Much talk has gone down recently concerning the state of rock and roll. Many believe that it is decaying, dying and certainly suffering. With the law at their heels and an utter disrespect for society, bands such as The Rolling Stones, The Clash, Guns 'N Roses, Motley Crue and Led Zeppelin have proudly carried the banner of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. Groups such as Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Blind Melon have had the potential to be legendary rock bands.
Unfortunately, their antiheroic lead singers and low profiles have kept them from assuming the role as leaders of rock. Fortunately, Marilyn Manson (Brian Warner from Canton, Ohio) and his band (Twiggy Ramirez, Ginger Fish, M. W. Gacy and John5) have willingly taken control of the flag. Especially with the release of 1996's "Antichrist Superstar" and "Mechanical Animals," the current number-one album in the country, America has someone for everyone to despise. While "Antichrist" was a better album, the themes, images, lyrics and flow of "Mechanical Animals" have surpassed all expectations, even bypassing Manson's own cult of personality.
In a time of millisecond attention spans, people are looking for changes in styles every day. Manson has successfully done this. The most obvious change since his previous album is his image. No longer is he the superhuman, gruesome, gothic, and callous figure we hated and feared. Now he has taken a page out of David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars": Manson has created the "Omega and the Mechanical Animals" image. The cover even recalls Bowie's "Aladdin Sane." Although he does not follow David Bowie's cocaine-influenced, spacily paranoid lyrics during that time, he seems to take music from Bowie's Berlin time. The song "I Don't Like the Drugs, But the Drugs Like Me" almost sounds like a remix of "Fame."
Also, Manson has taken the Thin White Duke image into his own, complete with breasts and no genitalia. Along with this image change, he has put out an autobiography, moved to Los Angeles, and made very recent public appearances at the two Virgin Megastores in Manhattan. In other words, Manson's public relations have created the perfect media attention.
Media attention and shock value is one thing Manson has not shied away from. Before the release of "Antichrist," the group was more of a sideshow act than a musical group. The original members assumed the first names of famous women and last names of notorious serial killers. Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails signed them to Nothing Records and Manson opened for NIN during the 1994-95 tour. Manson would do shocking acts such as sticking coke bottles in his body where they shouldn't be going.
Although the quality of music has caught up to his image, Manson nevertheless is in the midst of controversy. Original guitarist Daisy Berkowitz is suing Manson for royalties not paid. His autobiography makes claims that are questionable. For example, Manson claims that David Navarro tried to commit a homosexual act on Manson, which Navarro denies. Manson even claims that Courtney Love dated Ramirez to monitor Manson.
Despite the insanity of all this, the group has stayed focused on music. Live guitarist Zim Zum, who is credited on some of tracks, was kicked out of the band for allegedly partying too hard and not being very professional.
With these changes, the Angel with Scabbed Wings has run away from the protection of Trent Reznor (who produced the last album) and looked to Michael Beinhorn (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ozzy Osbourne, and Soundgarden) to produce this album. Gone is the industrial clutter, and in its place is some electronica and simple but catchy guitar hooks. Manson also sings a little more than he previously has, although he still screams and hisses a good deal.
His lyrics have also undergone a serious change from the last album. Before, his lyrics were cold, angry and uncaring, but now they are filled with almost too much emotion, pain and vulnerability. The discussion of drugs is used literally and metaphorically, more so than any album in recent memory and even surpasses the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers" in drug references. His lyrics such as "She's got eyes like Zabruder, a mouth like heroin," "Use me when you want to come" and "All simple monkeys with alien babies/ amphetamines for boys and crucifixes for women" are thought-provoking and rather interesting.
The group will probably never be able to write catchy, pop hit singles, but elements such as the guitar hooks, lyrics and the flow of the album is what gives Manson strength. Manson writes the lyrics and collaborates with Ramirez on the music. Guitarist Navarro does the end solo of "I Don't Like the Drugs," which seems very relevant to Dave's ongoing battle with heroin. The album also features porn stars Kobe Tai and Dyanna Lauren and soul singer Nikki Harris.
"Mechanical Animals" (a reference to people's affinity with trends) is a super album that is filled with emotion and disillusionment. Those who shop at Wal-Mart will not see his face on any album cover and grandparents and conservatives will definitely not stop their movement against Manson. Don't let this fool you. Artists have always been ridiculed during their time and honored later on in their lives or even posthumously. Any way you look at it, Manson will be difficult to avoid. And so will the resurgence of rock and roll.
