Ministry's Al Jourgensen has explained why he's "putting a bow" on the band he's led since 1981.
Jourgensen has previously announced his intention to dissolve the industrial-metal pioneers after one more album and a final world tour. He has invited his former musical partner Paul Barker, who worked with him on every album from 1988's The Land Of Rape And Honey through to 2003's Animositisomina, to help write and produce what will be Ministry's 17th and final record, to close out a remarkable career.
Speaking on Full Metal Jackie's podcast, Jourgensen says, "Paul Barker was an integral part of that and he’s part of these recordings now as well. I’m just putting a nice little bow on a nice little career."
"We’re going to do one final album and one final tour and it’s not going to be like Kiss. I’m not going to be coming back every week or month, or playing all the casinos."
Explaining why he's ready to walk away from music, Jourgensen, 66, admits, "My ears are tired from music."
"It’s not so much for any health reasons or any kind of band conflicts or anything like that," he states. "It’s just that my ears are tired. I’m starting to find myself really slapping myself on the wrist, not repeating stuff that I’ve done before and trying to keep going further. It gets harder as you keep going.
"That’s not to say the next album won’t be great, because it already is," he promises. "We’re halfway done, and it sounds amazing. Amazing. But just saying that it’s a different kind of vibe. It’s more like a job now as opposed to having youthful enthusiasm.
"So I’m like, Okay, let’s do this. Let’s get Barker back in, which is a nice twist because both he and I have grown since we worked together in the ’90s. So it makes for an interesting twist on our combination of our taste and talents. I just think everything is wrapping up perfectly.
"But at that point, when I’m done, I am done. I’m done. You can catch me by the pool."
Last month, Ministry announced summer headline shows in the UK and Europe around their previously-revealed plans for festival appearances. They will kick off their summer adventures on July 26, at the Tolminator festival in Tolmin, Slovenia, alongside Kreator, Cradle of Filth and more.
Light of Eternity, featuring Killing Joke's 'Big' Paul Ferguson, will support Jourgensen's band on a number of their headline shows.
Big Al's European vacation will see Ministry visit:
Jul 26: Tolmin Tolminator, Slovenia
Jul 28: Munich Free & Easy, Germany (with Light Of Eternity)
Jul 29: Karlsruhe Substage, Germany (with Light Of Eternity)
Jul 31: Wacken Open Air, Germany
Aug 01: Hamburg Markthalle, Germany (with Light Of Eternity)
Aug 02: Full Rewind festival, Germany
Aug 05: Katowice MCK, Poland (with Mastodon)
Aug 06: Brutal Assault, Czech Republic
Aug 08: Kortrijk Alcatraz, Belgium
Aug 09: Bloodstock festival, UK
Aug 11: London Electric Brixton, UK (feat. Light Of Eternity)
Aug 14: Koln Essigfabrik, Germany (with Light Of Eternity)
Aug 15: Reload festival, Germany
Aug 16: Dynamo Metal Fest, Holland
