Marilyn Manson has issued a statement after being criticised for wielding a fake assault rifle during his set at Ozzfest Meets Knotfest in San Bernardino, California, on Sunday night.
The shock rocker, who is confined to a wheelchair after his recent onstage accident in New York, emerged with a microphone taped to a prop gun during We Know Where You Fucking Live at the festival.
The performance came just hours after a gunman opened fire on church-goers in Sutherland Springs, Texas, which left 26 people dead. San Bernardino was also the scene of a 2015 mass shooting that killed 14 people.
Manson explains to Variety: “In an era where mass shootings have become a nearly daily occurrence, this was an act of theatre in an attempt to make a statement about how easily accessible semi-automatic weapons are and how seeing them has become normalised.
“My art has always been a reaction to popular culture and my way to make people think about the horrible things that happen in this world.
“My performance was not meant to be disrespectful or show any insensitivity.”
He adds: “The prop microphone I used on stage was handed to me with the approval of a police officer. My empathy goes out to anyone who has been affected by the irresponsible and reprehensible misuse of REAL guns.”
Watch footage of Manson’s performance below.
Manson,who last month fired bassist Jeordie White, aka Twiggy Ramirez, amid allegations of sexual abuse, will head out on the road across North America from early January.
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Marilyn Manson 2018 North American tour
Jan 10: Phoenix Van Buren, AZ
Jan 12: Las Vegas House Of Blues, NV
Jan 13: Las Vegas House Of Blues, NV
Jan 16: Oakland Fox Theatre, CA
Jan 19: Salt Lake City The Complex, UT
Jan 20: Denver Fillmore, CO
Jan 23: San Antonio Aztec Theatre, TX
Jan 24: Houston House of Blues, TX
Jan 26: Springfield Shrine Mosque, MO
Jan 27: Tulsa Brady Theatre, OK
Jan 28: Kansas City Arvest Bank Theatre, MO
Jan 30: Des Moines 7 Flags Event Center, IA
Jan 31: Minneapolis The Myth, MN
Feb 02: Madison The Orpheum, WI
Feb 03: Milwaukee Eagles Ballroom, WI
Feb 06: Chicago Riviera Theatre, IL
Feb 07: Grand Rapids 20 Monroe, MI
Feb 09: Buffalo Rapids Theatre, NY
Feb 11: Toronto Rebel, ON
Feb 12: Boston House Of Blues, MA
Feb 13: Baltimore Rams Head Live, MD
Feb 15: Huntington Paramount Theatre, NY
Feb 16: Sayreville Starland Ballroom, NJ
We spent an afternoon with Marilyn Manson and this is what happened
