The garbage realm

(ten commandamets of love...)

6. THOU SHALT HONOUR MY PARENTS, AS THEY ARE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE:

As un-rock 'n' roll as it may sound, I have a phenomenal relationship with my parents, and any man who can't recognise that they are superhuman demigods is unequivocally out of the picture. A man must be able to discuss philosophy with Mother and do the dishes with Dad. If he is able to do both, comfortably and convincingly, I say hang on to him for dear life. There is something grotesquely perverse about a "rock babe" like me actively seeking to hang out in the company of my parents. It's not considered especially "hip" these days to adore those who raised you. I am, however, an absolute rebel without a cause and always have been. It was the same with our album: Everyone expected grunge and we gave them pop. There's a pitiful flaw in my personality that subconsciously makes me want to do the exact opposite of what's expected of me.

7. THOU SHALT EMBRACE CUNNILINGUS FULLY:

I used to go out with this boy who did not and would not perform oral sex. Clearly he wasn't a real man, because, I'm sorry, a man gives head. Some apparently feel the act emasculates them, that they're being submissive somehow. Well, if they find that oral sex threatens their masculinity, then there's something far wrong with them. Get down, get busy, or get out.

8. THOU SHALT HONOUR MY DEEP DEPRESSIONS, BUT DON'T YOU DARE HAVE THEM YOURSELF:

People tend to think I'm always aggressive and strong. The truth is, I've always been wracked with self-loathing, which leads me into terrible, self paralysing depressions. When I go down to this place, I feel so empty and overwhelmed I can barely move. But perversely, I find these traits in a man unacceptable - I can't stand someone who can outdepress me. You know that scene in Babe where the farmer clog-dances for the pig? Sometimes I'm the sick pig and I need a farmer to cheer me up. And when things get bad, my boyfriend does dance for me, and it never fails to make me laugh. He's a pretty snappy dancer.

9. THOU SHALT BE PREPARED TO BE UNPREPARED:

A man must be spontaneous. I think everybody is mad about sex in unexpected places - humans need to feel desired and sexy, and every now and then they have to possess or be possessed outside of their routine. Spontaneous sex in spontaneous places - in fact spontaneity of all kinds - helps keep the fire alive. I've enjoyed cars, empty building sites, bathrooms that weren't mine. I love trains because they are unbearably sexy. However, I draw the line at airplanes. They turn me off completely. I associate them with impending death and everything hideous about the world. So even if Brad Pitt came up to me on a plane and said, "I need you immediately." I'd have to say, "Not right now, dear."

10. THOU SHALT HONOUR MY SUCCESS, AND FOR GOD'S SAKE NOT BE FREAKED OUT ABOUT IT:

So I've sold a few records and photographers take ridiculously lovely pictures of me and I'm making a bit of money. Deal with it. Men have to learn that my success is not their failure. When I walk into a club with a man and everyone wants to talk to me, it's because they've seen me on TV or listened to my records - not because he is a loser. People mistake fame for power. Men feel that because you're in a band you have more power, and they're frightened of you. I may have a higher profile, and I may not be around because I'm touring, but my man has to be cool enough to say, "What did you do today, darling?" and hear me reply "Well, I put my crotch next to Gavin Rossdale's for the cover of Details" and not blink an eye. It takes a strong man to love a famous woman.

Shirley´s childhood

Although Shirley Manson is renowned worldwide for her striking good looks, alluring confidence and strong personality, her humble and rather sordid beginnings told a very different tale. The glamourus world of MTV awards and the international rock 'n roll circus was all a far cry from her upbringing in the dingy, seedy backstreets of Edinburgh, where the prevalence of intravenous drug culture and a rife HIV epidemic made her childhood years a difficult and indeed dangeourus time. Manson's own family was quite ordinary, with a Big Band singer for a mother and a professor of animal breeding and poultry genetics as a father. Both of thier jobs were well paid and money was never short. Shirley's best friend however, was the child of a local prostitute and, despite her own cosy home life Shirley found herself far more fascinated by the far more colorful events in that household, namley soft drugs, sleazy clothing and loose lifestyles.

This jovial, albiet unsavory atmosphere at her friend's house was also a welcome respite from the rather more traumatic events at school, where, like any redhead, Shirley found herself the butt of many schoolyard jokes. Her predicament was worsened by her unusually protruding eyes, which led to such nicknames as 'Bloodhound' and 'Frog Eyes' (she prefered to be called Charlie). Frequently the abuse turned violent and Shirley returned home bruised and bloodied, in tears. She was frequently reduced to vomiting from the pain and nervous anxiety, and as her teenage years approached, she withdrew and became an unhappy, sullen child.

When the bright little girl started school, she realised that she was different from most of her classmates. She didn't fit in, and they teased her constantly. Shirley was mocked for being 'posh' and was called 'Bloodhound' and 'Frog Eyes' because of her large, wide-set green eyes. She was also beaten up for having red hair. It seemed that everything about her was wrong, and her vision of herself totally changed. By the age of ten, Shirley had become self-conscious, angry, and unhappy. She drove her mum into relaxation therapy, which caused poor Muriel to lose her singing voice. As she older, Shirley became more and more self-destructive, often cutting herself and alienating her peers. Her schoolwork started to suffer as she gradually lost interest; she planned to drop out once she turned sixteen.

October 1993. At this time Shirley was in her next band Angelfish. Actually Angelfish was composed of three of the guys from the band Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie Martin Metcalfe, guitar, Fin Wilson, bass and Derek Kelly, drums and of course Shirley Manson..

Shirley made the big step from back-up singer in GMM to doing all the vocals in Angelfish. There is only one GMM song that features Shirley as lead vocalist - actually a duet with Martin. It is called Normal Boy and is found on the Five album (CD and LP) and the Hard EP(12" and CD).There was one more duet called "Carnival Is Over" but it remains unissued