Marilyn Manson axes bassist White after rape allegation
NEW YORK: Shock rocker Marilyn Manson has dismissed his bassist whose former girlfriend accused him of rape, as the furore over film mogul Harvey Weinstein’s alleged abuses spread to the music industry.
Manson said he had “decided to part ways” with longtime band member Jeordie White, who has denied the rape charges. White goes by the stage- name Twiggy Ramirez and has occasionally also been the group’s lead guitarist.
“He will be replaced for the upcoming tour. I wish him well,” Manson wrote on Twitter late on Tuesday without further explanation.
The dismissal came five days after Jessicka Addams, a fellow Goth rock singer best known as the frontwoman of the band Jack Off Jill, accused White of abuse including rape during their relationship in the 1990s.
Jessicka, who generally goes by her first name only, wrote on Facebook that White raped her with his hand around her neck and that her screams of “No” were loud enough that a roommate intervened.
In an echo of the unfolding scandal around Weinstein, Jessicka said a male- dominated music industry told her to stay quiet.
“The label blatantly feared the big machine behind Marilyn Manson would use their power to destroy not only Jack Off Jill, but my name, Jessicka, as well,” she wrote.
“The pressure and guilt of the inevitable repercussions of my rape story affecting my band’s livelihood, happiness and success kept me silent for years,” said Jessicka, who with Jack Off Jill later toured as an opening act for Manson.
White in a statement late on Wednesday said he had “only recently been made aware of these allegations from over 20 years ago.”
“I do not condone nonconsensual sex of any kind,” he said.
“If I have caused anyone pain I apologise and truly regret it,” adding that he will “be taking some time to spend with my family and focus on maintaining my several years of sobriety.”
Jessicka went public as a growing number of women in Hollywood accuse Weinstein and other men in the film industry of sexual abuse, with the women saying they were too afraid to speak up for the sake of their careers.
Jessicka, reacting on Twitter to White’s dismissal, thanked Manson and wrote that it was “imperative” for society to speak more about sexual assault.
Manson, controversial for his ghoulish appearance and lyricism that dabbles in the occult, sacked White as the singer recovers from an injury when a stage prop fell on him at an Oct 1 concert in New York.
The band is due to resume the tour on Nov 5. —AFP