MANSON, MARILYN - "Rock'n'Roll," sings Manson in one of his early hits, "ain't noise pollution." Some of us might beg to differ, particularly when it incites suicide, substance abuse and mass murder. The argument that modern rock music exerts a deliberate and pernicious influence on its followers is guaranteed to provoke derision. "Is it Marilyn Manson's fault," demands Muriel, "that teenage misfits slaughter their classmates citing his instructions?" Hitler, she's taken to adding, influenced, no doubt by her modern studies teacher, was the world's biggest Wagner fan and nobody talks about banning him. This sort of non-argument merely illustrates the good sense in removing intelligent children from the school system. Hitler was unhinged by war, poverty and a psychopathic personality disorder inherited from his grandparents. Wagner had nothing to do with it! Mr Manson, on the other hand, has gone out of his way to influence the most vulnerable and alienated members of the community. He leers down from their walls and bellows from their hi-fis personal computers. When his fans persistently commit depredations against their fellows, it's incumbent upon the responsible investigator to study the effects of his music.

A young Marilyn Manson

 

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