Al Jourgensen
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Al Jourgensen | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Allen David Jourgensen[1] |
| Also known as | The Alien, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa, Dog, Alien Dog Star, Buck Satan, Uncle Al |
| Born | October 9, 1958 Havana, Cuba |
| Genre(s) | Industrial rock Industrial metal Alternative metal New Wave Synthpop Hardcore punk |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Synthesizer, Bass, Harmonica, Mandolin, Saxophone, Piano, Drum Machine |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Label(s) | Arista Records Sire Records Warner Bros. Sanctuary Records 13th Planet Records Alternative Tentacles Wax Trax! |
| Associated acts | Ministry Revolting Cocks Skinny Puppy Lard 1000 Homo DJs PTP Acid Horse Lead Into Gold Pailhead Buck Satan & the 666 Shooters |
| Website | http://www.ministrymusic.org |
Al Jourgensen (born October 9, 1958 in Havana, Cuba), is an American musician best known as the founder and frontman of the industrial metal band Ministry. He is sometimes credited as Alain Jourgensen, Alien Jourgensen, Hypo Luxa (his alias as a music producer), Dog, Alien Dog Star and Buck Satan. He is a member and/or founder of several industrial bands, working as a singer, guitarist or keyboard player.
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[edit] Biography
Jourgensen was born in Havana to a Cuban mother and father in 1958. Soon after, he came to the US to live with his mother and his Norwegian stepfather, who changed his name to Jourgensen. His stepfather was a stock car driver, also known as a mechanic for Formula One driver Dan Gurney. Jourgensen was raised in Chicago, Illinois and Frisco, Colorado, eventually attending the University of Colorado. He worked as a radio DJ out of college, until becoming a professional musician by joining the band Special Affect. He began Ministry in 1981.
Jourgensen was married to Patty Marsh from 1984-1993, and he has one daughter from that marriage. He remarried in September 2002 to Angelina Lukacin at Graceland mansion.
Known for often appearing intoxicated on-stage,[citation needed] Jourgensen has been seen drinking whiskey[citation needed] and smoking cigarettes[citation needed] while performing.[citation needed] His lyrics reveal many aspects of his life, such as his heroin and cocaine addiction, alcoholism, and his political opinions. These were greatly influenced by the beat generation (William S. Burroughs collaborated on some of his tracks).
Jourgensen has had a life-long affinity for drugs, such as cocaine and heroin, which culminated in the 1995 police raid of Ministry's Texas headquarters and Jourgensen's arrest for possession. He received a five year probation sentence, a time that he recalls as the darkest in his life. As of 2003, he maintains that he has been drug-free, ever since a bite from a venomous spider almost caused him to lose an arm. [2] Jourgensen currently lives and records in El Paso, Texas. [3]
[edit] Professional life
Jourgensen formed Ministry in 1981 after he left the band Special Affect, which was a new wave/synth pop band (notably including Frankie Nardiello, founder of My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult and drummer Harry Rushakoff of Concrete Blonde). Early singles by Ministry and Jourgensen's other projects were released on Wax Trax! Records. He has also featured as guest on some Skinny Puppy albums as well as producing their Rabies album. During that time, it is said that Jourgensen befriended Nivek Ogre, who later joined Ministry.
Ministry's newest albums, Rio Grande Blood and The Last Sucker, as well as the 2006 Revolting Cocks album Cocked and Loaded were released on Jourgensen's new record label, 13th Planet Records. He formed this label after falling out with the mainstream agendas of major industry labels. [2]
Jourgensen appeared as a fictional musician in the film A.I.: Artificial Intelligence, and has had a number of songs appear in other films, including the 2008 Wicked Lake, produced by Fever Dreams, for which he composed the entire sound track. He also makes a small appearance in the film as an art school teacher.
He also holds a large collection of religious altars from which he frequently performs during his concerts.
[edit] Political views
Jourgensen is one of many outspoken musicians in the industry today, frequently offering scathing criticism of right-wing politicians. Beginning with Ministry's 1992 album Psalm 69, continuing with the 2004 album Houses of the Molé, 2006's Rio Grande Blood, and 2007's The Last Sucker. His favorite target has been first George H.W. Bush and then his son U.S. President George W. Bush. Ministry also contributed a song to the first Rock Against Bush album. The theme continues on Ministry's 2007 offering and in Jourgensen's various side projects.
[edit] Projects
- Ministry
- Revolting Cocks
- Skinny Puppy
- Lard
- 1000 Homo Djs
- PTP
- Acid Horse
- Lead Into Gold
- Pailhead
- Buck Satan & the 666 Shooters
- Eight and One Half
- Special Affect[4][5]
[edit] Trivia
- Played with Frankie Nardiello (AKA Groovie Mann of Thrill Kill Kult) and Harry Rushakoff (Concrete Blonde) in a band called Special Affect c. 1978.
- Produced the 1994 Reverend Horton Heat album Liquor In The Front.
- Lost a toe due to infection from a contaminated needle dropped in his boot.[citation needed]
- Helped Nine Inch Nails cover of Get Down, Make Love by Queen
[edit] References
- Ministrymusic.org
- Ministry @ prongs.org
- Ministry's War on Bush. Rolling Stone. Retrieved on 2006-06-12.
- Roberts, Michael. "So What? Ministry isn't on a major label anymore, but Al Jourgensen still loves his job", Dallas Observer, April 10, 2003.
- Al Jourgensen. Internet Movie Database. Retrieved on 2006-06-12.
| Ministry |
| Al Jourgensen |
| Tommy Victor | John Bechdel | Tony Campos | Aaron Rossi | Mike Scaccia | Sin Quirin |
| Paul Barker | Bill Rieflin | Chris Connelly | Kevin Ogilvie | Martin Atkins | Louis Svitek | Rey Washam | William Tucker | Max Brody | John Monte | Mark Baker | Stephen George | Paul Raven | Joey Jordison | Dave Ellefson | Jimmy DeGrasso |
| Discography |
| Studio albums: With Sympathy | Twitch | The Land of Rape and Honey | The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste | Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs | Filth Pig | Dark Side of the Spoon | Animositisomina | Houses of the Molé | Rio Grande Blood | The Last Sucker |
| Live, Remix and Compilation albums: Twelve Inch Singles | In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up | Greatest Fits | Sphinctour | Early Trax | Side Trax | Rantology | Rio Grande Dub Ya | Cover Up |
| Related Bands: Special Affect | Revolting Cocks | Pailhead | Lard | 1000 Homo DJs | PTP | Acid Horse | Pink Anvil | Lead Into Gold | Pigface | Skrew Society 1 |
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jourgensen, Al |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Jourgensen, Allen David |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1958-10-9 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Havana, Cuba |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
