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Stand up for yourself; we’ re not snowflakes.”

Last fall, Ministry went out on tour for the first time since Scaccia’ s death with the experimental hip-hop band Death Grips. According to Jourgensen, the tour was an excellent excuse to play some new tunes.“ There was a holdup with the fucking album,” he complains.“ We had the album done, and we were chomping at the bit to go play this stuff, and there are all these fucking lawyers, and money is involved, and it just sits on the shelf for a few months. So I said let ' s go out and try a couple of the new songs and see if we like playing them. And we did because Death Grips was awesome.”

Ministry’ s upcoming five-week North American tour is sure to be a crowd-pleaser as well.“ This tour we have Chelsea Wolfe opening for us, which is going to be

Jourgensen ponders, "... what do I miss most? Everything- except the weather! That’ s no fault of the city of Chicago. That’ s just the proximity of lake-effect winds and lake-effect snow and Arctic fucking blasts from Canada. It’ s the most vibrant city and my favorite city in the United States. But I’ m 60 years old, and my bones get creaky and cranky when it gets below 32 degrees. I ' ve got to stay here( in L. A.) for now. I do come up for a shitload of hockey games every year, so I’ m in Chicago at least six times a year anyway.”

Speaking of hockey, Jourgensen is one of the Chicago Blackhawks ' biggest fans. Ever since attending a Hawks game at the old Chicago Stadium when he was six years old he ' s been hooked. Jourgensen now attends Hawks games in L. A. when they come to town to play the Kings.“ This year I have no prediction on whether they fucking awesome,” Jourgensen declares.“ She’ s amazing! She puts you in a hypnotic trance with her dirge and her conviction. And there’ s a woman leading the band- whoa, empowerment! How cool is that?”

Plus, there are Ministry’ s new stage props; the infamous Trump chickens with painted, crossed-out swastikas on their bellies— which adorned each side of Ministry’ s stage set on their recent tour— which will once again be making an appearance.“ Of course the Trump chickens are with us, we bought them!” Jourgensen exclaims.“ Dammit, those Trump chickens follow us everywhere, man. We’ ve restructured our visuals, too. There are also different people in the band; there’ s a lot of DJ action, there’ s some cello action, and it’ s a little bit of a different format. And, of course, the music is a little bit different for us than you’ ve seen over the past ten years.”

A hometown Ministry show is always one big party, and area fans can witness the craziness on April 7 at the historic Riviera Theatre.“ I can’ t wait to play the Riv, man,” Jourgensen beamed.“ It’ s been years since we’ ve played The Riv and this should be a really great show." When asked what he misses most about living in Chicago, make the playoffs or not,” he said.“ I certainly don’ t think they’ re a Stanley Cup favorite. I think they’ re in a transition period. I think that the farm system they have( in Rockford) is working. To me, it’ s not a total rebuild yet, but I do think they have some talent coming up through the minors that are going to make this team sustainable for years. I talk to Danny Wirtz every single game; we text back and forth like school girls! I’ m pretty happy with the Hawks right now, even though it seems dismal. But there are better days coming.

And speaking of better days, 2018 is shaping up to be a busy year for Jourgensen, and he can’ t wait to get out on the road.“ I’ m literally on the road for the entire year,” Jourgensen concludes.“ The road is its own adventure. I don’ t mean to sound like Jack Kerouac or anything, but the road is a pretty trippy place to be, and that’ s where we’ re going to be for all of next year. So check back with me in about a year and keep tabs on old Uncle Al. Hey Chicago! Hey Illinois Entertainer! Glad to talk to you.”

26 illinoisentertainer. com february 2018