Is Uncle Al going soft? First ex-Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen lets slip plans to record a pop album, and now he’s announcing he’ll release a Christmas song — hey, just like Bob Dylan! — later this year in memory of late Killing Joke/Ministry bassist Paul Raven.
Building up to Tuesday’s release of Revolting Cocks remix disc Sex-O MiXXX-O,
Jourgensen and Thwaite also have recorded an an-yet-untitled Christmas song in memory of Raven, who died of a heart attack in 2007. Raven, who replaced Youth as Killing Joke’s bassist in 1982 (and played the “Eighties” bassline that Nirvana allegedly lifted for its hit single “Come As You Are”), later jointed Pigface, Prong and, in 2005, Ministry. He also formed Mob Research with Thwaite just before his death.
Jourgensen and Thwaite will release the song in memory of their “favorite pirate” as a digital download around Thanksgiving, according to their publicists, but will first preview it as a free stream on Ministry’s MySpace page beginning Oct. 20, the second anniversary of Raven’s death. That same night, at RevCo’s tour stop in Jacksonville, Fla., the band will show a video collage of Raven’s life compiled by friend Dean Karr.
PREVIOUSLY ON SLICING UP EYEBALLS
- Al Jourgensen goes pop? Ex-Ministry frontman threatens to make ’80s synthpop album
- Revolting Cocks map first headlining tour in 20 years — but without Al Jourgensen
- Nitzer Ebb readies first new album in nearly 15 years, plots fall North American tour
- Skinny Puppy to tour U.S. this fall, cEvin Key and Ogre say new album in the works
- Industrial pioneer Throbbing Gristle to embark on first U.S. tour in 28 years
- In stores Tuesday: Ministry says ‘Adios…’ with final live album
