Industrial metal band Ministry recently announced that they have cancelled their upcoming European tour due to “illness”. The tour was meant to support their latest album AmeriKKKant and included shows in the UK, France, Germany and other parts of Europe. This news has come as a major disappointment to fans who were looking forward to seeing the pioneering industrial group perform live. In this article, we will examine the reasons behind the cancellation and what it means for the future of Ministry.
Background on Ministry
Ministry was formed in 1981 in Chicago, Illinois by lead singer Al Jourgensen. They began as a synth-pop band but soon shifted to a harsher, industrial metal sound. Their landmark albums from the late 80s and early 90s like The Land of Rape and Honey, The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste and Psalm 69 placed them at the forefront of the industrial rock and metal scenes.
Over the years, Ministry has gone through various lineup changes with Jourgensen remaining the sole original member. Despite some tumultuous events like a breakup in 2008, they have managed to continue releasing new music periodically. Their most recent album AmeriKKKant came out in 2018 and showed Ministry still willing to make provocative political statements in their music.
The now 60+ year old Jourgensen along with guitarist Sin Quirin, bassist Jason Christopher, drummer Derek Abrams and keyboardist John Bechdel were set to embark on a European tour in support of AmeriKKKant. But now the dates have all been scrapped.
Reason for Cancellation
On October 10th, Ministry issued a statement on their social media announcing the cancellation of the European leg of the AmeriKKKant tour. The reason given was that Al Jourgensen is suffering from “a severe case of cellulitis and two staph infections in his leg that have rendered him unable to walk or leave bed for the foreseeable future”.
Cellulitis is a common but potentially serious bacterial skin infection that causes redness, swelling and pain in the infected area. It requires antibiotic treatment and sometimes hospitalization in severe cases. Staph infections are caused by staphylococcus bacteria and also need medical treatment.
Jourgensen has reportedly already undergone two surgeries related to his leg infections. But it seems the problem has not subsided enough yet for him to be able to undertake an overseas tour. The severity of his condition means Ministry had no choice but to cancel all their upcoming Europe dates.
Cancelled Tour Dates
Here are the 12 dates that Ministry will now not be playing:
October 23 | Dublin, Ireland |
October 24 | Belfast, UK |
October 26 | Edinburgh, UK |
October 27 | Manchester, UK |
October 28 | Bristol, UK |
October 30 | London, UK |
November 1 | Paris, France |
November 2 | Brussels, Belgium |
November 3 | Utrecht, Netherlands |
November 4 | Hannover, Germany |
November 6 | Copenhagen, Denmark |
November 7 | Gothenburg, Sweden |
Fan Reaction
As expected, the news of the cancellation has met with disappointment and concern from Ministry fans. Replies to the band’s announcement have been a mix of get well soon messages for Al Jourgensen along with lamenting the scrapped gigs.
Many fans expressed their sadness at not being able to attend their city’s scheduled concert. Others said they had already booked travel and accommodations for the shows and were worried about losing money. Some international fans were especially upset having planned “once in a lifetime” trips to see Ministry play Europe.
In addition to dissatisfaction about the cancelled concerts, fans also sent Jourgensen messages wishing him a full recovery. Quite a few people noted that they had themselves suffered from cellulitis and knew how debilitating it could be. Overall, the Ministry faithful have taken the news in stride and continue to offer the frontman support during his health issues.
Future of the Band
Looking beyond the cancelled European tour, there are larger questions around what Jourgensen’s leg infections mean for Ministry’s future plans. The band just released a new album last year and clearly has plans for more music and live shows. But Al’s health status has thrown things up in the air.
Some fans online have speculated that Jourgensen may choose to retire from touring altogether due to his age and medical condition. Ministry has always put on a high energy, exhausting stage show that may be difficult for the 61-year old Jourgensen to continue pulling off. However, there has been no official indication from the band yet that they plan to stop touring or recording.
It’s likely that after recovering from his current ailment, Jourgensen and Ministry will regroup and consider how to move forward. They may schedule less grueling tours with shorter legs, more rest days and less consecutive shows. Or they might just plan tours further in advance to accommodate unexpected health issues. In any case, the European cancellation probably signals a shift in how Ministry approaches live performances.
Possibility of Rescheduling
As for the cancelled European dates, Ministry has said they hope to reschedule in the near future. Of course, this depends on how soon Al Jourgensen can bounce back and be ready to hit the road again. The band stated they plan to honor all previously purchased tickets when they are able to return to Europe.
There’s a good chance Ministry will aim to redo the tour sometime in 2020. This would allow enough time for Jourgensen’s treatments and recovery. It’s in the band’s best interest financially and reputation-wise to eventually make up the missed concerts. But Ministry will only redo the tour at the right time to prevent any further health complications.
Conclusion
Ministry’s cancelled European tour serves as an unfortunate reminder that even legendary bands are vulnerable to health issues interfering with plans. However, Al Jourgensen has proven his resilience over a nearly 40-year music career. Once he completes treatment and recuperation, there is no reason Ministry can’t get back to doing what they do best – delivering their signature industrial metal chaos to fans on stage. The cancelled tour is but a minor setback for a band that still has a lot left to give.