"Censoring Marilyn Manson" by Nicole Larson

Censoring Marilyn Manson, by Nicole Larson

Since Marilyn Manson first formed his band in 1989, he has generated a long list of public controversies surrounding a variety of allegations: trashing hotel rooms, threatening magazine editors, recreating the death of John F. Kennedy and engaging in criminal sexual conduct (Rock on the Net 2003). These allegations, along with the purportedly violent content of his music, have resulted in corporate and public censorship. In 1998, "N.Y. moved to stop him from appearing in [a] concert there." In January 1999, "Manson cut short [a] concert performance in Australia… after an unruly crowd began throwing objects onto the stage." Also, "a Marilyn Manson concert set for [April 1999] at Red Rocks [Australia] was cancelled by the mayor." Manson has been censored by many different businesses worldwide for diverse reasons.(1)

Below, I summarize a) why Marilyn Manson is being censored; b) his reaction to this restriction; and c) what effect censorship has on his image and popularity.

Generally speaking, Mason and his advocates view his negative publicity and censorship as unfair especially since "the world . . . is so much more shocking than anything [he] could create . . . No one's censoring war, they're censoring artists" (Zeul 2003 ). People who enjoy his music may support him, but the media represents him in a negative manner and as a menace.

A) Why Censorship?

Manson is blamed by the media for horrible things that happen to, or by, people who listen to his music. He was named "as a possible influence on the two students responsible for the massacre . . . at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado" (Peters 1999). Manson has also had fingers pointed at him for numerous teen suicides, such as the "15-year-old who killed himself while listening to the band's music[. The father] described how he felt the music played an important part of his son's suicide. When the boy's body was found, Manson's Antichrist Superstar was reportedly playing in the portable CD player the boy was wearing" (Rock on the Net 2003).

B) Manson's Reaction

Manson recognizes that he acts out to shock people, but doesn't see the media's pointing at him as fair. As he reported in the New York Times: "Anyone who blames music for their kids' problems or for kids hurting themselves or others is kidding themselves . . . [the answer is to] raise your kids to be more intelligent (Rock on the Net 2003).

C) Censorship's Effect

It is agreed, even by Mason, that "censoring a product only serves to increase publicity and thus, increase that product's popularity" (Wiese 1998). This premise is the foundation of Manson's career. He thrives on shocking people, thereby getting his name into the media and creating free publicity. "Manson has offended as many people as possible, become a recognized figure . . . and sold a lot of albums" (Zeul 2003). When the mass media represents musicians in a negative manner and attempts to discourage the public from buying their records or going to their concerts, the media may inadvertently spark an interest in the public to see or hear the musicians for themselves.

(1) An article by Todd Wiese outlines controversy surrounding Manson's 2003 album Mechanical Animals. According to Weise, the album was censored by newspapers due to run an advertisement before the record was released to stores. The New York Times refused to run the ad, which featured a photo of the album cover that displays a "nude alien-like Manson" (Wiese 1998). The ad was consequently sent to Virgin Records where the cover was altered, sent back to the paper, and then published in a Sunday edition. Also because of the cover, the chain store Target refused to carry the CD but "should they receive a doctored cover, perhaps as resubmitted to the N.Y. Times, they might consider stocking the album after all" (Weise 1998). K-Mart and Wal Mart will not carry the album regardless of whether the cover is changed. Those stores will not carry any CD, like Mechanical Animals, that has a warning sticker from the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Centre).

Works Cited

Peters, Stephen. 1999. Marilyn Manson Postpones tour amid Colorado controversy. In Yahoo! Launch. [ONLINE]. Available from http://launch.yahoo.com/read/news.asp?contentID=165922 [accessed 18 October 2003]

Rock on the Net. 2003. Marilyn Manson FAQs. In Rock on the Net. [ONLINE]. Available from http://www.rockonthenet.com/artists-m/marilynmanson_main.htm [accessed 18 October 2003]

Wiese, Todd. 1998. Virgin Records gives into N.Y. Times by altering Marilyn Manson Ad. In Rock out Censorship. [ONLINE]. Available from http://www.theroc.org/updates/mansonad.htm [accessed 17 October 2003]

Zuel, Bernard. 2003, August 21. What the devil? In The Sydney Morning Herald. 1998. Available from http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/21/1061434981090.html [accessed 17 October 2003]