I went to YouTube to watch some classic Marilyn Manson videos and was very surprised by the first one that came up:
A Prequel Story: The Tin Man
The video was from 2024 and was actually 2 songs:
2009's Into the Fire from The High End of Low album.
2020's Broken Needle from the We Are Chaos album.
Both songs together made a great extended play, but if Marilyn Manson is cancelled, why re-release the songs in a different package?
Unless there's a comeback...
Quietly, for Marilyn Manson, he performed his first set of songs in 5 years just last week. Was the story the lead at CNN, ABC, or even the Daily Mail? Nope, I found the blurb tucked away at Revolver Magazine.
Where did Manson go? Well, at first, he went to where all the rockers went, into hiding during Covid. 2020 saw the decimation of the concert industry and Manson privately married. Then, in 2021, when many celebrated their returns to the stage, Rolling Stone published their damning portrait of Manson: The Monster in Plain Sight. That piece was accompanied by a slew of lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct.
The Monster in Plain Sight tried to portray Rock Star Manson as a bad boy, secretly pretending to be a good guy, who was in reality a super-secret really, really bad boy.
From Rolling Stone: "(Manson) was a provocative media darling for decades. Offstage, exes allege, he was an abuser who made their lives hell. A Rolling Stone investigation based on court documents and more than 55 new interviews."
But in 2021, I defended Manson in this way:
'Wes Borland on Manson: "He’s not a great guy. And every single thing that people have said about him is fucking true."- Louder Sound
Trent Reznor, who produced Manson's early work "I have been vocal over the years about my dislike of Manson as a person and cut ties with him nearly 25 years ago.." - Pitchfork
Ex-Fiancee Rose McGowen on Manson: "I stand with Evan Rachael Wood." - Insider
I couldn't find one person willing to take up for Manson. His record label dropped him like a hot potato. His talent agency couldn't get rid of him fast enough. He now appears to be floating on an island, putting out statements through his lawyers. But I'm going to defend him in one respect, Marilyn Manson didn't trick you. Manson pushed the accelerator to the floor and sold you sex, drugs, and rock and roll. In the end, he (allegedly) took the sex and the drugs too far.
Way, way too far.'
Then, poof, Marilyn Manson disappeared behind a curtain of lawyers.
But I'll say it again, I never thought Marilyn Manson was a "good guy." He was never that complicated. If I had to write a thesis on Marilyn Manson, it would be called "The Perversion of Sex and Violence in American Society."
He was a provocative artist who liked to cross the line, then tried to figure out how to cross the line again. I am always leery of He Said / She Said situations, but usually He Said / She Said, She Said, She Said, She Said, She Said, She Said situations, like in Manson's case, are a bit easier to judge. [Litigation still pending.]
Did Marilyn Manson exploit moral grey areas? I'm sure he did. But at some point, the mountain of allegations had to be, in the kindest terms, embarrassing. Even if he was totally innocent, (which I'm sure he's not,) at what point do you retreat into the world of Brian Warner and contemplate retirement?
Where does an Aged Shock Rocker fit into a world of Shocking Behavior? How many more tricks does he have up his sleeve, and, more importantly, does he deserve the opportunity to be a magician again?
Manson's greatest feat may be coming back from oblivion, Marilyn Manson as The Cockroach.
Comments