Marilyn Manson gave a huge speech at Cannes Lions about brand awareness. The very idea of MM as a “brand” is hilarious, right? Manson’s a businessman in addition to being a rock star (though he’s not as hard core as Dave Grohl). The Cannes crowd reportedly found him very entertaining. They hung upon his words as if he was giving a TED talk. He looked almost normal too, aside from those chrome teeth. Manson at age 46 is turning out to be an interesting spectacle, but one that is different from his previous circus act routine.
Manson covered a variety of subjects. He expressed regret at how he self-harmed on Christmas in 2009 (as previously detailed to Spin). This was after Evan Rachel Wood dumped him for good. He called her 158 times and cut himself each time she didn’t answer. He was on drugs and out of his mind. His career would soon spiral nearly to the point of no return (after it nearly ended once after the Columbine shootings). Manson’s in a much better place now. I’m not joking. His latest record is a critical hit. Dude is selling out midsize venues around the world (remember, the 1990s are back). Some Cannes highlights:
The Manson dilemma: “I don’t like being a celebrity. It’s difficult because you don’t want to become a caricature of yourself, and you don’t want to be a cliche … sometimes I wonder if I have outgrown the spotlight. You have to question these things. I still get excited performing live still, but when you see the immediate reaction from a crowd, its like being a theater performer, its something you can’t get from being a writer or being an ad man … its almost ritualistic.”
The current state of fame: “It has become increasingly more difficult to maintain what I call ‘not emptying a bucket of mystery,’ there are a lot of people who know a lot about your life. People have an opinion on the internet, but they are all hiding behind the cloak of the internet. Having a persona online doesn’t make you a personality now. When everyone can be famous, to me it’s not a challenge. The best will rise to the top.”
The 1999 Columbine shootings: “When Columbine happened, it really shut down my career entirely, the casinos and the establishments refused to book my shows, it was almost unprecedented, not only did I not do anything, but they were not fans of mine, I sat and watched it live on TV and they said initially they were wearing Manson make-up and t-shirts, then we found out later that they weren’t, but once the wheels started spinning … They put these two killers on the cover of Time magazine. I’ve never been on the cover of Time magazine. That’s the whole point.”
We’re stuck with him: “A lot of people ask me if I would ever become an expatriate, and I considered the idea, but I think America needs someone like me to make it not suck as much as it could.”
His new sound: “I don’t believe you can ever get lazy enough about your fan base. A lot of people say they want to appeal to fans, but I want to make new fans I want people who didn’t like me before to listen to my music.”
On Evan Rachel Wood: “Mistake! Anybody with three names I don’t trust. Don’t ever trust a girl with three names, she will be combing your eyelashes while you are sleeping and stab you. I last time I was in Cannes, I was with Dita. It was the only time I was ever married. Even though it failed, it was my longest relationship — other than Johnny.”
[From Page Six & Daily Mail]
Always with the Johnny Depp namedropping. They’re such an odd couple but much healthier for each other than Manson and Evan were. That was a completely dysfunctional relationship, which led to Manson’s worst album. Evan can’t be blamed for the music, and Manson was clearly obsessed and lost in absinthe, which he’s since given up for the gym. Anyway, Manson is correct. His new album is completely different than anything he’s done, and it would win over people who previously couldn’t stand him. The trick is getting people to give him a chance.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet & WENN
Under all that makeup, and without all the drugs there’s an interesting person.
He is actually very intelligent and articulate. But SUCH a dick.
I love his music.
Just saw him live; he put on a hell of a show. I was back in middle school again for that set…minus the moshing. I’m too old for that now lol.
I saw him a couple of years ago and he was great but the end was so abrupt, I wanted more.
I saw him this year too and I loved it! I’m over the moshing and crowd surfing bit of these kind of concerts though…its annoying for my 30 year old sensibilities. I like his new album and remember when I was grounded when my parents found one of his CDs in the house right after the columbine shootings because it was “the devil’s music”…. ugh.
I saw him live in April! He still puts on a good show but too short for my liking. And he didn’t perform two songs I was dying to hear. *shakes fist*
Don’t like his trashing Evan. He seemed very controlling of her, trying to turn her into dita 2.0 then self harming when she didn’t pick up the phone. Abusers threaten to hurt themselves if their loved ones don’t come back a lot.
Yeah and she was like 19 when they were involved he’s obviously in the wrong.
I thought that part showed a profound lack of self-awareness. What do you expect when you’re in your late 30s and involved with a teenager?
He picked up with her when she was 19 and his marriage was falling apart because of his substance abuse. He just wanted to be with someone young and pliable who thought he was amazing and wouldn’t question his choices.
+1 but he’ll never admit that he’s wrong because he’s a narcissist. It’s always everyone else’s fault, not his.
i think it’s weird when people comment on other people’s relationships. You never know what went on with them TRULY because what we see through media is never accurate and he only chooses to talk about what he wants. ERW tends to morph and change and become like whoever she’s dating. When she dated that guy after Manson, she turned into some artsy hipster girl, so you can’t really say anybody forced her, maybe it’s just a natural merging some people do in relationships. That’ also not to say he’s 100% an angel either. i don’t think he’s a relationship kinda guy, and i think he married to make Dita happy, against his character to be a “husband” type. Always 2 sides of the story. sometimes i wish it was just the art and music we see, because everything else should be irrelevant to an artist’s body of work, and i think his new work is brilliant.
I feel like I’ve been eye rolling him for twenty years.
He’s such a baby. It isn’t right that he was blacklisted on the otherhand he’s limited himself with the Manson name it’s an immature gimmick and it ran its course in the 90s and for a whole bunch of people it will never be about the music. Maybe if he was brave enough at some point to drop the persona and just perform as himself people would have given him a chance? I think it’s work to an extent for Lady Gaga.
He creeps me out big time, but I loved what he said in Bowling for Columbine. MM asked him what he would say to Klebold and Harris, and. Manson said – Nothing. I would listen to them.
Had forgotten that, so thank you for reminding me. I really like that answer.
Yes, you have outgrown the spotlight. Now run along.
I love him, he’s really such a gem. He’s always been quite eloquent. He gets a bad rep for his shock antics, but Manson is a character ahen he’s on tour, just like a large amount of musicians. The issue people tend to have is separating the man from the character.
I’ve always been a Manson fan, I would hit it so hard.
I love the way you ended your comment! He seems like he’d be a good time.
not a fan of his music or his persona but the guy beneath it all has always been very interesting.
What Marilyn Manson has to do with the columbine shooting and it killed his career?
A lot of people said they got the idea listening to his music. And it was initially reported that they were dressed like him when they went on their shooting spree, even though they weren’t. Eminem even talked about it in one of his songs that was big on the radio.
I wish he would’t have made those remarks about ERW though. Other than that, I find him pretty interesting.
I always enjoy his interviews when they’re not in print. I don’t know why but reading his answers makes me tired and not in a bored way. I’m not surprised that ERW has been classier about this topic than he has.
MM is selling out midsize venues. Soon, that Onion article of him going door to door to shock people might come true. He warmed up first at Denny’s Canada.
I’ve never understood why so many people are incapable of seeing that his image is just that, an image to shock and get people talking and questioning why they are so uncomfortable with what he does. It sets a stage for a lot of really conversations about a lot of different things and I’ve always found him to be really well spoken and intelligent, & that in and of itself is problematic for a lot of people who hate him on principle.
I don;’t think he’s outgrown the spotlight I think the spotlight has outgrown him
Honey your not famous (anybore)……sorry. I have a cold.
I like MM 🙂 I prefer him to all those plastic new pseudo-rockers. At least he has something smart to say. And I LOVE Dita <3 she's the best!