i?
though.’ You could hear the estate agents being boarded up before the gig was even finished. 1 0/1 0
Original sins? Brian He may be the god of schlock metal but the music of Marilyn Manson owes several debts in the most unsuspected places. The T Rex guitar growls. the Gary Numan electronic bleeps and farts. the Adam And The Ants drum barrage and the glowers and gloom of Bauhaus are to be expected and encouraged. But just listen again and hear the rhythmic stomp and chant- along choruses of the Bay City Rollers or Slade. And anyway. who said Eurythmics covers were cool? Manson, like Eminem. can rock a mosh pit as easily as he can generate simple and addictive. curse—tilled hooklines for three year olds to repeat in front of their grannies. It’s all just a big ball of bubblegum pop. albeit wrapped in a sleazy. viscous slime that makes parents puke and the young at heart cry for more. 6/10 Marshall To say Eminem is a man of musical contradictions is like saying Toploader are a bit dull. He kicked off his career hanging with one of the wickedest producers in hip hop history. the baddasssss Dr Dre and sampling the legendary Labi Sifre on ‘My Name ls‘. He went from this to lifting rifi‘s from coffee-table princess Dido and hanging out with Elton John with ‘Stan‘ fer chrissakes. (That may be. but ‘Stan‘ was enough to draw a Newcastle child out of a coma. she moved for the first time in eleven days after hearing her fave Eminem track.) He has redeemed himself musically with the insane-in-the-brain antics with his proteges D12 on ‘Purple Pills’. but on the musical innovation scale his raps. however skilfully delivered. are often tosh (see above).
5/10
(A
Costume dramas
Brian There are few points in the Manson wardrobe that would not cause a head to turn in your local branch of Tesco. From German army officer’s jackets with stuffed dead crows as epaulettes to corsets and tom stockings, Manson‘s fashion sense knows no sense at all. Thankfully. the public at large have failed to pick up on the majority of his couture carry on. other than the reintroduction of lads in loads of eye-liner.
6/1 0
Marshall While the blood splattered dungarees. hockey mask and chainsaw look that Eminem has been sporting of late hasn’t exactly influenced the catwalks of Milan. Eminem has been solely responsible for the prevalence of pre-pubescents sporting bleach-blonde crew-cut locks. (Though Glasgow footballing heroes Paul Gasgoine and Neil Lennon also deserve a slap at some point too.) A look previously associated with the likes of Jimmy Somerville (not noted for his chainsaw wielding, bad boy antics) this look does nothing if make him stand out on stage among his posse of burly black geezers.
8/10
The Verdict? Marilyn Manson 34/50, Eminem 35/50
Although Manson is public enemy number one in the US. over here it‘s Eminem who commands the headlines and therefore takes the top billing and the top Bria" 3"“ M“'$"“"‘ “’"0"
slot as the baddest bunny on the green. they are good. they are very very good. but when they are bad. they are horrid
Eminem and Marilyn Manson play the Main Stage on Sat 25 Aug.
THE LIST 5