It all started back in '87, when Marilyn Manson [Brian Warner] met Twiggy Ramirez [Jeordie White]; they then formed two fake Christian Death Metal bands, Satan on Fire and Mrs. Scabtree. Manson played drums and bass, and Twiggy sang. Later on in '89 Manson met Daisy Berkwitz [Scott Putesky]; both agreed that Manson would do lyrics and Daisy music. Soon they got Olivia Newton [Brian Tutunick] for bass and Zsa Zsa Speck [Perry] for keyboards; they used a drum machine to fill in for the lack of a drummer. The band's name was Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids. Their first show at the Churchill's Hideway in Miami had a twenty people audience. After another five or so shows Olivia and Zsa Zsa left the band, then Madonna Wayne Gacy [ Steve Bier] filled-in for keyboards and Gidget Gein [Brad Stewart] for bass. This year the band released two cassettes: Meat Ball Cleaver Beat and Smiffy's VCR. Soon enouggh in 1990 Manson meets Trent Renzor [Nine Inch Nails], who was currently touring with his band in Florida. They start to keep in touch and down the road become business friends. Finally, in July, the band finds a drummer, Sara Lee Lucas [Fred], and now can get rid of the drum machine. By this time Manson's band is now using more elaborate theatrics and mischief in their show; this by using a Lite-Brite toy that displayed the message "anal fun" and throwing penut butter & jelly sandwiches at the audience. They also release two more cassettes this year: Grist-O-Line and Big Black Bus. In 1991 the released, After School Special and Lunchbox.
In '92 after their August 1st show the band becomes just Marilyn Manson, and is nominated for "Best Hard Alternative Band" and "Band of the Year", by South Florida's Rock Awards, the Slammies. They released the cassette, The Family Jams. It seemed that it was then that the band started to get some recognition; for later on in '93 the band also was nominated for "Band of the Year" and "Song of the Year" for "Dope Hat", once again in the Slammies. Marilyn Manson became the first band Trent Renzor asked to sign to his new label, Nothing Records. The band records their first album Portrait of an American Family at Cuteria Studios with Roli Mossiman as producer. The album was not such as success, so Marilyn Manson asked Trent to asssist him a bit. Trent took the band to the Record Plant in Los Angeles for seven weeks and they manage to fix the cd. The album was semi- mixed by The Sharon Tate House in California. Gidget Gein leaves the band, and is replaced by one of my personal favorites, Twiggy Ramirez (Marilyn's old friend). It was this year that the last of Manson's self-released cassettes was released, Refrigirator.
In 1994 the band accepts the record deal with Nothing Records and celebrate back home in Ft. Lauderdale with Trent. They then tour with NIN's spring Self Destructive '94 Tour. Portrait of an American Family is released with Gidget Gein on all bass parts; it was at this time that the band is seen as evil and satanic.
In the Dallas, Texas show, Marilyn Manson requested a chicken as a joke. Rumors spred that either Manson killed the chicken on stage or that he threw it into the audience and was ripped to shreds. In contrast the band reported that the chicken was returned unharmed to a farm that was most likely going to slaugther it anyway. Another rumor which was actaully true becomes Manson admitted it in several interviews was on November 20th in Miami, Florida. Marilyn Manson came on stage while NIN was still playing, and kneeled down and gave Robin Finck from NIN a "blowwy". Salt Lake City, Utah paid the band NOT to play unless they agreed to certain conditioins. Trent invited Marilyn Manson onstage during NIN's set; he was equipped with a Mormon bible and a letter explauining why they would not play that night. After the letter was read, the bible was finished; he ripped it ot shreds and threw it to the audience. They were now banned from playing there in their '97/98 tour. Manson met Szandor La Vey, founder of the Church of Satan and is ordained by Anton out of respect. Manson was arrested after a show at the Club 5 in Jacksonville, Florida for "violation of the Adult Entertainment Code" [nudity]. There were undercover cops watching the show who claimed he stripped naked and began to masturbate, all false accusations. He was also arrested for a similar incident, charged for indecent exposure.
On March 10, 1995 at the cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North carolina, Marilyn Manson got a tad bit out of control with his fire and ser Sara Lee Lucas' drums on fire [while he was still playing them]. Sara Lee quit after their next show at Alcatrazz in Columbia, South Carolina. The band called in a drummer they had met in Las Vegas to replace Sara Lee and was named Ginger Fish. The band temporarily moved to New Orleans and shot their video for "Dope Hat". Portait of an American Family hit golden status.
In 1996 the band released the EP Smells Like Children (co-produced by Trent) in September and it debuts as #53 on the Billboard's Top 200 Album Charts. "Sweet Dreams" gets active rotation on MTV's Buzz Bin and the band begins their Smells Like Children Tour; they later renamed it The Snow Tour, due to severe weathere conditions. The now began preparing for their next album Antichrist Superstar at Trent's New Orleans recording studio. Early in the recording Daisy desides to resign, which left Manson to fill in for the remainder of the guitar parts. Manson held auditions for a new guitarist and settled for Zim Zum [Mike Linton]. NTV nominated the band for "Best Hard Rock Video" for "Sweet Dreams", the single meanwhile went platinum [one million copies sold] and their EP reached gold. The band began their Dead To the World Tour and released Antichrist Superstar on October 8th. Marilyn Manson won MEtal Edge's Reader's Choice Awards for "Best Video(Clip)" for "The Beautiful People" as well as placing in other areas.
In 1997 Marilyn Manson filed a lawsuit against New Jersey's Giants Stadium for banning them from playing on their Ozzfest '97 Tour. Ozzy Osbourne helps with the battle and Marilyn Manson was able to play as scheduled. In the Washington, D.C. a memeber of the band's lighting crew dies, so Manson dedicated "Sweet Dreams" to him during the show that night. Marilyn Manson won Hit Parader Magazine's Reader's Survey Results "Favorite Band" honor. Also for the same magazine they won first place for "Top 5 Bands", Top 5 Albums" [Antichrist Superstar], "Top 5 Album Titles" [Antichrist Superstar], and "Top 5 Videos"["The Beautiful People"]. Marilyn Manson [Brian Warner] was #1 for "Top 5 Personalities" and "Top 5 Ugly Rockers". {In my opinion, not yours or theirs, he is NOT ugly at all}. In November the EP Remix & Repent was released.
By 1998, they had become one of the biggest bands in the USA, assuming virtual cult status, a position aided as much by their notoriety and propensity for upsetting US right-wing and Christian groups as by their music. Marilyn Manson won Hit Parader;s Reader's Survey honor as "Favorite Band". September saw the release of Manson's
Mechanical Animals. Mechanical Animals was a huge American chart-topper that also placed the band in the UK Top 10 for the first time. During the recording of the album, Zim Zum left and was replaced by Johnnie 5. The highly articulate Manson was forced to morally defend himself when, in April 1999, two alleged fans, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris, murdered 15 of their classmates at Colombine High School in Denver, Colorado. The band was forced to abort their nationwide tour, although fans were rewarded with the release of a live album. Manson addressed many of the issues raised by the Colombine shootings on the band's new album.
Holly Wood (In The Shadow Of The Valley Of Death) was another impressive collection of articulate and deceptively melodic industrial rock that belied the moral majority's one-dimensional portrait of Marilyn Manson as a corrupting, atonal degenerate. Speck and Ramirez left the band in 2002.
I can honestly say I cried when I knew that Twiggy was gone ::sad face::; I miss Twiggy, but oh well. Manson decided that Twiggy was not going to fit the way the band was going, and now he is gone. Soon the new album The Golden Age of Grotesque hit stores and "mOBSCENE" became that first single. Truly, this album is just another great one. I ecourage all to pick it up and to check out the video for "mOBSCENE". Also, watch all of Manson's videos for they are an incredible work of art.
Well guys that is all, I know I cannot possibly include every little detail but I included as much as possible.
- Nancy Velasquez
