TOMMY VICTOR: It’s hard to say. I think it’s really good that we’re getting the attention ‘cuz there’s not that many people on the label. It’s a weird period in music so I can’t say definitively yet other than that I enjoy working with Al and I like the attention we’re getting.

MYE: He seems to be really supportive of you guys, saying publicly how much of a big fan he always was of the awesomeness of your Prong riffs.

TV: Having somebody there in place is good. There’s not that much to choose from these days. The idea of being on a major is unrealistic and even some of the smaller metal labels won’t do. There are so many younger bands. It’s a clusterfuck.

TV: Yeah, I mean, that does help! We have a small underground following who are pretty insane! I’ve known some of them for years and it’s like,” Here we go again!” There’s a lot of familiar faces.

MYE: You have some tunes on the new Lost Tracks of Danzig set, right?

TV: You know what, it’s hard to decipher because if you asked Glenn he’d probably say no. I was a little disappointed by his omission of me on a lot of the credits of some things in the past, but that’s so traditional Glenn. Don't get me wrong, I love Glenn, but the more you contribute, the less he’s gonna want anybody to know. It’s like when John Christ was in the band, everyone knows John contributed a lot to Danzig.

MYE: Absolutely.

TV: And he never got any songwriting credit. You know what I mean? I don’t know which ones I am on. There’s a couple of tracks from the Circle of Snakes b-sides he used. He credited himself as a guitar player on Circle of Snakes, and as far as I know, I didn’t see him playing any guitar on that record. He may have played a couple of little notes here and there, and there’s a couple of songs from the Blackacidevil record that were done that were B-sides. I don’t even know if he even remembers what is going on with some of those. I’m not slagging him. It’s just the way he is and that’s fine. That’s why he’s Glenn.

TV: Oh, ok, than he did mention it (laughing). I have the cd and I was very excited when it came out. I’m still a huge Danzig, Misfits and Samhain fan. There was a lot of attention to Todd Youth on it and I think that had to do more with the fact that I’m not, like (laughing) playing with Glenn anymore and that Todd was gonna be doing the tours. In fact, on one of the songs he says Todd played on, I’m not even certain it was him. I don’t even think Glenn knows.

MYE: Having worked at and long been associated with CBGB’s, what were your feelings on the recent closing of the club?

TV: I was more effected by [owner] Hilly Kristal dying because it signified the end of an era of like, tough guys. The NYC survival dudes who are gone in this era of everyone being worried about their jobs and not wanting to take a stand. The independence of clubs and the scene is dead. MySpace is the new club scene. There was a lot of competition back in the day between clubs, sure. We were competing right in the Lower East Side. It could’ve been White Zombie over at CBGB’s and Prong down the block. Now there’s nothing. Hilly had a different approach to today. He didn’t care what music was at CB’s as long as it was good and people were excited. He took a big interest in the bands and not just the buck. Those kinds of guys, they don’t exist anymore.

MYE: It’s tragic.

TV: Hilly never cut corners on the sound. It always had to be tip top and he was also concerned with renovations ruining the initial character of the club. That doesn’t exist anymore. He had the money. He could’ve fixed the bathrooms but it was like,”That’s how it is. If you don’t like it get the fuck out.”

MYE: Today with the fearful state of the industry seeming worse than ever or maybe in a state where people are figuring out how to apply technology, do you think a band could have a breakout song like you had with “Snap Your Fingers, Snap Your Neck”? I mean, it is a cool metal song with a long intro and is beyond aggressive--I mean maybe like, Mastodon or someone.

TV: I would love to think so and hope so. There’s always a market and there are a lot of young bands that are really good at what they do now. There was even stuff on Untouchables by Korn I thought could’ve been like that, but they didn’t go all the way. I hate to refer to Korn ‘cuz everyone thinks you are a cheeseball, but there’s always a Rammstein song or something that blows me away. There’s a lot of really good stuff coming out and even regular radio rock can be really well put together in a way that it is almost like a strip club and formulized so you can’t really knock it that seriously. As for a big label getting behind something like us, I don’t see it. It’s easier for them to market crossover and R&B music because rock doesn’t sell as much to White, Spanish AND Black kids. The era of Epic records getting behind a Prong is over. With rock maybe the exception of a band getting pushed is Nickleback.

MYE: Not like they are exceptional (laughing).

TV: I hate talking about mainstream music because it has nothing to do with me. I gave up any attempts at radio after Rude Awakening flopped. I went back to severe post punk music.

MYE: On that note, on Ministry’s The Last Sucker I was really psyched about the song “Die In A Crash”. I love that tune. It has a great fast punk/industrial vibe. What was it like collaborating on that with Al and with Burton C. Bell from Fear Factory?

TV: Well, Al did all the music on that and I think Sin Quirin maybe played the solo. That was like the first thing Jourgensen played me this time and he was like, “I don’t know, what do you think of this one?” I said, "I love it, it’s fucking killer!" And Al said, “Well, you’re singing on it ‘cuz I’m sick of the damn thing.” Uncle Al, y’know. So Burton came out and we got completely wasted and wrote the lyrics. That was a lot of fun doing that song. We went crazy nuts on that thing.

MYE: I was really digging the whole record and “Roadhouse Blues” and shit, and then I got to that song and I was like, “Man, this shit rules!”

TV: Thanks. It was cool. I think that song goes over some people’s heads. It’s definitely of course, a heavy duty Black Flag reference in that song.

MYE: I can see how some of the more speed/thrash inclined might not like it as much.

TV: Yeah and Burton went into this sort of Rollins thing as a joke on Al because over the years Al and Henry Rollins have sort of always been at odds. Al heard it and he said,”Fuck you! That sounds like Rollins!”

MYE: (laughing hysterically)

TV: But, it was cool, y’know. My verse vocal had a real bubblegum vibe almost. That’s typical Ministry. A collage of all kinds of crazy shit. Most of the stuff is supposed to make you laugh. Prong is the slit-your-wrist music and so Ministry was refreshing for me ‘cuz Al laughs at everything. He’s serious about his work, but if it comes off as too musing or electronica he won’t do it. It’s tongue in cheek a lot. Even he has convictions to the political stuff, but he also can say, "This is ridiculous!". When he says that you know he likes it.

MYE: I was wondering , what if fucking Giuliani wins? We’ll need another trilogy from Ministry! All we have is that anti-Rudy Agnostic Front song. We’ll need more! Do you think Al is really done with Ministry? Not that I hope Giuliani wins...

TV: Me neither. Maybe down the line Al will do something but for now I think he’s had it. He’s got nothing else to sing about on a Ministry tip. He’s sober now. There’s no groveling on the floor to be had.

MYE: I was beyond impressed with the art for The Last Sucker also, with the gold ink, a pop-up faux-Last Supper and a hologram cover of Bush turning into a monster! How’d they swing that crazy shit!?

TV: That process was insane. The same artist did the new Prong cover. Prong art was past due and they were still doing Ministry adjustments ‘cuz it was so intensive. Hats off to Lawton Outlaw for doing a great job on that Ministry cover and Prong, too, for that matter.

MYE: I haven’t really known how to approach this question on the recent passing of Paul Raven, being he was your longtime friend and collaborator in multiple projects. I guess to continue memorializing him and his role in underground music, however you are comfortable, could you share some memories be they live, as a friend or in the studio?

TV: Oh, there’s so many! The main thing, and we still do it even though he’s gone, is when he didn’t have weed he’d start his grumpy mumbling. That’s the disapproval Raven. He’d turn into Mr. Hyde and start blubbering and you couldn’t understand him, and he’d go (in funny voice that sounds like adults on Snoopy/Peanuts) “Well, fuck you then!” And I’d impersonate him and he’d finally laugh back at himself. He didn’t give a fuck. So many things with Paul... He’d thoroughly refuse to sleep in his bunk on any bus tours that we did. You wouldn’t see him all day and he’d be running around collecting shit. I’d say , “What the fuck is wrong with your bunk, man? Why can’t you sleep in there?” And he’d say, “See for yourself, motherfucker!” I’d go look in his bunk and he’d have like, a truck spring and posters and three rat skulls. Weird shit! Clothes and hip hop medallions. It was crazy!

MYE: (laughing) A den of sin.

TV: He was the most insane guy, but as far as musically, God! Killing Joke is forever Prong’s favorite. Paul was part of important shit. There was no one who could do a Raven bass line. We’d be working on something and say, “Oh shit, we need Raven.” He’d come in and it would sometimes take a long time, but when it was done you’d see why he’d done it like that. He made sure he was present between the vocals and drums and made a real backbone for songs. It’s unfortunate because he was getting so creative as a songwriter. He did a lot on The Last Sucker and had a project called Mob Research that he was working on heavily for awhile. I was like, “That asshole!” He goes and gets himself dead when he’s starting to get more active. It’s really sad.

MYE: Any plans for it’s release?

TV: I’m not sure if 13th Planet is putting it out. There’s another contingency also interested. Kory from Warrior Soul sings on it. I’m not sure, but someone will put it out.

MYE: I’ve always wanted to ask you, on a song like Cleansing’s “Cut-Rate” or Ministry’s “No Glory”, how do you play so fast without your hands like, falling off!?

TV: That’s weird ‘cuz “No Glory” is my favorite on The Last Sucker. I was working on the new Prong and so wasn’t on as much of this Ministry, but that was one of my favorites and Al, believe it or not, plays on a lot of that one, too. I don’t know, it’s one of those God gifts. I don’t think about it much, and there’s things I’m not that great at, like all the arpeggio shit that a lot of young kids are bringing back. I’m not afraid to admit that my main influence for playing metal is Ace Frehley.

MYE: Ace rules. Ace is the place.

TV: Yeah. I’m the last guy to pick up a guitar. If I’m not jamming with the band or touring or working on new songs I don’t walk around serenading my girlfriends or whatever.

TV: I’d like some kind of consistency. Hopefully we’ll put out another album after this one that will be similar. Already I’m battling in my head, in that I’ve always been the guy to throw everything in the garbage pail and build again from the bottom. Hopefully I won’t have to, and we’ll have a good pairing for the next record with Power of the Damager--at least have as good or better quality songs on it. We’ve never really had the follow up records. Beg to Differ was strong and Cleansing was good. Rude Awakening wasn’t as good. Not including Force Fed or Primitive Origins. Scorpio Rising wasn’t good neither. The first Ep was good, though we were just starting. This one is probably the best, like you said, next to Cleansing or Beg to Differ.

MYE: What’s the possibility of a “best of” Prong at some point to catalogue your range and have it for new and old fans and for out of print stuff to resurface?

TV: Once we get the songs back from Sony music and they decide we can do that. I don’t know exactly when, but then it’ll happen. There’s two ways to look at it. We could release the next full length first and then do it.

MYE: That seems good. Alright, thanks man. It was great to get to talk with you.

TV: Thanks Morgan. March or April Ministry is coming through the NY way. I’m not sure of the dates yet.

MYE: Well, that’s around my 30th birthday, so I’d love to go and thrash and drink off the misery.

TV: Cool, man.

MYE: Thanks and good luck.