At a time of Wallflowers and Big-Headed Hooties, along comes Marilyn Manson and crew to unleash harsh, unrepentant music that annoys all manner of authorities and gets the group banned from cities hellbent on keeping this brand of blasphemy away from impressive children. Like the similarly-minded Alice Cooper (whom they are constantly compared to), Manson stands apart from other "shock rockers" of his/their generation by having successful hit singles that receive airplay. Unlike Cooper, our man Marilyn says his is no act: The Satanic sloganeering and thinly-veiled fascist imagery may be part of the theatrical trappings, but they mean it.
The band formed in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in 1990. Members that have come and gone have all utilized the sexpot/serial killer moniker gimmick, hence, Madonna Wayne Gacy, Twiggy Ramirez, Daisy Berkowitz, Gidget Gein, etc. Trent Reznor signed them to his Nothing Records label, and released their debut in 1994. The band toured the U.S. and established a core fan base of kids, mostly from gothic rock and heavy metal camps. Marilyn became a media figurehead with '90s Evil; a dependable coverboy on rock mags from Spin to Alternative Press to Metal Edge, and has even appeared in Family Circle, offering up moshing safety tips. An appearance on The Phil Donahue Show seemed to indicate a penetration of the establishment, where he could unravel from within.
Manson's first hit was their version of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)," which added eerieness and metallic fury to the song's inherent familiarity. The EP from which it came, Smells Like Children, went platinum, setting the stage for the massive commercial breakthrough (and subsequent Satanic propaganda campaign) of Antichrist Superstar. Musically, their inventive and personal blend of industrial noise, metal guitar, gothic keys and distorted vocals has been somewhat overlooked in favor of their attempts to shock. Their newest album "The Golden Age Of Grotesque" was yet another fantastic CD with singles, "mObscene" and "This Is The New Sh!t"
