He definitely should have hung it up after Dark Side.
Maybe used the A.I. appearance as a last hurrah, then done a double disc version of Greatest Hits…disc 1 w/ the hits then disc 2 a mixture of new songs, covers, and rarities.
Agree.
Absolutely.
But drop the A.I appearance. The appearance and the track that resulted in that ‘collaboration’ was audio/visual manure. ‘What About Us’ is worse than ‘Test’. It is worse than ANYTHING (with the exception of maybe two or three tracks) in the pre Paul Barker Ministry back catalogue.
Dark Side Of The Moon was a fitting finale. It wasn’t great (hell, it’s not really even good) but it’s a damn site better than anything they’ve done since…and at least we wouldn’t be left with the sour taste of the Bush Trilogy/Rantology/Rio Grande Dub and the travesty that will be…um…ha ha…‘Cover Up’ in our mouths!!
As you all know, I really dont mind the trilogy; however, if Ministry were to retire without confusing the real fans and while keeping a consistent musical identity, I’d say it should be after Animositisomina. I really dont mind the Trilogy but it wouldnt be a bad idea to release it as some side-project and not under the Ministry moniker.
I think now is a good time to retire the Ministry name. There’s been three albums in a relatively short period of time and that will blow out of the water a lot of the naysayers who said it’d be impossible for Al to put out an album in less than 4 years.
I enjoy most of the material off the last three albums and am happy to have them in my collection and they seem pretty quintessential Ministry to me. If you don’t like them, don’t listen to them - easy as that. If you can’t deal with the fact that we live in a world where they exist, maybe it’s time to consider a little psychotherapy.
I’ve noticed that “Houses” is starting to be looked at in a better and better light around these parts. In other four years I expect folks will think TLS was a good bow-out. For a crowd so demanding of constant experimentalism in a band like Ministry, this board can be a little conservative in their ability to cope with new material.
[reply]He definitely should have hung it up after Dark Side.
Maybe used the A.I. appearance as a last hurrah, then done a double disc version of Greatest Hits…disc 1 w/ the hits then disc 2 a mixture of new songs, covers, and rarities.
Agree.
Absolutely.
But drop the A.I appearance. The appearance and the track that resulted in that ‘collaboration’ was audio/visual manure. ‘What About Us’ is worse than ‘Test’. It is worse than ANYTHING (with the exception of maybe two or three tracks) in the pre Paul Barker Ministry back catalogue.
Dark Side Of The Moon was a fitting finale. It wasn’t great (hell, it’s not really even good) but it’s a damn site better than anything they’ve done since…and at least we wouldn’t be left with the sour taste of the Bush Trilogy/Rantology/Rio Grande Dub and the travesty that will be…um…ha ha…‘Cover Up’ in our mouths!![/reply]
you are incorrect sir. dark side is one the best albums in the catalog.
i would not have been offended is anything after animositisomina was under a moniker other than ministry.
I really dont mind the Trilogy but it wouldnt be a bad idea to release it as some side-project and not under the Ministry moniker.
I’ve always been a bit surprised that the moniker ‘Ministry’ lasted as long as it did. I mean, Al has really gone out of way to do everything he could to distance himself from the early version of the band. Everything, that is, but stop using the name ‘Ministry’. So that always kinda puzzled me. It’s not like he hasn’t used other names for other projects so the concept of ‘branding’ doesn’t seem to have been taken too seriously.
Why has he never released any product simply as ‘Al Jourgensen’? It would have made more sense in the longrun considering the sheer number of ex-bandmembers.
[reply]I really dont mind the Trilogy but it wouldnt be a bad idea to release it as some side-project and not under the Ministry moniker.
I’ve always been a bit surprised that the moniker ‘Ministry’ lasted as long as it did. I mean, Al has really gone out of way to do everything he could to distance himself from the early version of the band. Everything, that is, but stop using the name ‘Ministry’. So that always kinda puzzled me. It’s not like he hasn’t used other names for other projects so the concept of ‘branding’ doesn’t seem to have been taken too seriously.
Why has he never released any product simply as ‘Al Jourgensen’? It would have made more sense in the longrun considering the sheer number of ex-bandmembers.[/reply]I’m kinda baffled why he carried on the name after With Sympathy, as well. It’s true, the Halloween single was a minor hit, and still recognizable as “Ministry.” But after working with the Cocks in '85, you think he woulda come up with a new project title for Twitch, which had none of the past members from the “band” and took the sound in a new direction for a fresh start with a new label.
I think “Ministry” could’ve disappeared forever at that point, leaving what was to come to be its own animal. On the other hand, I kinda like the fact that it’s always been Ministry, even when it wasn’t.
As you all know, I really dont mind the trilogy; however, if Ministry were to retire without confusing the real fans and while keeping a consistent musical identity, I’d say it should be after Animositisomina. I really dont mind the Trilogy but it wouldnt be a bad idea to release it as some side-project and not under the Ministry moniker.
Totally agreed. I’m almost embarrased to wear my old “caseys last ride” Ministry shirt around anymore.
Well, look at Underworld…they did the same thing, basically. Had 2 early albums that were basically flops. Then they reappear out of nowhere 3 years later (inexplicably keeping the name) with a new record deal based on back of a couple obscure 12" singles & some strong buzz from the club scene. And their change in sound was just about as drastically different (from Change the Weather to Dubnobass) as Al’s transformation was from With Sympathy to Twitch to LORAH. Yet somehow it worked for them too (even though I’ll wager that Al had far more fans based on his WaxTrax/Arista material than UW did from the days of Freur and the late '80s UW material).
I’m glad Al kept the Ministry moniker, personally. I STILL wish he segued into separate projects/bands around '84 or '85 like he hinted at in some of those earlier interviews: “Ministry of Funk” doing the danceable white boy funk/synth stuff alongside “Ministry of Fear” for the darker industrial/metal material.
For me the only thing worse than the material Al’s put out post-Dark Side has been the way he’s refused to acknowledge his past over the years. I’m STILL stunned that Side Trax & Early Trax were actually officially released (cash grab?)!!
to jupitreas.
i wonder again what media outlet you were affiliated with, when you said you were doing that interview with al?when will you post it here. this may put your posts into perspective.
a “consistent musical identity”, for instance.that begs a question. not to rag on you anymore, but what exactly are you talking about?
Funny to speak about disappointment concerning an album (TLS) that is even not released yet
Granted, it’s not exactly right since it’s leaked and not released yet. I’ll give you that one. BUT! The album is finished, and that’s the final album that most have heard (unless Al decides to put out a fake out, which the odds of that are slim to none). People heard the album, premature or not, and they either like it or they don’t. I don’t hate it, but it is a disappointment. So coming on here and telling us “You complain and rant about it…but you downloaded it long before the release date…”. You’re only cherry picking the wrong to justify your means. It leaked, people acquired, and most dislike it. Shit happens.
In case anyone was curious, I got my copy in the mail today - just like the last three leaks, it was the finished product that we were ‘prematurely’ bashing. I think it’s funny as shit that, now that they have their own label, I’ve heard every release months beforehand. They really need to start patting down the janitor before he leaves at night, or something. [;)]
actually its easier for albums from small labels to leak because they outsource disc authoring to third parties. obviously its easier for a leak to occur in this kind of arrangement, as opposed to one of the major labels who author the discs in house…
At least the cover-art is “neat”? And i’ve been actually listening to the bush trilogy a little bit these last few days. I’m beginning to think RGB to be a little better than this one now. May be the lyrics, but it’s standing out a little more to me, I think.
pfft! I adore With Sympathy. I don’t like considering it Ministry, but it’s a great album. I always just consider it a side-project of Al’s, although we all truly know it isn’t. But since (In Al’s eyes) ministry truly began with Twitch-era, according to the rantology booklet, of course.
God, I remember the first time I ever heard With Sympathy (less than a year ago). I was absolutely amazed that it was al. It was on repeat for awhile. But of course i’m an almost obsessive depeche fan though. That that poppy-synth stuff really hooks me sometimes.
I agree with Piko, WS is good in its own way, catchy pop stuff. love it, my WS collection (singles etc) is probably more than any other era. heh… plus same old madness is one of my fav ministry tracks… even though it was probably a Wax Trax song more than an arista one.
It’s funny though, it definately sticks out like a sore thumb in my record collection.
I think he does say corridor, heh. You normally don’t listen to those kind of albums to dissect the lyrics, rather than just listening to the catchy hooks. It’s a real catchy album and was great for it’s time.
And going back to that album, it does prove a point that lyrics are probably the LAST thing to really notice on a ministry album. So perhaps ease up TLS a little, in regards to that, I guess on my part.
Some of us like the new shit and are looking forward to final tour so am glad Al didn’t retire after With Sympathy. I’m not into metal and I appreciate it’s changed, but I still like it.
there’s a certain sense of finality when the subject of the new ministry comes up.
art moves in mostly violent ways, if it matters to us, to anyone.again, i wish al well.
This question is way too easy! Ministry should’ve retired after Animositisomina. Better yet, they should’ve retired after Twitch. From 1981 - 1986, there was a coherent evolution. The second part of Ministry’s career has absolutely no coherent continuum with the first part. Alain Jourgensen’s musical style and influences literally changed overnight. Would he still say he liked “Throbbing Gristle” or even “Fad Gadget” today? I even wonder some time if it is even the same person! Even the voice has changed. Oh well… what can you do.
I have a hard time believing that people truly think ministry should’ve sank itself after twitch. A good majority of everyone here does enjoy the LORAH and Mind albums, don’t you? I’m yet to see someone here rag on those two albums. Everything from 92-03 seems pretty debateable. But it seems a little ridiculous to say Al should’ve hung it up after With Sympathy and Twitch. Meh.