Ohio-born Marilyn Manson is often cited as being a negative influence on youth because his outlandish stage persona and controversial lyrics center around "shock rock" sensibilities. Behind all the excessive make up and immoral songs, though, lies a guy who knows exactly what he's doing. The very nature of his existence is polemic and the more attention Manson attracts, the more publicity he gets. So, in theory, the stranger he gets, the more widespread his image becomes. Though it's his image that has brought him notoriety, he is, in actuality, a musician with a very good ear--often discovering new artists and acting as producer for upcoming bands.
