Psalm 69 - 33 1/3 Book

Discussion
1

Dear Prongers,

I’m brand new to the board, but a long time Ministry fan. Having recently discovered this site, I can’t thank you all enough for all of the awesome information I’ve unearthed over the last few months.

I’m not a published music writer or blogger. In fact, I find most music journalists to be quite shitty, always reaching toward low-hanging fruit, and leaving the most interesting questions unasked. That said, sure, I’ve read a few good things here and there. But, this is where I’m hoping this board may be able to help me out.

I’m in the midst of writing and preparing a proposal for the 33 1/3 book series for the Psalm 69 album. If you’re unfamiliar, the series takes an in-depth look at a single album by an artist that has particular significance to the genre and fans. For the sole reason that Psalm 69 is Ministry’s highest selling record, I feel that it has the best chance to be accepted.

However, not having a music douche background, I have a tough road ahead of me. I’m in the process of reaching out to band members and others who contributed to the album, and hope some interviews will help my case. I am a published writer, however, my field is environmental science. So, you know…

Enough background. I’m wondering if I could get an idea if any of you prongers would participate in a survey about the album? I’m thinking something like 10 questions, what are some of your favorite tracks, how high or low do you hold it in the Ministry cannon, etc.

I would be thrilled to use your responses in this book. Being over two decades removed from it’s release, I’ve found it quite interesting to reflect on this album among the bands other releases. With the benefit of hindsight, we’re able to see how this album served as the template for so many lesser albums that followed.

I’m an optimistic guy, that’s why I’m asking for your help. I’m thinking if I get 20 replies of people willing to participate, I will create the survey and post a link via SurveyMonkey.

Here’s a link to the book series if you’re unfamiliar: http://333sound.com/33-13-series/

Suck Seed & Suck Eggs!

3

I’ll take a survey but I don’t think Psalm 69 is Ministry’s most important album.

Same here.

4

Yeah…what about Mixxxes of the Mole?

Yuks aside, do you have any excerpts?

5

First off, I think its awesome that you’re doing this and can’t wait for the final product/to read what direction you went in.
John Darnielle’s Master of Reality has to be my favorite from that series and I don’t even listen to Black Sabbath.

I’ll totally take a survey.
For the rest of the prongers, which album would you have chosen?

6

Thanks folks, happy to get the early responses. So, let me clarify a few things:

I don’t necessarily think that Psalm 69 is Ministry’s most important album.

However, Psalm 69 was the first Ministry album I ever heard and it holds a special place in my own black heart. My own personal narrative as it relates to Ministry will also tie the book together - though it’s not the overall theme.

Psalm 69 went Platinum and earned the bands first Grammy nomination for “NWO.” Putting myself in the shoes of a publisher, I would think it would be most attractive for these reasons.

The survey I envision, isn’t entirely about Psalm 69. I’d be ineterested in looking at how fans rank all of their albums to see how high Psalm 69 may rank. I’m also interested in the context of your fandom…Did you join the Ministry in the 80’s Wax Trax scene? The 90’s alternative scene? The post-Barker metal band era? and other things along those lines.

So, yeah, this is kinda just my own personal thing. I’m inspired to write this book because of the impact the album has had on my musical life. I’m currently editing down my 6K word introduction to the 5K words they want. I would be happy to provide excerpts and will definitely publish the survey results here whenever it starts/ends.

Thanks again.

7

I’ll take a survey but I don’t think Psalm 69 is Ministry’s most important album.

Also agree. It’s more like “Album Where Ministry Peaked and Then Began Unravelling” or “Most Mainstream Album”, ha.

8

I think Psalm 69 is excellent, and you may be right that it would be the most appealing for 33 1/3 based on sales. That being said, I would say that LORAH is, without a doubt, the most important Ministry album, and more worthy of the book treatment.

9

I’ll buy any Ministry 33 1/3 book regardless of which album it’s about. I think you should follow the format of the excellent Throbbing Gristle 33 1/3 book (each song gets analyzed in its own chapter).

10

I know all of us ultra-hip “real” fans are all about Filth Pig and Dark Side, but, come on . . . that’s just not gonna sell and no one will give a crap, let alone have heard those albums.

I think PS69 is the obvious choice, really. It’s the huge monster that was Ministry’s peak and it really was an exciting time. I don’t really care if it’s not people’s favorite here. I think it really is the defining album of the band.

As for “most important” . . . I can certainly also see an argument for “Rape and Honey”. Every Ministry fan knows the album (it ain’t my favorite) and it was super pivotal. It was when Al went from the dark clubby stuff of Twitch (still pretty commercially accessible on the Ministry sliding scale) to just jumping completely into the chaotic abyss. There’s such a leap from those two albums, it’s nuts.

Anyway, to the OP . . . I’m excited to see what you do with this project.

12

There’s some pretty good drama with the creation of any Ministry album, Psalm is no exception. There were at least a couple versions of the album that were completely scrapped. Chris Connely left the camp with writing credits on just one song that ended up on it. There’s the whole Gibby involvement and then estrangement. There’s no shortage of good material for a book. Rape was definitely more influential - and many would say it created the entire Cold Wave genre - but definitely isn’t as well-known in wider circles.

13

The whole 33 1/3 series has been a mixed bag for me. I really liked several (Slint’s Spiderland, Beastie Boys’ Pauls Boutique), which really had some deep analysis of the albums, how they came about, the dynamics that made them work, etc. Some have been less enjoyable. The Pretty Hate Machine book was unreadable. It was mostly interviews with fans, mostly with nothing special to say other than where they first heard the album, what the best tracks were, etc.

I’d be happy to help where I can.

14

I’d be very interested to read that, very cool. I’d take part in your survey too.

15

I’ll take a survey too and surely contribute my 2 cents whether wanted or not.

16

I’d be happy to take a survey. Sounds like an interesting project.

17

count me in…

18

Thinking more about it, Psalm 69 might also be interesting fom the fan perspective because it’s their biggest hit, but I think very few fans would call it their favorite album. Even those that were first introduced to the band through it (myself included) generally latched onto the two albums either immediately preceding it or the two immediately following it. I also feel like there are very fans from Psalm 69/Lollapalooza that stayed with the band. Am I wrong about that? I think most people here were either Wax Trax! fans from way back, or metal fans that found Filth Pig or DSOTS.

19

^
I don’t think that’s too far off, actually. Psalm 69 kind of was their (perhaps unwittingly) invitation to the rest of the Suburban MTV-fed dingleberries to jump on the wagon. But not too many stayed on board.

I think the set that latched onto Psalm 69 but weren’t really ready for the curveballs to follow found their needs were readily served by a handful of other pre-packaged offerings . . . . Nine Inch Nails, White Zombie, Rammstein . . . or any of the other 1000 paint-by-numbers “industrial-metal” fruit cups of the day.

20

The first half of Psalm is decent head banging material and is a joy to listen to while driving down the freeway late at night.

The second half is total bedroom dweller, curtains drawn, rolling around on the carpet in my underpants at 3am stuff and makes me jizz bucketloads.

So…yeah I’m in.

Their most important? Well…it made the most money but who cares?

21

Good work fella. I’m up for being surveyed. I agree that Psalm is the obvious choice - it surely must have have the widest cultural impact, even if some people think it sucked. It was certainly the first Ministry I heard, coming out at a time when I was just discovering alternative music.
I’ve never read one of those 33 1/3 books, but I’d be up for checking this out.
It’s a real shame that two of the key personnel are no longer with us, but fingers crossed you can get some good inside info from somewhere.

22

I’m in. This album helped me lose 15 pounds and become a better mother.