What do you say about Marilyn Manson?.
I was at one of his concerts, about 10 years ago, and a slightly older rock chic was there with her son, and said "its all been done before.... he's just a new version of Alice Cooper". In terms of alt fashion, makeup, stage presences, and music style, indeed there is a bit of truth in that....the shock element goes around and comes around. But I think to right him off as just another version of Alice is probably a bit of an understatement.
Manson does have a bit of a twist. He's a talented musician, but very much into the image of his band. His use of visual imagery on stage, on his album covers and in particular his direction of his video clips is almost a separate art form to his music.
He has given his own brand of art a name Celebritarian Corporation.Apart from his art, filmclips, and stage performance, he has spent some time producing a movie based on Lewis Carols "Alice in Wonderland". The clips released from this movie were disturbing enough to some of the public that it may have related to the project being put on hold indefinitely.
....the teaser trailer...and yeah, a tad controversial!!!!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xd21ii_phantasmagoria-the-visions-of-lewis_shortfilms
In terms of fashion, Manson has always gone for an industrial Goth look, and inspired a lot of goth fashion. His constant use of contact lenses (he is rarely seen without them) and his "red stripe over the eyes" is a well known look. HIs use of Nazi/fascist inspired black uniforms too is a Manson staple. Lots of pinstripes in suits. Waistcoats....top hats. A lot of his notable fashion hallmarks have made their way into goth wear during the 2000's.
I love his work, while he has not got the profle he once had, his combination of interest in fashion and art has always given me a lot of respect for him.
Go Mazza!
7 comments:
The enigma remainse... how could he leave Dita? Fool! :-)
Overrated, old hat, cliched. That's what I'd say about him these days, having seen 2 dreadful shows of his at festivals in the UK in the last 4 years.
I also have a slight moral objection to using Nazi anything as a fashion statement.
The Nazi/fascist fashion point is interesting...I was at a fashion show where one of the designers had some Nazi influences on fashion. The older people weren't impressed, the younger people couldn't see the issue. I wonder if we are reaching a point where the replusiveness of the fascist element is being tamed by time?
Saw him a long time ago...and loved him then. Shame it sounds like he isn't keeping up the effort.
You don't think he (and other designers etc) use Nazi inspired fashion to tap into the fear/anger normally triggered by such imagery?
I mean the original uniforms, like all military uniforms, were designed intimidate.(just ask Hugo Boss!)
Thats interesting.... I'm not sure if young people get the context or the fear.
He certainly may be trying to tap into that. I mean, he is trying to be shocking, thats his whole modus operandi. And there's nothing as shocking as a SS uniform, though he normally has the nazi insignia off.
The more I think about it, the more I think that he is a very clever self promoter - if you see him in "Bowling for Columbine" he comes across as very erudite.
I think he has an influence on all of us, whether we deny it or not. Brilliant man, looking forward to what he's doing in the future .. yet, I'll always cherish his older work.
Post a Comment