Leeds Festival 2005: Marilyn Manson 26th August 2005
Setlist: Antichrist Superstar Instrumental / The Love Song / Irresponsable Hate Anthem / Disposable Teens / mOBSCENE / Tourniquet / Personal Jesus / Get Your Gunn / Great Big White World / Tainted Love / The Fight Song / The Nobodies / The Dope Show / Rock Is Dead / The Golden Age Of Grotesque / Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) / The Beautiful People / Antichrist Superstar
I have a lot of time for Marilyn Manson. He is a very sensible bloke and is serious about what he does. Much like Alice Cooper in the early years, people only see what is on the surface and believe all the bullshit that circulates; it is often too much trouble to look beneath and see what is really going on. Ironic really, considering the climate of political correctness and the desire we have to read into situations, things that simply aren’t there.
I have a lot of time for Marilyn Manson. He is a very sensible bloke and is serious about what he does. Much like Alice Cooper in the early years, people only see what is on the surface and believe all the bullshit that circulates; it is often too much trouble to look beneath and see what is really going on. Ironic really, considering the climate of political correctness and the desire we have to read into situations, things that simply aren’t there.
I remember back in the ‘70s there was outrage at Alice’s antics and he was reviled as the antichrist. People just didn’t see the point, or realise that songs like Dead Babies were not telling people to off their kids, but were condemning the neglect and suffering that some children suffered.
And so it still is, thirty-odd years down the line. This time its Marilyn Manson who is seen as evil personified. Please. Michael Jackson is evil. Phil Collins is the antichrist. Manson is trying to alert you to some important issues, if you’d care to stop being so outraged for a minute and listen to the man!
Musically, Manson is doing some interesting stuff. Covers of Tainted Love, Sweet Dreams and Personal Jesus, take songs that, to my ears, were as lame as Tiny Tim Cratchett in the ‘80s, and give them a new lease of life. (And yes, smart arse, I know that Marc Almond didn’t record the original version of Tainted Love!) Along with his own original material, Manson puts on a good show and does what he does best: entertains.
And so it still is, thirty-odd years down the line. This time its Marilyn Manson who is seen as evil personified. Please. Michael Jackson is evil. Phil Collins is the antichrist. Manson is trying to alert you to some important issues, if you’d care to stop being so outraged for a minute and listen to the man!
Musically, Manson is doing some interesting stuff. Covers of Tainted Love, Sweet Dreams and Personal Jesus, take songs that, to my ears, were as lame as Tiny Tim Cratchett in the ‘80s, and give them a new lease of life. (And yes, smart arse, I know that Marc Almond didn’t record the original version of Tainted Love!) Along with his own original material, Manson puts on a good show and does what he does best: entertains.
I have read some comments that Manson is getting a little predictable and failing to live up to his scandalous reputation. I only have two things to say to that. Firstly, bollocks. Secondly, you can’t have it both ways. Either the guy is outrageous and he appals you, or he isn’t and he doesn’t. How come he suddenly needs to up the stakes? Maybe he isn’t quite as in your face as he has been, but I think he is more sinister now than he has ever been. I would never accuse anyone who has a gallows as part of his stage set of being particularly subtle. Would you? Are we so desensitized, in these days of crass, voyeuristic, reality TV that the implication of the hangman’s noose is no longer considered shocking? I don’t consider myself in the least prudish or stuffy, yet I can still see the true horror in the image of the gallows. Like the song says: ‘We’re just humans, being.’ That’s not always a good thing. Thank God for people like Manson who still appreciate the horror that is mankind.
As darkness began to close in and the cold started to get into the bones, it was time for Iron Maiden to hit the stage.
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
1st September 2005
As darkness began to close in and the cold started to get into the bones, it was time for Iron Maiden to hit the stage.
Mark L. Potts
The God of Thunder
1st September 2005
