Inside the Wax Trax! vault

Julia just shared some images to the Wax Trax facebook page. One is a TON of old Wax Trax VHS tapes, including a show at Medusas (probably 86 or 87) Revenge Live (no idea if this is related to the Ministry song), and quite a few others. Another item of interest is a Rockamerica 1982 video, which may very well contain the earliest live footage of Ministry. Exciting stuff.

Also shown is the original “Ministry of Fear” 7", which probably contains the original “I’m Falling” b/w “Overkill”.

Check the images out here:

https://www.facebook.com/WaxTraxRecords.Chicago/

That’s cool…thanks for the heads up.

Very neat. My best guesses on these, from top left going clockwise:

2 tapes showing “Ministry” - these also have “en” on them and are exactly the same, which makes me think they’re either a pro video of Halloween, a pro live video of a performance of Halloween, or a pro-ish bootleg that was either titled with Halloween or just had a weird typeface with the back bleeding onto the side.
The next one if something from Rockamerica. Could be anything, since they distributed a ton of videos back in the 80’s.
Tyranny Of The Beat - This was a pro release and is commonly available on VHS. Not sure if it ever saw a DVD release.
“Germ” - Not sure on this one.
“Ay” - Not sure on this one. Not a lot to go one.
“Divine Misc 5-84” - This also says “Born to be cheap”. There were several pro-shot live cuts of this, so probably one of those. Very doubtful they ever shot a real video for this. No idea what Misc 5-84 is. I can’t really make out the writing right before that.
“Wax Trax!” - Could be anything
“TKK Home Video 2/88” - I’d say this was the home video that ended up on the Kult Kollection, but the date is way too early for that.
After that are a blank one and another I can’t read.
“Rockamerica Sept 82” - Again, Rockamerica distributed professional videos, so this was likely the pro video for Same Old Madness.
“KMFDM $$ Tour” - Probably one of the pro-shot KMFDM Money tour shows that ended up on the DVD rerelease of Beat By Beat (11/18/92 Palo Alto and 11/27 or 11/28 Chicago).
“KMFDM 6/28/92” - This would be from the Aloha Jerry Brown tour with Barkmarket. I’ve never seen this in trading circles and don’t even know which city it would be.
“Store Ofc” - Probably footage of the store office.
“Red Red Groove TKK” - This would be a live show, probably from the TKK 1991 tour for Sexplosion when Red Red Groove opened for them.
“Olivia XMas 94 March 95” - No idea, other than Jim Nash’s granddaughter was named Olivia.
“Wax Trax Much Music Chicago” - This is probably an interview or spotlight from Canada’s Much Music. COuld be from any time.
“Alchemy” - This was a VHS compilation with videos from industrial bands like Portion Control and SPK.
Next one has an “S” or a “5”. No ides.
The next 3 are labeled “Ministry” with no other info. Could be anything.
Can’t read the next one.
“Camera stuff” - I can’t read the rest of it. Not sure what this is.
“Ministry live @” - I can’t read the last word, but that would give much more info.
KMFDM Live Dallas - This is very likely 1/28/90 Dallas, which was pro-shot. Though this is the Wax Trax archive, so it could really be from any Ministry tour.
“Revenge! Live” - Could be a live cut of the Ministry song, but I think it’s more likely to be a show of the New Order sideproject.
“Ministry Mind” - Probably a live show from the Mind tour. Maybe 1/28/90 Dallas as well, but could be the 12/31/89 Chicago show or any other show from that tour, really.
Laibach 2/16/89 Live Dallas" - This was also part of the Videophile series.
“Texas” - No idea.
“Spring Break 3/17/86-3/86” - No idea. Maybe a home video?
“8/88 New Apartment” - Probably footage of their new apartment
Can’t read the last two or even tell if there’s any writing on them at all.

Next one has an “S” or a “5”. No ides.

Oh, I missed that. I looks like a wrap around case. Definitely an “S”. Looks like it’s from this image, which would make it a Twitch related video.

https://img.discogs.com/uB28Whkt9JbtRAF12mqPl3HzuDs=/fit-in/600x594/filters:strip_icc():format(jpeg):mode_rgb():quality(90)/discogs-images/R-45701-1357106747-7219.jpeg.jpg

“Ministry live @” - I can’t read the last word, but that would give much more info.

It definitely looks like it says “Medusa’s”. My guess would be it’s the 6/6/86 show that has “Eyes of Christ” and “Thrill Kill Kult”.

My take on bisquitodoom’s take on these tapes:

2 tapes showing “Ministry” - these also have “en” on them and are exactly the same, which makes me think they’re either a pro video of Halloween, a pro live video of a performance of Halloween, or a pro-ish bootleg that was either titled with Halloween or just had a weird typeface with the back bleeding onto the side.

Not sure if that actually says Halloween or not…I blew up the image and turned up the brightness/contrast, and I can see letters wrapping around but I still can’t read them.

The next one if something from Rockamerica. Could be anything, since they distributed a ton of videos back in the 80’s.

Nope, look again and you’ll see that the text is part of “Camera” and not Rockamerica. Aztec Camera or Kirlian Camera, perhaps?

Tyranny Of The Beat - This was a pro release and is commonly available on VHS. Not sure if it ever saw a DVD release.

I don’t think it ever did, and that’s a shame.

“Germ” - Not sure on this one.

That’s this:

https://www.discogs.com/Various-Spirit-Of-Germany-From-Düsseldorf-With-Love/release/7165295

“Ay” - Not sure on this one. Not a lot to go one.

No idea either there.

“Divine Misc 5-84” - This also says “Born to be cheap”. There were several pro-shot live cuts of this, so probably one of those. Very doubtful they ever shot a real video for this. No idea what Misc 5-84 is. I can’t really make out the writing right before that.
“Wax Trax!” - Could be anything
“TKK Home Video 2/88” - I’d say this was the home video that ended up on the Kult Kollection, but the date is way too early for that.

Nothing to add here.

After that are a blank one and another I can’t read.

No idea on the blank-looking one, but “The Right Side Of My Brain” was a Lydia Lunch VHS:

https://www.discogs.com/Lydia-Lunch-The-Right-Side-Of-My-Brain/master/513316

“Rockamerica Sept 82” - Again, Rockamerica distributed professional videos, so this was likely the pro video for Same Old Madness.

Absolutely. The Rockamerica U-Matic tape I dumped the “Same Old Madness” video from in the Numbers DJ booth in Houston was probably the same tape as this.

“KMFDM $$ Tour” - Probably one of the pro-shot KMFDM Money tour shows that ended up on the DVD rerelease of Beat By Beat (11/18/92 Palo Alto and 11/27 or 11/28 Chicago).
“KMFDM 6/28/92” - This would be from the Aloha Jerry Brown tour with Barkmarket. I’ve never seen this in trading circles and don’t even know which city it would be.

Nothing to add.

“Store Ofc” - Probably footage of the store office.

Actually, that’s “Store” followed by a sideways Einstuerzende Neubauten logo. :wink: I am pretty sure this is the Japanese version of the “Halber Mensch” video as released by Wave. You can see Japanese characters on the side of the sleeve as well. Here’s the entry for the video, but I can’t find a picture of the Japanese version:

https://www.discogs.com/Einstürzende-Neubauten-Halber-Mensch/release/210758

“Red Red Groove TKK” - This would be a live show, probably from the TKK 1991 tour for Sexplosion when Red Red Groove opened for them.
“Olivia XMas 94 March 95” - No idea, other than Jim Nash’s granddaughter was named Olivia.
“Wax Trax Much Music Chicago” - This is probably an interview or spotlight from Canada’s Much Music. COuld be from any time.

No further comments.

“Alchemy” - This was a VHS compilation with videos from industrial bands like Portion Control and SPK.

Correct…another great video that should have made it to DVD but didn’t (as far as I know). There was a cassette of the soundtrack available as well.

Next one has an “S” or a “5”. No ides.
The next 3 are labeled “Ministry” with no other info. Could be anything.
Can’t read the next one.

Oh yeah, that’s the Twitch artwork for sure. Maybe a show from the Twitch tour, or the “Over the Shoulder” promo video?

“Camera stuff” - I can’t read the rest of it. Not sure what this is.

Something about “instore” as well. Maybe related to the “Camera” VHS up at the top?

Also, the tape below that: “Wax Trax! New Years […] Glory Hole”. Not sure I wanna know!

“Ministry live @” - I can’t read the last word, but that would give much more info.

Yeah, definitely “Live at Medusas”. Would love to see that footage for sure.

KMFDM Live Dallas - This is very likely 1/28/90 Dallas, which was pro-shot. Though this is the Wax Trax archive, so it could really be from any Ministry tour.

I’m going to hazard a guess this is the same as the Videophile release here:

https://www.discogs.com/KMFDM-Live-In-Dallas-1-28-90/release/4169365

“Revenge! Live” - Could be a live cut of the Ministry song, but I think it’s more likely to be a show of the New Order sideproject.

Yeah…you may be right on that one.

“Ministry Mind” - Probably a live show from the Mind tour. Maybe 1/28/90 Dallas as well, but could be the 12/31/89 Chicago show or any other show from that tour, really.

Based on the Videophile-recorded shows here, I’m betting it’s this one:

https://www.discogs.com/Ministry-Live-In-Dallas-1-28-90/release/631485

Laibach 2/16/89 Live Dallas" - This was also part of the Videophile series.

Definitely this one:

https://www.discogs.com/Laibach-21689/release/7330739

My guess: the Videophile guy taped these shows, and sent copies to WaxTrax before releasing them himself with rudimentary cover art.

“Texas” - No idea.
“Spring Break 3/17/86-3/86” - No idea. Maybe a home video?
“8/88 New Apartment” - Probably footage of their new apartment
Can’t read the last two or even tell if there’s any writing on them at all.

Yeah, can’t add to any of that either…other than I can see there’s writing on those bottom two tapes, but I can’t make any of it out other than “LIVE” on the upper one.

I can also identify the top of one VHS way down in the lower right corner…it’s one of the Propaganda Magazine videos - this one, I believe:

https://www.discogs.com/Propaganda-Videozine-Vol-1-Propaganda-Videozine-The-Trilogy/release/3407022

Quite a treasure trove there. That stuff (well, most of it) needs to be digitized ASAP.

–SKot

Thanks Bisquit and Skot for the follow ups. Hopefully there’s some 81/82 footage buried in there. It looks like there’s another row of tapes below the ones that are pictured.

Quite a treasure trove there. That stuff (well, most of it) needs to be digitized ASAP.

–SKot

Absolutely. VHS tapes greater than 30 years old won’t last much longer. Actual film (like Super 8mm or Ektachrome slides) can transfer great to HD if they have any of that too and it was somewhat preserved from heat and exposure.

Here’s the next row of tapes:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOSxSkYgWP7/

I really hope that the “New Years 81/82” tape contains the first couple Ministry shows with “First True Love Affair”.