There is a point in One Assassination Under God – Chapter 2 where the language of survival finally becomes the language of retaliation. “The Arsonist” is that point. The song is not simply about having survived an attempt to destroy you. It is about what happens afterward, when the person who has been burned decides that the fire did not finish him and that the scars it left behind have become part of his strength. Manson himself described the song as the moment when the narrative of the two chapters “crystallizes into a battle stance,” and, referring to the painting he created for it, said that the “burned scar tissue” had formed into armor. That description gets very close to the heart of the song. The fire has not disappeared. It has changed him. The title is important because Manson does not call the song The Survivor or The Victim . He calls it "The Arsonist." An arsonist deliberately starts a fire, and this changes the entire perspective of the song. The speaker is no...
Bill LaMorey struck a friendship with Marilyn Manson after meeting him in 1990,* while Manson was passing out flyers promoting his new band Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids at a Ramones concert. Apparently they hung out a lot in those early days of the band and he has some very interesting stories to share that have not been shared before, such as the fact that he was the first to interview the band for a local publication, and Manson's very brief side project Satan on Fire was initially conceived by him, among other fascinating things.
This video was just posted a few days ago, and is a very good follow up to the recent interview with Manson's childhood best friend Scott Alan Wade (see here). In the comments section there are a few who claim to have known Manson from those early days as well, and they share their experiences.
Today Bill is a Christian pastor and he hasn't spoken with Manson since 1994, so at the end of the video he shares some heartfelt words he would tell Manson if he ever had the chance to speak with him again. Nothing over the top, as some may expect, but he comes from a place of sincere fondness for the memories he shares with his old friend, but now considers himself a very different person and he quickly shares why, though I personally think it would have been more interesting to just share how he became a pastor. He shares these things in light of the recent changes in Manson's life and news of his career revitalization in 2024.
This video was just posted a few days ago, and is a very good follow up to the recent interview with Manson's childhood best friend Scott Alan Wade (see here). In the comments section there are a few who claim to have known Manson from those early days as well, and they share their experiences.
Today Bill is a Christian pastor and he hasn't spoken with Manson since 1994, so at the end of the video he shares some heartfelt words he would tell Manson if he ever had the chance to speak with him again. Nothing over the top, as some may expect, but he comes from a place of sincere fondness for the memories he shares with his old friend, but now considers himself a very different person and he quickly shares why, though I personally think it would have been more interesting to just share how he became a pastor. He shares these things in light of the recent changes in Manson's life and news of his career revitalization in 2024.
For those wondering if he ever witness Manson, Twiggy or any other band members be abusive towards women during the early years when he was often around them, the Pastor responds in the comments section, saying: "I never saw Twiggy or any other band members abuse any women. In fact I never saw or even heard of anything like that back then."
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* I would dispute that he met Manson on August 26th 1990, as he says in the video. First, because in the interview he wrote about Manson it says at the end that they have an upcoming show on August 22nd 1990. And secondly because I looked up past concerts of the Ramones and it says that in 1990 they played in Florida in late April (on April 26th they played Miami).
* I would dispute that he met Manson on August 26th 1990, as he says in the video. First, because in the interview he wrote about Manson it says at the end that they have an upcoming show on August 22nd 1990. And secondly because I looked up past concerts of the Ramones and it says that in 1990 they played in Florida in late April (on April 26th they played Miami).