CHUCK PALAHNIUK - American Goth (An Interview With Marilyn Manson)

 

"American Goth" an interview with Marilyn Manson conducted by  by Chuck Palahniuk  (from Gear Magazine)  Destiny’ss Child: The Second Coming of Marilyn Manson  Destiny’ Manson   t!s almost midnight in Marilyn Manson!s attic #he attic is at the to$ of a s$iral staircase where the skeleton of a seven%foot%tall man& the bones black with age& crouches with his human skull re$laced by a ram!s skull 'e!s the the altar $iece from an old o ld atanic church in ritain& Manson says *e+t to the skeleton is the artificial leg a man $ulled off himself and gave to Manson after a concert Manson is at the end of ,- years! work t! t!ss a new start #he al$ha and the omega for this man who!s worked to become the most des$ised& the most frightening artist in music As a co$ing method A defense mechanism .r /ust out of boredom #he walls are red& and as Manson sits on the black car$et& shuffling tarot cards& he says& "t!s hard to read yourself" omewhere& he says& he!s got the skeleton of a seven%year%old Chinese boy& disassembled and sealed in $lastic bags " think  might make a chandelier out of it&" he says omewhere is the bottle of absinthe he drinks des$ite the fear of brain damage 'ere in the attic are his $aintings and the working manuscri$t for his novel 'e brings out the designs for a new deck of tarot cards t!s him on almost every card Manson as the 0m$eror& sitting in a wheelchair with $rosthetic legs& clutching a rifle& with the American flag hung u$side%down behind him h im Manson as the headless 1ool& ste$$ing o off ff a cliff with grainy images of 2ackie . in her $ink suit and a 213 cam$aign $oster in the background "t was a matter of re%inter$reting the tarot&" he says " re$laced the swords with guns And /ustice is weighing the ible against the rain" 'e says& "ecause each card has so many different symbols& there is a real magic& ritual element to it 4hen you shuffle& you!re su$$osed to transfer your energy to the cards t sounds kind of hokey t!s not something  do all the time  like the symbolism much more than the trying to rely on divination " think a reasonable 5uestion would be& 64hat!s ne+t7!" he says& about to deal the cards and begin his reading "More s$ecific& 64hat!s my ne+t ste$7!" Manson deals his first card8 #he 'iero$hant "#he first card that you $ut down&" Manson says& looking at the u$side%down card& "this re$resents wisdom and forethought& and the fact that  /ust dealt it u$side%down could mean the o$$osite9like a lack  cou could ld be na:ve about something #his card is& right now& my direct influence" #he reading takes $lace shortly sho rtly after ;ose McGowan!s lef leftt the house they share in the 'ollywood 'ills9after Manson and McGowan $layed with their oston terriers& ug and 1ester& and e+amined a catalog with the 'alloween costumes she wants to order for the dogs 'er and driver are with o utside& outside& catchinga amonitor red%eyeshows flight views to Canada she!scar making a movie Alanwaiting Alda nhe!s the kitchen& fromwhere the

 

different security cameras& and McGowan talks about how different Alan Alan Alda looks& how  big his nose is Manson tells her how& as men grow older& their nose and ears and scrotums kee$ growing 'is mom& a nurse& told him about old men whose balls hung halfway down their legs Manson and McGowan kiss goodbye "#hanks a lot&" she says sa ys "*ow when  work with Alan A Alda& lda& !ll be wondering how big his scrotum is" n the attic& Manson deals his second card8 #he 2ustice "#his could be referring to my  /udgment&" he says& "my ability to discern& $ossibly with friendshi$s or business business dealings ;ight now  feel a little na:ve or unsure about either friendshi$s or business dealings& which does $articularly a$$ly to certain circumstances between be tween me and my record com$any o that makes every bit of sense" #he day before& in the offices of his record label on anta Monica oulevard& Manson sits on a black leather sofa& wearing black leather $ants& and whenever he shifts& the leather% on%leather makes a dee$& growl sound& amazingly similar to his voice " tried to swim when  was a kid& but  could never d deal eal with the water in my nose  have a fear of water  don!t like the ocean #here!s something too infinite about it that  find dangerous" #he walls are dark blue and there are no lights on Manson sits in the dark with the air conditioning blasting& drinking cola and wearing sunglasses " love $ranking $eo$le and causing traumas in their life&" he says " love to get an answering machine where  can /ust really go to town t!ll say& 6ue and 2im aren!t home Please leave a message&! and !ll start in8 62im& you!ve got to level with her about this  can!t live a lie anymore  love you! you ! And  /ust can!t imagine what kind of fucking trauma this causes& because you know9even if you!re not guilty9you know you sound guilty if you try and get your way in a relationshi$