Sunday, May 13, 2012

Ministry - "FIX" DVD

This long-awaited DVD is less a documentary of Ministry's 1996 "Sphinctour" as it is a character study of Al Jourgensen and his serious drug addictions. Painting the sometimes-genius frontman as a paranoid "rock star" whose attitude and excess is legendary, even among his fellow junkies and musician friends, 'FIX" shows what fame and money (and indulgence) can do to an intelligent, thinking, and conscientious individual. Peppering the backstage/off-stage insanity with plenty of live clips (which sound great) helps this presentation, as do the large amount of interviews with past Ministry members (namely Paul Barker, Rey Washam, Louis Svitek, and Ogre), friends, tourmates and collaborators (David Yow, Trent Reznor, Jello Biafra, Maynard Keenan, and Buzz Osborne), and other hangers-on (Jonathan Davis? The babbling nonsense of Casey Chaos of Amen? What?). Anyway, aside from the many talking heads speaking of Al's addictions, we get very little insight into Ministry's history or the other members' lives. Al is the centerpiece here, and it's not a flattering portrait. Perhaps a must-see for serious Ministry fans, but casual fans will have no interest in seeing this messy side of a once-world class band. (Gigantic Pictures)

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