ROCK N ROLL EXPERIENCE - Ministry C-U-Latour 2008

Ministry are currently on their farewell tour, & when the tour rolled through Baltimore I got the chance to review the show, take pics & interview Burton Bell! If you see Ministry on this final world tour, there is a strict NO PHOTO policy, so I was very pleased when I was granted a photo pass & then when it was time to take pics of their set, I encountered an obstacle I’ve NEVER had to deal with at a rock concert..Ministry’s stage front is a chain link fence..literally, you have to view the band through a chain link fence, & it kinda reminded me of what you might see on an old movie, where a band is playing behind chicken wire ala the scene from the Blues Brother’s movie...anywho, let me tell you, there’s an art to trying to shoot through a chain link fence with limited lights, sooo, I think my pics with this review came out fairly decent considering the obstacle of a fence!

Al Jourgensen came out like a circus ring leader with a top hat, long coat, gloves, black Tripp pants & his trademark glasses, while Tommy Victor came out looking like a rockstar in the same style Tripp pants that Al wore & a black leather jacket with stars on it, while Tony from Static-X sported a Megadeth “Affliction” shirt & Sin was stage left with a Flying V guitar!

Ministry played a solid 2 hour set & the only missing part of the set was “Roadhouse Blues”, which WAS listed, but the band cut it from the set for some reason! During “Under My Thumb” they dropped a flurry of black & white balloons with the Ministry logo on it ala The Rolling Stones, & in all honesty, this 2 hour show felt like 2 minutes to me..I absorbed every moment, had a blast, & if this truly is the bands last tour, I will miss the band, BUT, they are definitely going out with a bang!

I had the opportunity to talk with Burton Bell before the show & I warn you, this interview is no frills, cut to the chase, Burton said what was on his mind, & whether you love him or hate him, Burton tells you the truth, so here’s what he had to say:

Rock N Roll Experience: Is this really Ministry’s last tour?

Burton Bell: Yup!

Rock N Roll Experience: Not even a one-off show here or there?

Burton Bell: No dude, he’s (Al Jourgensen) done, he’s done, & some fans have just got to let it go..nothing lasts forever, but think of it as a new beginning for Al...Ministry is ending, but Al is doing some new stuff...he’s talking about finishing off Lard with one more Lard record & finishing up Palehead with one more Palehead record, but he’s gonna do soundtracks, working with his label, so he’s still gonna be doing music, but Ministry is done & he’s done...he’s been doing it for almost 30 years...

Rock N Roll Experience: But Ozzy Osbourne said that too!

Burton Bell: Al has more conviction than Ozzy

Rock N Roll Experience: You don’t think Al will get the urge to get back onstage again?

Burton Bell: Nope...I sincerely believe that he is talking from his heart when he says that he is done..I say more power to it.

Rock N Roll Experience: As a Ministry fan though, aren’t you a little bummed?

Burton Bell: No...because I’m still working with him (laughs)...you know, some things must end...sorry, Ozzy, he’s writing shitty music (laughs)

Rock N Roll Experience: But it’s all about Zakk Wylde when Ozzy music for me

Burton Bell: I’m sorry...it sucks! That last song I heard from Ozzy just blew!

Rock N Roll Experience: You didn’t like “I Don’t Wanna Stop” from Ozzy?

Burton Bell: Nahhhhh, Come on dude!

Rock N Roll Experience: I liked what Zakk Wylde did on that song

Burton Bell: I don’t know...I think it was just weak (laughs), but that’s just my opinion & my opinion doesn’t really mean anything

Rock N Roll Experience: So what is going on with Fear Factory?

Burton Bell: Nothing.

Rock N Roll Experience: Is Fear Factory over with?

Burton Bell: We’re taking some time off to figure some shit out. I ve been doing Fear Factory for 17 years & I need to do something different for a while & everything comes to an end at some point

Rock N Roll Experience: You were speaking recently with Dino..is there any chance you’ll play with him again?

Burton Bell: Dino & I were friends way before Fear Factory so, he came to the LA show because Tony is in Asesino, so they are friends & he showed up backstage & there he was & I said, “Hey”, & it was like 2 old friends but I’m not talking any business with him...it felt good, it was cool

Rock N Roll Experience: Did you see the last Ministry tour with Joey Jordison on drums?

Burton Bell: Yeah, that was ok...he’s (Joey Jordison) is an ok drummer

Rock N Roll Experience: Come on, Joey Jordison was good!

Burton Bell: He’s sloppy! Aaron is way better! He’s (Joey) good for Slipknot, you know, but...I think Aaron is way better, he’s tighter, he’s more consistent

Rock N Roll Experience: Do you have a cold right now?

Burton Bell: Yeah...everyone’s been sick on this tour & Al’s getting over Bronchitis & I’m getting over acute Bronchitis & I’m on an inhaler & Sudafed & everyone’s been sick, it’s been harsh, but everyone’s feeling better right now & it’s getting better

Rock N Roll Experience: Are you changing the set list at all on this tour?

Burton Bell: No, Al has a set setlist, but, the first hour is like the last 3 albums, & then the 2nd hour is the old songs & cover songs & that’s when I come out, so that’s when my fun starts! When you’re on tour, it’s best to stick with what you’ve got & know what works instead of rehearsing things everyday.

Rock N Roll Experience: Are there any special plans for the very last show on this tour?

Burton Bell: I think Al’s got a plan, he wants to add a couple more songs like “Psalm 69” & he actually wants to do “Wonderful World” & we’ll see what happens, he’ll probably surprise us with some shit

Rock N Roll Experience: Are you recording any of these shows?

Burton Bell: We’re recording EVERY show & the front house..the sound man is using digi-design which is pro-tools basically, he’s recording EVERY show

Rock N Roll Experience: Have you ever met any rockstars who were a**holes?

Burton Bell: ALOT! (laughs) Honestly, Chino from the Deftones...I remember, we toured with The Deftones & that guy never talked..I tried to go talking to that guy & he never talked to me, I even went up to him backstage after one of his shows in LA & I just tried to talk to him & he was like (does a shrugged off impersonation)

Rock N Roll Experience: It was probably drugs

Burton Bell: Or he’s just a dick! But, he was always a dick to me....I’m probably talking way too much, can I say this...I’m gonna erase this (points to my mini disc recorder) right now (laughs)

Rock N Roll Experience: If you don’t want me to use any of this interview, I won’t...let me know

Burton Bell: Well, I’m not lying, so...I’m telling the truth, so if he (Chino) tries to deny it, I’m like, well, Fuck You, I’ll never see him again anyway! I’ve met alot of cool people on this current tour...I got to meet some of my hero’s like Jello Biafra, got to meet Ogre, got to meet Billy Gibbons..

Rock N Roll Experience: How was it meeting Billy?

Burton Bell: Awesome! I got to meet Glenn Danzig & he was totally cool...those are like the big ones

Rock N Roll Experience: Did Billy Gibbons play with you onstage?

Burton Bell: No...he didn’t wanna do it, he just wanted to listen..he was there to hang out...dude, that’s one of the best guitar player’s ever!

So, at the end of the night, it was around 1:20 AM, Ministry finished their set, I walked away with an interesting interview, some fairly decent pics of the band playing, & went home realizing that I saw history...the very last Ministry show that will ever play Maryland...I still believe there might be an Al Jourgensen appearance on a stage, here or there..it’s hard to get that out of your system, BUT, if this is the last EVER Ministry tour, the bands kickin’ ass & they are going out with a bang! I’d like to thank all the cool people who helped make this piece happen..THANKS!