The Michigan Daily - Wednesday December 11 1991 - Page 9 Welcome to Detroit ..PIgface! Inzdustrial band brings changing tour to Todd's by Nima Hodaei I, ver a "super group" existed,, Pi face may well be it. The brain-{ cild of drummers Martin Atkins (PL, Ministry, Killing Joke) and B, Rieflin (Ministry, Revolting Ceks), Pigface can easily be dubbed th& industrial "mega-band." Consis- tiog of an ever-changing cast of members which has included Chris fonnelly (RevCo, Finitribe), Paul Rayen (Killing Joke), William Ticker (Ministry, My Life With th Thrill Kill Kult) and Nivek Oe (Skinny Puppy), as well as the engineering work of industrial psudo-"God" Steve Albini (Big Bt0k, Rapeman), Pigface defies be- ink pigeon-holed into any category. "I think that it's impossible to describe Pigface," says Atkins. "It's 4ngossible to listen to the first al- bugn, Gub, and say, Oh, I don't knew if I like this or not.' Well, that's fine, because that's just one part of Pigface. Pigface is a chal- lenge to the mind and the ears. It's a challenge to the audience, but it con- tinues to be a challenge to us." The first Pigface album, Gub, re- leased on Atkins' own Invisible la- bl; came together as a result of the st Ministry tour. This remarkably varied production, featuring the overwhelming drum beatings of Rieflin and Atkins, as well as the creative genius of the supporting cast, lead to the first tour, which boldly promised that "no two shows were ever the same." The fol- low-up album, this year's Welcome to Mexico ... Asshole, is a document ofthat tour, which also contains a collection of live songs not avail- able on the Gub LP. "Bill Rieflin and myself did the drums on the last Ministry tour," explains Atkins, "and there were al these people around us who we wanted to interact with in a differ- ent way than just recreating Ministry songs. It was a very excit- iiig tour, but we were making the l4me music every night. I wanted to work with Ogre ... and Chris Connelly, William Tucker, Paul Barker and all those people. It just grew. Now, there are like sixty or Newsletters, Newsletters Newsletters Newsletters Sig savings on newsletters for all clubs, businesses, and organizations. seventy people involved. We've had bagpipes, sitars, belly dancers bal- ancing swords on their heads - ev- ery show has been completely dif- ferent. Anything goes except for self-indulgence and masturbation." Pigface's one ideal all along has been to remain fresh, while checking egos and attitudes at the door. Atkins is quick to point out that he makes this a mandatory requirement of all his participants, no easy feat when you're dealing with the likes of these performers. "There is absolutely no ego at all," states Atkins. "That's the first criteria for somebody to get involved in Pigface. Pigface exists for all of the right reasons, and it just happens that when you let go of the music ... (it) takes care of itself. It happens to be the most powerful, the tightest, most exciting project I've ever worked with. But it's not because we set out to make it that way. It just happens to be that way."1 With its first tour only com- pleted months ago, Pigface has hit the road again in support of the new album. The spontaneity of the al- bums has carried over to the tours, as fans will be virtually clueless as to whom they will see at the indi- vidual concerts. Possible perform- ers this time around include En Esch (KMFDM), Andrew Weiss (Henry Rollins Band), Mary Byker (Gaye Bykers on Acid), Atkins, Connelly, Ogre, Raven and Tucker. Yet Atkins makes it clear that surprise and im- provisation are the key elements at any Pigface performance. "People say, 'Look, I really liked the Mexico album and here I am to see you," Atkins explains. "Well, I think that it's great - it's good that you're here, and you're going to see something really cool. But it has nothing to do with the Mexico al- bum. We do a couple of songs from it ..: (and) from Gub, but we're writing new material all the time. I think the first five songs we play haven't been released yet. If you want to hear the old stuff, go home and listen to the CDs." Although Atkins claims that Pigface will be around for years to come, he fully expects the sound and lineup to constantly change. New recruits are constantly being con- tacted to join the already wide as- sortment of characters on board. Gub and Welcome to Mexico Asshole have been refreshing thus far, in that no one in the band has let the hype get to their head. Does Atkins fear the expectations that people may place on the band in the future? "I don't think we have anything to live up to other than our own ex- pectations and our own goals," says Atkins. "I really don't care what anybody thinks. I think that we have succeeded on our own terms. We are making the music that we want, with the people we want, in the way we want, in the places we want. How else would you define success? I don't need somebody to say (that the album is) number five in some- body's meaningless chart, or that it has three stars. This is a band, it's not a restaurant." PIGFACE performs next Friday, December 20, at Todd's in Detroit. Jesus Lizard opens. Tickets are available in advance from Ticketmaster for $10.50 (p.e.s.c.) and doors open at 7:30 p.m.,Call 366-8633 for more info. Drummer/co-founder Martin Atkins (far left, middle) is only one of the many faces of Pigface. The lineup of the band has been constantly changing on its latest tour, so you never know quite who'll show up on any given night. Ogre from Skinny Puppy? Bill Rieflin from the Revolting Cocks? Donnie Wahlberg from the New Kids? RED I WITUFR TDECCL I , : A." >5l.n rbofo" FolkFestival a fundraiser for the Ark Saturday, January 25, 1992 6:00 p.m. * Hill Auditorium . Lyle Lovett " Odetta e Livingston Taylor The Four Bitchin' Babes with Christine Lavin, Julie Gold, Megon McDonough and Sally Fingerett " Len Chandler " John Gorka Robert Earl Keen, Jr. " Fred Small " Jan Krist with Paul Murphy " and others Tickets available at: The Michigan Union Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, Herb David Guitar Studio. Charge tickets by phone call 763-TKTS ,;) _ Valid Only at U of M Central Campus 546 Packard at Hill Pick Up/Delivery Since 1948 Voted #1 at U of M! North Campus 927 Maiden Ln. at Broadway Pick Up/Delivery 995-9101 I Medium Deep Dish Pizza with Cheese and One Topping $1.10 per additional topping $5. 95 (plus tax) Valid only at Packard/Hill 665-6005, Maiden Ln/Broadway 995-9101. Limit one coupon per order. Not valid with other coupon offers. Expires: 12/29/91 Sam JqIw r m 0