Ministry
Al Jourgensen is a bustling little devil. With Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Lard, Acid Horse, 1000 Homo DJs, PTP, Pailhead, Buck Satan, WORLD, Special Affect, Lead Into Gold, Hypo Luxa he has a whole bunch of pseudonyms and projects at the start, for him the next could employ one hundred years. Maybe it still happens, that he from using any drugs Space flies into space and creates shooting stars. That would be trusted him because the man does not know many boundaries. read more
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Interview
“I have had with drugs much fun!”
Interview by Michael Edele
Sun-drenched Al Jourgensen is sitting on the porch of his house in Santa Monica and the expected call from LOUD. The course does not have to wait long.
What about Al, with you in LA it would now be just a clock noon. Just got up or growing a bit longer?
Rubbish, I’m’re already since half past nine on the legs, and it looks like you are perfectly in time.
I have heard only three songs from “Animositisomnia” because the German Post has once again slept. Luckily I Label your three songs sent by mail, so now I know the title track, “Unsong” and the cover version of “magazine”. The first two songs have me almost mowed down …
Then you were allowed to be happy with the rest, because going to the same thing.
I’m getting the cover motif (It shows the head of a dead sheep with a crescent and a star above the eye, a Jewish star on his nostrils, and a cross above the mouth). That is pretty strong right?
What do you expect, there are violent times. We have discussed the cover along with the guy who designs our artwork, and because the music is very vicious and very angry, we have tried to capture the anger and violence are ubiquitous at the moment, on the cover.
Why then the sheep?
Quite simply, a sheep is a herd animal and stupid running after another. The religious symbols you could just replace the character so well for the dollar, the euro or the pound. Or Mercedes Benz, General Motors, Toyota. It is the system behind it: if you begin to follow a system, without finding out what’s behind it, or without trying to improve it, if you follow the simple instructions, you’re already a dead sheep.
Then some part of me your opinion about the situation in the USA. I’m only now once again heard on the news that Bush still rearming.
I hate this motherfucker Bush. One is exactly like another. It makes absolutely no difference whether one or a W. trapped behind his name or not. In all the shit it’s impossible to terrorism, but just about that now flows back strongly coal. Terrorism, we have supported it yourself anywhere in the world with our own weapons and our policies. It’s about money and the fact that his daddy, the thing that he then started today brings to an end. George Dabbeljuh is so stupid that it can not exist at all, that these ideas have grown on his crap. The stringy clear his father. Our president makes it easy, what his father tells him, because otherwise he will probably sent to bed without milk and cookies.
Do you think he will proceed even without UN support against Iraq?
Fuck, yeah! Of course, that he has identified with his buddies but even so, and also his father would send him to his room when he did not. I’ll tell you something funny. We stayed during the last Gulf War in Europe on tour and we were the only band from the states that have not been canceled. Even our Rambo, Sylvester Stallone has not dared to Cannes for the film festival because he was scared to death and we are with the Revolting Cocks with our cowboy hats by geschippert across Europe and have enjoyed every minute. Would not be surprised if we are touring again this year during the Gulf War in Europe. But I go on tour and if I had to paddle a canoe across the Atlantic, hahaha.
Good cue. I can only find two dates for Germany. That’s probably not your serious?
These are just two warm-up gigs in the spring. Then it goes back to the States for us, because we travel a great co-headlining show with Marilyn Manson. Then we come back to us All software play European festivals. We will come out to you at the end of the year from the ears, believe me.
Is it true that you wrote with Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit’s new album two songs?
Yes, but we will have to wait and see whether the album’s songs come on. He has given me a few drum tracks and the lyrics and I should make the rest of it. So I must wait times drauflos gebrettert and now what he thinks. Actually, I have no desire to do all the work for the guy to do, I just screw around with some ideas. Until now nothing has been decided.
You have the song “What About Us” for the movie AI written. How did that happen?
Oh, that was funny. The movie sucks, but the song is great, haha. I liked the original version of Stanley Kubrick much because everything should be shown very decadent and gloomy. Spielberg has a shit of it eventually ET Blend made with this gay teddy bears and all that stuff. I always had the urge to strangle bears this shit, I just hate these cattle.
That was when you had a video for a song shot?
There were already differences, we were basically just extras who were standing around in the background and have just made music. What it was going on in the foreground, so important. The mere fact that the set was such a huge and enormously expensive. This is not necessarily what we’re used to. Spielberg has also made extremely difficult. We were only in the movie because Kubrick wanted us to have in it before he died. Spielberg has thus inherited only us and we were initially not very well together. Course may also have been due to something to me, because when we were introduced to us, I said: “Mr. Spielberg, I’m sorry, but unfortunately we have to get off.” And then he: “Oh my God, why is that?” Then I said: “Well, when we pledged for this film, it was said that this was a porn movie and not so’n dull sci-fi strip.” He was then going absolutely crazy, until I finally was able to make it clear that this was just a joke, haha. He was therefore never sure what to do with us, but against him, then later we have given a “Dark Side Of The Spoon” T-shirt and 'nen cowboy hat, and from then on we were really well clear.
The last musical sign of life from you was the live album “Sphinctour”. However, since only recordings from 1996 were on it. Why not 1999?
We were pretty easy in the ass and did not have a buck to make a disc, just so it gives us something new. We have therefore made mal 'ne longer pause, which I used to write a book and some other stuff. This has also helped me to write the lyrics for this album.
In how far the book has helped you to write the lyrics for the album?
It was once very good for my psyche, because I could occupy myself with something other than music or drugs. It has helped me so much, I concentrate on other things and get my head clear for the album.
I’ve read that you are on “Animositisomina” again want to work with spoken word samples?
Yes, that’s true. I really like working with material of Timothy Leary. He was like a father to me and I spent two years with him. We also have a few scenes with him on the DVD “Sphinctour”. That was about a week before he died. He still has a huge impact on my life.
He always saw drugs as a way to open his mind and to be so creative. Even his students he has invited to consume LSD, which cost him his professorship at Harvard. How do you feel about it?
I have no regrets of what I did. I’ve been through the drug experienced a tremendous lot of fun and creativity that I would probably never have had without them. But in time I am then come to a point where drugs no longer be brought creativity, but only dependence. That went so far that I could fight all day simply to stay alive at all because there was no time for anything else, let alone creativity. So I had to stop, I did nothing else can. I was 22 years and had to stop a heroin addict from one day to another, it was damn hard. I am now completely clean for almost eight months and I feel great.
Congratulations!
I had no choice but yes. For the upcoming tour, I must be fit again and get some wind in my sails. Finally, we do not like old sacks on the stage, but once again become powerful ass.
'99 I was on a visit to Detroit since we’ve seen you play along with Nothingface. At that time, was a chick with you on stage, I think Tycoon, and she was so drugged that she is during the song simply tipped off the stage. Do you remember when there?
That you can believe, that was something like the running gag for the rest of the tour. It has fortunately not injured. Incidentally, just yesterday I phoned her. You will probably be there even with a few gigs of this tour.
You have now switched from Warner to Sanctuary …
Thank God! haha
How did that happen? Was there so much trouble with Warner?
More than you can imagine. The whole society of which actually is designed only to repeat everything that was already there. They want to warm up only new and old to work with what has earned money. It’s not about them, what to do new things and taking risks. When I called the last time where I could listen to me 20 minutes this shit Bugs Bunny music on hold and no pig has gone orange. At the Sanctuary is something completely different. Because if I have a problem or a question, now there is somebody who deals with you. So far I am very satisfied with the label.
Can you remember anything about the other songs tell me which are expected to “Animositisomina”?
You have to listen to you already own and then tell me what you think.
I would like to, but without the CD goes bad.
Let’s do it so when you hear the rest of the songs and then still have questions, call me a call and we’ll see.