This post originally appeared on The Ancient Blog on 1 May 2004...
I don't like Marilyn Manson. I don't like his music and I think there
are better ways of grabbing the world's attention than looking like a
total twonk... but I have always had respect for him in a way I've never
had for people like Robbie/Kylie/Justin/Britney/Phil Collins. I get
that he's a clever guy who looks like he does and sounds like he does because he's making a personal statement that isn't ever going to
be a really popular one. I also rather loved what he said to Michael Moore in Bowling for Columbine.
So
yesterday when I bought Rolling Stone's 'The Immortals' issue (April 15
2004) and found he was the one writing the piece about the Doors (of course they're on the list, doubters!) I was caught between thinking 'God, I have the Doors in common with Marilyn Fucking Manson? and 'let's see what the dude has to say'.
Some Manson-talks-Jim moments:
"I think the Doors still fit in because they never fit in in the first place." Someone has clearly read Chapter One of my dissertation ;)
"Morrison's voice was a beautiful pond for anything to drown in." Can I get an 'amen' from the audience? Have you ever heard Hyacinth House, man?
but most importantly of all:
"If you want to be like Jim Morrison, you can't be anything like Jim Morrison. It's about finding your own place in world."
FINALLY someone who gets it! It's nothing
to do with Alexander hair or leather fucking trousers or being drunk.
Marilyn has it about as spot on as ever I've seen. Call him a freak if
you have to, but remember they used to say that about Jim Morrison too.
It's what they say about me too. Fuck me, if that's what a freak really
is, can I be more of one please?
Other gems about my darlings:
Eddie Vedder on The Who:
"Roger Daltrey's delivery allowed vulnerability without weakness: doubt and confusion but no plea for sympathy."
"Pete Townshend allowed that there be spiritual value in music."
Dave 'I'll castrate myself if I can play drums for Zep' Grohl on Led Zeppelin:
"Heavy metal would not exist without Led Zeppelin and if it did, it would suck."
Actually, I happen to think that almost all heavy metal that isn't LZ sucks anyway.
"I
was going to Catholic school and questioning God, but I believed in Led
Zeppelin. I wasn't really buying into this Christianity thing, but I
had faith in Led Zeppelin as a spiritual entity."
"I believe
Zeppelin will come back and prove themselves to once again be the
greatest rock band of all time. It will happen. They'll find someone to
play the drums and I'll be right there, front row at every goddman show."
Only if I don't get there first, pallie. And the illustration of the band in the magazine does not
do Blond Zep justice. It's like the 1973 body with the 1979 face and
it's weird. Bonzo looks a bit weird too, but the flaming zeppelin behind
them is cool.
John Mellencamp on Buddy Holly:
"Holly's songs never really left my consciousness." I know that feeling well.
Steven Van Zandt on The Rolling Stones:
"It's
amazing Keith is still alive. There are a few people who have this
constitution of invulnerability, although you shouldn't learn that. Let's
be honest: Excessive drug use hurts songwriting."
Finally
someone else has had the guts to say that Keith's a lucky bastard and
that being like Keith is never a good career move for anyone but Keith, and more than that: drugs fuck the music up and rarely enhance it. Don't believe the hype, kiddies.
Also kudos to Elvis Costello for this:
"Lennon, McCartney and Harrison had stunningly high standards as writers." I fucking knew it would take George dying to have him taken fucking seriously.
Conclusion: There is nothing quite like heroes talking about their own heroes. They're fans too.....
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