It’s been less than two years since Al Jourgensen reunited his iconic industrial/metal act Ministry, but after a mid-tour health scare and the loss of sideman and best friend Mike Scaccia late last year, Uncle Al his putting an end to the band once and for all with a final album, From Beer to Eternity, an autobiography and, perhaps, one last concert.
In a new interview with Noisey, Jourgsensen, 54, reveals that what he’s billing as Ministry’s final album — much of which was recorded in the days prior to Scaccia’s on-stage collapse and death on Dec. 23 — will be released in September, following the July 9 publication of his 288-page autobiography “Ministry: The Lost Gospels According to Al Jourgensen.”
No tour is planned, but Jourgensen says he might consider a one-off show with players who’ve been in Ministry in recent years as “a tribute to Mikey.”
Of the follow-up to 2012’s comeback album Relpase, Jourgensen says:
“Mikey was my best friend in the world and there’s no Ministry without him. But I know the music we recorded together during the last weeks of his life had to be released to honor him. So after his funeral, I locked myself in my studio and turned the songs we had recorded into the best and last Ministry record anyone will ever here. I can’t do it without Mikey and I don’t want to. So yes, this will be Ministry’s last album.”
The 11-track album came out of sessions that found the band “experimenting with everything we’ve ever wanted to do, from Stones-y blues to dub and, of course, heavy guitar-based rock.” One of the songs, “Thanx But No Thanx,” features William S. Burroughs’ “A Thanksgiving Prayer.” The record closes with a song called “Enjoy the Silence” — although it’s not clear whether that’s a Depeche Mode cover.
Below, check out the full tracklist and footage of Jourgensen and Scaccia in the studio.
Tracklist: Ministry, From Beer to Eternity
1. “Hail to his Majesty”
2. “Punch In The Face”
3. “PermaWar”
4. “Perfect Storm”
5. “Fairly Unbalanced”
6. “The Horror”
7. “Side FX include Mikey’s Middle Finger (T.V.4)”
8. “Lesson Unlearned”
9. “Thanx But No Thanx”
10. “Change of Luck”
11. “Enjoy The Silence”
VIDEO: Ministry, “The Making Of… From Beer to Eternity”
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Wax Trax! Records documentary to chronicle ‘rise and fall’ of legendary record label
- Mike Scaccia, 1965-2012: Ministry, RevCo guitarist dies after on-stage collapse
- Vintage Video: Ministry’s ‘In Case You Didn’t Feel Like Showing Up’ 1990 live set
- Ministry’s Al Jourgensen collapses on stage in Paris: ‘The shit hit the fan for me last night’
- Ministry’s ‘With Sympathy’ expanded reissue finally due to be released?
Won’t be buying the album but WILL BE READING THAT BOOK.
Sorry uncle Al most of us felt that way after Paul left…
But why now Krusty? Why not 20 years ago?
Hasn’t Uncle Al ended Ministry like 3 times already?
So over his comic-y album titles. Only guess what the final tour will be named, ugh!
Ministry’s last album, but many more bad Cleopatra comps of covers and remixes and rerecords to come, right Al?
When you loose your best buddy, it’s like you’re alone on the planet afterwards, even though you have friends and family and others – but the only person to know your soul has left. So sad truly wish you power and hope for AL! R.I.P Mikey – so sad that Ministry has to be burried too, but that’s allright. Al will go a NEW way to his light! Cant wait for that last Baby of Ministry!
Oldschool Ministry comments here=f*ck y*r @ss!