003). "Ministry". In Buckley, Piter (ed.). The Rough Guide to Rock. London, New York: OCLC 1151158224– via the Internet Archive.
- Glickman, Simon (1994). "Ministry". In Rubiner, Julia M. (ed.). Contemporary Musicians: Profiles of The People in Music. Vol. 10. Detroit / Washington, D.C. / London: Gale Research. pp. 164–166. ISSN 1044-2197– via the Internet Archive.
- Greene, Jo-Ann (April 2, 1993). "Ministry" (scans). ISSN 1055-2685. Retrieved October 13, 2018 – via the Prongs.org archive.
- Jourgensen, Al & Wiederhorn, Jon (July 9, 2013). Ministry: The Lost Gospels According To Al Jourgensen. Boston, MA: Da Capo Press. OCLC 811206550– via the Internet Archive.
- Jourgensen, Al (July–December 2003). "Al Jourgensen Talks Politics with IN". IndustrialnatioN. No. 18. Interviewed by Sharon Maher. ISSN 1062-449X. Archived from the originalon August 19, 2004. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
- OCLC 748093098– via the Internet Archive.
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- Locher, David A. (1998). "The Industrial Identity Crisis: The Failure of a Newly Forming Subculture to Identify Itself". In Jonathan S. Epstein (ed.). Youth Culture: Identity in a Postmodern World. Wiley-Blackwell Publishers. pp. 100–117. OCLC 1036979534– via the Internet Archive.
- Masuo, Sandy (January–February 1996). "Ministry: It's Not Easy Being Mean". ISSN 0882-178X.
- McLeod, Kembrew (November 2004). "Ministry". In Brackett, Nathan (ed.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 544. OCLC 1036744932– via the Internet Archive.
- Miller, Monica (August 2014). "'No man with a good car needs to be justified': Preaching Roack and Roll Salvation from O'Connor's Wise Blood to Ministry's 'Jesus Built My Hotrod.'". Flannery O'Connor Review. 12. Georgia College: 82–98. ISSN 0091-4924.
- Moon, Tom (2008). ISBN 978-0-7611-3963-8.
- Prown, Pete; Newquist, HP (1997). "Ministry / Chapter 33: Industrial and Grindcore". Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists. Foreword by Joe Satriani; edited by Jon Eiche. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation. pp. 250–251. ISBN 0-7935-4042-9.
- Reed, S. Alexander (2013). Assimilate: A Critical History of Industrial Music. Oxford University Press. OCLC 1147729910– via the Internet Archive.
- Thompson, Dave (2000). Alternative Rock. Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard Corporation. OCLC 1193377576– via the Internet Archive.
- Wiederhorn, Jon & Turman, Katherine (2013). Louder Than Hell: The Definitive Oral History of Metal. New York: itbooks. OCLC 843469256– via the Internet Archive.
External links
- Official website
- Ministry at Encyclopaedia Metallum
- Ministry discography at Discogs
- Ministry @ prongs.org