Icon Pie Chart: Marilyn Manson
Always an advocate of free speech, Brian Warner aka Marilyn Manson has been pushing the limits of sin and censorship ever since he began making music back in ’89. The goth poster child for the demented is apathetically unapologetic about his music, lyrics, videos and other ever-so-inventive ways he chooses to express himself, making him a hero for angst-ridden teenagers and inevitably becoming their parents’ worst nightmare. Is Marilyn Manson a tortured artist or just downright insane? JUICE ponders the sum of his parts.
30% Musician
He 1st began his music career after meeting like-minded friends and together they formed the band Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids. 4 years later they shot to stardom with Portrait Of An American Family, which was produced by Trent Reznor of Nice Inch Nails. Marilyn Manson’s following grew to epic proportions through the years, especially with the release of his version of Eurythmics’ ‘Sweet Dreams’, and since then most of his albums have gone gold and platinum in the US alone.
15% Artist
Marilyn started out painting as a hobby, with water colour as his medium, and later went on to sell his paintings at solo exhibitions. Inspired by artists like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, he’s had serious buyers from famous fans like Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nicholas Cage and Jack Osbourne-with a price tag of between US$5000 and US$50,000 a pop. Marilyn has even created his very own “Celebritarian Movement”.
11% Film director
Marilyn Manson’s range of talents wouldn’t be complete without a shot at being in the director’s chair-his 1st movie Phantasmagoria: The Visions Of Lewis Carroll was co-written, directed and produced by Marilyn himself. It has taken him 10 years to finish this fantasy/horror movie and fans around the world have been anticipating its release-some predict that it might top Rob Zombie’s directorial efforts. Iconic American lensman Steven Meisel serves as the Director of Photography, so the movie is bound to be aesthetically beautiful. You can check the official trailer on YouTube.
12% Controversy and lawsuits
Manson’s got quite a handful of lawsuits, having been sued for unpaid proceeds from ex-bandmates to being charged with sexual misconduct against a security officer. Oh, to live the life of a rockstar…
10% Actor
Having done theatre in college, Marilyn cites the original version of Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory as his favourite movie and had an interest in playing Willy Wonka for Tim Burton’s remake. Johnny Depp won the role, but the actor is quoted to have modeled the character after Marilyn Manson. Marilyn was offered the part of Dr. Jonathan Crane in Batman Begins, but he turned it down. His most famous role was in 2004 when he played a construction worker in Asia Argento’s The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things. You might be able to spot him in cult movies like Lost Highway and Jawbreaker with his then-girlfriend Rose McGowan. You’ll also be able to see Marilyn in Phantasmagoria alongside his current squeeze Evan Rachel Wood.
8% Absinthe Connoisseur
Developed by Manson himself and released in 2007 to high demand, Mansinthe, the official absinthe of Marilyn Manson, is a collaborative effort with German-based company Absinthvertrieb Lion and a Swiss producer. Since its release, Mansinthe has received good reviews from critics and even went on to win a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the largest and most important spirits competition in the States. The label on the bottle features Marilyn Manson’s painting When I Get Old. You can purchase Mansinthe at www.absinthe.de.
7% Where’s Marilyn Manson?
Marilyn has made several cameo appearances that could fuel his version of Where’s Wally?. He’s made an appearance as Gray Alien in the video game Area 51 and a character featured on Celebrity Deathmatch was inspired by him. He’s even done an episode of Clone High manifested as a cartoon version of himself. Music-wise, he’s played a doctor in the Murderdolls’ music video ‘Dead In Hollywood’, and can be spotted on Nine Inch Nails’ ‘Starf*ckers, Inc.’ and ‘Gave Up’. Can you spot a few others?
5% Music journalist
When he was known just as Brian Warner, he was a music journalist for magazines like 25th Parallel while pursuing his journalism degree. It was during this fated time when he 1st met Trent Reznor during an interview.
2% Collector
Manson’s oddities don’t just span through his art and music; he is also a bizarre collector of prosthetics that include limbs and glass eyes.
Trivia : After his name was used in the New Radicals’ hit song ‘You Get What You Give’, Marilyn threatened that he would crack lead singer Gregg Alexander’s skull for using him in the same sentence as Courtney Love.