Shirley Manson's starting point facing closure

After decades of neglect by the council, and (possibly made-up) figures of a million quids' worth of repairs, Inch Community Centre in Edinburgh is threatened with closure.

It's the place where a young Shirley Manson first learned to play.

And surprise, surprise - the building is being flogged off to a private developer.

Watch with No Rock: Shirley Manson

Shirley Manson talks to CBC about how failure can kick you up the arse and get you moving, and 20 years of Garbage:

Twittergem: Like to like; retweet to retweet

Shirley Manson isn't impressed by streaming

You know who's not excited about streaming music? Shirley Manson, tha's who:

"Now you get music for free. If people understood the economics of streaming they would be a little more sympathetic to an artist's plight," she explained.

Manson added that part of the blame lies with the record companies, who don't suffer in the same way that their artists do.

"It's a crime spree. I don't think people understand that record companies still continue to make enormous amounts of money. They strike the deals with the streaming companies," she said.

Well, yes, they do. While muscling to the front making it difficult for individuals to work directly with streaming services to get a larger share of the (face it) small royalty on offer per single play.

"It's a f**king racket," Manson added, before expressing optimism that a fairer system will emerge. "It's early days though and I do think it will be changed."

Maybe.

Although Tidal is dying on its arse, because its solution was to charge listeners more, rather than divvy up the take more fairly.

Which means hopes of a better world means either the tech companies, or the record labels, decide that they should give a bit more of their chunk to the artists.

The history of the tech and music industries suggest that Manson might be waiting for a long time for the sunny uplands.

Us apologise after misidentifying Kanye West as the loudest clown in town. A bit.

At the end of last week, Shirley Manson did a massive post to Facebook saying... well, this:

Dear He who shall remain nameless,

It is with great sadness that I read your email today.

Clearly you have forgotten or are just generally unaware, that in business it is always wise to be kind and respectful in your day to day dealings with other people. Especially those you have never met.

You just never know when you might meet that person who has been at the receiving end of your disrespect for indeed you may have to come on bended knee to that person later on down the line because they hold on to something of value that you need to get your greasy hands on.

What alarms me more than anything about your nasty little barbs is that you are in the business of representing artists interests and yet you are clearly unaware that not all musicians are obsessed with the charts or being famous.

That some of us do not value ourselves by the number of mainstream "hits" we have enjoyed .

That some of us just enjoy making music and having a long lifespan of a career without having to dance as fast as we can, or be the loudest clown in town or be having to hitch ourselves to the latest ,greatest, freshest sound in order to remain "on top" .

There are some of us who just like to live the way WE see fit. Make the music WE feel passionate about. Music that feels authentic to who we are and where we are in our lives.

There are even some of us who do not believe that being famous is the holy grail or the answer to a beautiful, meaningful and rewarding life.

Clearly you are unable to wrap your head around the idea that some musicians actually prefer NOT having to perform on Children's TV shows. Who do NOT want to be gossiped about in the popularity contest columns. Who most definitively do NOT want to be chased by paparazzi and who do NOT want to put their family name to some shitty , poorly made product in order to build a "brand" and who most definately do NOT want to go out every night, dressed up to the nines to the opening of an envelope.

SO allow me to make my choices as I see fit without having to endure your childish and un-evolved criticism.

As you so rightly pointed out, there are plenty of talented people in the world who will sell their grannies to serve your desires.

So now then sir, that all said,
Go F#CK yourself.

The "nameless" bit in the opening line is so frustrating if you're trying to stir up a beef, so a lot of publications - the charge led by Us - assumed that it must be Kanye West. After all, Shirl had a pop at West recently, and... well, if a gossip magazine can't think about more than one thing at a time, the same must be true of everyone, right?

Trouble is, it wasn't about Kanye. So Shirley took to Facebook again:

I would just like to state for the record that my post from a few days ago which has been heisted today by US Weekly and then consequently glommed onto by a variety of so called news sources had absolutely NOTHING to do with Kanye West whatsoever.

It was directed towards a completely unknown industry insider who had in my opinion been rather offensive in his dealings with me last week.

I take great exception to US Weekly rushing to assume who this aforementioned post was directed towards. Instead of doing their due diligence which in my opinion is their journalistic duty, they have instead made lazy, potentially libelous assumptions which I find completely offensive and entirely inaccurate.

Modern journalism in most cases these days, barely resembles the craft that was once practiced with such care, skill and integrity. Instead we are stuck with provocative scandal mongers who will stoop at nothing in an effort to drive people to their web sites.

Ignore all the stupidity and get on with your lives my friends.

I fully intend to do the same.
Be well.
Sx

(You know that somewhere there's a man reading that going 'calling me a loud clown is one thing, but now you've called me an 'unknown' - well, that's going too far, young lady. That's going too far.')

So Us have backed down:

UPDATE: An earlier version of this story stated — erroneously — that Manson had written her Facebook post specifically about Kanye West. A rep for the singer reached out to Us Weekly to clarify that the anonymous subject of Manson’s note was not, in fact, the rapper. Us regrets the error.

They regret the error.

Though not enough to bother changing the headline on the story:

Shirley Manson Trashes Unnamed Enemy as the "Loudest Clown in Town" -- Is She Talking About Kanye West?

No. No, she isn't. In the first paragraph under this headline, you apologise for saying that she was.

An error, of course, they regret.

Although not enough to actually change this image caption either:

Shirley Manson ripped Kanye West yet again on Facebook, calling Kim Kardashian's husband "the loudest clown in town" -- find out what set her off here.

That's quite a piece of work there, then, Us:

From the top, then:
Headline: Implies it might be Kanye West
Image: Says it is Kanye West
First para: Says it isn't Kanye West.

Good work, everyone.

Grammys 2015: Manson crushes West... but not totally

The Grammys, as ever, provided a focus for bad behaviour, most of it of the uninteresting sort.

The red carpet brought this gem, the implication that Taylor Swift was there to get laid:

http://bealiveplaydead.tumblr.com/post/110617904144

Meanwhile, the success of Beck upset Kanye West. Obviously, West isn't really a tiny child who can't understand why his favourites don't win; he just seems to think that his "brand" is somehow "enhanced" by pretending he's fighting for Beyonce's honour:

"Beck needs to respect artistry and he should've given his award to Beyonce."

Yeah, that's how awards work. It's like a fucking white elephant gift exchange. Perhaps they should just put all the prizes in a skip and let Kanye deliver them to the home of the person he decides is most worthy.

You know what? There's no need for the rest of us to tut at West, because Shirley Manson's taken him to pieces:

"Dear Kanye West,

"It is YOU who is so busy disrespecting artistry.

"You disrespect your own remarkable talents and more importantly you disrespect the talent, hard work and tenacity of all artists when you go so rudely and savagely after such an accomplished and humble artist like Beck.

"You make yourself look small and petty and spoilt.

"In attempting to reduce the importance of one great talent over another, you make a mockery of all musicians and music from every genre, including your own.

"Grow up and stop throwing your toys around.

"You are making yourself look like a complete twat.

"P.s. I am pretty certain Beyonce doesn't need you fighting any battles on her account. Seems like she's got everything covered perfectly well on her own."

You've got to admire the artistry in that.

There is a slight problem, though. This line:

In attempting to reduce the importance of one great talent over another, you make a mockery of all musicians and music from every genre, including your own

These are the Grammys you're talking about Shirley. The Grammys are pretty much an attempt by a jury to reduce the importance of one talent over another (or Sam Smith, sometimes).

Ultimately, it's all a dog-and-pony show. West might have behaved like an out-of-towner, his timing is poor and his approach gauche, but isn't half the reason the big awards shows attract television coverage and sponsorship is because people feel invested enough in them to talk about whether the right person won? West's problem is he forgot he was part of the awards machine, not that he prefers Beyonce to Beck.

Shirley Manson: She's electric

Shirley Manson takes being wired into the electricity circuits with trademark good grace:

http://www.garbageaddict.com/post/109284026463/garbage-garbage-fan-matt-harvey-just-visited-cd

Shirley Manson wants the pigs to go free

Here's a headline you don't expect to see:

Shirley Manson Urges Wisconsin Church to Cancel Pig Wrestling Event

St. Patrick’s Parish in Stephensville is planning to have a pig "wrestling" competition.

They say it's wrestling. I think when we were kids, we all used the "hey, let's wrestle" line when we were interested in the grappling more than the sport, but the church do seem firm that they're interested in fighting, and not merely trying to find cover to allow themselves to get close contact with pigs in a socially acceptable way.

Joking aside, it's premium asshole behaviour:

“I am so disturbed to learn from my friends at The Humane Society of the United States that St. Patrick’s Parish is planning a contest in which pigs are punched in the face, kicked, body-slammed, jumped on, and thrown into a bucket. Pigs are exceptionally intelligent animals who deserve to be treated with love and care.

“Wisconsin has a special place in my heart since my band Garbage got its start there. We are better than this unnecessary and abusive activity. Please cancel the Roundup Pig Rassle immediately and permanently.”

And what does the church make of this request that perhaps they don't want to punch pigs in the face?

They've gone with the "it's not against the law and we've done it for years" defence:

St. Patrick Parish, located in Stephensville, Wis., will be hosting its 44th Annual Roundup Days this coming weekend. Event activities include Mass, dinner, parade, raffles and a live band. As part of these activities is an event called the Pig Rassle.

Pig wrestling, also known as a rassle or wrasslin', is an event that is held in various places throughout the United States. Individuals or teams are given the task to place a pig at a designated location. The challenge is typically set within a fenced area containing water and mud. The Pig Rassle is not unique to St. Patrick Parish and has taken place for many years at county fairs and other community events.

The Roundup Days have taken place for more than 40 years, and the Pig Rassle has been part of this event for several of those years. Consideration is taken to ensure that the pigs are safe and free from any abuse. After consultation with local authorities, it has been determined that there is no illegality associated with this event. St. Patrick Parish does not condone animal abuse.

Thanks to all who are helping the parish to address this situation. Greatly appreciated.

Yes, that's a Catholic Church who are shrugging and saying 'we're not going to worry about whether something is moral, so long as it's traditional and we won't go to prison.

I can't pretend to understand religion, but your statement on the pig punching party you're throwing does suggest all that's wrong with it.

Not a thought about what's ethical, not a thought about what's kind, not a thought about the right thing to do. Just a ass-covering justification.

And this abandonment of a chance of moral leadership is so they can be cruel to pigs. Hard to believe Catholicism is in decline, isn't it?

Shirley Manson schools you; so does Dave Schools

Want to learn some German with Shirley Manson? And some bass with Dave from Widespread Panic?

Of course you do. Let's go to Pancake Mountain.

Extra points for linking Kraftwerk and wurst, I think.

Shirley Manson is Kim Gordon, who is Tori Amos

It turns out that Buzzfeed's which whatever thing are you quiz might not be based on 100% scientific accuracy:

@ivygrayklein @perpetua first I got tori Amos than I got me!

— Kim Gordon (@KimletGordon) February 1, 2014

Post by Garbage.

Moriarty is also hopping mad after being told he was Una Stubbs when he too which Sherlock character are you?


[Lifted almost shamelessly from Slate]

Twittergem: The Anchoress

There's going to be an Anchoress video shoot. How would one prepare for that, Catherine AD?

Video prep morning. Or as I like to call it: staring at pictures of Shirley Manson from @garbage day. pic.twitter.com/ZqpzNePoaG

— CatherineAnneDavies (@CatherineAD) February 2, 2014

Yes, that'd work.

Shirley Manson: Cyrus c'est moi

There's been an interesting contribution to the chatter about Miley Cyrus from Shirley Manson:

Manson said: “I disagree in some ways with how Miley has been castigated. I think it’s a very complex issue.

“But put it this way - when I was starting out with Garbage in the 1990s, I wore see-through dresses, and I used to grab my crotch and my boobs.

“Nobody batted an eyelid at the time. Nobody castigated me. But she has been treated like the antichrist.

“Artists make their own decisions and know there may be repercussions. It is up to them.”

It's tempting to say 'well, it's not quite the same', but there's a chance that what I mean is 'that was okay because I like Garbage'.

Even allowing for that, though, there's surely some differences, not least of which is the sort of image Shirley and Miley had. Sure, Shirley had a strong, sexual image - but would you have seen her doing Robin Thicke's rape song with her ass in his groin? Would you have given much for Thicke's chances if he'd even asked?

There's a risk in assuming that there's just sexual and not-sexual, rather than a range of different motivations, audiences, messages and attitudes and trying to use a binary filter leads you into the sort of on/off switch of David Cameron's porn filter. It's possible to defend Cyrus' right to artistic self-expression while still not being convinced that it is self-expression.

If Cyrus is delivering her own vision, there's surely a strange coincidence in how much that vision looks like it's the next step in a sideboob arms race with Katy Perry and Lady GaGa.

The wisdom or otherwise of Shirley's suggestion that Miley knows what she's doing, and knows the potential repercussions - well, we'll find out if that's the case over the years to come. Let's hope she's right.

Bookmarks: Shirley Manson

There's a great interview with Shirley Manson over at Drowned In Sound, where she wonders what happened to provocative women in music:

“It’s tough for anyone to be in the music industry, but I think what has happened in the last decade is that a lot of women have forgotten what a struggle it was for previous generations to even get a foot in the door in the music scene and so have forgotten how tenuous their holding is. As a result I haven’t seen much effort into trying to redefine the way women have historically been viewed as solely visual treats and playthings. Make no mistake, there is still an incredible struggle for women to be treated as equal around the world and in the music industry. I’ve always felt a responsibility to conduct myself a certain way. Before I broke into the music scene there weren’t that many empowered women getting played on the radio. There are still very few women who have managed to navigate a career of any length or are considered of any worth and that bothers me.”

Shirley Manson sees some hope in smouldering remains of the music industry

There's a certain degree of truth in Shirley Manson's biopsy on the music industry:

Speaking to Metro following the release of Garbage’s new album ‘Not Your Kind Of People‘ last month, Manson said: “It’s a shell of what it once was and the industry hasn’t got it’s head around the fact a lot of young people don’t listen to the radio or buy records – the industry has been slow to adapt and become a dinosaur.”

Ah, but there is a silver lining:

“When corporations become dinosaurs they get desperate and greedy and become involved in ugly practices,” she continues. “The good thing about the collapse is it’s got rid of characters who have no interest in music. The workers left at the companies are passionate and care about bands.”

Hang about... if the few remaining staff are passionate about music, but the companies are slow-moving dinosaurs, does that mean caring about bands is an outdated attitude as well? Or would it be better to have people who view music as "product" but can at least put together an effective twitter campaign?

Garbage: Don't go breaking up the girl

Suspicions that Shirley Manson might be some sort of pop star superhero are growing, with the news that she had a bloke thrown out of a Garbage gig for hitting a woman in the audience.

Because this is 2012, the incident is on YouTube:

"You’re fighting baby, you gotta leave now. You can’t fucking fight, man. You can’t fight. I’m sorry, that’s the rules, man. We just need to all simmer down."

Theresa May wants us to choose who runs our police forces. Bagsy Shirley Manson for Thames Valley.

Shirley Manson: Something new and charitable

Got 79p kicking about that you'd like to swap for something lovely and which will also help stand up to governments who would abuse human rights? Get yourself to the iTunes store and buy The Hunger, lifted from the Prometheus Bound musical and bringing together Shirley Manson and Serj Tankian.

It's all in aid of Amnesty International, so doubly worth investigating.

Shirley Manson definitely back in music

It's not exactly news, as she'd been talking about being back in the studio a couple of months ago, but talking to the Daily Record Shirley Manson has confirmed that she's working on new music.

What we've not heard before is why she decided to return:

Shirley said: "Friends of mine lost their son to cancer last year and they asked me to sing his favourite song, Life on Mars, at the memorial.

"We were all in so much pain but it meant so much to them that I could sing that song and it meant so much to me that I was able to do something.

"It made me realise how much music sustains people. I don't know why I turned my back on it."

Fresh Garbage

While it's fun watching Shirley Manson be a killer vixen robot from the future, it's even more exciting that she's dropping hints about a new Garbage record:

"Guess who I just spent a week in the studio with?" Manson wrote [on Facebook], before adding, "Would you be pleased if I said one of them was called Steve and one of them was called Duke and another was a Grammy-winning producer?"

Well, perhaps. Unless it's former Brighton and Hove Albion captain Steve Foster, the corpse of John Wayne and Jim Jonsin. Because that would be a cruel trick.

Shirley Manson's new year message

Shirley Manson has kicked the arse of the New York for remaining stuck in the past:

"So sad to read that the New York State Senate voted down the Gay Marriage Bill. It saddens and sickens me that modern government and society has learned nothing from history but continue the vicious cycle of ignorance and intolerance whilst quoting and twisting from a bible that at its root, preaches love and understanding and equality for all.

"Shame on all those who judge others so harshly that they will rob them of their civil liberties. Shame on those who will attempt to strip others of their dignity and their right to walk among us as equals on this earth. Shame on those who teach our children to discriminate and hate.

"Love is love is love is love. And it is rare and divine. So let all of us attempt to preserve it... in any manner we can. And by all of us, I really do mean all of us. Because lord knows there's certainly not enough of it flowing around us in this life."

Her plans for dealing with budget deficit will be outlined tomorrow.

Manson: won't grin, album in purgatory

Whatever happened to that solo Shirley Manson album, you might be wondering? It turns out that the label aren't letting it out dressed like that:

"I've been working on solo material but I don't actually have anything coming out, although I'm working on it. Unfortunately, I'm at a bit of an impasse with my record label.

"I played some of the stuff to them not long ago and they described it as being very noir. At the time, I took the comment as being a huge compliment. That they liked the intensity of my material. But then I realised it wasn't intended as a compliment.

"But I'm 41 - I'm a woman not a kid. I have no interest in making silly pop music and I don't want to wear a silly sexy outfit and sell myself short.

"I'm sure it will all get sorted out in the end. But I do think record companies, in general, have different ideas about how they promote women.

"In the end, it is down to each and every woman to fight to be treated as an individual. I just want to be who I am."

These things are so much easier if you just put on a bloody catsuit and do the duet with Justin Timberlake, Shirely.

Bravely, Warners refused to comment on the story to the Daily Record.