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...
It's not often you hear from former techs and musicians that worked for Marilyn Manson talking about their past experiences. The only past tech for Marilyn Manson that we heard from recently was Dan Cleary, a podcaster who liked to exaggerate a bunch of nonsense and spread gossip about Manson in the guise of his commitment to support all women who make allegations. Not long ago, however, The Manson Podcast was able to catch up in their eighth episode with former drum tech and later drummer for Marilyn Manson, Daniel Fox, who was involved with the band from 2012 till 2018, which is a controversial period for Manson as far as the allegations are concerned. Daniel Fox grew up as a fan of Manson before he joined the band and has never wavered in his support for Manson since leaving the band and throughout the period of the accusations against him in 2021. His honest and positive memories of being in the band are refreshing and a must listen.
LISTEN HERE
LISTEN HERE