Marilyn Manson’s recent bout of bad publicity has made him one angry dude, as attested by the singer’s latest blog entry on MySpace: “I can, but do not need to defend myself and the absurd accusations that the average press has clinged onto. If we need a nude photo of me to prove that I am far different than the soon-to-be-murdered-in-their-home press has decided to fabricate, that is easy … If one more ‘journalist’ makes a cavalier statement about me and my band, I will personally or with my fans help, greet them at their home and discover just how much they believe in their freedom of speech. I dare you all to write one more thing that you won’t say to my face. Because I will make you say it. In that manner. That is a threat”. Manson’s rampage is a direct response to an article published by LA Weekly in which journalist Erin Broadley reports on Travis Keller’s (Buddyhead.com founder) experience of meeting Manson in 2007. The article portrays the singer as a moronic coke addict – the final straw in a long list of recent accusations made by the press.
Well, cry me a river Manson. Your arrogance never fails to amaze me! You actually expect fans to support your ghetto mentality after clocking a horrifically bad performance at this year’s Download festival – in front of a 60 000-strong crowd. “It’s one performance” one may argue. But no, it’s more than that. It’s a matter of principle. Festivals are the place to win over new followers and to convert the sceptics with mind-blowing performances. For a band that just released a new album, you certainly passed up an amazing marketing opportunity. And never mind attracting new fans, what about the die-hard supporters? Clearly, you felt no need to show a little fan-appreciation by putting on any kind of worthwhile performance. I am not naive enough to believe that your craft and the artistic execution thereof is your priority – not as a result of reading some character-slating press articles but from a first-hand impression of your ridiculous behaviour. Disconcertingly, your narcissism has deluded you into ignoring the bad press spewing out of the mouths of your fans. It also seems strange that you, all of a sudden, care what the media says about you. You didn’t care before. In fact, bad press was a tool that you used to promote the ‘fuck you’ image that made you so popular. You are in fact an expert at media manipulation. Not any longer though. Toxic substances seem to have eroded your brain matter into some kind of useless pulp that solidifies on occasion, but not very often. So Mr Diva: I’ll buy your album and appreciate your music but I suggest that you call on your ‘oxygen’-bearers, lipstick appliers and coat-holders to assist in the beat down you have so readily threatened to hand out.
*claps!*
Are you a professional journalist? You write very well.
Thanks! Not ‘professional’, just doing some freelancing but trying to build a writing career so that I can quit my boring job.