In this post, I will be addressing Marilyn Manson and my thoughts on the accusations against him. If you’re not familiar with the accusations, I’d suggest you educate yourself before you proceed, as some of what I write will be out of context.

Within the past six months I have made good progress on my first book, an American gothic set in modern-day rural America. Details aside, my book will explore the darker side of humanity as is traditional in gothic literature. I hope that someday readers will feel foreboding, slightly nauseated and confused. This may sound sadistic, but this is the type of literature I love and the type of media I consume. It reflects my own inner world in a way that other genres of media simply do not. 

I have fallen back in love with the darker parts of me that I left by the wayside in exchange for “healthier” modes of living. What I mean is, I am an ardent true crime fanatic; a consumer of knowledge about the occult and deranged human events that happen every day. I find myself in internet rabbit holes with sinister themes quite often. And, in my unbridled and caffeinated state, I will endlessly rattle on about serial killers, cults, malignant narcissists and any other evil person in this plane of existence. I am absolutely obsessed with evil and I cannot seem to tame this illness. 

Because I experience an intense inner world, I express these themes in my art as well as my writings. I have found a deep satisfaction in creating works from alcohol ink in the past several years. Mostly greeting cards and some personal creations. But as I delve further into my shadow side, I see my demons come to life on paper: decrepit sketches of Frankensteinian creatures that bring me morbid joy. 

As these creatures developed, I grew disturbed by my own psyche. Why not something beautiful?, I asked myself. At the time I did not appreciate the beauty in the juxtaposition of the light and ethereal with the dark and macabre. I did not understand that I cannot change my brain and how I process the world: a Burtonian landscape of frightening possibilities, cruel characters and horrors lurking just around the corner. But, like a great film, there are rich characters, heart-wrenching stories, and palpable emotions. It’s been this kind of inner universe for some time and I don’t see this changing (there have been many, many attempts). 

So, what does all of this have to do with a shock-rocker accused of domestic violence and rape by his ex-lover almost 15 years ago? 

I didn’t listen to Marilyn Manson much up until two years ago. While I enjoy his music and some of his songs saw me through destructive emotions during that time, I most appreciate his artistry: freedom of expression and a morbid, satanic and androgynous aesthetic. When I saw his watercolor paintings, I was further impressed by not only his range in grotesque expression but artistic endeavors. 

Like Ziggy Stardust, Marilyn Manson embodies an androgynous creature from another dimension – but instead of a spaceman with blue eyeshadow, we have a hellish ghoul adorned in a black, a smeared and distorted face leering at us sinisterly, slowly twisting his head like a mange-addled animal as he seductively crackles his ballad into the microphone. In lieu of the spandex-clad Bowie, we have Manson: dripping in the goth darkness of his rock predecessors, caked in the mud, dirt and heroin-chic grunge of the nineties and bringing forth the Millenium as an Anti-Christ Superstar. His homage to Ziggy Stardust: a freakish other-wordly alienesque creature. Audiences loved Manson’s mechanical animal the way the 70s swooned over Ziggy Stardust. 

After two years, I am now in his fan club and, in addition, I believe he is innocent of Evan Rachel Wood’s public accusations that she was raped, physically abused and psychologically “groomed” by Manson. This is a result of studying him second-hand via the internet and gaining a sense of the artist as much as I could. I also attempted to learn about the man behind the shock rock persona, as well. What do those closest to Manson, or, Brian Warner, have to say about the man behind the “mask”? It turns out that most of them aside from the weakly-argued accusers have very positive feelings towards Manson. His ex-wife Dita Von Teese, ex-girlfriend Rose McGowan and others have proclaimed that Manson never perpetrated any act of violence towards them during their intimate relationship. 

While there have been claims of drug use and infidelity causing strain in his relationships, these are separate, personal and non-legal issues and not a legal case with public access. Drug use and infidelity are unfortunate circumstances but do not predict violence within individuals with no prior history. If Warner were a violent person off stage, I believe we would have better evidence at our disposal aside from a flimsy documentary (“Rising Phoenix”) in which a photos of marks and bruises from paid performers’ job hazards were twisted into proof of Manson’s unhinged, drug-fueled violent beatings. 

After looking into the history of BDSM culture expressed in the music and film industry, it became apparent that artists like Nine Inch Nails and Marilyn Manson were going for very subtle sadomasochistic hints to portray a sinister, uncomfortable and perhaps sensual feeling. Nirvana’s “Polly” contains lyrics of a woman abducted and tortured. These are normal subjects for grunge, industrial and darker genres to explore lyrically and visually in the most tasteful way possible to avoid censorship. While not all viewers are suitable to watch Trent Reznor writhing with a ball-gag in his mouth, or Manson’s portrayal of drug abuse and self-harm, these again are just a modern twist on the larger context of gothic media. To portray these small cinematic creations as anything more than morbid art is twisting the truth. 

Performers, as a result of their employment, will sustain minor injuries on set. Rising Phoenix uses these photographs as “evidence” of Manson’s cruel treatment of women. My questions are: did these performers consent to participate in a music video filming prior to accepting the job? Were they properly informed of the possible consequences? If not, that is the only offense I see that needs remedying or at least, a more well-informed culture around the nature of performance art. 

This leads me to speculate into what might be going on in Evan Rachel Wood’s mind. There is a part of me that thinks she really believes Manson is the monster and not some other unnamed perpetrator from her past. Wood has alleged that two males raped her in the past, although she has only publicly named Manson (after years of not naming any perpetrator, which I don’t believe should be held against her as this isn’t admission of guilt). None of Wood’s allegations match any of what Manson’s other associates or former partners have to say about him. Wood has also been vague as to how Manson perpetrated domestic violence onto her, although she went into an entire dialogue about his “gaslighting” and “psychological abuse”. She spun a story to Dr. Ramani Durvasala, narcissism expert, on how Manson played mind games by belittling her and making her feel awful for serving Manson’s guests tap water instead of bottled water. 

While I don’t doubt that an event happened involving Manson, Wood and water, I doubt that it happened the exact way that Wood portrays it to have happened. I’m not saying that Manson isn’t capable of psychological abuse, but there isn’t much evidence to support that Manson would have engaged in this type of behavior. Unless he was a completely different person with Wood, her stories are unbelievable. More likely, it is a misremembering of their relationship due to time, memory fallibility and drug use. It is highly likely that Wood was using cocaine or other drugs during her relationship with Manson (a “spirited lifestyle”, as Manson’s attorney would put it). 

I can imagine that Illma Gore’s assistance helped churn up the Marilyn Manson abuser narrative. Wood, allegedly diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 2019, likely did experience something traumatic, whether it was prior to her hospitalization that year or much earlier in her life. However, there is no evidence that Manson is involved with Wood’s psychological issues. It seems that Gore used tactics picked up elsewhere to manipulate a story that is just simply too good (er, bad?) to be true. This is based upon sources allegedly close to Gore and knowledgeable about the tactics she was using to co-conspire against Manson. 

The most negative aspects of Brian’s psyche appear to be his battle with himself: cocaine and alcohol addiction and a compulsive need to express himself artistically. While I cannot relate to cocaine or alcohol abuse (not in my price range at the moment), I can unmistakably relate to inner turmoil and a dark inner universe needing to be expressed: a canvas, a page or, in Manson’s case, a chaotic display of fright like a one-man freakshow (and I mean this in high regard). I can also deeply understand the unrelenting frustration at the paradoxes in the world and a desire to make them known. 

There’s very little that’s wise about proclaiming a stranger’s innocence, but in this event, I am more than fairly confident that Marilyn Manson, a.k.a. Brian Warner, stated the truth when he publicly declared he did not sexually assault or perpetrate domestic violence onto Evan Rachel Wood or any other female partners he has dated casually or seriously during his lifetime. 

When I reflect on the artists I admire most from Marilyn Manson’s uprising during the nineties, I look back upon Kurt Cobain and Nirvana. When in doubt, Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged is acoustic heaven. I’m not much into the heavy shouting of hard rock but rather the melancholy and agitated lyrics of a self-deprecating artist like Kurt or the haunting melodies of Alice in Chains with likewise addled Layne Staley. However, early Manson’s “Lunchbox” has entered the domain of one of my favorite nineties songs as it, for me, embodies pure nineties style of a kid-turned-rocker rebellion. There’s something about the nineties and grunge that captivated me as a 90s child who heard Nirvana on the radio in utero (ha) and turned into a fan of Nirvana and nineties alternative music (did any other Millennial have a Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt in high school? Just me? Ok.) 

Like Manson, Kurt was likely misunderstood by those on the periphery or even some of those closest to him. It has been purported that Kurt suffered from an intestinal condition called Crohn’s disease. This can be a devastating condition that causes severe pain flares that are debilitating and sometimes require hospitalization due to dehydration and pain. As it’s easy to judge a “heroin junkie”, it’s likewise easy to look past someone’s frequent complaints of aches and pains. It happens all of the time in medicine and well over thirty years ago, the treatment of Crohn’s was a colostomy bag. Today, my loved one who suffers from Chron’s has a biweekly injection of a biologic drug that costs over $1,000 per month out of pocket. The world was cruel to Kurt as it is for anyone suffering from a terribly painful disease that robs one of life. 

In addition, Kurt likely suffered from major depression, bipolar disorder or something in that vein. While this could have been mood disruptions associated with Crohn’s disease, I believe Kurt likely did suffer from a mood disorder and heroin/opioids served as self-medication for both conditions. In essence, Kurt struggled with three conditions, likely: a mood disorder, a substance use disorder and a debilitating intentional condition. All the makings for an addled man pushing forth morbid beauty into the world and ultimately, unfortunately succumbing to his illness due to our poor understanding of all three conditions (still today). 

There are a lot of things about fandom I don’t particularly like. Thus, I try my best to see the artist as a person and their art as an extension of themselves, expressing something to us lyrically, vocally and emotionally. The meaning is irrelevant as art is open to interpretation. However, I believe the art moves the artist, as well, and their interpretation of it can give a glimpse into themselves, if they’ll allow it. But artists are privy to be private behind their persona, and it is sometimes simpler to let the public make assumptions about the meaning. However, dark themes are not admissions of guilt nor are they professions from the mind of an evil man. Kurt Cobain was misunderstood, and I think Manson is, too. Kurt Cobain was not a “junkie”, and although his death seemed selfish to those who loved him, those who understood his pain don’t judge him as severely. Likewise, there’s a lot that we don’t know about Manson, but from what we as fans are privy to knowing, I refuse to label him an abuser without substantial proof. I stand with Marilyn Manson.