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...
Few figures in modern rock stir the pot quite like Falling in Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke, and his latest appearance on the Rock Feed podcast (September 15) proves he has no intention of toning it down. Amid discussing his band's massive new music, Radke pulled zero punches when the conversation shifted to his rock icon Marilyn Manson (at the 51:38 mark in the video below).
While much of the music industry actively sprinted away from Manson following severe public controversies and abuse allegations, Radke chose to stand firmly by his side, doubling down on his support by flatly declaring, "He's a legend."
Radke’s defense isn't just about preserving rock history; it's intensely personal. The frontman openly admitted that he sees a reflection of his own turbulent past in Manson’s struggles, specifically pointing to the maddening experience of being publicly accused of things he says he didn’t do. Beyond the personal empathy, Radke took a broader aim at the fickle nature of culture and the music industry. He pointed out the hypocrisy of a public that profits off creating a counter-culture icon only to orchestrate their erasure later, noting that America built the monster of Marilyn Manson and can’t just easily decide to tear it down.
Radke reminded critics that Manson struggled with severe drug addiction, has put in the work to get clean, and is now sober. In Radke's eyes, the relentless public trial needs to end, arguing that the industry needs to leave him alone and let him move forward. By choosing to collaborate with Manson on stage and record when he was deemed radioactive by the mainstream, Radke proved he's willing to absorb the blowback to defend someone he views as an irreplaceable pillar of the rock genre.
While much of the music industry actively sprinted away from Manson following severe public controversies and abuse allegations, Radke chose to stand firmly by his side, doubling down on his support by flatly declaring, "He's a legend."
Radke’s defense isn't just about preserving rock history; it's intensely personal. The frontman openly admitted that he sees a reflection of his own turbulent past in Manson’s struggles, specifically pointing to the maddening experience of being publicly accused of things he says he didn’t do. Beyond the personal empathy, Radke took a broader aim at the fickle nature of culture and the music industry. He pointed out the hypocrisy of a public that profits off creating a counter-culture icon only to orchestrate their erasure later, noting that America built the monster of Marilyn Manson and can’t just easily decide to tear it down.
Radke reminded critics that Manson struggled with severe drug addiction, has put in the work to get clean, and is now sober. In Radke's eyes, the relentless public trial needs to end, arguing that the industry needs to leave him alone and let him move forward. By choosing to collaborate with Manson on stage and record when he was deemed radioactive by the mainstream, Radke proved he's willing to absorb the blowback to defend someone he views as an irreplaceable pillar of the rock genre.