Al Jourgensen sues makers of Ministry documentary

Industrial pioneer Al Jourgensen is suing the makers of Fix: The Ministry Movie due to an alleged breach of contract.

The film chronicles Ministry's 1996 SphincTour, among some of the darkest times for the Ministry founder, who was addicted to heroin at the time.

The film was premiered at the Chicago International Movies and Music Festival in April, and Jourgenson claims director Doug Freel and producer Edward Bates screened the film without his permission.

"The bottom line is this," Jourgensen said, speaking to the LA Times, "It boils down to breach of contract in a lot of different ways. I'm sole registered owner of the trademark Ministry, the name Ministry, the brand Ministry, everything Ministry. In any contract signed throughout the history of the filming of this, it was understood and in writing and approved and signed by everyone that I would have final cut approval of this film being shown anywhere, let alone being released. I never got that."

"I don't really care about the content of what's in the film," said Jourgensen, fresh out of rehab for alcohol abuse, "To me, the whole film is a Polaroid snapshot of a period of my life that I'm not particularly happy with... It's like watching a slow train wreck for me, or a reality show, but that's fine because I'm a whole different person now. I have no problems with that film ever being released, if it's done properly and I'm paid for it. It's not like I'm doing this because I'm ashamed, or anything like that."

Regarding the allegations that the music and talent appearing in the film was not properly cleared director Doug Freel said "I've been in this business 30 years, I'm 52 years old, I don't go shoot somebody without a talent release. I do have all those. It's all cleared."

Freel said he is frustrated by the legal issues and insists that the film represents Jourgensen fairly. "He looks great in it, he looks smart in it, he looks handsome in it. I think Al knows how hard I've worked on it. I did what I could to make the best movie I could. Now, unfortunately, there's five legal teams that have to decide what happens next."

Jourgensen is unconcerned regarding the release, "I don't care if this film comes out or not. It's not something that I need the fame or the notoriety about. I'm quite happy with my life as it is. But OK, these guys did a bunch of work on it and I agreed to let it go, but not under the current state that it's in. They've been paid, but I haven't been paid and the movie's about me. There's a lot of breeches that are going on here. The absolute bottom line is that I have final cut approval and that's in every single contract from the inception of the filming of this in '96. That's in every single legal document, and I was not afforded that luxury."