File: September 2007
I mean It This Time
Ministry frontman Al Jourgensen swears his new album, The Last Sucker (13th Planet/Megaforce; September 18th), is Ministry’s last. At least until they release their very last record, Cover Up, an all-covers set planned for 2008. Among the tracks included will be previously released material such as Black Sabbath’s “Supernaut” and Bob Dylan’s “Lay Lady Lay,” as well as some new stuff like Golden Earring’s “Radar Love” and The Beatles’ “I Want You.”
Static-X’s Wayne Static, Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander, Mountain’s Leslie West, and Fear Factory’s Burton Bell all guest on the album. Jourgensen has also solidified Ministry’s live lineup to support Last Sucker on what he says will be Ministry’s final tour. Drummer Jimmy DeGrasso and bassist David Ellefson (ex-Megadeth), guitarists Tommy Victor (Prong) and Sin Quirin (Revolting Cocks), and keyboardist John Bechdel (Fear Factory) should be the last version of Ministry you ever see.
Set In Stone
Finally, an Illinois Entertainer writer gets memorialized! Marion “Ma” Nugent, mother of one Ted Nugent and IE columnist, will forever be remembered by those who knew her, but even those who didn’t will now be reminded of her every time they walk in and out of Durty Nellie’s in Palatine, where an enourmous 7,800-pound rock with her likeness etched in it sits outside the club. The unveiling of the tribute, masterminded by local musician and Ma friend Eric Kinkel, took place August 1st, and the Nuge himself (below with Kinkel), in the area for a Waukegan gig, stopped by to say a few words about Ma, who died 20 years and penned an advice column for IE in the ’80s. “This public tribute is merely a physical manifestation of what I celebrate every day of my life,” Nugent said. “My mom is with me every day. Which is why I’m so funny.”
A Steel Cage Grudge Match
Listen, if Kanye West’s ego gets any bigger he’ll have to have his Gucci sweaters custom-tailored with an XXXXL neck hole to fit his enormous head though. But darnit if we don’t hope he sells 3 million records or so September 11th. That’s the day the Chicago rapper/producer’s new album, Graduation, comes out. It also happens to be the day 50 Cent’s new effort, Curtis, drops, and 50 is so confident he will win the head-to-head matchup he told SOHH.COM he “won’t put out anymore solo albums” if Kanye moves more units that day. To recap, 50 Cent says he won’t release any more crappy albums if his sales total on the 11th is less than West’s! Who knows if he would actually stick to that, but isn’t it our civic duty as concerned music lovers to spend $15 on Graduation and see? If in fact 50 Cent loses and follows through on his promise, he left himself an out by saying he would still write music for other artists. Because apparently 50 Cent is a very in-demand songwriter.
Led Poisoning
November will be a big month for Led Zeppelin fans. First, on November 13th Atlantic/Rhino release the two-disc, 24-track best-of package, Mothership, with songs spanning the catalog and chosen by surviving Zep members Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, and John Paul Jones. The following week Warner Home Video will release a new DVD edition of the 1976 concert film The Song Remains The Same with previously unreleased performances and Atlantic/ Rhino will unload a reissued version of the soundtrack, with six new songs not included on the original. And all this new product arrives as whispers of a Zeppelin reunion (with John Bonham’s son, Jason, on drums) grow stronger. Weird, huh?
— Trevor Fisher
