Wednesday, May 15, 1996
Natural disasters, paranormal activity haunt ‘Filth Pig’
recording processBy John Sabatini
Daily Bruin Contributor
In recent years, few extreme bands have been so thoroughly
revered as industrimetal icon Ministry. In the decade following the
band’s 1983 formation, Ministry tirelessly blazed new trails in
modern music, ultimately earning a reputation as a key progenitor
of the industrial scene.
With the 1992 album "Psalm 69," the Chicago-based pioneers added
massive popular success to their list of achievements. Despite the
overwhelming reaction, the devoutly nonconformist rockers don’t
dwell on the attention or on past accomplishments.
"I think basically Ministry was in the right place at the right
time. That’s all," says multi-talented Ministry co-founder Paul
Barker. "We have new challenges. We’re not interested in baby
pictures."
Guided by this philosophy, Ministry wanted to achieve a mild
change of pace on its latest album, "Filth Pig." Tonight and
tomorrow night, Ministry will showcase this new sound at the
Palladium in Hollywood.
"We specifically decided we would not make the record ‘Psalm 69’
over again," says Barker. "What that meant to us was that we would
not paint ourselves into a corner like we did while we were making
‘Psalm 69.’"
As a result, the band members vowed to avoid the stylistic
rigidity of their previous album. Instead of overemphasizing
samples, for example, Barker says the band focussed on writing
actual music.
"There were two main challenges for us on this record
musically," says Barker. "First was that we would throw out all of
our tried-and-true studio tricks. The other was to really strip
down the use of samples, to concentrate more on song-writing than
the sound collage, soundscape kind of thing."
In addition to these new stylistic differences, "Filth Pig" also
gave Ministry an interesting change of scenery. After working out
of Chicago for years, the band relocated to a ranch in Austin,
Texas in 1993. The ranch, owned by Ministry co-founder Al
Jourgensen, had at one time been a brothel.
In order to record the new album, the band set up its own
recording studio right on the premises. But the location turned out
to be far from paradise. Intense thunderstorms and flooding
repeatedly interfered with the recording process.
"It was quite a drag," says Barker. "I thought Chicago has some
pretty intense thunderstorms -which it does. But then when I moved
to Texas, man, they were like 10 times as intense. They are so
cool, unbelievably cool. But you can’t record when there’s that
kind of electrical activity going on."
Because of weather damage and the run-down state of some
recording equipment, Barker worked continuously to keep the show
going. Nevertheless, major technical difficulties took their toll,
sometimes resulting in two-week delays. Thanks to such
interruptions, the recording process grew increasingly
frustrating.
"You’re not in the studio 365 days a year," Barker says. "So
when you do go there, you want to try to maximize your time. You
hope to god that you have an inspiration, something going on,
something creatively happening.
"The opportunity to have your creative roll quashed was very
high – the percentage of the time that you were (in the studio),
the percentage of that time you were in fact inspired, versus the
number of distractions there could be."
Another major distraction was the departure of longtime Ministry
drummer Bill Rieflin. A close acquaintance of Barker for more than
10 years, Rieflin had been an integral part of the band for
years.
"We’ve gone through those kinds of changes a lot," says Barker.
"But I’ve been playing with Bill since ’82 or something like that,
so that was really difficult for me."
Making the situation even more problematic, Rieflin left halfway
through the recording process. As a result, the band members were
forced to familiarize themselves with replacement drummer Rey
Washam in a hurry.
But the inclement weather and personnel changes were the band’s
least unusal difficulties. Making the ranch recording location
downright eerie, several band members started noticing peculiar
occurrences in certain rooms in the brothel. They routinely felt
that some kind of paranormal entity was in the house with them.
"Lights would go out inexplicably. Water faucets would turn on
or turn off. You’d just get weird sensations, chilling sensations.
That kind of thing," says Barker. "Fortunately, those were
contained in three different rooms and weren’t in the recording
studio."
Although such phenomena would send most people running out the
door, Ministry remained steadfastly committed to completing the
album. Barker even discusses the bizarre events in a rather
matter-of-fact way.
"Anything is possible," he says. "Creepy shit happens. You can
take it as signs from God or from the devil. Or you can believe in
magik with a ‘k’ or whatever. That’s fine. Nothing is more valid
than anything else, as far as I’m concerned."
In fact, Barker seems completely unfazed by the whole
affair.
"The paranormal stuff isn’t anything new to me. What was going
on in that house was nothing," says Barker. "It’s just amusing,
that’s all."
Indeed, paranormal activity is apparently old hat for the entire
band. Barker says he, Jourgensen and the rest of the band have seen
such supernatural phenomena before.
"At other houses, sure. Perhaps what that is saying is that I
have a penchant for a belief in this sort of thing and subsequently
it occurs in my life and in Al’s life. You hang out with people of
the same predilection, … perhaps the combined power of those
beliefs is going to make this shit occur.
"I don’t know," Barker says. "Maybe you’re delirious. Maybe you
haven’t slept for a week. Maybe you’re totally out of your gourd on
drugs. Who knows?"
As strange as the events were, Barker insists the haunted
brothel recording studio is now just "water under the bridge." In
fact, the issue that has been eating at Barker the most in recent
months actually involves a more mundane concern about the "Filth
Pig" album cover.
"I’m curious to know what people think of the artwork on the
latest record," he says. "No one ever talks about it. To me, it
seems like such a strong image that I’m always amazed that nobody
really talks about it."
The gruesome cover features a young man in a suit with an
American flag in one hand and a pin that reads, "Don’t blame me."
Trails of blood flow down his face from a piece of flesh poised
like a crown.
"When I first saw the finished sleeve, I thought ‘Wow, this is
really cool. This is really striking," Barker says. "I thought that
if someone were to see this in a music store, it would stand out.
So I was really thrilled.
"I understand that people by and large aren’t interested in the
artwork being another creative element of the band. God knows
there’s already all that corporate artwork crap. But for me, I’m
always interested in there being some depth to it, some reason for
it."
CONCERT: Ministry at the Hollywood Palladium, tonight and
tomorrow night. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. TIX: $29. For more info,
call (213) 962-7600.