[KJ]Raven and Ministry in Paris

[frenchyfrenzy at free.fr]

Hi All,

Here is a short review of the whole day spent in Paris with Raven, Tommy, Al and
Co.

The Ministry’s gig was taken place at the LOCOMOTIVE approx 1.200 pers. and the
show was sold out.
The venue is situated in Pigalle just close to the famous Moulin Rouge Cabaret.
It’s on the same avenue as the Elysee Montmartre’s venue.

Met Raven at the beginning of the afternoon and the guy was as nice as ever.
We took some nice pictures backstage as he doesn’t like to take himself too
seriously ( and filmed it explaining that he was looking for a bass player job
in a band and that he could even sing lyrics from a song called Psyche if I
remember well ha ha ha !!!

. and we began a real laughing afternoon.

We went out wandering in the Pigalle area through guitars shops, clothes shops,
shoes shops and of course sex shops ;o))
Concerning the famous KJ questions, I must say that he was quite “ surprised
“with the latest news I had printed from the KJ’s website on the main page
where they are speaking of Uncle Paul playing with Ministry at the Forum
London.
He said that it was a good thing that the Gems of Power were about to see the
light of day because he could be paid for it ;o)))

I don’t want to say who is saying the truth or not because I have  both versions
of each side ( Jaz spoke a lot to me at the Mulhouse’s gig in April) and because
this is not my business and I like both of the parties.
In my opinion, I would say it’s basically an economical choice that led Paul to
choose the Ministry’s recording and after the world tour.
I think that after, there are some ego aspects surrounding the whole thing.

I had printed some of my pictures taken backstage during the last KJ’s tour in
Paris 05 and I had added some ”funny” comments on them about Paul, Jaz & Al
Ministry and he had a lot of laughs watching them even if they have a “deeper”
sense as the first sight.
Unfortunately no chance of seeing him during the coming gigs in sept /oct 06
because Ministry is touring Australia.

Wandering in Pigalle and you get collared by all the door women of all the Lap
Dances Clubs and Erotic shows and when you walk with a guy Raven with all his
tattoes and his bad boy looking you are always approached and Raven always
replies ha ha ha ha !!!
I must say something : all those nice chicks were proposed to do nasty things
for him in private ( in UK Or US but not in France ;o))) and all of them
refused and so all of them have pushed us away from the club’s door using their
most beautiful smiles.
In France we would say that “the sprinkler was sprinkled”

Jaz introduced me to Angie Jourgensen ( Al’s wife and manager) and she gave me
an AAA pass in order I could walk everywhere without any problem.

Raven made an interview wit Tattoos magazine with his mate Tommy Victor who was
very tired but was drinking strong coffee to wake up.
I remember one of his answer to the question “ why Ministry etc

He simply answered that during the last 2 years he didn’t get many phone calls
to offer him such a good job for several months


The photographer of the magazine took many pictures of the 2 guys and when a guy
like Raven confirms that tattoos can do some pain I can believe him ha ha ha 

Backstage I met Mike Scaccia, John Bechdel  and Joey Jordison and of course the
famous Al Jourgensen who loves French wines as Jaz Paul and Geordie.

I must say that he was very very nice and maybe more excited than Jaz himself
and that’s not common among human people.
Maybe cause it was just a few minutes before the show and the excitement was
easy to feel backstage.
Of course we spoke about Jaz and some articles where he was apparently bashing
him.
There was no intention for Al to declare the war.
He said that he spent many years with an old Jaz’s girlfriend and that it was
his worst years so Jaz could thank him for that.
Comparing to KJ’s backstage, I must say that the ambience was much more the one
of a group, even if they are hired Pistoleros.
KJ is much more Jaz & Geordie followed by 3 others musicians with a high
difference of age and of course they can’t share the same things.
But in both groups there is a common point :Al & Jaz are the Boss

The show was very good and Paul and Tommy had a great presence on stage, maybe
more than Al sometimes.
Many of the old tunes were well played and it was like the new album and a best
of the fav ( except Jesus built my Hotrod) because Al told me that he wasn’t as
good as Gibby Haynes to sing it.

I met a French ( bloody hell they were everywhere ) who was asked in the morning
by Al to film the show with 5 cameras;

Apparently, Al was completely exhausted at the end of the show and stayed in the
bus tour.
We went out for a drink with Paul and Marco from Treponem Pal and Amadou from
Collapse ( French industrial groups ) and that was already 1 AM.
Just before leaving, John Bechdel told me that he had been approached by Killing
Joke and I replied to him that Jaz had always said good things on him.
I asked Paul if we might have a chance to see him back in the Joke and he
replied “ maybe “ and the bus went on to UK.

Only idiots don’t change their minds
.


Stéphane “ Frenchy Frenzy”