HIT PARADER: Smells Like Children is an interesting title for your new EP. Does the title have any signifigance?
MARILYN MANSON: Yes, it does. It was inspired a couple differnt things. This title goes way back to my childhood. It has to do with the child snatcher from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang". He was this villain that had a keen sense of smell. He went around smelling for children. When he would find them, he would kidnap them and lock them away because there were no children allowed in the city.
HP: You've reportedly had an unhappy childhood. Is your music how you deal with the disappointments and disillusions of life?
MM: Being Marilyn Manson is the way I deal with the abuse I recieved as a child. This is how I know to express it -through our show and through our music. People misconcieve alot of things about us. For example, people say that I am for child molestation, but that's not true. It's just the way I deal with it. I never felt like I was promoting it, or discouraging it. I'm just speaking about it. That's all.
HP: Why did choose to do remakes of "Rock and Roll Nigger", "Sweet Dreams", and "I Put a Spell on You"?
MM: Well, for starters, I always thought "Sweet Dreams" was a very powerful song, especially in the lyrics. I saw something really dark in the lyrics. It's something that goes straight to the heart -It's relationships the way I see them. It struck me deeply. It worked so well with the theme of Dope Hat. Because "Sweet Dreams" is a different type of use and abuse, a theme started to develop there and we went with it. "I Put a Spell On You" deals with relationships. We were in New Orleans at the time we decided to record it. I always liked the obsessiveness -the darker image of the song. It really strikes at the heart of voodoo. You can't get any better than that.
HP: And the great Patti Smith anthem, "Rock and Roll Nigger"?
MM: Patti Smith is someone we have always liked. I thought it was a song that could be a perfect anthem for our generation. This is a song that kids today have missed out on. In an era where political correctness is around us, for someone to say nigger, its very taboo.
HP: Were you satisfied with how the video for Dope Hat turned out?
MM: It was a lot of fun for us. We spent the whole day making the video with the kids. With the video we wanted to recreate the Willy Wonka boat ride scene in a more drug oriented, psychedelic manner. And at the same time being the band that we are we wanted to offend as many parents as possible. I think we did that and much more. We couldnt' have been happier with how it turned out.
HP: What kind of advice would you give to kids that feel alienated from their families and/or friends?
MM: People have to find what is going to work for them. I think we need to inspire people who want to do something different. People have to realize that they can be something different if they want too. If I can point them in the right direction, then I will. So many people go through their whole lives every day, content to sit in front of the TV and have someone else tell them exactly what to do. Because of religious judgements, people feel guilty just being themselves. There's a whole world out there of free thinking and individuality, and people need to know they are not alone. By me being so extreme, I am telling everyone they can live outside of society and be successful. There is something else out there. I'm not saying be like me, but be like you. I think the kids understand.
HP: Who were some of your musical influences?
MM: I'm 26 and I have always loved Alice Cooper, Ziggy Stardust, and Iggy and the Stooges. I love that general icon impact. These are the people that we grew up appreciating. We find ourselves in an era of rock and roll when there are no rock stars. There is a distinct lack of people today who are actually doing something that defines rock and roll which is to me -pissing people off- making waves about rock and roll. Give me something that strikes at the heart like Alice Cooper did. Alice Cooper is fabulous. I like what he did with rock and roll. He was a big influence.
HP: How would you describe yourself?
MM: That's hard to say because I am a shy person. The word Marilyn Manson describes it all. I'm the type of person that likes to say what's on his mind. I dont' like to hold back what I am thinking. I am also the type that finds the things that scare me and I do them so I won't be scared of them anymore. Rebellion is something I easily relate to. I think rebellion is something missing these days. I'd like to bring it back.
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