Marilyn Manson has come to be known for altering both its image and its musical trappings frequently; the group's sound incorporating, at various stages, elements of spoken-word poetry, glam rock, and — more recently — vaudeville and burlesque. Lead singer Manson was fond of David Bowie, Black Sabbath and Kiss as a young music fan, but every permanent member of the band has brought Read more...

Initially, after being introduced to Big Black by a fellow Miami clubgoer, who would become his keyboard player, Madonna Wayne Gacy, Manson had the desire to form a rock band that used a drum machine — an uncommon technique outside of dance music at the time. The earliest incarnations of Marilyn Manson used this setup, and produced experimental, drum-heavy compositions similar to Steve Albini's Read more...

All of the band's lyrics are written by Manson, whose songwriting style is characterized by a tendency toward misanthropy and attacks on organized religion, as well as by sharp and inventive wordplay. He frequently makes use of puns and double entendres in his writing — for instance, a song on the Holy Wood album, which references the shootings at Columbine High School, is titled "Target Read more...