“My Ears Are Tired” – Al Jourgensen on Why He’s Retiring Ministry

“My Ears Are Tired” – Al Jourgensen Explains Why He’s Ending Ministry

In a candid and reflective conversation with Full Metal Jackie on her weekend radio show, Al Jourgensen, the legendary founder of industrial band Ministry, revealed why he’s decided to bring the band’s long and influential career to a close. The primary reason? “My ears are tired,” he says.

Jourgensen is currently working on what he has confirmed will be the final Ministry album, and has reunited with longtime collaborator Paul Barker, who was integral to the band’s sound during its peak in the late ‘80s and ‘90s. “It’s not health issues or band drama,” Al clarifies. “I’m just tired—tired of repeating myself, tired of pushing further creatively. It’s getting harder to keep going, and now it feels more like a job than a passion.”

Despite this emotional fatigue, he’s proud of the new work. “The next album already sounds amazing,” he shares. “We’re halfway through and it’s powerful. But the energy behind it is different. It’s not youthful excitement—it’s craftsmanship, and I want to finish it right.”

Revisiting the Past: The Squirrely Years Revisited

A significant recent project, The Squirrely Years Revisited, has also marked a surprising chapter for Jourgensen. It’s a reimagining of Ministry’s early synth-pop tracks—music he’s notoriously distanced himself from for decades due to a bad experience with his first record label. Originally recorded under creative pressure and label control, the With Sympathy era left a sour taste in his mouth.

“The band I have now secretly worked on those songs while we were touring with Rob Zombie,” Jourgensen reveals. “They knew I hated that material, so they reworked it and ambushed me with it one night on the tour bus when I was good and drunk. I didn’t even recognize it—it sounded that fresh. When they told me it was me, I was shocked. I hadn’t heard some of those songs in over 40 years.”

Despite previously burning the original tapes—literally, in a backyard barbecue—he found himself enjoying the reworked versions. “The new versions have a real punch to them. Some of them, like ‘I’ll Do Anything For You,’ which wasn’t even on the original record, now sound like they belong in a stadium.”

Other songs such as “Revenge” and “Effigy” have also been transformed, now bearing a harder rock edge rather than their original synth-driven style.

Lessons From the Past and Advice for the Future

Jourgensen reflects deeply on his early career, particularly the control that labels exerted over his music. “They signed me because I was different, then tried to make me like everyone else,” he says. That experience led him to break away and co-found Wax Trax! Records, a label that would go on to shape the industrial genre.

His advice to aspiring musicians today is blunt: “Don’t get into music.” He explains that the industry has only become more exploitative, particularly with the advent of streaming and AI. “There’s no sustainable income. You tour just to sell T-shirts now. It’s not what it used to be. We need support—some kind of legislative action to force streaming platforms to pay artists properly.”

Touring with Old Friends and Saying Goodbye

Ministry’s final tour includes a nostalgic lineup: Nitzer Ebb, My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult, and Die Krupps. Jourgensen has long-standing ties with these acts, having signed Nitzer Ebb to Wax Trax! and even played in a band with Thrill Kill Cult’s frontman, Frankie Fun, before forming Ministry.

“This tour and the reimagined album—it’s like putting a bow on the whole career,” he says. “It’s not a KISS situation—I won’t be coming back next year for another ‘farewell’ tour. This is it. One last album, one last tour, and then I’m done.”

Political Activism and Future Creative Outlets

As always, Jourgensen remains outspoken about politics and civil rights. “Democracy is under threat,” he warns. “If you value your freedoms, pay attention to what’s happening right now. We’ve got students being snatched by unidentified agents—that should terrify people.”

Though the final Ministry album will likely reflect these concerns, Al is currently enjoying a lighter break with the tour. “This is like the Hot Tub Time Machine Tour,” he jokes. “It’s fun—just a chance to breathe before we dive back into the heavy stuff.”

Outside of Ministry, Jourgensen has been exploring film scoring—a creative outlet that excites him for its lack of industry politics and promotional obligations. One of his recent projects includes a score for the documentary Long Knife, which delves into the exploitation of the Osage people in Oklahoma by the Koch brothers.

Looking ahead, he’s not planning any major new ventures. “I just want to relax—maybe sleep eight hours a night, paint, hang by the pool. My ears are tired from music,” he reiterates. “But the album we’re working on now is a great note to end on. And when it’s done, it’s done. I’ll be by the pool.”