Marilyn Manson; the name that struck fear into the hearts of parents for over a decade back in the late 90's. For many, finding a Manson CD in their kid's bedroom was akin to finding Class A narcotics - they took one look and feared for their child's health and safety. Born in 1969 as Brian Hugh Warner, Manson has been shock-rocking for fifteen years; so infamous he's cropped up in association with everything from being blamed for school shootings to corrupting teenagers and even promoting Satanism. Looking at Marilyn, it's not hard to understand why some people might be intimidated; what with his ghoulishly pale face, jet-black hair and bright, striking make-up - his look has always been a far cry from the norm. Over the years, Manson has participated in dozens of bizarre, shocking activities; some violent, some gross and some that defy categorisation. But what's also true is that many of Manson's strangest moments are the ones that subvert expectation; they're the ones that make you realise his gothic aesthetic is merely a persona, inciting character judgement without looking beneath the surface. Sure, he has done some crazy stuff, but those actions often tip into the awesome side of things, too. Case in point being it's definitely amazing seeing an unlikely person do unlikely things, but it's also fantastic watching someone kick their guitarist in the face while wearing thickly-heeled boots. There's plenty of room here to do both.
