UN: For those new to Fireball Ministry can you go through a history of the band. Were any of the members in any bands prior to being in FM?

Emily: James and I started the band in ’98, although it was really just 2 kids with a 3-song demo and a cool name. We moved to Los Angeles the following year and got a deal with Bong Load Records a few months later. We recorded our first full-length “Ou Est la Rock?” John O, our drummer, was the general manager of the label at the time; he was asked to play drums on the record because we didn’t have a bass player or a drummer. He was in a band called Muzza Chunka a few years before who were signed to Arista. Our original bass player was Hellen Storer, but when she left we got Janis, who’s been in a number of bands- Stone Fox, L7, Hammers of Misfortune, and most recently was in Pink’s touring band.

UN: I was very surprised to find out that your latest album was released by Nuclear Blast. While it’s a great label, it’s probably the last label you’d expect a straight ahead rock n roll record to be released by. How did things come together with Nuclear Blast?

Emily: A friend of ours was doing A&R for Nuclear Blast USA and thought that we would be a good addition to the label. He presented us to the German office and they offered us a deal. We are a departure from most of the other bands on the label, but it’s good to have variety.

UN: Let’s talk about your new record for a bit. Would you consider it a step forward for the band? Are you guys pleased with how the album turned out and the response it has garnered so far?

Emily: I’m pleased with it. Our video’s on “Headbanger’s Ball” and we’ve been able to get over to Europe to tour on this one, so I think it’s a step forward. Most of the songs for us are several years old, so now I’m starting to think about what the next record will be.

UN: Can you explain the meaning of the album name?

Emily: “The Second Great Awakening” is a term for a period in the late 1800’s when traveling church meetings and tent revivals became popular. The tent revival imagery is something that’s always been with the band; just substitute the religion with Rock. This was already the cover concept we had for the record and being that this is our second album, the name has taken on sort of a double meaning.

UN: Are you guys pleased with how the cover art turned out? I think it’s a nice change of pace to see a cover without a full black background and any girls in bikinis. Not that I don’t like covers like that, but it definitely seems to be overdone in rock n’ roll.

Emily: Comic artist Dan Brereton of Nocturnals fame painted the cover for us. We’ve always wanted to have painted album art and to have our likenesses done by Dan was a real honor. Painted album art is less common in the US than in Europe though. The European version of our record has an O-card that has our devilhead motorcycle club logo on it. We were all excited to have this great painted art and the label was like everybody has that here.

We’ve gotten some comments that the art is too 80’s. Apparently it’s not minimalist enough for the fucking hipsters. These same dudes are wearing Members Only jackets and iZods.

UN: What was it like working with Nick Raskulinecz? Not very many dirty rock n’ roll bands can say that they’ve been album to record with a Grammy winning producer before. Did he have a good idea about what the band was all about? Was he a fan before you recorded the album?

Emily: Nick’s awesome. We worked with him on the EP we did for Smallstone a couple years back, way before he was a “two-time Grammy winner.” We have the same idea of what makes a great rock record, so working with him is just about a no-brainer. Plus he’s a lot of fun in the studio- he plays quite a few air-instruments.

UN: What are your thoughts on the current state of rock music? Mainstream rock is pretty much impotent and hardly even rock these days. There are still a lot of great underground bands though. Any recommendations for people to check out?

Emily: Oh yeah- I recommend Drunk Horse from Oakland. They’re probably the greatest band you’ve never heard. Dixie Witch, Puny Human, Grand Magus. All these bands, the guys can actually play their instruments- not just pose with them and look like “rockers.” How many ways can you rip off the Stooges? It’s so boring.

UN: Just out of curiosity, do you guys think that it’s important to be an original band? The reason I ask is because, I think that if a formula’s not broken there’s nothing to fix. Showing influences isn’t always a bad thing. After all there’s only so many notes and chords you can play.

Emily: I agree and that was kind of our philosophy when we started the band- good heavy rock with a solid song structure and choruses that you can sing along to. However, it’s good to try new things and experiment. Verse prechorus/chorus can get really boring. A song can still have structure and have several different pieces to it-take Mercyful Fate for example.

UN: You guys recently had the chance to tour Germany with Uriah Heep and Blue Oyster Cult. I’d assume it’s safe to say that those are two bands that would be a blast to tour with. Probably a good way to expose your music to people that may not be familiar with the Ministry just yet.

Emily: Totally- it was really a good time and much easier touring than we’re used to- tour bus, full catering, lights, organization. Uriah Heep was incredible- great players and super-cool. And Buck Dharma still holds it down as well. It was a good bill because the older portion of their audience wasn’t totally offended by us and the all the younger people that came were into it.

UN: While on the subject of touring, is it important for you guys to be on the road a lot? I’m not familiar with your touring schedule. How much of the year are you guys usually on the road? Is playing live what it’s all about for you guys?

Emily: I think playing live is crucial for us because that’s when people seem to “get it.” I don’t think people really know what to make of us until we show them. We’ve just begun touring for this record really. March we’ll be in the UK and then we’re doing the US after that. We’ve really only hit the West Coast for this record so far in the States.

>h5>UN: Do you think that a band needs to be seen on MTV these days to make it anywhere in the business? I know that you guys have been played on there before. Do you think it’s helped you guys get more fans?

Emily: As much as I hate to say it- yes. It’s definitely helped us. You’re reaching a huge national audience and it’s not grandmas; it’s people who listen to music…or at least watch it on TV. And the radio equivalent is XM satellite. I think that’s going to become a major contender in the future of rock. The DJs can play what they want and it’s not dictated by payola.

UN: Is there an ideal place you’d like to see Fireball Ministry end up? Possibly in cd collections next to the Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath albums? Do you think FM will have that type of longevity?

Emily: That’d certainly be nice.