Interview:2001/05/11 NMW 2001 Artist Keynote Address

NMW 2001 Artist Keynote Address
Photo by Andy Scheffler
Interview with Marilyn Manson
Date	May 11, 2001
Source	New Music West 2001

Marilyn Manson delivered a keynote address speech about censorship and artist's responsibility during the NewMusicWest 2001 conference Artists & Repertoire Session in Vancouver, Canada. The session was followed by Q & A from the audience.

Keynote Speech Transcript

Thank you. That's very kind, this early. So let's try to make this enjoyable and as painless as possible.

I think I picked an easy topic to talk about today. It's one I know very well, and it's about censorship and content and responsibility.

I wanted to look at things in a different way. I think it's easy right now to complain about the current state of music. I think we can all agree we don't need another N/SYNC. And that's an easy band to take a pot shot at. But in general what they represent… the idea of just another endorsement for Pepsi. Music at this point runs the risk of just becoming a commercial itself, and an advertisement for a bigger company like Seagram's or whoever owns the label I'm on, and things like that.

So I think it's our job to, you know, rather than the censorship that people like Joseph Liebermann are trying to employ, I think it's our job to speak what's on our mind. And stop making everything so "G" Rated. Stop using saccharine instead of sugar, taking the nicotine out of cigarettes, taking the penetration out of pornography, and things like that.

A funny example - I'm just about to release a new single called "The Nobodies" and I was asked to take the word "dead" out of the song, because it was considered offensive.

So… I want to talk about the responsibility of art and its effect on small children and small animals, blah, blah, blah and the rest.

I want to talk about artist's responsibility. We don't create the words or sentiments. If you arrange letters in any order you can make words. A lot of these words are offensive to some people. You can say faggot, red neck, Republican, whore, nazi, bitch, honkey, or obviously the most offensive of all is nigger. Or the ones that I prefer being throbbing uncircumcised member. That's just my artistic choice.

But my point is that these words and feelings existed before any of us were born, and as artists it's our job to pull them from the sky or wherever they exist, and use them in new and interesting ways that affect people in new and interesting ways.

An interesting example that I heard yesterday, kind of off the subject, but it brought up the subject of "Did the person who invented the video camera also invent pornography?" And that's the way you have to look at things. Someone who writes a song doesn't invent love or hate or anger.

I heard a funny thing on censorship. They are going to now pass a law that you can't have a teddy bear in a pornographic film, or a lollypop. Because apparently that makes it more offensive than some girl just being savagely sodomized by some hairy man. If there's a teddy bear in the picture, then it's all of a sudden no good. And that, excuse the term "fisting", is now no longer allowed past the thumb. Before, I think it was up to the shoulder.

So censorship just doesn't harm me, it also harms Ron Jeremy.

I've just always found it to be my job to take negative things and make them positive. And I think of an artist as a person who chooses to express themselves with their imaginations rather than acting out their feelings in ways that we all find unacceptable. I think everybody has a basic morality - not wanting to harm other people. And when you have a feeling of anger, you have a felling of lust, the feelings that you're born with, feelings that you can't control, that's really what separates us as artists - that we choose to put those things in our songs, books and movies. And when a fan hears or sees these things and can relate to them, it's the greatest compliment because then we exist on the same wavelength. And that's what makes me mad every time art is blamed. I think its giving entertainment too much credit to blame us for the problems of the world, but the problems existed before entertainment, before television.

I think also for everything that an artist is blamed for; he can turn around and blame the things that influenced his creation. For everybody that blames me for what I do, I can turn around and say it's the exact world that's attacking me that influenced me to do what I do. And that's my best way of explaining what I do.

Thank you.

Audience Q & A Key Questions

Now that you're the president of your own record label (Posthuman Records) do you envision a time when you'll spend less time as an artist and more time as a record label president/mogul?

I would try my best never to become that kind of person that I always end up fighting against when trying to make a record. Hopefully I can add a new approach to what a record label president is. I don't think I'll ever have a desk, unless there's some kind of secretarial Clinton blowjob thing going on.

Who would you rather make love to - Betty or Veronica? (Audience: Both!)

Actually to be honest my first erection was from watching Daphne of Scoobie Doo. Because I knew that Fred was clearly gay and wasn't going to do the job. And the other two were on drugs because they were always seeing ghosts and were hungry all the time.

What's your opinion on Napster?

I've never really had an opinion either way on Napster because I didn't really find the effects to bother me. I looked at it in the same way that you look at FM radio or television. If it's a way for people to hear what you're doing, then that's okay to me. I think that eventually they'll have to work out some sort of way to compensate the artist. The danger becomes the idea that people think that music should be free. I don't necessarily write songs because I want to make money, but at the same time I know that I myself put a lot of hard work, six or seven months or up to a year, making a record, and for people to think that it has no value - that bothers me.

Are you going to play Denver?

Yes I am. There was never a point when I was not going to. There was a question about scheduling initially, and I think people assumed that we were pulling out because of the pressure that we knew was coming. There was the one instance after Columbine when I decided not to play because I thought the environment was too hostile for my safety, for our fans safety, and just for everyone in general. I think everyone just really needed to deal with their feelings. And I also thought it was the respectful thing to do, although I don't consider myself anymore to blame than any single person in this room or on this planet, because it's mankind in general that makes those things happen. But I will be playing Denver, and I'll include a section in my show where I'll read from the Bible and highlight all the great stories about child sacrifice, adultery, murder, and suicide, and point out that the Bible can be just as offensive as anything that I've ever written, if you want to look at it that way.

Q & A session full transcript

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(So I suppose now we can answer asked questions. I'd prefer to ask you guys questions, but I'll do it the other way.)

Is this mic on? So I'll, I'll take a microphone on this side and Michael McCarty (?) is going to come and join me. And if you guys want to (?), Michael's right over there. So if anybody actually, you know, we'll, we'll start with Marilyn if we can is (?). We've been getting emails through our website. So I'll just start with one question off the website which you can maybe speak to, which it's a question, this is regarding your label: do you ever see a day where your roles will reverse, and you will become less of a performer and more of a label president? (M...?)

The reason I started to label because I was in a position where someone gave me the opportunity. And I thought that I would try my best to never become that person that I always end up fighting against when I'm trying to make a record. So hopefully I can add a new approach to what a record label president is you know. I don't think I'll ever have an a desk unless I have to, unless, unless there's some sort of secretarial Clinton blowjob thing going on. Well that's just me (?).

Hello!

Hello.

I wanted to thank you for your work.

Thank you.

Because it's like changed my life, because it's open channels that I wasn't ready to look at.

Thank you.

And or that weren't told to me that I could look probably. And I just wanted to ask you a couple things. Has your success deepened your life or has it allowed you to show different parts of you?

I'm in a strange position. I don't know if this will answer your question, but it may help you to understand where I am and and how often it's difficult for me to be motivated to continue to create A lot of times people (?) ask me: you know, you're as well known as someone like Madonna, how come you don't sell as many records? Then I, you know, I have to sit back and realize that I'm amazed that an album called Antichrist Superstar sold three records, let alone, over three million. But at the same time I'm part of pop culture. So sometimes I find it real difficult to do things. But when someone tells me something like that, that you did, that's often the only thing that gives me the incentive to keep doing it, you know. People can compliment you or critics can knock you down, or anyone can say whatever they want. But when I know that someone was genuinely touched for lack of a better word by something I did, that, that means something to me.

Hi! Hi Marilyn!

Hi.

My name is Sheila. I have two questions for you. Feel free to answer either. My first question is: who would you rather make love to, Betty or Veronica? And my second question is: what made you decide to start your own record label? Isn't that time-consuming being an artist yourself and doing an own record label?

Betty and Veronica. I think you guys picked the right answer on that one. Actually to be honest I my first erection was while watching Scooby-Doo from Daphne but...

Cuz I knew that Fred was clearly gay and he wasn't doing the job. And the other two were complete drug addicts cuz they were seeing ghosts and hungry all the time, so.

That's the same reason I started to label. (?) Now I thought, you know, rather, you know, I wanted to help rape and exploit bands just like I I get done to every day. Now it's I, I just wanted to be able to help people that I think have promise, you know. I think that I was given the same opportunity a while back. And I just kind of wanted to carry that on. That's that's pretty much the best reason. I mean it's not a very lucrative (?) or rewarding job. And, and it's one that fortunately the other people that I work with do most of the real labor, and, and I just kind of I'm involved on a creative level. But I hopefully it'll turn into something, you know, important someday.

Hi Marilyn! My name is Shannon.

Hi.

... over here, this way. I wanted to say that I love what you do and I read your book.

Thank you.

And I love the book.

Thank you.

And it's well I totally get it. And my question is: could you address what you think about Napster and, and that kind of company and situation?

I've never really had an opinion either way on Napster cuz I didn't really find the effects to bother me. I looked at it, I suppose, in the same way one could look at FM radio or, or television, you know. If it's a way for people to hear what you're doing, then, then that's okay to me. I think that eventually they'll have to work out some sort of, some sort of way to compensate the artist. So that the, the danger becomes the idea that people think that music should be for free. And I don't necessarily write songs because I want to make money. But at the same time I know that I myself put a lot of hard work and spend seven or eight months or up to a year making a record. And for people to think that it's it has no value that bothers me. Not so much that it's free, but just has no value.

Hi Marilyn!

Hi.

My name's Juette. How you're doing?

Hi.

First of all I want to say you're absolutely beautiful, your artwork is absolutely beautiful.

Oh, thanks.

You're welcome. I want to know, Dr. L (?) said, yeah, man's natural thing is to be aggressive and, and you know, we've all got that, that self-destructiveness in us. And he says that man needs to be exercised not exorcized Do you agree with that?

Well I think it's kind of goes to what I was saying about expressing what's inside you. A lot of us are probably reared to believe that you should feel guilty when you experience feelings of lust or greed, or hatred. And you know, maybe you should to a certain degree learn to control these feelings. But at the same time there are things that you're born with. And if you feel guilty about who you really are, then you're never going to be able to feel good about yourself and you're always going to be less of a person than you could eventually being, so... Now I think it's a matter of realizing that sometimes religion uses things to suppress and, and make you feel a little bit less than you are. That's not to say, that the things that you reading the Bible are wrong or bad, because I think you can take a lot of positive messages out of that. But I think a lot of people have used it for the wrong reasons (...) scare my friends and my teachers and my parents, didn't understand it, at the time went back and read it years later and realized that it was a lot of simple truths that a lot of philosophers over the years have, you know, asserted. And I think that he took it and, and said it in a new and different way. And it's kind of like what we were talking about earlier. I think it's a lot of people think Satanism is, you know, devil worship and, and simplify it to something like that. But I think it's about that everybody had has God and Devil inside them, and it's about being an individual not being ashamed for who you are.

And, and so that's why I can't say that I subscribe to any one particular religion, but I like to take a lot of things from all of them, and always like to keep an open mind and hear everybody's opinion whereas a lot of times the other people that attack me don't want to hear my opinion at all.

Hi. ... okay there's a question. I've always wondered is in, in the jackets of CDs like, well your CDs, it says the songs are written by Marilyn Manson. Is it you, or the band?

Well each one of them are sort of split up. And generally I write the lyrics, and I either collaborate with Twiggy or with John 5. With the new record there was several songs that I wrote by myself. But I think if you look more carefully it really describes who writes what. But, yeah, I, I never began as a musician, but over the years I've really learned how to use instruments, to create the melodies I hear in my head, you know. So I started as an idiot savant in a way and, and now I can almost call myself a musician, but in some ways I'm ashamed to use that word.

Thanks.

Hello Marilyn! I'm over here. My name is Shane. I just want to ask you one question and I think it relates to the censorship that you were talking about this morning. Are you going to play Denver?

Yes, I am.

Thank you.

It was never a point when I wasn't going to...

There was a question about scheduling initially, and I think people assumed that we were pulling out because of the pressure that was coming. There was the one instance after Columbine where I decided not to play there cuz I thought the environment was too hostile for my safety, for our fan safety, and just for everyone in general. And I think everyone really needed to deal with their feelings. And I thought it was also the respectful thing to do although I, I don't consider myself any more to blame than any single person in this room or, or on this planet because it's mankind in general that that makes those things happen. But I will be playing Denver and as I said I'll, I'll include a section of my show where I read from the Bible and highlight all the great stories about child sacrifice, adultery murder, suicide and point out that the Bible can be just as offensive as anything that I've ever written if you want to look at it that way.

Hi Marilyn!

Hi.

I just want to say first of all you rock. And coming from, coming, coming from a musician myself I just want to ask you: do you, from the production and the band side of it, do you think it's harder for hard rock, heavy metal, that sort of thing, to get out there, to get noticed? Or is it something that you just like that you have to give that extra bit of a extra push too?

It depends. We're in a, a confusing era in music I think. And sometimes I, I question myself and I, I wonder if do I not understand what the youth of America is listening to now like when your parents didn't understand the Beatles. Am I too old now to get what's what people are looking for? But I think it's, we're in a real disposable era where trends and things like angry music, I think, are just used as a market employing (?). And, and that's what I was saying earlier about the obligation as artist to kind of stay true to what you want to what you want to do. Because I have to think back and remember when I started this band I never really had any desire to try and be on the same level as the Backstreet Boys, or try and be on TRL you, know all. The time or whatever it is you guys have here, you know, the countdown for much music. So I have to remember that and not get disappointed because I'm not that type of an artist.

Marilyn. To your right.

Yes.

... the guy with the red hair. I have a quick question for you. My name is (?). I'm from a local band called Mr. Underhill. And I was wondering if your schedule will permit you to come out to see some of the local bands here that are playing this weekend?

I'm actually leaving today but last night I, I went and saw a few bands. And I had, I had a good time, met a few artists, got a few CDs. And if anybody wants or is interested in sending something to my label, you can go to the website. It's  posthumanrecords.com. And, you know, I'm, I'm open to listen to any type of music cuz I'm not really, I haven't narrowed down what I'm looking for. Anything that's interesting is going to appeal to me.

```(?)```

If it's interesting and if it has a different approach, sure.

Hello! Hi Manson, how are you?

Good.

It's good to see you again man. My name is Stacy.

I remember you Stacy.

I know, this is for everyone else. I spent three (?) Manson supporting him a few years ago since...

He was my sugar daddy, he supported me.

I made him what he is today in more ways than one.

I, I can't walk straight still.

That's what I'm talking about. So you and I were close one time on our success.

Okay.

Right. You (?)?

Yes.

You went one way then I went the other. Because since I toured with you I steadily went downhill. I've been fired from four jobs. I can't even hold a job at the Virgin mega store. No no, no, this is cool. I'm totally happy because I'm just about to sell a TV series but anyway. My point was, do you ever think about the fine line of how close it could have been for you and going one way or the other?

I do but you can't really... I don't, I don't consider anything to be fade. I think it's all about willpower. And maybe, maybe in the end it wasn't what you really wanted. And that's why you're happy now. But for me I was very determined to not necessarily become a mega star as you said. Just to be the best of what I'm doing, you know. Maybe not the best there is but do the best that I can and just to me that's succeeding.

Glad I had a chance to do that so happy.

Thank you. Good luck with your TV show I hope it's not fisting.

Hey! Over here. I'm just curious, how you feel not as an artist or as an entity but as a person, ... whoa to your right (?)...

Okay, there we are.

Sure that's here(?).

Hi.

How you feel about being blamed personally for everything that goes wrong in America or Canada? Like how you feel as a person, not as a business?

At this point I think it's become so ridiculous that I laugh about it. But there was a point where. during Antichrist Superstar I did stand up and make a statement against a lot of things. So anything that I received from that I felt deserved. And that was something that had to take on the chin so. At that point I was in a very self-destructive mode and it was something that I luckily survived through, think it made me a stronger person gained some sort of wisdom from it. At least how to make strong cocktails the very but... Later, more seriously, you know, after Columbine as a person I didn't leave the house for three months because I felt that everyone even in Hollywood, a place where expect people to be more openminded, I got a lot of looks from people, a lot of, a lot of doors were shut in my face, you know, metaphorically speaking. And a lot of people turned their back on me at that point and we're afraid to be associated. And not as an artist but as a person, you know, I felt betrayed. I remember those people now and, you know, I think that was a learning period for me and for the whole world. I think that it's strange to me that that event has had a similar impact as the Kennedy assassination. It was something that really shocked the world, something the world couldn't explain. I think that something the media really ran with was a little Wag the Dog going on a little distraction from what was happening in the White House. And I think it's it's kind of disrespectful to other events that happened before and after that that they didn't receive the same sort of attention. But I think that attention it was never good to begin with I think it was exploitive and I think it was self-serving. That's why I stayed out of it I never made a comment I never did an interview. I, I waited and made my statement. And I think after I made that statement I felt some closure for me and now when these things happen. I can just look at it and see it as being as silly as probably everybody else does.

"Hi, hello hi!'

Hi.

I just wanted to say thank you again from the bottom of my heart. You've been the biggest source of inspiration in my life and no words can't explain that.

Thank you.

But my question is, how do you feel about the New World Order, and as a shit disturber how does this fit in in your life are you for against it?

What do you mean specifically?

... not working thing.

(Check.)

Well it seems that we're getting a lot of different like political figures are saying they're coming from different places. But really it's not it's all the same thing and it's kind of going downhill. And I was just wondering if you are for the downhill slide or against it because...?

I don't ever remember being an uphill moment in, in politics. I think, I, I think it's all the same it's always been the same.

That's what I've always said about. You know, violence and when people say these are the most violent times ever, it seems to me, that they're much more civilized than when Christians were being fed to lions and, you know, people were, you know, the Civil War, you know, I think, think we're in a time now where we don't have a war anymore. That's why we're attacking each other. There is no war, there's no cold war, there's no Russia. So now people like Joseph Leverman (?) or whoever it's going to be they, they have, they need another battle to fight. So they pick people like me and things like that. But I don't ever take politics seriously, you know. You can't especially after when you've been around the world and you see how other countries operate. I think a lot of people growing up now, feel the same way and and realize just how fake it is and how it always has been, you know. We just want to believe, you know, the American dream and it's, it's not real.

(Got that right!)

Hi Mr. Manson! I was just wondering: who's your favorite band and who's your least favorite band?

That's hard to say. Favorite band... It's, it's always hard to pick, you know. You know, it always goes back to some of the classics like The Beatles, you know, record you can always put on, or Pink Floyd, or things that you grew up listening to. As far as least favorite band, you know, there's too many to mention, but I, I don't ever really... I don't. I hate wasting the effort complaining about him (?) and it seems always competitive to bitch about him (?). You know, it seems out of jealousy. But so I'm going to have to say Marilyn Manson is my least favorite band.

(I...)

Yeah, I'm just wondering your active coming here obviously. It's kind of like you obviously have something you wanted to get across to say. You, have you been asked to do a keyote anywhere before? And if, if, if you haven't gone to one before or even if you have, why is here and now the right time what brought you here specifically?

I have spoken before at music conferences and I felt that. I hadn't really had the time to do enough press for Canada. So I thought it was a good opportunity it just happened at the right time.

((?) what a round of applause for that one you guys, he came to Vancouver!)

Actually my manager lied and he said that it was in Seattle. And when I got off the plane it was confused.

(You have another one over there.)

Just kidding.

Hi!

Hi.

I was just wondering like after all the things you've gone through like negatively with people. Do you find it hard to get close to people and trust people as a person? And, you know, stay away from the business aspect of it, but you know, with just meeting people and being friendly? Do you find that difficult?

I do but I try not to be so jaded, you know. A lot of people... I often find people that are around me, my friends or, or people that I've been in relationships with are often more cynical about it and say don't you realize this person just wants to know you because you're Marilyn Manson. And what I always say is you don't realize well that's that's what I am if that's why they want to know me then that's not an insult, you know, that's that's my life. So I try to give... I usually reflect people, you know. If someone's nice to me, I'm nice back. And if they're not nice to me, then I'm not nice back. And it's about that simple.

Hi Marilyn! I mean the, the speakers you look to, your... Yeah, actually I'm over here. Hi, no I lied I'm right here.

You're confusing me.

Hey, how's it going?

Okay.

When you were younger and you started playing music, did you see yourself having an agenda like the way you want your career to progress? Or do you see yourself adapting as you become older to to suit a new I don't know an industry need or a new audience? And has it gone have you had any kind of plan whatsoever, have you seen yourself ending up here or or five-ten years from now do you see yourself doing something else, or have you just been flying by the seat of your pants?

Well that kind of relates what I was talking about earlier with artist obligation. There's often a pressure to try and appeal to what's current, you know, what, what the trend is and... I tried to avoid that, you know. I think after Antichrist Superstar I made a record that was completely different because I didn't want people to think that it was only one thing that I did. I wanted to express myself in a different way. And with this record I did the same thing. I always try and surprise myself. As long as I do that I think then I can surprise the people that listen to the records. Growing up I don't, I don't think I ever really had any desire or, or didn't realize that rock music was something I was going to do. I knew that I like to entertain people in, in some way or another. And I knew that I always seem to wear Halloween costumes the wrong time of the year, so figured this was the best place to do it.

Hi there Marilyn! Over here.

Over here (?)...

I'm waving to your to your direct left.

Okay, there you are.

It's kind of a two-part question. The first part of it is to Mr. McCarty (?) I believe. He's kind of circling around over there somewhere. And then I kind of wanted to get your response on it. He was talking about insanely great usic which of course is not (?) as we all know. And what I'm what I'm wondering what I'm wondering about that... Sorry, what I'm wondering about that is, is: did you set out as, as he was saying to, to make insanely great music maybe putting yourself in in a league with unruly sort of comparisons? Or did you, did you kind of start out for, for the art? And I wanted to get Mr. McCarty's response on that as well.

I don't think I ever had a specific intention. I knew that I had things to say. And I initially tried to do that as a writer. Then I realized that when I was interviewing other musicans that it was unfair for me to kind of put my opinions into when I was trying to write about their opinions. That was kind of the turning point for me. When I knew that I just wanted to say the things that were on my mind, use my imagination and for some reason people liked it. And I was a little bit surprised by that and then I felt like I had finally found a home all of my energy I guess, you know. Just I always had the desire to be doing something, you know. I can't sit still and that's one of the reasons why I'm here today, you know. I would have normally been in home sleeping but came here to speak instead.

We're glad you came man! We're going to wrap it up I, I just wanted ask one last thing really to close it you know. e have in the audience here 250 bands participating in the festival, bunch of people from different labels and management companies. So I guess if you had any sort of last piece of advice that you could sum up for these guys, what do (?) What do you think?

I don't want this to sound discouraging, but I think we're in we're in a harder era of music than when I started the band. So it's going to take a lot of bravery to really make it now. So I wish you the best of luck because this this is a hard time to especially being an artist. And, and just to survive, you know, because things come and go so quickly And I'm fortunate that I've been doing it for ten years. And I have a lot of you people to thank for that, so that's all I can say. Thank you!

Thank you, Marilyn! Marilyn Manson! I say stand up and stretch, make some noise! Thank you very much for coming. It's wonderful.

Marilyn Manson New Music West 2001 Keynote Speech