Rock On The Net: Marilyn Manson (original) (raw)

Marilyn Manson (aka Brian Warner) was born Ohio. In his late teens, Manson worked as a music journalist in Florida. But when Manson decided to join the music scene as an artist, the result was one of the most controversial music figures of the 90s. His music was often upstaged by his own over the top persona, on-stage antics, and off-stage actions. The band itself has also shared in the controversy, and although the group's line-up has changed several times, band members could always be found changing their names to fit their image (often a combination of female celebrity icon and a serial killer). The name... Marilyn Manson is a combo of 60s icons Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson ...David Berkowitz is a combo of Daisy Duke and David Berkowitz (serial killer, Son of Sam) ...Zsa Zsa Speck is a combo of Zsa Zsa Gabor and serial killer, Richard Speck ...Gidget Gein is a combo of TV character, Gidget and cannibal, Ed Gein ... Olivia Newton Bundy is a combo of Olivia Newton-John and serial killer, Ted Bundy ... Madonna Wayne Gacy is a combo of Madonna and serial killer, John Wayne Gacy ...Twiggy Ramirez is a combo of the model Twiggy and serial killer, Richard Ramirez ...Ginger Baker is a combo of Ginger Rogers and killer, Albert Fish ...Sara Lee Lucas is a combo of baker, Sara Lee and serial killer, Henry Lee Lucas.

Marilyn Manson, the band, was formed when Manson joined up with guitarist Daisy Berkowitz (aka Scott Mitchell and/or Scott Putesky) and eventually added Gidget Gein on bass and Madonna Wayne-Gacy on keyboards.

The band's drum machine was replaced by a real drummer - Sara Lee Lucas.

In the early 90s, Marilyn Manson began to get noticed around Florida with their sounds becoming more refined and distinct. The band began to sell their music on cassettes at various performances and record stores.

Marilyn Manson's hard-rock and gothic sound was beginning to gain popularity in Florida as Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids, and the band were nominated for a few local music awards. The band reduced its name to just Marilyn Manson by the end of the summer. Marilyn Manson was named Best Heavy Metal Band by New Times Magazine and was nominated for 2 South Florida Slammies including Band of the Year and Best Hard Alternative Band.

Marilyn Manson's big break came in the form of Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails who offered the band a contract with his own label and the opening slot of his tour.

At the end of the year, the band replaced bassist Gein with Twiggy Ramirez. Marilyn Manson won 2 South Florida Slammies for Band of the Year and Song of the Year ("Dope Hat").

Marilyn Manson released Portrait Of An American Family.
The band was banned from performing in Utah, but when Reznor invited Manson on-stage, he sparked more controversy by ripping up the Book of Mormon.
Manson was also jailed in Florida for a short time for nudity violations during his concert appearances.

By the end of the year, Manson had gained the title of "Reverend" by the founder of the Church of Satan. The band won a South Florida Slammie for Band of the Year.

The band's drummer, Lucas, was replaced with Ginger Fish (Lucas quit a day after Manson set his drums on fire while playing).

Berkowitz decided to leave the band and was replaced with Zim Zum.

The EP, Smells Like Children, was released and eventually went platinum. The band's version of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" got the attention of MTV viewers and hard rock stations.

The band was nominated for a MTV Video Music Award for Best Hard Rock Video ("Sweet Dreams") and won another South Florida Slammie for Band of the Year.

Antichrist Superstarwas released with the track "The Beautiful People" - available for download at - and debuted in the Top 3 of the LP charts. Marilyn Manson was also receiving more critical praise for the work with the LP release than previous efforts.

Marilyn Manson was nominated for 3 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Rock Video, Best Special Effects, and Best Art Direction ("The Beautiful People").

Marilyn Manson was a key topic at a Senate panel discussing the effects of today's music on the youth of America. A father of a 15-year-old who killed himself while listening to the band's music described how he felt the music played an important part of his son's suicide. When the boys body was found, Manson's Antichrist Superstar was reportedly playing in the portable CD player the boy was wearing. The boys father stated, "I failed to recognize that my son was holding a hand grenade and it was live and it was going to go off in his mind." Other speakers at the hearing included senators and medical experts who were concerned about a possible links between expressive lyrics and violence. Record companies have been placing warning labels on offensive material for several years, but some at the panel suggested making parental warnings more stringent. Manson responded: "Obviously it upset me that someone [would think] I would encourage that type of behavior. I've always said that people [who] would harm themselves or others over music or film or books, [they're] just being ignorant. If people want to be ignorant there's nothing you could do about it. It's a wake-up call for parents to teach their kids to be more intelligent [ways], to interpret art with some sort of intelligence. If you want to blame music for someone hurting themselves, then you can just as easily blame Shakespeare writing "Romeo & Juliet" which is something I was taught when I was a kid, and that's a story about two teenagers that killed themselves because their parents don't understand them and I think the key lesson is that parents don't understand their kids. If you take more time to talk to your kids, your kids are going to live happier lives."
The EP, Remix & Repent, was released.
Marilyn Manson could also be heard on the soundtracks for Lost Highway (with "Apple Of Sodom") and Private Parts (with "Suck For Your Solution").

Marilyn Manson could now be called an author - his autobiography written with Neil Strauss, The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell, was published. Marilyn Manson may be outspoken about the arts and freedom of expression, but not on the Internet Super Highway - the shock rocker blames the Internet for many of the rumors that have formed his career. Manson stated his opinion during the National Public Radio program, Fresh Air. He referred to the Internet as a "dangerous tool" and blames the Internet for many of the rumors that plague his music. He stated, "In the wrong hands, the Internet can be a dangerous tool. It's the CB radio of the '90s, but it's being interpreted as a legitimate source of news, which it's not. I think eventually there will be some sort of laws that will deal with that."

Marilyn Manson cancelled 7 tour dates in Europe due to the band's drummer coming down with mononucleosis.
Zim Zum left the band to pursue solo interests and was replaced by John 5 (aka John Lowery).

Marilyn Manson appeared on the soundtrack for Dead Man On Campus with "Golden Years."

Marilyn Manson talked about his new LP, Mechanical Animals, with CNN and controversy about him: "I'm telling people what I see... and some people are scared of that because they don't like the way I see it... I expect problems, you know, always with whatever I do... but that's part of being a provocative artist, which is something I'll always be... I kind of represented myself as a destroyer on Antichrist Superstar because I couldn't fit into a world that hated me... and so I wanted to see it destroyed."
Manson talked with the LA Times: "Anyone who blames music for their kids' problems or for kids hurting themselves or others is kidding themselves... (the answer is to) raise your kids to be more intelligent... every house that has a Marilyn Manson record probably also has a Bible and history book and William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet... if anything is taken out of context, it can cause damage."

Mechanical Animals topped the Billboard 200 Albums chart for a week.
Marilyn Manson found his first bought of opposition when public officials in Syracuse, NY moved to stop him from appearing in concert there.
Marilyn Manson and DMX teamed up together on a remix of "Damien" (from DMX's debut LP) appearing on DMX's LP Flesh Of My Flesh, Blood Of My Blood.

The band found trouble when they reportedly trashed 4 hotel rooms and their dressing room after a concert appearance in New York over the weekend (including arson and vandalism). A few days later Manson was accused of getting his bodyguards to assault an editor of Spin magazine on Monday. According to the editor, Craig Marks, "(Manson) said 'You know I can kill you, your family and everyone you know'... right after he said that, I was grabbed and shoved up against the wall by my neck."

Rolling Stone named "The Dope Show" as the Best Video of the Year.

Marilyn Manson was nominated for a European Music Award for Best Rock Video and won 2 Billboard Video Music Awards for Best Clip (Hard Rock/Metal) and the Maximum Vision Award ("The Dope Show").

Marilyn Manson could be seen in "all his glory" in the gay adult magazine Honcho. The photos were taken previous to Manson's musical fame.
Manson found himself being sued by the executive editor ofSpin for $24 million stemming from an alleged attack in November.
Manson cut short his concert performance in Australia on Sunday after an unruly crowd began throwing objects onto the stage.
Manson could also be seen briefly in the film Jawbreaker.

Marilyn Manson were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance ("The Dope Show").

At the same time Hole decided to end their touring relationship with Marilyn Manson, Manson fell on-stage resulting in an ankle injury and a few cancelled tour dates.

Manson spoke out about the tragic school shooting in Columbine, Colorado (when 2 students killed 12 other students and a teacher) and the increasing finger-pointing at today's music. A Marilyn Manson concert set for the end of the month at Red Rocks was cancelled by the mayor. Manson said in a statement, "It's tragic and disgusting anytime young people's lives are taken in an act of senseless violence. My condolences go out to the students and their families."

Manson cancelled the last 5 dates of his tour at the start of May. Manson wrote more about the killings in Rolling Stone: "It is sad to think that the first few people on earth needed no books, movies, games or music to inspire cold-blooded murder. The day that Cain bashed his brother Abel's brains in, the only motivation he needed was his own human disposition to violence... When it comes down to who's to blame for the high school murders in Littleton, Colorado, throw a rock and you'll hit someone who's guilty. We're the people who sit back and tolerate children owning guns, and we're the ones who tune in and watch the up-to-the-minute details of what they do with them.... Responsible journalists have reported with less publicity that Harris and Klebold were not Marilyn Manson fans -- that they even disliked my music. Even if they were fans, that gives them no excuse, nor does it mean that music is to blame... I think that the National Rifle Association is far too powerful to take on, so most people choose Doom, The Basketball Diaries or yours truly... In my work I examine the America we live in, and I've always tried to show people that the devil we blame our atrocities on is really just each one of us. So don't expect the end of the world to come one day out of the blue -- it's been happening every day for a long time."

Manson was stirring up controversy again with the release of the video for "Coma White" which re-created the assassination of John F. Kennedy for the sake of "artistic expression." The video's release was originally delayed due to the death of John Kennedy, Jr.
The video for "The Dope Show" was nominated for aMTV Video Music Award for Best Cinematography (Martin Coppen).

Marilyn Manson were nominated for a MTV Europe Music Award for Best Rock Artist.

Marilyn Manson released a live LP, The Last Tour On Earth.

MTV: 100 Greatest Videos Ever Madeincludes "The Beautiful People" at # 54.

Marilyn Manson released Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death).
VH1: 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rockincluded Marilyn Manson at # 78.
Toward the end of the month, drummer Ginger Fish fractured his collarbone during a performance in New York.

Marilyn Manson were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance ("Astonishing Panorama Of The Endtimes").
After performing in Italy, Manson was arrested for indecent exposure.
Marilyn Manson could be heard on the soundtrack for Valentine with the track "Valentine's Day."

Manson was charged with criminal sexual conduct in Michigan after performing an alleged offensive act on a security guard during a performance.

Marilyn Manson could be heard on the soundtrack for From Hell with the Wormwood Remix of "Nobodies."

Marilyn Manson recorded a remake of "Tainted Love" for the film Not Another Teen Movie.
Manson was in trouble again with another civil suit filed against him - this time for rubbing his crotch on a security guard's head - again.

Manson's charges for crimimal sexual conduct (from July, 2001) were reduced to a misdemeanor.

Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death) was certified gold.
Marilyn Man could be heard on the compilation LP WWF Forceable Entry with the track "The Beautiful People (The WWF Remix)."

Marilyn Manson contributed the track "The KKK Took My Baby Away" to We're A Happy Family - A Tribute To The Ramones.

Marilyn Manson's next LP, The Golden Age Of Grotesque, was released.
Marilyn Manson topped the Billboard Top 200 Album chart for a week withThe Golden Age Of Grotesque which sold over 118,000 copies in the US its first week of release.
The Golden Age Of Grotesque topped the Canadian LP chart.
The Golden Age Of Grotesquewas certified gold.

Marilyn Manson began taking part in Ozzfest. Marilyn Manson was not be able to perform as part of Ozzfest when they rolled into Six Flags at Darien Lake in New York. They were viewed as inappropriate for the venue.

Marilyn Manson was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance ("mOBSCENE").

Marilyn Manson released the collection Lest We Forget: The Best Of.
Drummer, Ginger Fish was injured during a fall from the stage at an awards ceremony performance in Germany - resulting in a mild concussion and broken wrist.

Lest We Forget: The Best Of was certified gold.

Marilyn Manson got married.

Marilyn Manson released Eat Me, Drink Me.

Marilyn Manson could be heard on the compilationNightmare Revistedwith the track "This Is Halloween."

Marilyn Manson released The High End Of Low.

Marilyn Manson released Born Villain.
Marilyn Manson topped the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart with Born Villain.

Marilyn Manson were nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance ("No Reflection").

• January 20: Marilyn Manson released The Pale Emperor.
• February 7: Marilyn Manson topped the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart with The Pale Emperor.

• September 30: Marilyn Manson was hurt during a performance in New York when a stage prop collapsed on top of him.
• October 6: Marilyn Manson released Heaven Upside Down.
• October 28: Marilyn Manson topped the Billboard Hard Rock Albums chart and Alternative Albums chart with Heaven Upside Down.

• September 11: Marilyn Manson released We Are Chaos.
• September 26: Marilyn Manson topped the Billboard Album Sales chart, Rock Albums chart, and Hard Rock Albums chart with We Are Chaos.

• April 30: Marilyn Manson was hit with a lawsuit claiming sexual assault and sex trafficking by actress Esme Bianco of the Game Of Thrones.

• Marilyn Manson will release One Assassination Under God - Chapter 1 on November 22nd.

	Portrait Of An American FamilyReleased: July, 1994 US: Gold Tracks: "Prelude (The Family Trip)" - "Cake And Sodomy" - "Lunchbox" - "Organ Grinder" - "Cyclops" - "Dope Hat" - "Get Your Gunn" - "Wrapped In Plastic" - "Dogma" - "Snake Eyes And Sissies" - "My Monkey" - "Misery Machine"
	Smells Like Children(EP)Released: October, 1995 US: Platinum Billboard peak: # 31 Tracks: "The Hands Of Small Children" - "Diary Of A Dope Fiend" - "Chicken Gang Bang" - "Kiddie Grinder" (Remix) - "Sympathy For The Parents" - "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" - "Everlasting C*********" (Remix) - "F**** Frankie" - "I Put A Spell On You" - "May Cause Discoloration Of The Urine Or Feces" - "Scales, Guns & Peanut Butter" - "Dance Of The Dope Hats" (Remix) - "White Trash" - "Dancing With The One-Legged..." - "Rock 'N' Roll N*****"
	Antichrist SuperstarReleased: October, 1996 US: Platinum Billboard peak: # 3 Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" - "Beautiful People" - "Dried Up, Tied And Dead To The World" - "Tourniquet" - "Little Horn" - "Cryptorchild" - "Deformography" - "Wormboy" - "Mister Superstar" - "Angel With The Scabbed Wings" - "Kinderfield" - "Antichrist Superstar" - "1996" - "Minute Of Decay" - "Reflecting God" - "Man That You Fear"
	Remix & Repent (EP)Released: November, 1997 Billboard peak: # 102 Tracks: "Horrible People" - "Tourniquet" (Prosthetic Dance Mix) - "Dried Up, Tied And Dead To The World" (live) - "Antichrist Superstar" (live) - "The Man That You Fear" (Acoustic Requiem for Antichrist Superstar)
	Mechanical AnimalsReleased: September 15, 1998 US: Platinum Billboard peak: # 1 (for 1 week) Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "Great Big White World" - "Dope Show" - "Mechanical Animals" - "Rock Is Dead" - "Dissociative" - "Speed Of Pain" - "Posthuman" - "I Want To Disappear" - "I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)" - "New Model, No. 15" - "User Friendly" - "Fundamentally Loathsome" - "Last Day On Earth" - "Coma White"
	The Last Tour On EarthReleased: November, 1999 Billboard peak: # 82 Rolling Stone review: Live Tracks: "Inauguration Of The Mechanical Christ" - "Reflecting God" - "Great Big White World" - "Get Your Gunn" - "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" - "Hell Outro" - "Rock Is Dead" - "Dope Show" - "Lunchbox" - "I Don't Like The Drugs (But The Drugs Like Me)" - "Antichrist Superstar" - "Beautiful People" - "Irresponsible Hate Anthem" - "The Last Day On Earth" - "Astonishing Panorama Of The End Times"
	Holy Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death)Released: November, 2000 US: Gold Billboard peak: # 13 Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "Godeatgod" - "Love Song" - "Fight Song" - "Disposable Teens" - "Target Audience (Narcissus Narcosis)" - "President Dead" - "In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death" - "Cruci-Fiction In Space" - "Place In The Dirt" - "Nobodies" - "Death Song" - "Lamb Of God" - "Born Again" - "Burning Flag" - "Coma Black: Eden Eye / The Apple Of Discord" - "Valentine's Day" - "Fall Of Adam" - "King Kill" - "Count To 6 And Die"
	The Golden Age Of GrotesqueReleased: May, 2003 US: Gold Billboard peak: # 1 (for 1 week) Rolling Stone review: Tracks: "This Is New S***" - "Mobscene" - "Doll-Dagga Buzz-Buzz Ziggety-Zag" - "Use Your Fist And Not Your Mouth" - "The Golden Age Of Grotesque" - "(s)aint" - "Ka-Boom Ka-Boom" - "Slutgarden" - "Spade" - "Para-noir" - "The Bright Young Things" - "Better Of Two Evils" - "Vodevil" - "Obsequy (The Death Of Art)"
	Lest We Forget: The Best OfReleased: September, 2004 US: Gold Billboard peak: # 9 Rolling Stone: Tracks: "The Love Song" - "Personal Jesus" - "mOBSCENE" - "The Fight Song" - "Tainted Love" - "The Dope Show" - "This Is The New S***" - "Disposable Teens" - "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" - "Lunchbox" - "Tourniquet" - "Rock Is Dead" - "Get Your Gunn" - "The Nobodies" - "Long Hard Road Out Of Hell" - "The Beautiful People" - "The Reflecting God"
	Eat Me, Drink MeReleased: June, 2007 Billboard peak: # 8 Rolling Stone: - Entertainment Weekly: B Tracks: "If I Was Your Vampire" - "Putting Holes In Happiness" - "Red Carpet Grave" - "They Said The Hell's Not Hot" - "Just A Car Crash Away" - "Heart-Shaped Glasses (When The Heart Guides The Hand)" - "Evidence" - "Are You The Rabbit?" - "Mutilation Is The Most Sincere Form Of Flattery" - "You And Me And The Devil Makes 3" - "Eat Me, Drink Me"
	The High End Of LowReleased: May, 2009 Billboard peak: # 4 Rolling Stone: - Entertainment Weekly: C+ Tracks: "Devour" - "Pretty As A ($)" - "Four Rusted Horses" - "Arma-goddam-motherf*****-geddon" - "Blank & White" - "Running To The Edge Of The World" - "I Want To Kill You Like They Do In The Movies" - "WOW" - "Wight Spider" - "Unkillable Monster" - "We're From America" - "I Have To Look Up Just To See Hell" - "Into The Fire" - "15"
Amazon.mp3	Born VillainReleased: May, 2012 Tracks: "Hey, Cruel World" - "No Reflection" - "Pistol Whipped" - Overneath The Path Of Misery" - "Slo-mo-tion" - "The Garderner" - "The Flowers Of Evil" - "Children Of Cain" - "Disengaged" - Lay Down Your Goddamn Arms" - "Murderers Are Getting Prettier Every Day" - "Born Villain" - "Breaking The Same Old Ground" - "You're So Vain"
iTunes Amazon.mp3	The Pale EmperorReleased: Janaury 20, 2015 Billboard Top 200 LPs peak: # 8 Tracks: "Killing Strangers" - "Deep Six" - "Third Day Of A Seven Day Binge" - "The Mephistopheles Of Los Angeles" - "Warship My Wreck" - "Slave Only Dreams To Be King" - "The Devil Beneath My Feet" - "Birds Of Hell Awaiting" - "Cupid Carries A Gun" - "Odds Of Even" - "Day 3" - "Fated, Faithful, Fatal" - "Fall Of The House Of Death"
iTunes Amazon.mp3 vinyl	Heaven Upside DownReleased: October 6, 2017 Tracks: "Revelation #12" - "Tattooed In Reverse" - "We Know Where You F****** Live" - "Say10" - "Kill4Me" - "Saturnalia" - "Je$u$ Cri$i$" - "Blood Honey" - "Heaven Upside Down" - "Threats Of Romance"
iTunes Amazon.mp3 vinyl	We Are ChaosReleased: September 11, 2020 Tracks: "Red Black And Blue" - "We Are Chaos" - "Don't Chase The Dead" - "Paint You With My Love" - "Half-Way & One Step Forward" - "Infinite Darkness" - "Perfume" - "Keep My Head Together" - "Solve Coagula" - "Broken Needle"