Marilyn Manson on Chris Vrenna, Albums He Loves and Believing in ‘a God’

Marilyn Manson was in a Hollywood Hotel - the Sunset Marquis, if you're a human GPS wishing to track his whereabouts a few weeks ago - when he carved out some time for Noisecreep. He was actually playing an on-site piano, and said, "I want to lay on top of it or play like Billy Joel or Elton John. Only I'll make it sound scary."

Manson really said a mouthful there, but what the heck? He's earned it, as the modern era's King of Shock, the neo-Alice Cooper, with a much more nefarious streak. But Mr. Manson was decidedly mellow as he spoke about his new album, 'The High End of Low.' His lightness of mood was no doubt enhanced by his work with two old sonic soul mates.

"Chris Vrenna was the third element on the album," Marilyn Manson told Noisecreep, referring to his live keyboardist. "He played the adult role and helped to reel in the chaos of us two." The "us two," Manson mentions is is himself and his ol' friend, bassist Twiggy Ramirez, who returned to the Manson family for the new album, which was a methodical effort for the singer. "The songs appear in order that I sang them, and they gain momentum, with sarcasm, me regaining my personality, becoming bitter and then confident," Manson revealed. "Any person who listens to it can relate, since I did not want an album about my problems only and how I look at them. People can relate this music, which is what I love about other artists who has made my favorite records, like [David Bowie's] 'Diamond Dogs' or [Pink Floyd's] 'Wish You Were Here.'

Manson also made another shocking claim - he stated that he believes in spirituality, or at least the notion of spirituality! "I am entertained that censors bleep out the word 'God' in 'Goddamn,'" Manson chuckles. "We are still controlled by religion in a godless era. I realize this statement I just made is coming from someone who is viewed as amoral and a Satanist, but I believe in spirituality and a god."