By Joshua Rotter
After 10 albums and almost three decades, Ministry unleashes their final album, Cover Up, a collection of rocking remakes of party songs for which the band feels a school-day sentimentality: the Rolling Stones’ “Under My Thumb,” the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues,” and Golden Earring’s “Radar Love.”
In keeping with the festive vibe, the disc also contains additional feel-good songs from classic artists such as Deep Purple, T-Rex, and ZZ Top. ““This is a case of people drinking bottles of Jack Daniels, and thinking, ‘Hey man, I knew this in high school,’’” founding frontman Al Jourgensen said in a recent interview from his tour bus. “It wasn’t like I thought of the bands as influences. It was more like ‘If you know the riff, let’s play it, and get it on CD.’ It was totally random and fueled with Jack Daniels.”
For die-hard fans, Ministry’s last album, due today, April 1, and current farewell tour, cheekily titled “C U LaTouR,” are no joking matters. But according to Jourgensen, who will soon focus on other endeavors including production duties for other bands on his 13th Planet label and movie soundtracks, there’s no need to get all choked up. He’s not. He simply has no time to.