he upset the Swiss! (From Yahoo - link would not work)

ZURICH, Switzerland - U.S. shock rocker Marilyn Manson is the target of a criminal inquiry in Switzerland, after a religious group made a formal complaint about his stage act.

Zurich District Prosecutor Michael Scherrer told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the artist was under investigation for allegedly breaching Swiss law protecting religion as well as making incitements to violence during a concert in the city in February 2001.

Manson — whose real name is Brian Warner — and his band members take their first names from pop culture icons and their surnames from famous serial killers. He also uses the sobriquet "Antichrist Superstar," and is known for his ghastly, cadaverous look and macabre lyrics.

Baptized as a Satanist and an honorary priest in the Church of Satan, Manson has ripped a Bible during previous stage shows.

His act has made him the target of religious and conservative groups around the world, including the Swiss-based Christians For Truth, which lodged the complaint.

Scherrer said he interviewed Manson ahead of another sellout concert Sunday at a Zurich stadium, part of the artist's ongoing European tour. Christian groups and lawmakers in Zurich had tried unsuccessfully to have the latest concert banned on grounds that Manson's views were offensive to a majority of the population.

The rocker rejected the accusations, Scherrer said. Manson cited artistic freedom and said his act was meant to provoke a debate about violence and religion, the official added.

Scherrer said he had yet to decide whether to charge Manson.

haha what else is new? manson loves this sort of thing.

Jesus. I am a fan of his and the band, but I have to wonder why people even bother trying to do this anymore. It never goes through, and it just creates the exact opposite of what they want it to (exposure for him.)

Mansons stage act is one of the best in the industry though.

I admit to not having seen his performance but I will take a pass on a bible ripping satanist show. It's just not my thing but I don't think it should be illegal.

I never heard he was a Satanist, I thought it was all schtick. I saw in a recent interview that he was saying that he is not anti-christian, blah, blah, blah.
Or was he a satanist before he sold out to the Hollywood lifestyle?

I've always assumed that Mr. Manson would enjoy any kind of probe.

Criminal or otherwise.

I think it is all part of his gimmick.

I second that!!!!!

Saw him a couple of years back. Extremely impressed with the costumes, lighting and the various props used throughout.

No animal sacrifices, no satanic rituals.....just a kick-ass rock performance.

People fail to realize that above all......Manson is an ENTERTAINER.
Bottom-Line: his job is to make music and put on a good show.


I'd like to see criminal probes aimed at some of today's hip hop/rap concerts. Guarantee you that the cops will find a little more than some $bling$ $bling$

He isn't a satanist. He's interested in the occult and that type of thing, and had the chance to meet Anton Lavey of the Church of Satan, at Antons request, but he isn't just antireligion or antiestablishment for no reason. He's actually a VERY smart person when he's outside of the realm of Marilyn Manson the band. He has his opinions as does everyone else.

It's all a gimmick. The statanist and so on. Manson goes with whatever is fashionable at the moment - and this is coming from someone who enjoys earlier Manson.

I saw this headline and gasped, thinking for a moment he was caught up in some R. Kelly or Michael Jackson similar scandal. I rolled my eyes when I read the actual article. Jesus, he still provokes this sort of reaction out of people? Give me a break.

I liked early Manson, but growing up in death metal's infancy, I never thought Manson was even near over the top, or close to being related to Satanism - which is so 1988. I guess he was one of the first to really hit it big (with the suburbanite kids) with some of the occult present on his stage show.

Why shouldn't he be a satanist? LaVey satanism has nothing to do with the ridiculous human-sacrifice death-metal "satanism" that most people think of.

Hell, LaVey's satanism is almost as secular as buddhism.

The last time I saw Manson, it was a good show but not a great one. His stage presence was the highlight, good costuming and energy, although it wasn't always original, but the music wasn't that great, so overall it was just a good show.

As a person, he just annoys me. He does this "act" so that you'll think "in real life, he's a VERY intelligent person" when in reality he just has a relatively above average intelligence. It's the same act you get from Shaq, although with a different spin (act dumb to seem smarter than you are). I've been most unimpressed by some of his amateurish intellectualism in a couple of interviews. Also, it's hard to like a guy who proclaims, "I invented Shock Rock." Right, you keep telling yourself that, Brian. Still, he does have some valid things to say so it's silly to completely dismiss him.

Anyway, I don't know why people bother with this. It's entertainment. If you don't like it, stay the **** away from his show and don't buy his album. Then again, that's an American thing. Can't really speak for the Swiss.

das

Meh, I think he's pretty intelligent, regardless of his music or his ideals.