the NachtKabarett

All Writing & Content © Nick Kushner Unless Noted Otherwise

 

Click thumbnails for full depiction and info for shirts & memorabilia. All items are from my own personal collection and are not for sale.

 

 

1995 circa 'Portrait of an American Family' / 'Smells Like Children' t-shirt bearing an image of Manson evoking his most 'Marilyn' half. An allusion to Marilyn Monroe, America's first true 'Goddess of Sex', and Marilyn Manson as 'The God of Fuck'.

 

 

1994 'Portrait Of An American Family' era t-shirt with the simple image of a hand giving the "devil's horns" salute, the symbol synonymous with heavy metal and dark rock 'n' roll. The hand sign was allegedly brought into the popular consciousness by former Black Sabbath lead singer, Ronnie James Dio, who professed it to be an age-old Eastern European sign used to either ward away the "evil eye" or conversely project it to an onlooker. Regardless of the initial origins the hand sign has come to be seen as the "devil's salute", with the pointer and pinky finger designating the alleged horns atop Satan's head.

Though deeper analysis can be expounded upon it needn't be necessary, for the fact that many of the early such Marilyn Manson t-shirt designs and slogans were designed to play upon the irrationality and reactionary "Satanic" invented perceptions by those whom Manson set out to indict from the beginning.

The reverse cover likewise, upon initial reading appears no more than a idiotic contradiction, whereas in reality it targets those very said hypocrites and contradictory self-righteous reactionary Christians who condemn Manson after seeing a mirror reflection of what they themselves practice, rather than the word of God they invoke out of context and pervert. The slogan also forms the introduction to 'Irresponsible Hate Anthem', the opening track of 'Antichrist Svperstars' ; the song which in its blind rage and contradictions is merely a descriptive of such groups which practice the behaviors Manson indicts within, but are too blind to see themselves objectively and instead engage in outward condemnation rather than self examination.

 

 

1994 / 1995 Marilyn Manson 'Smells Like Children' era tour t-shirt

Along with the multiple references to "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" alluded to in 'Smells Like Children', such as the video for 'Dope Hate' being a dark interpretation of the film with Manson as Wonka and the Marilyn Manson logo being based on the Willy Wonka signature font, a tour t-shirt for the era which read "Everlasting Cocksucker" in purple glitter on the back is another reference to the film. This being a malapropism of Wonka's "Everlasting Gobstopper" secret candy. Hand-in-hand, if one looks at the liner notes of the album carefully, the remix of the song "Everlasting Cocksucker" (a pun as it being the remix to "Cake & Sodomy") is credited to "Charlie 'Slugworth' Clouser", the then keyboard player for Nine Inch Nails taking on the middle pseudonym of the film's character who tried of steal Wonka's secret recipes.

'Smells Like Children' CD cover artwork with Manson in the role of Wonka and Marilyn Manson logo styled likewise

 

 

1995 'Smells Like Children' era tour t-shirt

 

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1995 Marilyn Manson 'Smells Like Children' era tour t-shirt

'Smells Like Children' era tour shirt featuring a ventriloquist and his dummy with the caption, "If you meet your master today, kill him." A direct and metaphorical cry of liberation (religious, emotional, psychological, physical, etc) against the powers which oppress. In this illustration it is of course the "dummy" who is being controlled against his will and is the microcosm of the individual who is held under subjugation against his will, and is precisely misunderstood slogans such as this which has been one of the key reasons for Manson's persecution from the reactionary and conservative Christian America.

This very quote, however, actually finds it's roots in the teachings of Buddhism. A mantra commonly attributed to Ninth Century Chinese Zen Buddhist master, Linji (Rinzai, in Japanese) is, "If you meet the buddha on the road today, kill him." Once again, metaphorical but inescapably severe. The aim of the quote is not by any means illustrative of literal murder but the concept however that the Buddha is a mere man and should not be worshiped as a God (which he is not to practicing Buddhists). The precise meaning is the absolute avoidance of idol worship and demagoguery, which is a self imposed caste system and stimulus for the oppressor to take hold of servile masses, the very corruption which has befallen Christianity in its deviations from its original teaching over the millennia.

Though at base various conservatives, religious zealots and pretentious acadamites have decried Manson for messages which allegedly advocate violence, the act is no more than a complete self-deprecation as the slogan emblazoned upon the shirt has its roots deeper and more cultured than any of those who have voiced such condemnation against Manson. For example, the following the (originally circa) 1994 Marilyn Manson shirt which has been (mis)quoted on countless anti-Marilyn Manson pamphlets and fliers by Christian groups, compared with another similar quote by Zen Master Linji :

1994, and prior, era Marilyn Manson t-shirt ; "...Kill God... ...Kill Your Parents... ...Kill Yourself..."

 

 

'Antichrist Svperstar' era t-shirt, circa 1997 depicting a novel variation of the traditional 'three wise monkeys' proclaiming "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil", but altered within the context of those who pervert the original teachings of Christianity and ween their followers into blindly conforming their wills. Illustrated via a three faced Christ denouncing the Truth.

Though the imagery originated as 17^th Century folkloric Japanese iconography it has also been adopted by Christians throughout the world as an admonition toward living a pious and holy life. Interesting enough the imagery denotes man as his base, primordially self as an ape (while Christians, adopting the symbolism, also decry the Theory of Evolution as mortal blasphemy!) with the illustration that man must rise above his primitive desires and emotions in order to reach the gates of Heaven in the afterlife.

Certain, more rare, variations (at least which have been witnessed in person by this author) have been seen to contain a fourth monkey with his hands upon his crotch, as to deter one from sex and sexuality as to liken it as being an affront to God.

 

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'Antichrist Svperstar' era t-shirt, circa 1997, depicting a full band shot and the back bearing an occult symbol which would reemerge within Manson's art seven years later, on the single for the Depeche Mode cover of 'Personal Jesus' in 2004. The reverse symbol is a stylization of what is known as the Chi-rho or Christogram; a single symbol (called a monogram), which represents the name of Christ. Used in irony of course, with a halo-ed Manson personifying the 'Anti-Christ, with his own shock symbol within the opening of the symbol's 'P' on the back art.

"Left ; cover artwork to the 2004 single of 'Personal Jesus' with a 'PJ" song initial variation of the Chi-Ro. Right ; Common style of Christogram, the "X" is superimposed on the "P" and the symbols of alpha and omega ("'I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God..." Revelation 1:8 ; The Beginning and the End) which Manson replaced with double M's for his own 1997 variation.

 

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Above is the traditional "Jesus Fish" or Ichthys, the Greek word meaning fish, which bears the anagram in Greek letters "Jesus Christ, God's son, savior." The symbol is nearly two thousand years old but most modern day depictions simply replace the Greek with 'Jesus', the simplification of which is predominantly what Manson was parodying.

The symbol of the fish as a Christian symbol was designated on many levels ranging from the several mentions of fish in the Gospels, many of Jesus' disciples being fisherman, as well as the symbolic allegory of the Christian being a fisherman amongst men in casting out to preach the Gospels and save men's souls who are but 'lost at sea' spiritually, so to speak (the prior is this author's own description).

The fish emblem is ancient Roman dominated times also acted as a secret code or covert signification of the bearer of the symbol being a Christian, when the punishment for such was death during these times of early Christian persecution.

 

 

1994 Marilyn Manson 'Portrait of an American Family' era tour t-shirt

1994 circa Marilyn Manson t-shirt with 'Beware of God' emblazoned on the front as a sign post. A pun and inversion of the traditional 'Beware of Dog' signs which shopkeepers and homeowners (at least in America) use as a scarecrow to ward away would be trespassers. Likewise this same spiritually dyslexic pun was toyed with as the first track of Holy Wood with 'God Eat God' being an inversion of 'Dog Eat Dog', a famous verbal justification of man's outwardly vicious, self centered and self preserving nature towards those stand in his way. "It's a dog eat dog world."

Coincidently to the various Wonka references throughout the 'Portrait of an American Family' / 'Smells Like Children' eras, 'Beware of Dog' is also the title of a short story written by Roald Dahl, author of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'.

 

 

On March 4, 1966 at the height of The Beatles' fame, John Lennon sparked an international controversy that resulted in a backlash of boycotts and record burnings for his interview statement that :

Because of course it's Marilyn Manson, the present day demagogue of all that's evil, he is by comparison 'Bigger The Satan', letting John maintain his in-jest likening (most often misquoted as being "We're bigger than Jesus") to the devil's benevolent and less exciting counterpart. Another of the myriad subtle Beatles references by Manson since the band's inception, and a quote which was also the closing line of Manson's 1998 autobiography 'The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell'.

 

 

Official Satan's Bakesale shirt, Manson's then self-styled merchandising company. Funny to note is the almost hidden 'satan's 666 bakesale 666' text surrounding the pentagram which is one of the only overt toyings with such imagery which is blatantly perceived by Christianity as being "Satanic" after the band hit the national stage.

 

 

The 1996 / 97 'No Salvation, No Forgiveness' (as it is emblazoned on each of the sleeves) 'Antichrist Svperstar' era tour shirt depicting the Baphomet

 

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In a play off the concept of the 'Manson Family', whom Charles Manson's cultish followers were known as, membership to the Marilyn Manson official fan club offered a signed "adoption certificate" for the applicant who had been admitted into "The Marilyn Manson Family" and the "Church of the Antichrist Svperstar". Before the internet had taken prevalence (the official Marilyn Manson website had only opened in September 1998 preceding the release of Mechanical Animals, and was then only MarilynManson.net), Manson had a massive fan club following through mail order campaigns of leaflets and periodic newsletters. A response to this can be heard by the irate mother's answering machine message to the official fan club after the last track on Portrait of an American Family.

While not any specific visual allusions to the occult necessarily, it is however a funny pun on the idea of a traditional fan club and playing off the 'Manson Family' concept that journalists inevitably would have done in a derisive manner otherwise.

Note however, the universal date of acceptance into The Family as February 14, 1997, the recurring date within the Triptych of Antichrist Svperstar, Mechanical Animals and Holy Wood. For more see February, 14 | Valentine's Day section of The NACHTKABARETT.

 

 

A general merchandise poster from 1997 during the 'Antichrist Svperstar' era of Manson lackadaisically on the toilet. Humorous as it is, it's actually inspired by a promo picture of 1960's & 70's shock rocker, Frank Zappa, who was closer to a psychedelic visionary rather than shock rocker but is nonetheless notorious for lewd and raunchy lyrics and was one of the several musicians who testified before the US Senate during the PMRC hearings on music censorship in the 1980's. And was also coincidently responsible for the major label signing of shock rock founder Alice Cooper.

Though it can be taken at face value as simply funny it's also a poignant allusion to another musician who fought against the censorship of his art, particularly as the summer of 1997 was the apex of the crusade against Manson with virtually every performance being protested, threatened with bombing and cancellation due to the political influence of the Religious "Right".

 

 

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