Charles Manson

Charles Milles Manson (born November 12, 1934) was the leader of a group of young followers of both sexes, known collectively as "The Family" in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Manson convinced the youths of his apocalyptic vision and still has a considerable amount of control over some of the former family members who are still alive. He planned and ordered the family to commit several brutal murders, most notably the movie actress Sharon Tate who was pregnant at the time. He was convicted of murder in what came to be known as the "Tate-La Bianca case", named after the victims, although he was not accused of committing the murders in person. He is currently serving a life sentence in a California prison and is up for parole in 2007; however, due to his erratic and arguably dangerous and insane behavior, it is highly unlikely he will ever be released.

Media influence

Manson himself was involved in the production of several albums including his Lie: The Love & Terror Cult (Performance 1970). It seems hundreds of musicians, most unknown or minor, have recorded songs related to Manson. Neil Young's "Revolution Blues" is likely the best known, perhaps because he knew Manson. In 1982, a Boston hardcore punk band Negative FX (featuring Choke later in Slapshot) featured a picture of Charles Manson, with their logo digitally "carved" into his head, on their self-titled LP. It also featured pictures of manson family members on the back. This caused much controversy at the time. In 1985, experimental rock band Sonic Youth released the song "Death Valley 69" which was inspired by the Manson murders. In cooperation with director Richard Kern they produced a video clip for the song in which part of the band members were involved in gore scenes. System of a Down wrote the song "ATWA" on their Toxicity album about the media's viewpoints on Manson. (ATWA is an acronym used by Manson, meaning both "Air-Trees-Water-Animals" and "all the way alive.") Ozzy Osbourne recorded "Bloodbath in Paradise" in the "No Rest for the Wicked" album about the California murders. Guns N' Roses drew the most notice when they recorded "Look At Your Game Girl" which is a hidden track after the last song on Guns N' Roses' last album (cover album), authored by Manson, this move was made by Axl Rose after meeting the shock rocker Brian Warner who told him about Manson's Lie album, and explained how he sampled one of his songs "Mechanical Man" using some lyrics which he reworked into the track "My Monkey" on his first album. The track can be found on Portrait of an American Family. Part of the profits would have gone to him but legal action diverted them to victim Frykowski's son, instead. Brian Warner (aka Marilyn Manson) took the second half of his stage name from Manson. Industrial band Skinny Puppy also used samples in the song "Worlock" pairing them with samples from the The Beatles song "Helter Skelter". Alkaline Trio have also recorded a song called "Sadie" relating to Manson and the Family. It appears on both their BYO Records split with the band One Man Army and on their 2005 cd "Crimson". Florida death metal band Deicide recorded a song in which Manson is the primary subject in "Lunatic of God's Creation". English doom metal band Paradise Lost refer to Manson (unsympathetically) on their album "Draconican Times". On the track "Forever Failure" a sample of Charles Manson's voice is used from the British television documentary "Charles Manson - The Man Who Killed The Sixties". Another English band from Leicester, Kasabian, take their name from the family member. Manson is often referred to in rap music as well. Even a Portuguese band, Mão Morta, has a song named Charles Manson.

Related Topics:
Neil Young - 1982 - Negative FX - 1985 - Sonic Youth - Richard Kern - System of a Down - Toxicity - Ozzy Osbourne - Guns N' Roses - Guns N' Roses' last album (cover album) - Axl Rose - Brian Warner - Portrait of an American Family - Marilyn Manson - Skinny Puppy - The Beatles - Alkaline Trio - Death metal - Deicide - Doom metal - Paradise Lost - Kasabian - Rap music

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The Tate-La Bianca Murders have been dramatized in movies several times, most notably in 1976's Helter Skelter, starring Steve Railsback as Manson, and its 2004 TV movie remake, which starred Jeremy Davies as Manson, Bruno Kirby as Bugliosi, and Clea DuVall as Kasabian.

Related Topics:
1976 - Helter Skelter - Steve Railsback - 2004 - TV movie - Jeremy Davies - Clea DuVall

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