Smashing Pumpkins guitarist Billy Corgan says his Christian faith is one reason he has maintained his friendship with Marilyn Manson, despite the singer facing multiple sexual assault allegations. While acknowledging that people have valid reasons to question their relationship, Corgan says he doesn’t believe Manson is guilty of the charges against him.
American actress Evan Rachel Wood was the first to publicly accuse Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, describing her “horrific” experiences during their on-and-off relationship between 2006 and 2010 in the documentary Phoenix Rising. Further allegations followed, including those made by Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco and another woman, both of whom reached out-of-court settlements with Manson. Other lawsuits have been dismissed.
Manson has denied the allegations. He is due in court in November 2027 after Judge Steve Cochran revived a 2021 lawsuit that had previously been dismissed twice. His inclusion on the bill for Slipknot’s 2027 world tour has also prompted a group of U.K. politicians to call for his removal. The tour is scheduled to begin at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Corgan, however, has remained publicly supportive of Manson. Asked about their friendship on a recent episode of the New York Times’ Popcast podcast, he explained that his Christian beliefs inform his decision to stand by his friend.
“That’s a valid question,” Corgan acknowledges (via Louder Sound). “I think that ultimately, as a Christian, you have to stand by your friends. But that doesn’t mean you don’t have an opinion, and that doesn’t mean you’re not critical.
“In his case — and I’m not here to adjudicate it — the D.A. looked at the case for five years. In some cases, I knew personal things behind the scenes that are not in the public sphere. I personally didn’t feel that he was guilty of the things he was being charged with, and ultimately, the fact that the D.A. didn’t pursue it [supports that].”
Corgan and Manson’s friendship stretches back three decades. The two acts even embarked on a co-headlining tour in 2015. Corgan says his personal experience of Manson has shaped his view of the allegations, despite the criticism that comes with continuing to associate with him.
“The person that I knew, and the way it all kind of went down, even though it was an elongated process, was commensurate with the person that I knew,” Corgan says. “I guess it’s one of those things where I don’t want the world to tell me who my friends are and who I should associate with.”
Their connection also extends beyond their own friendship. Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha is married to the twin sister of Lindsay Usich, Manson’s wife.
Corgan says the allegations have been difficult for Manson, adding that he has “inside baseball of the case.”
“I know certain people who are involved, and so you make those evaluations,” he says. “At the end of the day, I feel I made the right determination. People would ask me privately, ‘Well, what happens if…’ and I’d say, ‘If he’s guilty, or anybody in that situation is guilty, they should go to jail.’ But I don’t like the idea of… this kind of witch mob thing bothers me.”
Another musician who has continued working with Manson is guitarist and composer Tyler Bates, who has collaborated with the singer on four albums. Speaking to Guitar World earlier this year, Bates said he had done his “homework” before committing to working with Manson after the allegations emerged.
