The bassist of The Funeral Portrait, a band scheduled to open for Marilyn Manson at three upcoming concerts, has responded to criticism surrounding the gigs. Manson announced his first live shows since multiple sexual abuse allegations emerged against him, with The Funeral Portrait serving as the opening act. The band became the subject of backlash since the announcement, hence Robert Weston, their bassist, responded to the backlash by addressing critics through a post on X, which he later removed. Weston wrote, “I’m sorry my band that has consistently played 200 cap venues for seven years and has a chance to open shows in front of thousands of people and people wanna be upset by it. If you truly know the people we are and you know the grind we’ve been on, you wouldn’t be made…No one is forcing anyone to go to these shows.”
Several women, including his former fiancée Evan Rachel Wood, accused Marilyn Manson of rape, torture, and threats in February 2021. Other women made separate abuse claims against him, leading to numerous lawsuits. Manson has continually denied the allegations, filing a defamation case against Wood in March 2022, which a judge dismissed last May its core claims. Last January, Manson was ordered to pay Wood’s legal fees of about $326,000, in addition to artist Illma Gore’s, who is named as Wood’s “on-again, off-again romantic partner” and bringing Manson’s total to nearly $500,000 under California’s anti-SLAPP statute.
Esme Bianco, a former girlfriend and Game of Thrones actress, made claims of assault; her lawsuit was settled in January 2023. Manson denied her charges and settled with her. He was also accused by an unidentified accuser in September 2023, though reports indicate that the case was settled a week ahead of trial. However, he reached a private settlement with an unnamed Jane Doe plaintiff who accused him of rape in 2011. In her suit, Ashley Walters, Manson’s former assistant, alleges that he sexually assaulted her, whipped her, and threw her against a wall during a drug-induced rage. Last month, Walters won a critical appeal that revived her case, initially dismissed last year.
The guitarist of Five Finger Death Punch, Zoltan Bathory, recently spoke about Manson’s mental state in an interview, stating that he is sober and clean before they embark on their tour together. Manson had put his music on hold for a while, but many people want to see the iconic artist back on stage. Meanwhile, The Rape Crisis charity website provides help, advice, or more information concerning sexual harassment, assault, and rape in the UK, while RAINN provides similar services in the US
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