Matt Zane comments on ex-Society 1 members

With the recent release of the final MINISTRY album, one must take notice that 1/3 of the current lineup was once an integral part of the industrial metal band Society 1. Both Sin and Paul Raven played on SOCIETY 1's Exit Through Fear released in 2003 and are both listed in the album liner notes. The pair also toured in support of that album as seen on the In Our Own Images DVD that was released as part of Years of Spiritual Dissent via Crash Music. After a few months of touring, Raven left SOCIETY 1 and joined up with GODFLESH.
"Raven left Society 1 after a short stint of touring to go on the road with GODFLESH" states Matt Zane. "I understood he needed to pay the bills and this was before Society 1 was touring full time for Earache."
Ex-SOCIETY 1 guitarist Sin Quirin left the band to join THE REVOLTING COCKS in 2006. At the time both Ministry and Society 1 shared the same touring agent, John Finberg. When the band was dropped from Earache Records, Sin contacted John Finberg, owner of First Row Talent asking for a favor. A mutual agreement was made between both Sin and John Finberg which put Sin into THE REVOLTING COCKS without an audition.
"All I know is that some deal was put in place between the two of them. It must have been an amazing situation that was worked out because Sin didn't even have to audition. A few phone calls were made and he was in the band" stated Zane.
Some time later, Zane was presented with the news and to his surprise, was shocked.
"I get a call from Sin" says Matt Zane. "He says he is going to do the Rev Co tour but if SOCIETY 1 gets a new deal he would cancel the tour and stay to record the new album. Well we get signed to Crash Music and the day the contract comes, Sin leaves on a plane for Texas. He didn't even sign the deal. From that point, he just became harder and harder to get a hold of until he just vanished."
The deal that Sin and First Row Talent struck to get Sin into Rev Co broke down and was never fulfilled by Sin although John lived up to his end by getting Sin into THE REVOLTING COCKS. As Sin was still considered a member of SOCIETY 1, this caused a strain on the relationship between Finberg and SOCIETY 1 causing the band to miss out on numerous concerts and tours for close to two years.
"We had a really good thing with First Row Talent until the whole thing with Sin happened. They booked hundreds of shows over the years and also put us in touch with labels, press etc... All that stopped after Sin didn't fulfill his end of the bargain. I am happy for the guy but I wish he would have just been a little more honorable with his actions. When I met him he was tinting windows and had never played a gig outside LA., never been on a record, never been to Europe, never been in a magazine etc. It would of been cool if he would have just honored his deal with our agent rather than strain our relationship with him. He really left us hanging after all SOCIETY 1 did for him."
Now that Sin is officially out of SOCIETY 1, Matt Zane is moving forward and working on a new album, Sadist Messiah” which will be released sometime in 2008.
"I have a whole new crew together except for our bass player Dirt. Writing is going well and it looks like we are going to record with Wade Norton once again. He heard the new stuff was into it."
When asked about the latest MINISTRY album, The Last Sucker, Zane commented "I find the whole thing kind of flattering. Paul Raven is great. I always loved working with the guy and he is kind of legend coming from KILLING JOKE and PRONG so I totally understand Al asking him to be in the band. Although Sin made a very underhanded deal with our agent to get in the band he is still a great player and I am glad that people will finally realize that I don't choose just any idiot to play in SOCIETY 1. I will have to thank Al [Jourgensen] next time I see him for giving my band some validity. It's going to interesting seeing the tour. Raven and Sin used to stand right next to me on-stage and now Al Jourgenson is going to be standing where I used to. It's almost like seeing Society 1 with a legend lead singer. Whenever you bring up my band SOCIETY 1, you always get a lot of colorful responses within the metal community. I find it kind of amusing now that when people try to talk negative about the band I am always going to be able to say that my members were not only good enough for SOCIETY 1 but also for Al Jourgensen and MINISTRY."
Matt Zane has been busy shooting alt-porn titles Radium and Tattooed & Tight 2. Both titles star Tera Wray.
To hear the new Society 1 material, go to myspace.com/society1