Lots of interesting stuff in that interview …
3 Likes
Too long; didn’t watch. Haha.
2 Likes
It sucks that they took advantage of him like that. He really should’ve gotten a manager for some pushback and maybe he would’ve been happier there (it’s pretty weird that they rejected most of his shit since Everyday Is Halloween sounds like something that belongs on WS) doesn’t sound like he even had one? Which I find was a major mistake on his part and if he had one he should’ve gotten a new one lol.
Leaving ended up working out for him because he was innovative and the industrial trend really caught fire with his band at the helm but that’s not gonna be the case for most artists i dont think. For most bands if you’re not a name yet and you’re kinda just a ditzy trend follower with little to no talent and you leave a major label that’s it. You miss your chance.
Made it about 20 minutes, I’ll have to watch the rest later.
I hope Wempathy checks in to verify how much of this is b.s./Al creating his own legend and how much is accurate.
3 Likes
He’s updated and played old shit before (We Believe). Only the most devout fanboy will get excited about WS metal tracks lol. This is probably 20 years too late Ministry is running on fumes now.
2 Likes
4 Likes
It’s funny that he’s still talking about quitting Ministry after an album or two. Has anyone ever broken up their band more times than Al?
3 Likes
So he’s going to re-record a couple songs from WS? Ok, then.
2 Likes
Yeah,Al has done a lot of odd shit over the years but I definitely didn’t anticipate this…
1 Like
He said seeing a WS cover band inspired him to revisit that era and that he is only willing to cover the ones he wrote which is only about 3 or 4 songs. It’s cool that he’s seeing his old pop shit in a new light but like i said in my previous post its probably 20 years too late and i like WS but I don’t really get the appeal at this point. Ministry has really devolved into dumb butt rock and I doubt even peak era Ministry could do those tracks justice
3 Likes
Well, where else is there for him to go? His riffs aren’t really that creative/catchy anymore and it seems, for a while now, he’s traded catchy for fast… His vocal effects aren’t really all that exciting anymore. It used to be even shitty songs were still pretty cool cause it had that Al sound. So, his older songs are still pretty catchy, might as well double dip and re record them. I mean what’s really the difference between him doing this and all the other bands “remastering” their catalogue?
It could be ok… I wish he’d go a different direction. Honestly, that impromptu acoustic version of everyday in the studio with Dave Navarro and Al singing has probably been the best thing he’s done in years.
3 Likes
I’d like to hear these songs, toward end of interview Al said recreating them, the songs bpm and vocals would be similar but more guitar driven but not metal…it’s still pop.
3 Likes
Lots of good info in the interview.
He even elaborated on the cover art… It’s an homage to Carol Blank (who’s also who the album is dedicated to).
I’m a big fan of this era. I think there’s some other great tracks they could pull from. I’d love to see them play tracks like America and The Game Is Over.
They’ve been playing Ricky’s Hand on this tour, and apart from some added guitar, it’s pretty close to how they played it 1984 and 1986. I’m hopeful for the new versions.
3 Likes
Meh. What little I’ve heard from With Sympathy, I hated. Doubt adding guitars to it will make it any better for me. Agree that this is at least 10 years too late to appease those fans.
Frankly, after this last album, I think I’m done. They have simply become a Ministry soft rock cover band. And yes, I have been admonishing people who said that for years. I get that Ministry has always been Al. But now I’m there. It’s nothing but a pale copy of a copy of a copy of the Ministry I used to love.
I hope I’m wrong, and I will certainly always listen to the new tracks as they are released, I just don’t hold out much hope that it will ever be what I want again.
4 Likes
This would make more sense if it was 1990 and Revco was doing it during the height of their debauchery and sleaze.
1 Like
Al is gonna do what Al is gonna do…none of our griping will mean jack fucking shit…I’m curious to see if he really does stop making Ministry albums this time…I highly doubt it…or he might stop and then resurrect the name when he’s in his 70s haha…nothing would surprise me…
2 Likes
Long interview but entertaining in some ways. Lots of conflicting information since there were other band members present in 1982-83 that have a different recollection of events. We know that Al was happily performing “Revenge”, “Effigy”, “She’s Got A Cause”, and “Work For Love” before the Arista contract. Perhaps it was during the period after the “With Sympathy” album release and tour where the rebellion really started. I gather “All Day” was about Al’s working relationship with Clive Davis.
2 Likes
I’m still baffled that Arista chose not to use Same Old Madness. She’s Got A Cause dates back to their very first live show, and they recorded it with plans of releasing it on 7" with Same Old Madness on Wax Trax. Such an odd choice to choose that song over SOM for inclusion on the album.
5 Likes
That’s a really good point. The finished version of SOM that surfaced with the Trax Box demos would have fit perfectly on WS, and it sounded really good. SOM had more in common with “Revenge” and “Effigy” than some of the tracks on Side 2 of the album. I feel like the music video for SOM accurately captures the vibe of the band back then too. I wonder if someone else (like Wax Trax!) owned the rights to release SOM as a single and that’s why it wasn’t part of WS.
4 Likes
Well, on one hand I can never get enough of synthpop era Ministry. On the other hand, there is how his voice sounds these days compared to the early era. heh
2 Likes