Shirley Manson Musician, actress and main vocalist of the American rock band Garbage. Date of Birth: 26.08.1966 Country: USA

Content:

1. Biography of Shirley Manson
2. Success with Garbage and Solo Career
3. Personal Life and Influence
4. Early Jobs and Modeling
5. Garbage and Further Success
6. Garbage Reunion and Solo Projects
7. Continued Success and Activism
8. Recent Years and Future Projects

Biography of Shirley Manson

Early Life and Music Career

Shirley Ann Manson was born on August 26, 1966, in Edinburgh, Scotland. She began her music career in Edinburgh in the early 1980s. One of the most significant events in her early life was her work with the local band "Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie," where she played keyboards and provided backing vocals. Manson then became a member of the side project, the new group "Angelfish," before signing a contract as a solo artist. In 1999, she dated Geoff Barrow from the band "Portishead." After seeing Manson perform with "Angelfish" on MTV, the band "Garbage" invited her to become their lead vocalist.

Success with Garbage and Solo Career

The band "Garbage" took a hiatus after releasing four successful studio albums, a best-of compilation, and selling over 14 million copies worldwide. Currently, Manson is focusing on her solo career and released the album "Shirley Manson" in 2008. Additionally, she joined the cast of the TV series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" where she played the role of Catherine Weaver, a high-ranking corporate executive of a high-tech company and later an enemy terminator. Manson also performed a cover of Willie Johnson's song in the opening scene of "Samson and Delilah" in the second season of the show.

Personal Life and Influence

Manson is the daughter of John, a genetics lecturer at the university, and Muriel Manson, a member of a big band jazz orchestra. She received her name from her aunt, who was named after Charlotte Brontë's novella "Shirley," known for the novel "Jane Eyre." Manson grew up between her older sister Lindy-Jane and younger sister Sarah. She started playing the piano at the age of seven and later attended the Edinburgh Music School, Brughton School Music Department. Manson was also a member of the Brownies and Girl Guides organization. She described herself as a "horrible creature" from a young age, struggling to be loved even by her own mother. Manson was involved in drama group at Brughton and performed in plays such as "American Dream" and "The Wizard of Oz." She experienced depression and engaged in self-harm, wearing sharp objects in her shoes and cutting herself when feeling anxious, depressed, or tense. Manson endured bullying until she joined a gang of hooligans and started skipping classes in her final year of school. She began experimenting with drugs, smoking marijuana, sniffing glue, drinking, shoplifting, and even sneaking into the Edinburgh Zoo.

Early Jobs and Modeling

Manson's first job was as a volunteer in the cafeteria of a local hospital, followed by working as a waitress in a local hotel. She then spent five years of her life working as a sales assistant at "Miss Selfridge" store, starting from the cosmetics counter. Due to difficult relationships with customers, Manson was transferred to the stockroom. Despite not considering herself attractive, she was invited to model for the British girls' magazine "Jackie" for a brief period. Manson regularly appeared on the club scene in Edinburgh and became a fashion stylist for several local bands, using the perks of her "Miss Selfridge" job to get free clothing samples. She sang with "The Wild Indians" and was a backing vocalist for the band "Autumn" in 1984, but didn't achieve much success. Martin Metcalfe, a member of the pop-rock band "Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie," whom Manson met in a local theater group, offered her to join his band. Despite their romantic relationship ending, Manson remained in "Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie" as a keyboardist, backing vocalist, and handling the band's business affairs.

Garbage and Further Success

In 1984, the first release of "Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie," a YTS-release called "Death of a Salesman," came out. The band's distributor, MCA Records, became interested in Manson's work. She signed a contract with the company in February 1993 as a solo artist, but several members of "Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie" continued to work with her as assistants, as per the label's request. Manson was required to release at least one album under the contract. A few members of the disbanded "Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie" formed a new band called "Angelfish." Manson became the lead vocalist of the new group. Together with Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth from "Talking Heads," "Angelfish" released their first single, "Suffocate Me," in June 1993 on the "Wasteland" label. Their second single, "Heartbreak To Hate," was well received in 1994.

Garbage Reunion and Solo Projects

"Angelfish" toured the United States, Canada, France, and Belgium with singer Vic Chesnutt and participated in "Live's" tour in North America. Meanwhile, their music video for the song "Suffocate Me" was featured on MTV's "120 Minutes," a show dedicated to alternative music. Producer and musician Steve Marker accidentally saw "Angelfish's" music video and thought that Manson, with her unique appearance and exceptional vocal talents, would be a perfect fit as the lead vocalist of his new band, "Garbage." Manson was initially unaware of who Butch Vig, the producer and drummer of "Garbage," was when they first spoke on the phone about his offer for her to audition as the lead vocalist. However, she was convinced to fly to the United States and meet the members of "Garbage" for an audition. Despite failing her first audition at Smart Studios, Manson returned to "Angelfish." However, after finishing the tour with "Live," she began working on song demos for "Garbage." The band invited Manson to become a full member and co-write their second album with her. In August 1994, the "Radioactive" label approved Manson's collaboration with "Garbage."

Continued Success and Activism

"Garbage's" debut album was released in August 1995 and sold four million copies. The album's success was aided by supporting singles like "Only Happy When It Rains" and "Stupid Girl." Manson quickly gained popularity as the face of the band during their tour in late 1996. She took on the role of the band's main songwriter, contributing to their second album, "Version 2.0," released in May 1998. The album achieved similar success to their debut. For the next two years, the band toured in support of the album, and Manson even worked as a model for Calvin Klein. "Garbage" also recorded the main theme song for the James Bond film "The World Is Not Enough," becoming the third Scottish act to contribute to a Bond film soundtrack. Manson's lyrics on their fourth album, "Beautifulgarbage," released in 2001, became politically driven. After the overwhelming success of the album's lead single, "Why Do You Love Me," the album itself climbed higher on the charts.

Recent Years and Future Projects

In 2005, the band took a prolonged break from their career. They reactivated to participate in a tribute show in 2007 and recorded new tracks for their "Absolute Garbage" compilation album. Butch Vig has mentioned that the band may reunite in 2008 to record their fifth album. Meanwhile, Manson has focused on her solo career, collaborating with composer Paul Buchanan, American rock musicians Jack White, Billy Corgan, and Beck, producer and keyboardist Greg Grunberg, and James Bond soundtrack composer David Arnold. Butch Vig, the drummer of "Garbage" and producer of "Nirvana" and "Smashing Pumpkins," also helped Manson as a co-writer and producer for her solo album, scheduled for release on May 27, 2008. Manson has also worked with Eric Avery on his debut album. She has performed duets with singer and actress Debbie Harry and played the dominant woman in the music video for "These Things" by the band "She Wants Revenge." Manson collaborated with Gavin Rossdale from the British band "Bush" on his debut solo album, singing the song "The Trouble I'm In."

Manson has cited Debbie Harry from "Blondie," Patti Smith, Siouxsie Sioux, and Chrissie Hynde from "The Pretenders" as her biggest influences. She is a fan of the NBA team "San Antonio Spurs," particularly player Tim Duncan.

Manson became a representative of the "M·A·C AIDS Fund" in 2002, leading a two-year campaign alongside Elton John and Mary J. Blige. The campaign included the release of the "VIVAMAC IV" lipstick, with all proceeds going to charity. In January 2004, Manson held an auction to raise funds for charitable purposes, raising £45,000, with one of the lots being her own guitar, which sold for £1,050.

In 2007, Manson's involvement with the campaign helped raise over $100 million in the United States, which she donated to "Waverley Care." Additionally, Manson has been involved in the "PETA" campaign to support animal rights.

Manson married her boyfriend Eddie Farrell on September 7, 1996, in Scotland. They are currently divorced.

The cover version of "Don't You Want Me" by the British band "The Human League," recorded as a duet with Marilyn Manson in January 2004, remains unreleased.

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