calenda_jake

He's been deemed the "Anti-Christ", he's been scrutinized more than any other artist in music history. His "acts" have gotten religious protesters in outrage. Protesters still go out to the venues he's performing at, passing out fliers, trying to sway concert-goers' outlook on the views Manson is notorious for. But here's the thing; Something or someone that masses of people dislike heavily, makes that something or someone that more popular. If marijuana was legalized, I doubt there would be as many people doing it. It's the curiosity of trying something "against the rules", the attraction, and in Manson's case, the circus he brings to your city, when he goes on tour.


Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Rameriz.

Has his popularity gone down over the years? Yeah.
Has the "controversy" surrounding him gone down? Of course.

But the imprint Manson has made on music and society, will not wash away anytime soon. Say what you will, about the man, but he has been around 18 years for a reason. He's an artist and a entertainer, along with being a singer. If you look at the whole body of work, you'll find a very smart man. Brian Warner (Marilyn Manson), love him or hate him, has created more then music.

Manson came back out to tour with Slayer, last year, which many deemed a disappointing tour for him as an opening gig. So Manson and Twiggy Rameriz (real name: Jeordie White) (Manson's guitarist from 1993-2002) agreed on terms to headline a tour with fellow band mates Rob Holliday (guitarist), and Kenneth Robert Wilson (drums) for the upcoming new year. They titled it, the "Rape of the World" tour, for North America (the first "Rape of the World" tour started in Europe in summer of 2007) this one starting off in Miami, Florida in mid January and ending early March in Houston, Texas. Which made for one show, not to miss in Houston, as Manson and company finnally finished off a long list of dates, (this tour took place in smaller venues, instead of arenas, like Manson was playing when he opened for Slayer)

So here I was, standing outside Verizon Wireless Theater, in the middle of Downtown Houston, looking at the flocks upon flocks of Manson fans lined around the building waiting for the doors to open. Rain was in the air, it was dark, and at least a hundred black birds were flying around by the Hardrock Cafe (the line was wrapped around the restaurant, it's right by the Verizon Wireless Theater). It made for a real surreal scene.

The doors opened promptly at 7pm. Ours' (the opening band) took the stage a little after 8. Lead singer Jimmy Gnecco had an altercation with a fan in the pit, who kept throwing quarters at him. Gnecco stopped abruptly, after making it public to the rest of the audience, that there was in fact a moron in the crowd, he then jumped into the crowd, trying to fight the man, but security broke it up immediately and kicked the fan out. I couldn't believe it, as well as the rest of the crowd. It created an awkward feel for the rest of their set(which was only a couple more songs). Their set lagged. It started off nicely, but a couple of 10 minute songs with hardly any singing and slow pace drums/guitar, can do that. I wonder what sparked Manson's interest in having this band open for him on the tour, or how he found out about them. Not saying they're bad, but their set could have been more enjoyable.

After their set, a curtain with Manson's logo (the two bloody M's) draped down, to the crowd's cheers. It took over an hour, to get the stage ready for Manson. But it was well worth the wait.


A packed crowd at Verizon Wireless Threatre

The true highlights of the evening came when Manson returned to the years of his creative peak (1996-1998), when his albums Antichrist Superstar and Mechanical Animals ruled the airwaves. The big screen video package for "Beautiful People" featured flashing images of powerful albeit deeply flawed figures such as: Josef Stalin, Martin Luther King, and Mahatma Gandhi. These images were prefect in conveying the underlying meaning of the song; that "the weak" (the masses) are used to justify the power of the "strong" (the beautiful people).



Manson seemed relieved, it was the last show on the tour, but it didn't stop him and the rest of the band from delivering a great performance. I was surprised about how good the lights/backgrounds were for his songs. Manson brought the whole show, and he didn't disapoint.



To the vengeful Christian evangelicals, he'll always be a demonic figure, a rock n roll Boogeyman spoken about in fearful, hushed tones. But we know better. Marilyn Manson is only an "Antichrist" to fundamentalists, those inflicted with tunnel vision and fear of infinite possibilities. For us music fans, he is in the tradition of Frank Zappa and Ozzy Osbourne, always answering the conservatives with their own brand of zealousness, just enough to keep this world balanced.


For Videos from the show: Click Here

(Quality isn't the best due to lighting/sound)

Thread by thread, he began to ponder

His seams were once ripped from ever painful tears
He was left alone to himself in his rocking chair
Then one day, a girl wiped the dust off the lens of his eyes
Cutting his guilt, and showing him a blanket full of never ending blue skies

Stitching up the patches, and getting rid of the blood
He liked her, she liked him, it was the start of true love
A feeling he had never truely felt, and never even dreamed about
She was the scissors, and he was the gem she cut out

Thread by thread.

Their love began to grow even more.

Thread by thread.

i might not be the most handsomest boy
but her smile, lights me up with joy
and everytime i hold her hand, i feel on top of the world
i might screw up sometimes, but i hope shes always my girl
i think, shes the sign, of my life opening up new doors
everytime i see her, shes implanting new feelings and new floors
shes making me see things, i haven't seen before
the ceiling has been raised, shes the light i adore
i might not be the best, but i really care about her
shes always on my mind, a dream that has really ocurred
a dream, that i hope never ends
no matter how twisted it bends
i haven't felt this way in a long while
she makes me love life, and grin the biggest smile
i love her.

I hope she says yes. I hope she does, I hope she does. All this planning, I bought her a nice ring. I hope she says yes, I can't take rejection, not now. She is everything, I hope she accepts, please please. I hope I don't appear uptight or nervous, but all of this pressure is pushing down on me. I've worked and thought this out for weeks. She has to say yes!

So Jessica, how's your day going? Work okay?


Let me small talk her up to the proposal, have a casual build up. I don't want to rush, and just blurt out, "Will you marry me?". I want to slowly push her in. Maybe I should have done something more romantic, like ask her on a billboard and point up to it, as I drive her by or something. Maybe I could have done more than having us sit here at our favorite restaurant. Which is a casual place...alright Chilis, maybe I could have done something more, but I really like her, I love her, I want to spend the rest of my life with her. Now she's telling me about her day at work and how it agrivated her, and how her co workers annoy her. Alright, time to ensure her, that work is work, and people are jerks.

Ah, I'm sorry babe. Work is work, there will always be people
who don't get it, and are losers. That's how my work is as well.


Smooth, give me a blue star, what a solid reassurance come back. Now look at her, smiling, and waving her hand through her hair. She's so cute when she does that. Her reddish hair, and her expression could make any man fall to his knees. Everything is going fine so far, everything according to plan. Good good. Now we'll get our food soon, and I'll pop the question eventually after that. I'm feeling good, I'm feeling alive, good good. Keep it up Jake, keep it up, keep it up! Now she's talking about us, and how it's good to have a man like me who listens to her and cares. Gosh, this is going better then I expected. Time for another knockout punch.


Jessica, you are my everything, listening is the least I can do. I
love you. I love us, I've told you this before, but I can't put enough
emphasis on how much you mean to me. You're the best thing that has
ever happened to me.


I don't think a person could cool me off with a fire extingusher, I'm on fire. Everything is coming out so good. My true feelings are being released, this feels so good. I feel like a...a, something . I wish I felt like this everyday. Man, now look at her, with her rosey cheeks as she smiles a bit, saying I'm too good for her, and that shes the luckiest girl in the world to have a man like me. She takes a sip from her drink, before staring back at me with her bold, yet innocent emerald eyes. The type of eyes, that make you feel like you're falling in to endless blankets of clouds. She's amazing. Sh..She..she...fuckk, I lost my train of thought, those dumb eyes, I mean those beautiful eyes. What's she saying now? I've lost focus, come on Jake, listen, regroup. Oh, she's saying that she's really hungry.


Me too, my stomach is growling.


Damn it, I could have come up with something more then that. Oh well, it wasn't that bad. I mean, I am hungry too. What else could I've said? Man, it's getting hot in here. The sounds of families chatting, the clinks of dishes being carted away. Come on Jake, you can do this. Loosen up, loosen up, don't sweat, don't sweat. Fuck I'm sweating I think. Now she's looking at me with a blank face. Uh oh...I wasn't listening to her. Ah man, what do I say, what do I say...

Jessica...I love you.


Oh boy, hopefully I pulled that off. Now she's looking at me with a sly grin, as she smirks. She's telling me that she loves me too. Here comes the waitress now with our food. Time is running out, the proposal is looming. Keep your cool Jake, pace yourself. The waitress hands us our food, as we get ready to eat.

25 Minutes Later


Mmm, that was pretty good.



That chicken finger basket, would of tasted better if I wasn't under so much pressure. Oh boy, I feel the sweat under my arms pick up. The time is now, oh man. We'll be getting the check soon, alright, alright, here it goes....whew..


Jessica....


She's looking at me with her cute face.


You are my everything, my love...


Slowly I get the ring case out.


Jessica...will you marry me?



...Seconds seemed like hours, as I nerviously watched my girlfriend's expression. She looked in shock, like she had just seen her cell phone bill or a ghost. A few seconds more, and I think I drop dead. She then slowly smiles a fake smile, and slowly shakes her head and begins saying she's not ready for that kind of commiment. I could feel my heart slowly slide down to my stomach, like a sponge on a window, millions of butterflies crashing into eachother, a feeling of rejection. A feeling of blah...Before I know it, I'm throwing up on the table. Oh god no. No, no, no, no, no! This is not how it was planned. This is far worse then what was planned. I can see Jessica covering her mouth in shock, as I place my head down on the remaining clean spot on the table. I feel like crying, I feel like kicking a wall as hard as I can, until I put a hole in it. I feel like screaming at the top of my lungs, until my voice goes out. This is not good. I don't feel like picking my head up, I don't feel like looking at everyone's faces, this humilation is so blah.

It's hot in this room, it's hot outside, it's hot everywhere. One day, in 2041, it'll be so hot, that your eyes will gouge out of your head and frizzle. On that day, we will all fry. Like bacon on a frying pan, on a early Sunday morning. The pops, the grease, the smells. The aroma of rotting away. I can't wait.

why am i watching this home improvement show
this lady is hammering down nails, and making dough
i could hammer down nails, i could
just give me some nails, a hammer and wood
i could be your handyman little girl
give me a floorplan and ill show you the world
attics, and dust, look at it, she said wow
i took the hammer and smacked her hand, she said ow
she cried, and i told her it was only for the best
she said "fuck you" and kicked one of my manbreast
i cried, and she took the hammer, i said no little girl
she said "fuck you" and said "feel this little whirl"
she hit me in the ribs with the tool, and i cried more
she started to smile, and started to dance, i could just adore
she was a little cutie patootie, put her on layaway
i slowly got up, holding my stomach, and kicked her in the paypay
"how that feel" i laughed, and started to do my dance
up,down,up,down,up,down, i laughed as i lost my pants
i tripped, and the girl grabbed a pan. and hit me in the nose
"marsha brady" just called she said, and i said oh noes
she grabbed my wallet, and took my cash, and she ate it!
i cried, and took out my gun and shot her. i hated it
i slit her throat open, and took out my soggy cash
"hopefully they'll accept these soggy dollars" i told myself
that little girl had a temper, she was only seven
oops, her mom should be here soon, i think she said eleven
i started to panic, so i hopped over the couch
i hid and crawled like a slouch
an hour later, i heard knocking from the door
i crawled to it, and slowly opened it. she said alittle more.
she asked why was i on the ground. i told her dont ask questions
she asked where her girl was, i told her i thought her a lesson
"a lesson in what" she asked. i told her home improvement.
she said "ah", and i said yep.
i got out my gun, and she said put that down
i told her, im sorry, but not now
she said put it down again, and i disagreed
she kicked me in the face, like robert reed
she found her dead daughter, and cried
i tried crawling out the door, but she stepped on me
she got my gun and pointed it at my head
she pulled the trigger.
but it was empty, i got up and went to the kitchen
and got another gun and shot her in the face.
i slowly sat down by the cabinets, and sighed
what a day, just another day, i replied
i licked the gun, and put it back where it belonged
those two girls had some tempers, like cheech and chong
i can only imagine, what tommorow brings
gosh babysitting is a hard job

don't look now, but a car is coming
from the darkness, the driver cannot be seen
he rests his head below the hood and sips the gasoline
he smiles, and waves at the girl, who stares
he removes his hat, hes ronald mcdonald, but who the fuck cares
quarter pound that, that clown he wants that girl
but the girl rather go out with a racoon or even a squirrel
the clown heads back into his car, and frowns a sad frown
his make up smears alittle, as his hopes are down
he keeps on driving, before he reaches a bar
he drinks a few drinks, before getting back in his car
he just wanted things to go right, he just wanted her
was it because he was a clown? what was it he concurred
his mind was a maze, ideas looping from left to right
all he wanted, was to talk and have fun with this girl tonight
poor clown, poor ronald mcdonald, all he wanted was a little spark
now he's driving his car, in the middle of nowhere in the dark
clowns have feelings, he said to himself as he pulled to the side
That night, he took the night off from flipping burgers and serving fries
he wanted her! he wanted her bad, he wanted her to like him
but she never did, so he went to the barber the next day and got a trim
he colored his hair to blue, and called himself, ronald mcool
but the girl still didn't like him, she just called him a fool
ronald couldn't believe it, that girl was mean
he tried impressing one last time, as he danced and did his shoulder lean
but she didnt buy it, that poor little clown went home and sat on his sofa
he flipped through the channels miserably, and saw nothing but sammy sosa
the clown cried, and fell asleep and woke up the next morning drowsy
he took some aspirin, and still felt a little lousy
he heard a knock as his door, and he opened it
he saw a woman with a kid, and he said whatthefuck whattheshit
"you're ronald mcdonald!" the kid yelled, and ronald frowned
the woman asked if they could go out, and ronald said it'll go down
the woman smiled, and kissed the clown on the cheek before leaving
ronald closed the door and fainted.

Ever since the haze struck, his life has been censored
He swayed, reminisced, stuck his lips out and kissed her
Love was covered in the thick of things, only she knew
And this was bad, he went insane, he didn’t have a clue
Mist, and traffic blocking the way, bringing a new day
Him and Her, Her and Him, paddling their boats by the bay
Making out, Making Up, Making misery turn to lust
Who remembers the past, when her touch turned him to dust
Magic does wonders, bringing pain and covering it with joy
Hiding it in the wings of a dove, and bringing a smile to this boy
Potion of happiness, and the grace of her smile
He walked to her, touched her skin, and made it all worth while
The clouds weren’t nothing, they couldn’t be seen
She posed for the cameras, she was famous on covers of every magazine
Wishes turned to misery, and the boy went crying
She turned her self in, and told the ones it was herself, she was denying
Love in a bottle, never existed until it was too late
And the boy kept on running, because no one gave him a break
Hitting the walls of glass, making the elders grin with a smirk
She held her cup of glee, and kicked him in the face with a jerk
Huffing and puffing, the boy gasped for air
And she didn’t even show up, because she wasn’t even there
The world went up in flames, the world went up in heat
The boy couldn’t leap off the pain, because he lost feeling in his feet
And his legs, and his arms, but he didn’t mean any harm
The girl held all of his happiness in her sense of charm
Cut the eyes, fuck the feelings, and slash the heart
She pushed him down, and their love fell apart

the shadows can be seen under the sun
kids play peacefully as they have tons of fun
the clouds move slowly through the sky
laughter can be heard as the time passes by
the sun starts to fade, as the moon comes up
kids whine to their parents, saying they didnt get play to enough
the moon sits in the blanket of the stars
watching over the cities highways of traffic full of cars

Don't call me, leave me alone
But you refuse, and I hear ringing from my phone
I thought you were over it, I thought you were through
Don't give me any hints, I don't want to know any of the clues
My smile is coming back, see, don't rely on the past
Its history, like me and you, so don't try to make it last
You lit my fuse, and I slowly faded away
Now I'm slowly coming back, so please don't make me stay