On the eve of the Record Store Day release of a new Wax Trax! Records box set, the Lethal Amounts Gallery in Los Angeles will celebrate Ministry mastermind Al Jourgensen and his labelmates on the highly influential Chicago imprint via a new photo exhibit called “Without Sympathy: The Visceral Journey of Al Jourgensen.”
Co-presented by Lethal Amounts and Cleopatra Records, which is releasing the 7CD/1LP Trax! Box, the exhibit’s opening night, 8 p.m. April 17, will feature appearances by Jourgensen and Brian Shanley, considered Wax Trax! Records’ visual guru and whose archives are being used for the show.
The exhibit itself promises “an unearthed selection of photographs and archival printed matter including album art/layout, concept art, promo material and more dating from 1980-1990,” featuring Ministry, Revolting Cocks, 1,000 Homo DJs, PTP, Pailhead, Special Affect and more.
The gallery is at 1226 W. Seventh St. in Los Angeles. You can RSVP now on Facebook.
Below, see some of the images that will be featured in the exhibit.
I am so insanely exited to see this exhibit, as a photographer and a fan. First Ministry gig I saw was when With Sympathy came out, and they played the Channel in Boston…last time was with Sepultura and Helmet , in Worcester. This is going to be epic, as the kids say!
I first saw them at Lollapalooza, and later (that same year? The next year?) also saw them with Sepultura and Helmet.
Did not get to see them live earlier than that, but I have seen TKK a number of times, as well as Pigface three or four times (I know that it really doesn’t count, as this article is about Wax Trax! artists), two of which were recorded and released as an official live album. Unfortunately, the version of Hips Tits Lips Power on the live album is not the version they played the other night (two Chicago shows from Nov (?) and Feb comprise the album) when a mic was in my face and I shouted along with the title lyrics.
i cannot wait for this!!! i just heard jello biafra of lard and dK is gonna be at the event with uncle Al!!
this is gonna be hell of a party.
REALLY hope there is a catalog for those that don’t live in CA.
My first and only live Ministry experience was Headliners in Madison, Wisc Jan or Feb 1985. Approx 25 minutes into the show someone throws a drink on the small stage, remember seeing ice cubes in the air. Al Jourgensen abruptly stops the show, screams how “some ahhs-hole” threw a drink on his stage equipment, and ends the show. At least he played Work For Love by then, which sounded great. Funny how, back then, poseur American musicians were trying to sound/act British, when the Brit musicians in the 60’s & 70’s tried so hard to sound American. Still memorable.