He's back again, the imaginary figure of musical art named Al Jourgensen. He just can't leave it alone, as he has put Ministry to rest inbetween. But this break didn't last long, as Al just can't be without his, meanwhile 31 year old band baby. No other rockband has changed their style so drastically back in the Eighties from sort of a dancefloor sound to industrial metal. But this had certainly not been a mistake. Let's put it that way - whether Ministry or Al Jourgensen - Ministry is him and he is Ministry, everything else has always been exchangable. Though there have been quite a few well known musicians in the line up over the years, for instance Paul Raven+ (Killing Joke) or Joey Jordison from Slipknot. But they all have only been employees of little big boss Jourgensen, who defines the direction only. 13 studioalbums, 4 live recordings and many complilations are shown in the back catalogue of Ministry, next to a life of drugs and alcohol within the carriere of this man, who's cold turkey at some point had overrun itselves. The audiance reacted irritated as well at some point and the band was put on ice. Now four years later, this outfit is rising up again like phoenix out of the ashes including a new baby named 'Relapse'. And there are indeed a few changes. And those don't refer on yet another line up change really. 

Ministry have just played Wacken. And as many other artists who have appeared at Europe's biggest hardrocking festival, they have now come to Munich to play our Backstage Werk which is well filled with aprox. 1.000 fans. No clue, whether these kids have shown up because of staying faithful or just simply beeing curious. I presume it's both.



An original scheduled supportact is switched off the plan. Jourgensen doesn't need a support, does he?! At 8.30 p.m. the lights go out and make space for a spooky dark red shade, - well for the pleasure of us photographers within the usual 3 songs given time only in front of the stage. And we do actually spend more time swearing the hell out than shooting pictures. At least this purpur lights change over to a poisoning green, which doesn't make things much better. No flashlights of course, but we don't want that anyway, not to give a wrong impression of the generell atmosphere. 


Ministry are starting off, as if there was no tomorrow and the Maya calender is ending at midnight. But what a surprise, as Jourgenson, who looks like a extranged ET with his countless pearcings, Tattoos and vampire teeth, has changed his attitude somehow. He ain't no unreachable figure up there, who used to be so close but still so far away from his fans. 


No, he now shows a lot of affection and comunicates much with tonight's audiance. He's laughing and smoking one cigarette after the other, despite the smoking ban. And he obviously love's his beer, just to change over to red wine in the end of the show. Al even jumps down from stage storms through the complete photopit, shaking every fan's hands in the first row - almost unbelievable. The infant terrible is past tense. And you could almost believe this, if we didn't know it any better. Al is still the same and does whatever he wants to do ignoring everything else. 


Ministry battering down their programm, showing no mercy and beeing so hard, that the recent Sepultura concert seems like Beethoven's Moonlight serenade compared to this here. And there is this incredible noise, which can easily compete with the decible storm of Manowar. I myself, who are not really sensitive in loudness, hold my ears with both hands, beeing worried, that they would drop off.


Also Al Jourgesen needs now and then a little help for his grey cells



But Al doesn't show any mercy, and is happy as once upon a time in the past, when Quasimodo managed to get all bells ringing at the same time in the cathedral of Notre Dame. 
And indeed Ministry give us an encore (which they never did in the past) only to finish off with a slight hand waving of Jourgenson and vanishing immidiately after the very last tune. 
However it's been great, and we once again got rid of all our aggressions. Only our ears need some recovering not to end up with an eternal tinnitus....
http://www.thirteenthplanet.com/ministry