Paul Barker hasn't been a part of the Ministry for over a decade and hasn't given an in-depth interview about the pioneering industrial-metal group in almost as many years. However, with Ministry celebrating the 30th anniversary of their seminal album The Land of Rape and Honey with a video series featuring key band members (you can watch Al Jourgenson's interviews here), Barker sat down in front of the camera to share his recollections. As for rumors of any remaining bad blood between him and Jourgensen, he says, "I'm happy to be involved ... not bitter in any way."
Barker looks back fondly on the sessions. "We spent six months in England, working on music for Ministry," he recalls. "That begat all of those side projects because we were just recording in bulk." The musicians rented an apartment across the street from the studio and worked restlessly. While Ministry didn't have an exact goal in mind, according to Barker, they definitely knew what they did not want and left the finished product in their leader's hands. "Al was the final arbiter and impetus behind everything whether he was there or not," he says.
After itemizing a few favorite songs from the record, including "Golden Dawn" and "Flashback," and discussing what they mean to him, Barker wraps up by describing the album as "like baby pictures" and claims the artists involved all reached a new level of refinement through the undertaking. "The fact that people refer to that record as an inspiration? That's fantastic," he enthuses. "Is there any greater praise than that?"
Below, watch a stunning rehearsal-room performance of Ministry's "Thieves," off The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste, the band's follow-up to The Land of Rape and Honey:
