Marilyn Manson @ HMV Mid-City Center

3pm 20 January 1999

By reverend.

Prelude

I got up @ 7am after having 3 hours sleep to get ready to trek into the city, after being told by HMV to get there early and get some information on the situation.

I had also gone to the liberty of calling Universal Music, who had put me in touch with the national publicist for Marilyn Manson. I had told her that I was doing a report for SeemsLikeSalvation and that all I wanted was to have an opportunity to take some 'happy snaps' and maybe talk to Tony Ciulla, Manson's manager. I had been told this would not be a problem on the 1/19/99, the day before the appearance.

On the day, I arrived @ 9am (I fell back asleep... =( ) and was told that my best bet for skipping the 5000 strong queue to get stuff signed, was to get some kind of accreditation from Universal Music. I once again called Universal, and their rep said that it wouldn't be a problem.

I returned to the store @ 2:30pm (1/2 an hour before they were due to appear) in order to get access to the press pit before the band arrived. By then there was a huge queue out the store and Police and even an ambulance was there. I told one of the big security guys what I was going down for, and he said that I couldn't, immediatley I panicked and told him about Universal's situation, and he said there was nothing he could do. I almost could of cried, but I thought of calling Universal in hope of getting down there somehow. The receptionist fully understood the situation, and gave me the rep's mobile phone number. Excitedly, I called her and she understood and brought a press pass for me with her, I WAS IN!!!

The Signing

After making my way down into HMV, I was amazed @ what I saw. A huge pathway had been made out of barricades in order to force fans around the store, zig zag style, to the desk @ which the band would sit. I took my place in the Press pit which was right in front of the desk, with space for fans to pass after they had their stuff signed. I was in the pit with my camera and was surrounded by video cameras as well as some fat looking still cameras. As Mechanical Animals boomed through the store's stereo, antipacition rose as more and more American sounding people took up positions around the store.

NB. It is worth mentioning here that Manson's bodyguards are F*CKING HUGE!!!!

Finally, a Channel [V] VJ announced that Manson had enter the building and was in the back eating McDonald's to the crowd of fans, who immediately went nuts and had begun to chant 'We hate love! We love hate!'

Then a group of girls toward the staff only doors, the doors from which Manson would enter the store, screamed and this triggered the whole store to go nuts, yours truly included. Through came Marilyn Manson and band, looking as cool as ever.

Marilyn was wearing his red contacts (they whoop my white ones), tight black top, checkered pants and black platforms. He also had a leather jacket and a leather hat on, possibly the same from the Speed of Pain live. He had little makeup on.

Ginger Fish was next, wearing a tight leopard skin top and black pants, with platforms. Had like brownish makeup on, like the stuff that gives your face personality... (what a load of shit...)

Twiggy Ramierz followed Ginger, wearing an unusual top, black pants and platforms. He had very similar makeup on to that of his picture in the Mechanical Animals CD.

Pogo trailed Twiggy with a Corona in hand. He had his hair vertical (damn it looks good in real life!) and this spikey looking jacket on, with matching pants and miltary boots. His makeup was very pale.

John 5 came last, in a very low key top, (well, i cant remember too well, ill have to wait for the photos!!) with gold glittery pants and platforms. He had faint blue near his eyes and glitter.

The crowd was going nuts, I was going nuts, the press was going nuts! I was sooo shaky that I couldn't hold the camera straight, I hope the photos work out though! As with every other Manson appearance, there were moltitudes of gothic chicks crying @ the sight of Manson, WHY?

Once the comotion had slowed slightly, the bodyguards got the shits with the press and told us no more photos, which was unfair, but still, considering that the general public were having their cameras confiscated for taking photos, I felt lucky with 10 happy snaps...

The line had since begun to move, with each person being allowed 1 item to be signed by the band, and the autograph couldn't be personalised. That sucked, but Marilyn Manson doesnt have all day...

As the crowd died down a bit, the record company rep's asked the press if we wanted anything signed, naturally I wanted my CD insert signed which was cool, as now I have all of the band's signatures! Some other press people had things like the Mechanical Animals vinyl edition and one guy, who actually did the live photos for Manson in Sydney back in 1997, had this poster sized, one-off photo of Manson grabbing his crutch. Manson asked him for one.

As I got my stuff signed I was talking to the various band members, Marilyn, who seemed to be a bit out of it, ;) , was telling me how great it felt to be in Australia. I told him it was glad for us to have him and I shook his hand and moved on. Ginger was talking to Twiggy and so he only signed my CD cover and shook my hand. Twiggy was quiet but friendly, and he shook my hand after handing back my CD cover. Pogo was talking to John 5 as he signed my CD cover but shook my right hand with his left hand (?!?) which felt weird. Finally, John 5 signed my CD cover and started talking to me. I asked him how it felt to be on tour with Manson and how he felt to be in Australia, and he told me that he loved the tour and he loved Australia. At this point, I tried explaining how I was there for SeemsLikeSalvation, but he hadn't heard of it... =( (yeah right Manson)

As I retired back to the press pit, I noticed I was standing next to this girl that is in a Soap Oprah here in Australia (Home and Away to be precise), I had talked to her vaguely about today and she was with some very alternative looking friends. As they mucked around, they caught both John 5's and Twiggy's attention, and so it looks as if Twiggy has found a 'spading buddy'

From then on, I just hung around talking to people, leaving messages for Tony Ciulla (who, by the way, got pissed off @ me for supposedly leaving 10 messages, I left 2...), and just listening to the music played overhead. They played both Mechanical Animals and Antichrist Superstar. I also played some staring competitions with the band. I lost only to Marilyn as he had those red contacts in and they were too freaky in comparison to my white ones.

Manson and the rest of the band left @ approx 5pm, an hour later than planned, and the crowd again went nuts as he left.

As I walked away, reminescing the time I had just lived in which I not only got Marilyn Manson's autograph, but talked to the legend himself... WHAT A DAY!!!!!!