Marilyn Manson clarifies involvement in controversial ‘Lana Del Rey rape video’

Singer said clip 'wasn't a Marilyn Manson video'


Marilyn Manson has broken his silence over the controversial video clip that was released under his name featuring a staged rape of Lana Del Rey, saying “it wasn’t a Marilyn Manson video”.

Manson said that although he was present at various points during the filming of the video, which appeared online last month to widespread condemnation, the rape scene was never intended to be part of a Marilyn Manson video. It was in fact filmed separately and later edited by someone not affiliated with Manson to look like it was part of the same clip.

Marilyn Manson

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The singer told NME: “It wasn’t a Marilyn Manson video. The editor of the company that put it out was somebody who’s edited my videos, that video was something that was done with a camera that Eli (Roth – director), who’s my friend, and I both wanted to test out, so I let him test it out […] what they filmed was put in context seemingly as if it were a Marilyn Manson video, and that was in no way the intention.”

Alongside the depicted rape scene featuring Del Rey and another male, the video contained footage of a bloodied woman dunking her head in water and a birthday party filled with Manson and various misfits.

Manson added that he did actually want to make a video with Lana Del Rey but gave up on the idea after the collaboration proved difficult. “Eli and I wanted to do a music video with her but she was being such a problem,” he said. “Although I still respect her, I’m friends with her. I just left, I was tired, I was not willing to make that part of the video. Eli and I originally had intentions of making a video with her, but that is not the intention that is represented in that film clip because that is not what I filmed, not for my video.”

Previously, Kathryn Frazier, a spokesperson for Manson had said that the video had nothing to do with the Manson camp. “Manson did not direct this, shoot it, nor was it for a Marilyn Manson video or outtake footage made by him or to be used by him with his music”, she said. “It must be a fan video splicing up old Manson video footage with someone else’s Lana Del Rey footage.”

In the interview with NME Manson said: “But the people put it together with my other clips. And it really strongly stands out of place, it doesn’t really make sense. I would not make a video of that nature, nor would Eli. I don’t think either of us were ever intending for that to be seen, it was more of a camera test. I’m a person that would beat somebody’s ass if they raped somebody that I know.”

Marilyn Manson’s new album ‘The Pale Emperor’ is due to be released on January 19. The singer will also play Download Festival in June.

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