Lard

Among the occasional side projects spearheaded by Ministry’s core duo—guitarist Al Jourgensen and bassist Paul Barker—Lard stands out for its prominent frontman, legendary Dead Kennedys singer Jello Biafra, and its initial drummer Jeff Ward. The band formed in 1988 and first reached listeners through the 1989 EP The Power of Lard, then gained wider notice with its debut full-length, the 1990 album The Last Temptation of Reid. Both releases merged industrial and punk textures with Biafra’s characteristically political lyrics. Already infrequent live appearances and studio work, typical of any side project, grew even rarer after the shocking suicide of drummer Ward in 1993. No new material surfaced until the critically acclaimed 1997 LP Pure Chewing Satisfaction, followed in 2000 by the EP ’70s Rock Must Die; Ministry mainstay Bill Rieflin handled drums on both recordings. Jourgensen has since remarked that Lard has one final album left, yet the date of its recording and any involvement from Barker after his 2004 exit from Ministry remain unknown.