Beatles-inspired, murderous mind
Charles Manson, the charismatic, guru-like head of the so-called Manson Family surrounded himself in the 1960s with runaways and lost souls and then sent his disciples to butcher some of Los Angeles’ rich and famous
TATE MURDER
He was convicted for the brutal murders of nine people in 1969, including pregnant actress Sharon Tate who was stabbed 16 times, even though he didn’t kill them himself.
Tate’s husband, director Roman Polanski, was out of the country at the time
TROUBLED LIFE
Born in Cincinnati on November ▪
12, 1934, to a teenager, possibly a prostitute
In reform school by the time he ▪ was eight.
Served a 10-year sentence for
▪
cheque forgery in the 1960s.
BAD PRISONER
Manson was denied parole many ▪ times as he was not a model prisoner
Was involved in frequent fights, ▪ set his mattress on fire
Was disciplined for possessing
▪ weapons and selling drugs to inmates
POP CULTURE LEGACY
Manson was obsessed with
▪
Beatles music, particularly Piggies and Helter Skelter, a song he said had forecast the end of the world Manson became friends with
▪
Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson and producer Terry Melcher. He later became upset with Melcher, who was the son of actress Doris Day, because he did not make a record with him. The first round of murders by Manson’s followers occurred in the house where Melcher had previously lived. Before the killings, the Beach Boys recorded a song Manson wrote, titled Never Learn Not to Love. Guns N’ Roses recorded his Look ▪ at Your Game Girl
Marilyn Manson, whose stage
▪ name was partly inspired by the killer, used lyrics from Manson’s Mechanical Man in his song My Monkey
Trent Reznor, front man for Nine ▪
Inch Nails, lived in the house where the Tate murders occurred
These children that come at you with knives, they are your children. You taught them; I didn’t teach them. I just tried to help them stand up