2006 - goodbye Ministry??

Discussion
1

Granted: As far as Ministry are concerned, well, I think it will be their last year. Al will morph into Buck Satan, play small venues, drink whiskey and grow old gracefully. He will be the Willie Nelson for the jilted generation, I believe.

Oh sure, I realized there are those among us who still keep a light on in the window, hoping against hope for a taste of former glories. This is only natural to be. You keep it alive like an unopened Christmas present, like a turkey carved but never eaten. I think it perhaps wiser to take a different approach. Things are never the same twice in a row. Lightning never strikes, only appears to.

That pain you feel in the pit of your stomach - that’s pride. Pride buring like a well-begotten ulcer fixin to do some damage. I say, let this change take place - take nature take it’s course. The next album will be, unfortunately, a watered down version of the last one which was a watered down version of the one before. But that’s ok. Time will weather this storm. Will Ministry weather it - the answer is no.

With that said, apart from absolutely pointless albums by Ministry and Revco being released (pffft! nobody even cares anymore), I think 2006 will be Al’s greatest triumph so far. It will be his swansong - although I know it will take some convincing on my behalf to win over the doubters and haters on this site. You don’t like cliched, derivate thrash metal with childish, laughably inane lyrics regarding the state of Western politics?? - then you won’t get them. You won’t hear George W sample after George W sample. You won’t be forced into a circle of ever decresing dimensions and have to sit out the remainder of the year in total darkness because you are burning this light in your window - as you should. So don’t start squabbling over song titles and the like. Riffs are riffs. Just let them be. And enjoy a Ministry-less year in 2006!

2

I concur.

I truly hope that Al decides to retire both the MINISTRY and Revolting Cocks franchises respectively.

Although the old man still puts on a good show, he really hasn’t done much to push the boundaries of music like he once did. Ministry already looks dangerously like a cover band of it’s former self, perhaps even borderlining on parody.

Just look at the silly newer logo with it’s silly cliched symbols. Can anyone honestly say they weren’t horrified when they saw the No W video? Sorry gang, the proof’s in the pudding…

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still very much looking forward to the opcoming tour as a farewell, but I’m not going to kid myself. I’m not going to go expecting a concert similar to “In Case” or the “Psalm 69” tour, and I certainly am not expecting the new Revolting Cocks to sound anything like the classic lineup. Anyone who is will most certainly be dissapointed.

Come on Al, let’s do one last hurrah and then please yank the feeding tubes from your babies and let them die with dignity!

Be well, folks.

Pete

3

It needs to come full circle before Al can retire the Ministry franchise. He needs to reunite his first original line up, break out the synths, and remind us all what Ministry once was to underground music in Chicago nearly 25 years ago. It’s a part of Al’s heritage and his effect on modern-day music.

Al singing “Everyday is Halloween” or “Revenge” or “Cold Life” in 2006 - now that would be pushing the boundaries.

4

Hahaha this board is full of crazy people who love Ministry for many different reasons.

You’ve got a New Waver here and there hoping for an all out synth reunion and Everyday Is Halloween 2006. These guys are a rare breed.

Then there’s the traditional Ministry fan, who loves Land of Rape, Mind and Psalm 69. These people may have liked Animos, but they probably didn’t like most of Houses of the Mole so much.

Then you’ve got the Paul Barker lovers who want to see Ministry do 10/10 and Leper or some other obscure track like fucking Corrosion or something…(I fall into this one). These people are probably all potheads.

Then there’s the metalheads who also like Fear Factory and think Ministry died after Psalm 69 and the instrumental half of Land of Rape and Honey sucked. and Houses and the upcoming album are a Renaissance for the band.

Right now the Metalheads are winning. I mean realistically we don’t think Ministry is going to suddenly break out with a bizarre record and explore a totally new variant of their sound like they did when Barker was in the band.

But at the same time I don’t think Al is somehow totally irrelevant without Barker. That would just be ignorant. I think we might get two or three solid tracks off the Ministry and any new material is good material in my book.

What’s the alternative? What’s the point of even complaining about new material, bitching and moaning on a Ministry board about how they should retire?

Most of the world’s not really paying attention to Ministry and they’ve lost at least 60% of their fanbase since the nineties. This new stuff is just for the hardcore fans who still love the band.

5

Granted: As far as Ministry are concerned, well, I think it will be their last year. Al will morph into Buck Satan, play small venues, drink whiskey and grow old gracefully. He will be the Willie Nelson for the jilted generation, I believe.

I wish.
We’ve been waiting for that damn Buck Satan record for about 15 years now.

6

In regards to Revco…

i’m a bit tiffed about the whole thing. I mean can we really call it Revco without Chris, Luc, Duane, Bill?

It’s like putting out a Lard album without Jello, or a Pailhead album without Ian.

1000 Homo DJs would be more like it.

As for Buck Satan…a friend of mine and I have a bet to see what will come out first:

Buck Satan or the new GnR…

-al

7

Oh sure, I realized there are those among us who still keep a light on in the window, hoping against hope for a taste of former glories. This is only natural to be. You keep it alive like an unopened Christmas present, like a turkey carved but never eaten.

!?!?! HA!! A turkey carved but never eaten??

Personally I’m just hoping the cover art for the new album is better than Houses…

That pain you feel in the pit of your stomach - that’s pride. Pride buring like a well-begotten ulcer fixin to do some damage.

Or it might be a tumour.

8

Then you’ve got the Paul Barker lovers who want to see Ministry do 10/10 and Leper or some other obscure track like fucking Corrosion or something…(I fall into this one). These people are probably all potheads.

Hahaha thats pretty funny how dead on you were with all of the descriptions. I fall into this one as well and yes, I am in fact a pothead, lol. I wanna hear Quick Fix or Fucked live!!!

9

[reply]

Then you’ve got the Paul Barker lovers who want to see Ministry do 10/10 and Leper or some other obscure track like fucking Corrosion or something…(I fall into this one). These people are probably all potheads.

Hahaha thats pretty funny how dead on you were with all of the descriptions. I fall into this one as well and yes, I am in fact a pothead, lol. I wanna hear Quick Fix or Fucked live!!![/reply]

give me paisley, bitches!

t’would be sweet.

10

I don’t have much to add to this, but I am diggin’ this thread. There are some very articulate people here… and some who are not.

I like the idea of retiring the Ministry phenomenon in glory. Fans of the day are all getting older with Al. Maybe it is more appropriate for us to sit around at an acoustic Buck Satan set and listen to a bluegrass version on Stigmata.

Cheers.

11

That pain you feel in the pit of your stomach - that’s pride. Pride buring like a well-begotten ulcer fixin to do some damage.

Or it might be a tumour.[/reply]

It’s not a tumaah

12

Some nice points here. Truth be told, I’m a bit skeptical. Ministry’s been a big deal to me, and I’d love to see one more great album, but we’ll see. I don’t think Paul leaving is the end, as Twitch was done without Paul, and that’s a great piece of work. I also can’t see The Revolting Cocks without the old gang being present. Chris Connelly in particular did so much for the personality of that project. Also, Houses of the Mole was the first Ministry album that did nothing for me. Wasn’t bad, just felt bland.

Still, I’m a big enough fan of everything else he’s done to give him the benefit of the doubt on whatever comes out next. I loved Animositisomina and Dark Side of the Spoon even.

I don’t entirely agree with the notion that lightning doesn’t strike twice. The new Skinny Puppy was quite good, and I’d go so far as to say that the new Einsturzende Neubauten is the best and most compelling they’ve ever done, and one of my absolute favorite albums. But, these bands managed to deliver fresh new successes by ignoring calls to do new albums that sounded like old albums.

I don’t know if Al’s ready to do that with Ministry, not even trying to match the old days, which is a shame, but I’ll still be buying the new Ministry and Revco discs.

13

Ministry’s been a big deal to me, and I’d love to see one more great album, but we’ll see.

I’m hoping next album will be lo-fi all the way. A la early Darkthrone (long may they live).

I also can’t see The Revolting Cocks without the old gang being present.

Never got into Revco until I heard new song. Therefore old lineup dissolving means diddly squat to me, but I can understand where yr coming from. Think about it though, Gibby and Jello were born to be a member of this band, strange it took so long to materialise. And it’s not as if Al has recruited a list of no-names to make this album. They both have tried and tested backgrounds. Although, Phildo on the other hand…?

I’m hoping that the new album is truly ugly, sleazy, warped and messy - like a Revco album should be. Problem with this band (and the main reason I kept well away from them in the first place) is that for a ‘fun’ band, they were so unbelievably dull. Sure, it’s a matter of opinion and all, but apart from the odd glimpse of wackiness on Linger Ficken, there is very little reason to recommend them to anyone looking for ‘out-there’ music. Which is what i always thought they were meant to be.

Chris Connelly in particular did so much for the personality of that project.

Can’t abide the guy when he’s trying to sound ‘wacky’. Cannibal Song is fantastic. Butcher Flower’s Woman, Dirt and Crackin’ Up however - well that’s another matter entirely.

Also, Houses of the Mole was the first Ministry album that did nothing for me. Wasn’t bad, just felt bland.

It is the only Ministry album (including With Sympathy) that I cannot listen to anymore.

I loved Animositisomina and Dark Side of the Spoon even.

Both albums are commendable - but let’s not open up THAT can of worms…again.

The new Skinny Puppy was quite good

Against all odds I quite liked Pro-test. HAven’t heard rest of album. I will buy it eventually I guess.

and I’d go so far as to say that the new Einsturzende Neubauten is the best and most compelling they’ve ever done

That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

14

I know it’s a total pipe dream to expect that Al would ever return to his synth roots.

It’s just that I saw Depeche Mode in concert last week, and who would have ever guessed 25 years ago that DM would still be musically relevant in 2005 and able to fill arenas in the US and Europe.

You go back to 1983-84 and you sense that Al had that potential to be equally successful. You can even go back to 1992 and still Al had that potential - albeit with a different genre of music.

Every time I hear an Al Jourgensen penned song circa 1981 to 1986, I think “what a natural talent”. Regardless of what anyone says about misguided production values, bad record deals, or music producers gone awry, Al had a talent for writing great songs and making great music.

15

It needs to come full circle before Al can retire the Ministry franchise. He needs to reunite his first original line up, break out the synths, and remind us all what Ministry once was to underground music in Chicago nearly 25 years ago. It’s a part of Al’s heritage and his effect on modern-day music.

Al singing “Everyday is Halloween” or “Revenge” or “Cold Life” in 2006 - now that would be pushing the boundaries.

i’d like to see Al go back to the electronic side of things again…