Marilyn Manson

Love him or hate him, the self-proclaimed "Antichrist Superstar" -- Marilyn Manson -- was indisputably among the most notorious and controversial entertainers of the 1990s.

Celebrated by supporters as a crusader for free speech and denounced by detractors as little more than a poor man's Alice Cooper, Manson was the latest in a long line of shock rockers, rising to the top of the charts on a platform of sex, drugs, and Satanism.

Though widely dismissed by critics, his brand of metal nevertheless struck a major chord with the youth market, and he became a mainstream anti-hero on the strength of a masterfully orchestrated marketing campaign, much to the chagrin of conservative politicians and concerned parents.

Such attention pushed many of his songs -- including "The Dope Show," "The Beautiful People," and a cover of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" -- into the upper reaches of the modern rock charts during his heyday. Born Brian Warner, Manson was raised in Canton, OH.

At the age of 18, he relocated to Tampa Bay, FL, where he worked as a music journalist.

In 1989, he became friends with guitarist and fellow outsider Scott Mitchell; the two soon decided to form a band, with Mitchell rechristening himself Daisy Berkowitz and Warner adopting the name Marilyn Manson.

With the addition of bassist Gidget Gein and keyboardist Madonna Wayne-Gacy, the group -- originally dubbed Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids -- began self-releasing cassettes and playing gigs, their gothic stage show notable for Manson's elaborate makeup and homemade special effects.

Jettisoning their drum machine in favor of one Sara Lee Lucas, the band's sound began taking on a harder edge, and by 1992 they were among the most popular acts in the south Florida area.

In 1993, Nine Inch Nails' Trent Reznor came calling, offering both a contract with his Nothing Records label as well as the chance to open for NIN the following spring; Manson accepted both offers, and the group's debut LP, Portrait of an American Family, appeared during the summer of 1994.

With new bassist Twiggy Ramirez replacing Gein, the group's notoriety began to soar.

Most infamously, during an appearance in Salt Lake City, Manson ripped apart a copy of the Book of Mormon while on-stage.

The Church of Satan's founder, Anton LaVey, also bestowed upon him the title of "Reverend." While some onlookers dismissed Manson's behavior as crass audience manipulation, his cult following -- comprised almost entirely of disaffected white suburban teens -- continued to swell, and the band broke into the mainstream with the release of 1995's Smells Like Children EP, propelled by their hit cover of the Eurythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." Berkowitz quit a short time later and was replaced by guitarist Zim Zum, and the revised group saw their next LP, 1996's Antichrist Superstar, debut at the number three spot on the pop album charts.

As Manson's popularity grew, so did the furor surrounding him.

His concerts were regularly picketed by civic groups, and his music was the subject of widespread attacks from the right-wing and religious fronts.

Again, however, his quick embrace of the media spotlight called into question the true sincerity of his revolutionary aims.

With a cover story in Rolling Stone and the timely release of a best-selling autobiography, The Long Hard Road Out of Hell, some onlookers doubted whether Manson had sold his soul to Satan, or just sold his soul, period.

The glam-inspired Mechanical Animals followed in 1998, with the resulting tour yielding the live Last Tour on Earth a year later. Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) came out at the end of 2000, and the band toured to support the album in 2001.

During a July show in Michigan, Manson was charged with criminal sexual conduct after performing an alleged offensive act on a security guard.

Another charge followed before the year's end, when an additional security guard filed a civil suit alleging that Manson had rubbed his pelvis on the guard's head.

Manson's version of "Tainted Love" appeared on the Not Another Teen Movie soundtrack that December, and the July 2001 sexual conduct charges were lowered to a misdemeanor one month later.

The civil suit was dropped soon after.

May 2003 saw the release of The Golden Age of Grotesque, which spent a week atop the album charts and ended up on several critics' year-end Top Ten lists.

The following year, former member Daisy Berkowitz released Lunch Boxes & Choklit Cows, a compilation of demos and unreleased tracks that was credited to Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids.

Berkowitz had obtained the rights to the material in a lawsuit against Manson, who subsequently fought the release and court-ordered some artwork to be removed.

At the end of September, Manson released his own compilation, a greatest-hits affair titled Lest We Forget.

The collection covered the highlights of Manson's career and included a new cover version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus," whose success helped push the album to gold status in multiple countries.

Late in 2005, the band announced that a new album was nearly finished; however, it wasn't until 2007 that Eat Me, Drink Me was released.

The record was largely written, performed, and produced by Manson and guitarist/bassist Tim Skold, who left Marilyn Manson's lineup shortly thereafter and was replaced by returning member Twiggy Ramirez.

Manson and Ramirez then began writing material for the band's seventh studio album, The High End of Low, which arrived in spring 2009.

~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi

Marilyn Manson is reportedly dating former 'America's Next Top Model' contestant CariDee English three months after breaking up with fiancee Evan Rachel Wood.

(BANG) -

Marilyn Manson has a new girlfriend, three months after splitting from fiancee Evan Rachel Wood.

The shock rocker started dating 'America's Next Top Model' winner CariDee English after the pair met at a recording studio where the model was recording vocals for her debut album.

CariDee said: "Marilyn Manson inspires and supports me in my music. He has made me feel comfortable and beautiful with who I am as an artist and as a woman."

A source added to Life and Style magazine: "They've been seeing each other ever since they met. She loves how different he is."

Blonde CariDee has dyed her hair dark and reportedly recorded a cover version of her new boyfriend's song 'Coma White' after the new couple reportedly bonded over their love of music and fashion.

Marilyn was seen partying with a group of mystery in women in August to get over his break-up from Evan.

The couple had a rocky relationship since they were first linked in 2006 following the singer's split from ex-wife Dita Von Teese.

The pair first separated in October 2008 before briefly reuniting in February 2009.

The pair rekindled their romance last December before finally splitting earlier this year.

Marilyn Manson finds exhibiting his paintings more frightening than performing on stage.

(BANG) -

Marilyn Manson finds exhibiting his art scarier than performing on stage.

The goth rocker - who is showcasing his watercolours in Vienna, Austria alongside short films by US film director David Lynch - admitted he was apprehensive about seeing his work displayed for people to criticise.

Speaking at a preview of the 'Genealogies Of Pain' show at Vienna's Kunsthalle, he said: "I feel very comfortable when I'm on stage in front of thousands of people. However, it's quite frightening to come into a room that is full of my pictures and people looking at them.

"Art gives me the freedom I don't have when I make music. In music you feel a connection to the voice and think about the person behind it. In art that's secondary."

The 'Disposable Teens' hitmaker - who is engaged to actress Evan Rachel Wood - admitted he is so protective of his art, he won't show anyone his work until he is completely satisfied with it.

He added to Austria's Kurier newspaper: "When I finish a picture I don't show it to anyone if I feel it's not good enough yet. I've learnt to listen to my partners and my friends. For me it's the biggest success if they like it."

The 41-year-old rocker's work is selling for around 38,000 Euros - with the singer hoping the hefty price tag stops people from buying the pieces.

He said: "The prices are so high because I'm hoping no one will buy them."

Marilyn Manson has been cast in new horror movie 'Splatter Sisters' with his girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood.

(BANG) -

Marilyn Manson and girlfriend Evan Rachel Wood are to appear in new film 'Splatter Sisters'.

The metal rocker and his actress partner will play the roles in the sexploitation slasher movie, directed by Adam Bhala Lough and produced by Edward R. Pressman and David Gordon Green.

Commenting on Manson's casting in the film, Green said he was excited about where the project would take the horror genre, Variety report.

Unveiling details of 'Splatter Sisters' at the Cannes Film Festival, Green said: "This is a role Marilyn Manson was born to play, and with Evan Rachel Wood bringing dramatic gravity to the ensemble, I have no doubt this will take the horror genre to a new level."

Pressman added: "Lough's unique talent and energy will make 'Splatter Sisters' a very special and markedly commercial film.

"I've always been attracted to smart movies about killers made by directors with a real vision."

Despite being best known for his music career, Manson has starred in a number of films before, including 2003's 'Party Monster' with Seth Green and Macaulay Culkin and 2007 action thriller 'Rise'.