Marilyn Manson, the self proclaimed ‘Antichrist Superstar’ and ‘God of Fuck’ has been through hell and come out the other side with a new album, Eat Me, Drink Me . A marriage breakup leading to dark periods of depression, and a new found love have set the foundation for Manson’s current work, though it nearly didn’t happen at all.

“I was at a point after making my greatest hits record where I thought I didn’t have anything to say,” says Manson. “But what I didn’t realise was that what I had yet to say, on this record, was something that was very simple, the simple human idea of how you feel as a person.”

“I didn’t even care if this record came out, I was making something that made me feel like I had a reason to get up in the morning,” he adds. “I was at a point where I didn’t know who I was and I didn’t know who I wanted to be any more”.

Following a messy separation with then wife Dita Von Teese, it was apparent that Manson had come to a two way intersection: channel his inner anguish into a new album or simply fade away into his own misery. “I don’t mean to sound sappy or melancholy, but as melodramatic as it could sound,” he says. “This record only exists as much as I exist, and if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be here, and I am glad that it happened because it made me realise that I’m fortunate and happy being who I am.”

A far cry away from shouting at the masses, Eat Me, Drink Me adopts a very personal touch and during the creative process, virtually became a therapeutic tool for Manson to battle through each day in one of the darkest periods of his life. “I was essentially writing songs to communicate with the people around me” Manson states, offering Tim Skold (guitar) as the person able to translate Manson’s moody lyrics and raw emotion into a collection of well crafted, guitar driven rock songs. “This record was the first album that I ever had a true collaboration on” states Manson, in reference to Skold. “I was really moved and impressed by the songs (which Skold had written). He was able to tap into what I was going through emotionally at the time. I was happy I didn’t need to tell a guitar player how to feel”.

As the collaboration moved forward, a light at the end of the tunnel presented itself as Manson bonded with now girlfriend, Evan Rachel Wood, and completed Eat Me, Drink Me in March. An idea that was far lost to Manson in the year leading up to the albums release, touring had now become a reality. “After getting to the point of completing the record, I really wanted to perform it live, and we did, eight weeks in Europe, which was great.”

The band kicked off the Eat Me, Drink Me tour boasting a lineup change similar to a game of musical chairs, with Tim Skold moving from bass to guitar and Chris Vrenna (formerly of Nine Inch Nails) to keyboards allowing Ginger Fish to resume on drums after an injury which he sustained in 2005. Former Prodigy member and Marilyn Manson newcomer Rob Holiday was the last inclusion, taking on bass duties. “I think this is the best band, musically, that I have had,” offers Manson. “Rob’s one qualifying question was ‘what movie do you like?’ and when he answered the question I hired him! (laughs) I never tell anyone what movie though, that’s a secret.”

Whilst on tour, Manson has further extended his creativeness by formulating his own brand of absinthe, cutely titled ‘Mansinthe’. “They haven’t finished production yet but in America you aren’t allowed to call it Absinthe so we called it Mansinthe,” he says. Manson hints that his own brand will be available in Australia as well as America and Europe and the hallucinogenic ingredient ‘wormwood’ is likely to be included (except for in America), which Manson seems excited about.

Marilyn Manson is at a point in his life now where he is, dare I say it, ‘happy’. Yes that’s right, the dark prince of goth and all things doom and gloom seems to be quite content with himself at this stage in his life, but what does this mean for the future of a band founded on societal disapproval and a passion for anarchy? “I’m at the point where I feel the happiest now in the strange world that I live in than I ever have before,” he states. “I feel really satisfied with I’ve done musically. It doesn’t make me want to be lazy, it makes me want to make a new record” states Manson, indicating that his new found happiness will not disappoint fans in the future.

The band will be hitting our shores in October to promote Eat Me, Drink Me, a visit that Manson appears to be looking forward to. “Last time I was in Australia I had a great time. I am looking forward to coming back for sure.” The band will perform songs from Eat Me, Drink Me as well as Marilyn Manson classics spanning over his 13 year career. Tickets are on sale now.

FasterLouder presents Marilyn Manson’s Eat Me, Drink Me Australian tour 2007:

Friday October 5: Festival Hall, Melbourne
Saturday October 6: Hordern Pavilion, Sydney
Monday October 8: Brisbane Entertainment Centre
Thursday October 11: Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
Saturday October 13: Challenge Stadium, Perth