In 1989, Brian Warner was a college student working toward a journalism degree, and gaining experience in the field by writing music articles for a South Florida lifestyle magazine, 25th Parallel. It was in this capacity that he was able to meet several of the musicians to whom his own band would later be compared, including My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult and Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.
He met Scott Putesky shortly afterward and, after showing him some lyrics and poems he had written, proposed that they form a band together. Warner, guitarist Putesky, and bassist Brian Tutunick recorded their first demo tape as Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids in late 1989, taking on the stage names of Marilyn Manson, Daisy Berkowitz and Olivia Newton Bundy, respectively. They were soon joined by keyboardist Perry Pandrea, also known as Zsa Zsa Speck, who shortly left the band after the fourth show. Stephen Bier, who called himself Madonna Wayne Gacy, was his replacement; Bundy was replaced by Gidget Gein in 1990, born Brad Stewart. In 1991, drummer Fred Streithorst joined the band, with the stage name Sara Lee Lucas.
The stage names used by each member were representative of a concept the band considered central: the dichotomy of good and evil, and the existence of both, together, in every whole. "Marilyn Monroe had a dark side," explained Manson in his autobiography, "just as Charles Manson has a good, intelligent side." Images of both Monroe and Manson, as well as of others equally famous and notorious, were common in the band's early promotional materials.
The Spooky Kids' popularity in the area grew quickly, largely because of radio DJ Scott David of WYNX-FM, an early fan who eagerly played songs from the band's demo tapes on the air; and because of the band's highly visual concerts, which drew from performance art and used many shock techniques. It was not uncommon to see onstage naked women nailed to a cross, a child in a cage, or bloody animal body parts; Manson, Berkowitz, and Gein variously performed in women's clothing or bizarre costumes; and, for lack of a professional pyro-technician, they would occasionally set their own stage props on fire.
The band would dramatically contrast these grotesque theatrics with elements drawn from the culture of the members' youth in the 1970s and 1980s: characters from that era's children's television made regular, often somewhat altered, appearances on Marilyn Manson flyers and newsletters, and were frequently sampled in the music. They continued to perform and release cassettes—shortening their name to Marilyn Manson in 1992—until the summer of 1993, when the band drew the attention of Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, who at the time had just founded his own record label, Nothing Records. They would go on to release their debut album Portrait of an American Family under the name 'Marilyn Manson' in 1994.
The Spooky Kids members:
Marilyn Manson - vocals (1989-present)
Daisy Berkowitz - guitar (1989-1996)
Olivia Newton Bundy - bass (1989-1990)
Zsa Zsa Speck - keyboard (1989-1990)
Gidget Gein - bass (1990-1993)
Madonna Wayne Gacy - keyboard (1990-2006)
Sara Lee Lucas - drums (1991-1995)
Discography as Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids:
1990 - The Raw Boned Psalms (demo)
1990 - The Beaver Meat Cleaver Beat (demo)
1990 - Big Black Bus (demo)
1990 - Grist-O-Line (demo)
1991 - After School Special (demo)
1991 - Lunchbox (demo)
1992 - Live as Hell (live)
2004 - Lunch Boxes & Choklit Cows (compilation)
2004 - Thrift (single)
Good Son
Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I took a walk down the hall
I banged my fist against the door
I tossed a quarter to the whore
The camera flashes in my eyes
I spread the news
She spreads her thighs
Red
In my head
I grabbed her knuckles and I yanked them all
I bent her in half like a Barbie doll
Love hate viscerate
Take this flesh and meditate
I sat there with her we sat there 2 she said to me what should we do
I know some tricks and I′ll show them to you
Your mother won't mind at all if I do to you
The poor little girl
The poor little girl
The poor little girl didn′t know what to say
For her mother was out of the house today
Today
Today
Red
Red
In my head
The poor little girl
The poor little girl
The poor little girl didn't know what to say
For her mother was out of the house today
Today
Today
Red
Red
Red
They call me re
Red
Red
In bed the girl
A
The lyrics to Marilyn Manson & The Spooky Kids's song "Good Son" are dark and disturbing, touching on themes of violence, sexuality, and power dynamics. The song begins with the singer walking down a hallway that is lined with smiling faces on the wall. As he proceeds, he bangs his fist against a door and throws a quarter to a prostitute. The camera flashes in his eyes, drawing attention to the voyeuristic nature of the scene. He then sings about grabbing a girl's knuckles and bending her in half like a Barbie doll, with a tone that suggests both aggression and pleasure. The lyrics switch between scenes of violence and sexuality, with the chorus of "Red, red, in my head" highlighting the intensity and chaos of it all.
Beyond the visceral imagery, the song seems to be a commentary on societal expectations and the dangers of unchecked male power. The singer takes pleasure in exerting control over the prostitute and the young girl, suggesting a desire to dominate and manipulate those around him. Meanwhile, he describes the girl as "poor" and helpless, highlighting the power dynamics at play. He also alludes to the idea of learned behavior, with the girl suggesting that her mother won't mind if she shows him "tricks." Overall, the lyrics of "Good Son" create a disturbing portrait of a person consumed by violence, sexuality, and a desire for power.
Line by Line Meaning
Smiling faces on the wall
The decorations on the wall appear cheerful despite the sinister nature of what is happening in the song
I took a walk down the hall
The singer calmly walks through a living space where disturbing activities are taking place
I banged my fist against the door
The singer is determined to forcibly enter a room
I tossed a quarter to the whore
The artist pays for sexual services in this depraved environment
The camera flashes in my eyes
Amid all of this chaos and darkness, someone is still trying to document it
I spread the news
The singer wants to share the depravity with others, either for enjoyment or to confront it
She spreads her thighs
The prostitute is participating in this activity despite the inherent danger to her wellbeing
Red
Red
In my head
There is a prevalent, intense feeling of red in the artist's mind. This could symbolize anger or danger
I grabbed her knuckles and I yanked them all
The artist physically hurts the prostitute
I bent her in half like a Barbie doll
The artist demonstrates how casually he can cause pain and harm
Love hate viscerate
The violent, abusive actions are a manifestation of a complex set of feelings
Take this flesh and meditate
The artist suggests that the violence is a path towards a higher understanding or consciousness
I sat there with her we sat there 2 she said to me what should we do
Even in this terrible situation, the singer and the prostitute exhibit a level of intimacy and dialogue
I know some tricks and I'll show them to you
Despite the violence and horror, there is still a sense of playfulness and experimentation
Your mother won't mind at all if I do to you
The singer falsely assures the prostitute that there will be no consequences for continuing their behavior
The poor little girl
The poor little girl
The poor little girl didn't know what to say
For her mother was out of the house today
Today
Today
Red
Red
In my head
The song ends on a disturbing note, the young girl is helpless, and the artist's rage and depravity persist
Contributed by Makayla T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.