{"id":41633,"date":"2018-12-08T08:54:19","date_gmt":"2018-12-08T13:54:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=41633"},"modified":"2018-12-08T08:54:23","modified_gmt":"2018-12-08T13:54:23","slug":"on-stage-intense-is-how-ministry-likes-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=41633","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Intense is how Ministry likes it"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>People may disagree about what kind of band Ministry is \u2013 industrial, metal, rock, goth. But they all have to agree that Ministry is one of the most intense bands they\u2019ve ever heard \u2013 lyrically and sonically.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ministry has been making music that rattles your bones, challenges your brain and touches a need for rebellion for almost four decades \u2013 ever since Al Jourgensen put together the initial five-piece line-up in 1981.<\/span><\/p>\n

The six-time Grammy nominated industrial music pioneers released its first album, \u201cWith Sympathy.\u201d In 1983 and its 13th<\/sup> (and was expected to be\u00a0<\/span>last) album, \u201cFrom Beer to Eternity\u201d in 2013.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Ministry\u2019s long-time guitarist Mike Sciaccia died of an onstage heart attack in 2012, it appeared that Jourgensen was going to send Ministry to the grave. He announced that \u201cFrom Beer to Eternity\u201d would be the last Ministry album ever.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year, Jourgensen had a change of heart. He brought Ministry back to life and the result was the \u201cAmeriKKKant\u201d album which was released back in March on Nuclear Blast Records.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, Ministry is on tour in support of \u201cAmeriKKKant\u201d \u2013 a tour that brings them to the area on December 8\u00a0at Franklin Music Hall (421 North Seventh Street, Philadelphia,https:\/\/www.bowerypresents.com\/greater-philly\/shows\/franklin-music-hall<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Written and produced by Al Jourgensen, the nine tracks on \u201cAmeriKKKant\u201d are linked as one continuous piece of music with topics rooted in Jourgensen\u2019s unadulterated rage for what\u2019s happening in America today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jourgensen has said if he weren\u2019t a musician, he would probably be a history teacher. His music always finds roots in politics and current events and he goes there again with the new album — airing his aggressions about the waning respect for the U.S. Constitution, the growing acceptance of one\u2019s opinions replacing facts, the sexual abuse and disrespect of women and the toxicity generated by the man in the White House.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The 22-date tour is in support of the critically-lauded release \u201cAmeriKKKant,\u201d as well as the special 30th anniversary of \u201cThe Land of Rape and Honey,\u201d which was a landmark for both Ministry and the whole industrial genre.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band, led by Jourgensen who just turned 60 in October, will play \u201cAmeriKKKant\u201d in full each night followed by a selection of songs from \u201cThe Land of Rape and Honey.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The current Ministry line-up features Al Jourgensen, guitars, vocals; John Bechdel, keyboards; Sin Quirin, guitars; Tony Campos, bass; Cesar Soto,guitars; and Derek Abrams, drums. With the exception of Abrams, who joined last year, every member of the 2018 group has been in the band for at least a decade.<\/span><\/p>\n

Bechdel is the longest-running member \u2013 having joined Ministry in 2006. He <\/span>has been a part of bands such as Fear Factory, Abstinence, Prong, Killing Joke, Murder, Inc. and Brian Brain. He has since worked with False Icons and Ascension of the Watchers.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy first Ministry tour was with the \u2018Rio Grande Blood\u2019 album in 2006,\u201d said Bechdel, during a phone interview last week from a tour stop in Cleveland, Ohio. \u201cThen, in 2007, we toured \u2018The Last Sucker\u2019 album, which was supposed to be the last Ministry album. Al\u2019s health was really poor at the time and he wanted to just say \u2013 I\u2019m done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But it was far from the final Ministry album.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAround 2011, he said he and Mikey (Scaccia) had put together some good ideas,\u201d said Bechdel. \u201cThe band came back together, and the result was the \u2018Relapse\u2019 album in 2012.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cRelapse\u201d was released in March 2012 and the future looked bright for Ministry. Scaccia died in December 2012 and the future looked very dark for Ministry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt first, Al said he didn\u2019t want to keep Ministry going,\u201d said Bechdel. \u201cWe were off for a while. Then, we came back and did the world tour for \u2018From Beer to Eternity\u2019 and we haven\u2019t stopped since.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Bechdel\u2019s sister is cartoonist and author Alison Bechdel. John Bechdel is a main character in her memoir \u201cFun Home,\u201d which was subsequently adapted as a musical and won a Tony Award for Best Musical in 2015.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy sister wrote a memoir of our childhood,\u201d said Bechdel. \u201cOur father was in the funeral business. We grew up in the funeral business in north-central Pennsylvania. It\u2019s supposed to be my story \u2013 a musician travelling and being away from his family \u2013 but her book also tells a bigger story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe Alison Bechdel\u2019s next musical should be the story of Ministry. It already has a lot of great songs and wild plot twists.<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Ministry \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/kjEC49hTitI<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The all-ages show at the Franklin Music Hall, which has French synthwave artist Carpenter Brut and New Zealand metal act Alien Weaponry as opening acts, will start at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $39.50 and $44.50.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another concert this weekend at the Franklin Music Hall will take place on December 9 featuring Underoath, Dance Gavin Dance, Crown the Empire, and The Plot In You.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>There will be another show in the area on December 8 featuring an American band that has been around since the 1980s \u2013 the Mavericks.<\/span><\/p>\n

On Saturday night, the Scottish Rites Auditorium (315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, N.J., http:\/\/scottishriteauditorium.com<\/a>) will host the Mavericks\u2019 \u201cHey! Merry Christmas! Tour.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Last month, the Mavericks released their first-ever original holiday album,\u00a0\u201cHey! Merry Christmas!\u201d The album features the band\u2019s one-of-a-kind blend of rockabilly, Latino, folk, swing, blues, Cuban jazz and the incredible voice of Raul Malo on brand new songs inspired by the Christmas season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Mavericks \u2013 Raul Malo (vocals), Paul Deakin (drums), Jerry Dale McFadden (keyboards), Edie Perez (guitar) — possess an ability to transform any room into a raucous musical celebration, elevating their songs to new heights with the kind of exhilarating performances that have long established them as one of the nation\u2019s best live bands.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Mavericks came together in Miami more than a quarter-century ago and immediately built a strong following with its eclectic mix of a wide variety of genres \u2013 from rockabilly to standards to cowpunk. Despite personnel changes, financial difficulties, internal conflicts, a few periods in limbo and a variety of other challenges, the Mavericks are still going strong almost 30 years later.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band makes music that is just as accessible and heartfelt as it is passionate and fun.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is what makes\u00a0\u201cHey! Merry Christmas!\u201d\u00a0so special, as the group redefines what Christmas music can be with songs that sit comfortably alongside the classics while bringing in new sounds and styles to carve out a space of their own. The Mavericks recently premiered the new \u201cquintessential Christmas love song\u201d called \u201cI Have Wanted You For Christmas\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is not the first time that the Mavericks have brought a holiday show to the area. In December 2016, they brought their \u201cSleigh Bells Ring Out!\u201d holiday show to the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, Delaware.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTwo years ago was our last Christmas tour,\u201d said Perez, during a mid-November phone interview from Nashville as he prepared to head off to a rehearsal for the tour.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was our first time trying to take a crack at it using a mixture of Christmas music and Mavericks songs. This one is a more concentrated effort on Christmas music. It\u2019s a full stage production with a light show and backdrop. We\u2019re putting the show together right now. When people come to shows on this tour, they\u2019re coming for Christmas songs and Mavericks favorites.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure there are people who want to hear old Mavericks songs. The interesting thing about the Mavericks is that the music we make \u2013 catalog, Christmas or even a Spanish song here and there \u2013 it doesn\u2019t change the dynamic because inside the song is the Mavericks trademark. Whatever the set list is, it will be a fun time for all.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey! Merry Christmas!\u201d\u00a0 features 10 tracks of rocking, rollicking holiday music by the Mavericks.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe first song we recorded was \u2018Christmas Time Is Coming \u2019Round,\u2019\u201d said Perez. \u201cWe went in the studio and Raul had this song that he thought was a good song and he got the band involved.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe thought a Christmas project would be fun. Then, we could go out at the end of the year and celebrate the holiday season. We play 120 shows a year so we\u2019re a busy bunch of guys. We try to find breaks in our schedule where we can all be together and get in the studio.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOver the past year-and-a-half, whenever there were gaps in our schedule, we\u2019d do our best to get into the studio. It\u2019s a full-on effort that emanates from within the band. We have our own record label \u2013 Mono Records \u2013 so we are our own entity.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFor us, the big part of our business is the touring and we have found a way to make it all work. We finished the project in June or July. The artwork took a considerable amount of time.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, for a few weeks, the Mavericks are bringing their unique take on the holiday spirit to audiences around the states.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a really fun show,\u201d said Perez. \u201cFor two-and-a-half hours, people can forget the outside world and have an evening of joy. The Mavericks are really good at spreading joy and good times.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for the Mavericks \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/ezv2q99BGK8<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at\u00a0the Scottish Rites Auditorium (315 White Horse Pike, Collingswood, N.J., http:\/\/scottishriteauditorium.com<\/a>) will start at 8 p.m. Tickets<\/span><\/p>\n

Usually, when someone refers to something as \u201cold news,\u201d it means that it\u2019s pass\u00e9 \u2013 no longer relevant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Steel Woods<\/p><\/div>\n

When it comes to The Steel Woods\u2019 new album \u201cOld News,\u201d it means just the opposite. \u201cOld News\u201d is new and vibrant \u2013 a lively showcase of where the band\u2019s music is today.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like their name, The Steel Woods are a hybrid musical force, part hard-edged, part Americana roots country folk, man-made, yet organic, rock but also bluegrass, R&B, blues, gospel, soul and heavy metal \u2013 \u201cthe materials which America is built on\u201d according to co-founder Wes Bayliss.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Nashville-based band is also steeped in the ethos of Southern Rock, with the music on its debut Woods Music\/Thirty Tigers release, Straw in the Wind, both timeless and indefinable, sounding like it could\u2019ve been recorded at any point during the past half-century.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Steel Woods will play at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150<\/a>, <\/span>www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a><\/span>) <\/span><\/cite>on December 8 \u00a0in support of \u201cOld News,\u201d which will be released on January 18 via Woods Music\/Thirty Tigers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Centered around the soulful and commanding vocals of lead singer Wes Bayliss and the instrumental prowess of guitarist Jason (Rowdy) Cope, The Steel Woods \u2013 Bayliss, guitar and vocals; Cope, guitar; Jay Tooke, drums, vocals; Johnny Stanton, bass — are a band steeped in Southern culture with a modern approach and powerful intensity? The band’s sophomore release follows their 2017 debut\u00a0\u201cStraw In The Wind<\/em>.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been together for three years,\u201d said Bayliss, during a phone interview Friday afternoon from a tour stop in Baltimore, Maryland. \u201cWe started touring pretty heavily in early 2017.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe band came about organically in Nashville. I met Rowdy and we had the same interests. So, we decided to put a band together. We had both been working in different projects. We found that we really had a lot of common interests.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The chemistry was spot on right from the start.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe went at it with an open mind and trusted each other\u2019s natural directions,\u201d said Bayliss. \u201cI\u2019m more of a country player. He\u2019s a big-time pedal steel emulator but he likes to rock out.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe write everything together. The main thing we wanted to focus on was to write really good songs. There\u2019s not a ton of big-league rock songs that have an Americana base. It\u2019s mostly about the lyrics first and then making it big and rocky.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

The themes reflected on\u00a0\u201cOld News\u201d\u00a0range from perseverance to unity to hope and resilience. Inspired by conversations they had with people they met on the road, The Steel Woods strive to find common ground through shared life experiences and a musical connection.\u00a0\u201c\u2018Old News\u201d includes a Black Sabbath cover (\u201cChanges\u201d) and four tribute tracks that honor Tom Petty (\u201cSouthern Accents\u201d), Merle Haggard (\u201cAre The Good Times Really Over (I Wish A Buck Was Still Silver)\u201d), their dear friend Wayne Mills (\u201cOne Of These Days\u201d) and Gregg Allman (\u201cWhipping Post\u201d).<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe started recording \u2018Old News\u2019 in June,\u201d said Bayliss. \u201cWe spent six days at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, North Carolina. Then, we went home and went to Blackbird Studio in Nashville to do the overdubbing and mixing.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe album comes out January 18. We never stop touring, but we never play anything that hasn\u2019t been released. We\u2019ve put out three songs so far from the album \u2013 \u2018Old News,\u2019 \u2018Rock That Says My Name\u2019 and yesterday \u2018Southern Accents\u2019 \u2013 so we are doing them in our live show.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for The Steel Woods — https:\/\/youtu.be\/7TNZyBPai5Q<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

The show at The Fillmore, which also features <\/span>Cody Jinks, and Tennessee Jet, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35.<\/span><\/p>\n

Another southern band that delivers a powerful blend of country and rock will be performing in the area this weekend.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Davisson Brothers Band<\/p><\/div>\n

On December 9, Davisson Brothers Band is headlining a show at the <\/span>Sellersville Theater (24 West Temple Avenue, Sellersville, 215-257-5808<\/a>,\u00a0www.st94.com<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n

Davisson Brothers Band is a country\/rock band from the hills of West Virginia that features brothers Chris Davisson (lead guitar, slide guitar), and Donnie Davisson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Russell Reppert (bass guitar, background vocals) and Aaron Regester (drums).<\/span><\/p>\n

Even through the band is from West Virginia and currently based in Nashville, its members are very familiar with West Chester.<\/span><\/p>\n

Back in 2011, West Chester\u2019s Ryan Dunn, stuntman and one of the stars of the MTV reality stunt show \u201cJackass,\u201d and Zachary Hartwell died in a tragic car accident in West Goshen.<\/span><\/p>\n

A short while later, Davisson Brothers Band were asked to play at a tribute show. The band members, who were friends of Dunn’s, played the show for free.<\/span><\/p>\n

The band released the following statement \u2013 \u201cRyan Dunn was the real deal. Through our travels we never met anyone like him. We found out that his sudden death left a lot of loose ends. When the benefit in September came up, we felt the need to return the love Ryan always showed us. We will continue to support Angie and the close ones to Ryan any way we can. We only met Zac one time and recently met some of his family and loved ones and we are glad to be able to support them.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

A few months later, Davisson Brothers Band returned to Chester County to play a show at Alibi\u2019s Caf\u00e9 in West Chester.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been to the Philly area a lot \u2013 especially to West Chester,\u201d said Chris Davisson, during a phone interview Wednesday from his home near Clarksburg, West Virginia.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were good friends with Ryan Dunn and the guys from \u2018Jackass.\u2019 We\u2019ve come up to West Chester many times. We used to play at Bam Margera\u2019s club, The Note.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, Davisson Brothers Band is returning to the Delaware Valley on a tour to support its new album, \u201cFighter.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

No-one will ever accuse the band of flooding the market with recorded material. Davisson Brothers Band\u2019s eponymous debut album was released on March 10, 2009 on CharTunes\/Yell Records. \u201cFighter\u201d was released May 25, 2018 on Dreamlined\/Star Farm Records. Following that pattern, the group\u2019s next album is due in June 2027 on a completely different label.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had worked around Nashville for a couple years,\u201d said Davisson. \u201cAfter we released our first album, we wrote a lot and toured a lot.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe waited for the right producer. We waited for the right management team. We started working with Keith (award-winning producer Keith Stegall) about four years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe wrote most of \u2018Fighter\u2019 in West Virginia and four of the tracks were co-written in Nashville. We recorded it in Nashville at Keith\u2019s studio \u2013 Dreamline Entertainment. Keith is a great producer. He\u2019s had 55 Number One hits. We also did some recording at two other studios in Nashville \u2013 Shooting Star and Sound Emporium.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith \u2018Fighter,\u2019 we wanted to make a record true to what we do \u2013 living and breathing every note on the record. That\u2019s what we\u2019re all about.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFighter\u201d is doing well in the states and extremely well in Australia where Davisson Brothers Band has built a very large fanbase. The album\u2019s first single, \u201cPo\u2019 Boyz,\u201d was released in Australia first, where it topped the country music charts.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since our last record,\u201d said Davisson. \u201cWe keep writing. We\u2019re writers and we write a lot. We\u2019re working in new music right now.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a new single coming out in January. We\u2019re wrapping up the vocals and getting ready to make a music video. In addition to that, we have a new reality TV show ready to go out in Australia.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe band has been staying really busy. I can definitely say that it won\u2019t be another nine years until we release our next album.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Video link for Davisson Brothers Band \u2013 <\/span>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JbLKB0QNidU<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The show at the <\/span>Sellersville Theater, which has Jim Beer as the opening act, will start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $19.50 and $29.50.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff,\u00a0Entertainment Editor, The Times People may disagree about what kind of band Ministry is \u2013 industrial, metal, rock, goth. But they all have to agree that Ministry is one of the most intense bands they\u2019ve ever heard \u2013 lyrically and sonically. Ministry has been making music that rattles your bones, challenges your brain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":41635,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[11779,7426,11777,5944,11778],"class_list":["post-41633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-davisson","tag-featured","tag-ministry","tag-the-mavericks","tag-the-steel-woods"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=41633"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41633\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41634,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41633\/revisions\/41634"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/41635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=41633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=41633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=41633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}