Revision as of 17:11, 11 June 2007

Portrait of an American Family is the first album by Marilyn Manson, released on July 19, 1994 by Interscope Records. It was initially called The Manson Family Album, but was retitled prior to release. It is the first and only Marilyn Manson studio album that bassist Gidget Gein plays on. Gein was fired for his drug problem after the production and Twiggy Ramirez, a friend of Manson, was inducted into the band. Ramirez did not play bass on the album contrary to popular belief.

Track listing

1. "Prelude (The Family Trip)" – 1:20
2. "Cake and Sodomy" – 3:46
3. "Lunchbox" – 4:32
4. "Organ Grinder" – 4:22
5. "Cyclops" – 3:32
6. "Dope Hat" – 4:21
7. "Get Your Gunn" – 3:18
8. "Wrapped in Plastic" – 5:35
9. "Dogma" – 3:22
10. "Sweet Tooth" – 5:03
11. "Snake Eyes and Sissies" – 4:07
12. "My Monkey" – 4:31
13. "Misery Machine" – 5:50

Trivia

• 2 minutes and 29 seconds into "Get Your Gunn", there is a sample of a crowd murmuring and a gun shot. This is the audio from the conference in which Bud Dwyer committed suicide in front of an audience during a press conference.
• Although there are technically no hidden tracks on the album, there is some additional audio a few seconds after the end of last track, "Misery Machine", involving a concerned mother who is calling the band's hotline in regards of removing her son's name from the mailing list — threatening to use legal action.
• Bassist Gidget Gein was fired after the production of this album.
• Daisy Berkowitz helped compose music for all of the songs except "Prelude (The Family Trip)" and "Sweet Tooth".
• Roli Mosimann was the original producer of the album, however due to the direction the album was taking the band felt his production was not what they were looking for and Trent Reznor took over the producer role while Mossiman was credited as the engineer. Copies of the version produced by Mosimann are still around on the internet and sound a lot like the older Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids cassettes.
• "Snake Eyes and Sissies" was originally planned as the lead single but never released; "Get Your Gunn" was released instead.
• The album's original title was The Manson Family Album.
• The hidden track at the end of "Misery Machine" is audio taken from the 1977 film Desperate Living.
• The phrase "We gotta ride to the Abbey of Thelema" in the song "Misery Machine" is a reference to Aleister Crowley's Abbey of Thelema, which was used as the Headquarters from which the doctrines of Thelema would be spread throughout the world.
• The song "Filth" was deleted from the album prior to release, and has never been officially released.
• The track "My Monkey" borrows certain lyrics from a Charles Manson song called "Mechanical Man"; the lyrics of "My Monkey" are credited simply to "Manson".

Album Credits

MARILYN MANSON:
"PORTRAIT OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY"
Starring:
DAISY BERKOWITZ: psychoacoustical guitars
TWIGGY RAMIREZ: base tendencies
MADONNA WAYNE GACY: hammond organ, theremin, saxophone, calliopenis, brass, babies, distorted muzette, loops
SARA LEE LUCAS: hitting
and MR. MANSON: accusations, child manipulations, backwards masking, polaroids

1. PRELUDE (THE FAMILY TRIP) adapted by manson / boat ride: manson, gacy 2. CAKE AND SODOMY (lyrics: manson / music: berkowitz) 3. LUNCHBOX (lyrics: manson / music: berkowitz, gein) bionic guitar: reznor. Contains elements from "Fire" (Crane/Finesilver/Brown). Onward Music, Ltd. (PRS). Performed by Arthur Brown. Used under license from PolyGram Special Markets, a division of PolyGram Distribution Group, Inc. 4. ORGAN GRINDER (lyrics: manson / music: gein, berkowitz) 5. CYCLPOS (lyrics: manson / music: berkowitz, gein, gacy) 6. DOPE HAT (lyrics: manson / music: manson, berkowitz, gacy) additional percussion: Chris Vrenna, additional loops: Manson. 7. GET YOUR GUNN (lyrics: manson / music: berkowitz, gein) uncontrolled saxophone: Hope Nichols 8. WRAPPED IN PLASTIC (lyrics: manson / music: berkowitz) knives: Manson, additional voodoo drums Charlie Clouser, violation: Melissa (age 19) 9. DOGMA (lyrics: manson / music: berkowitz) background vocals and citronella: Hope Nichols 10. SWEET TOOTH (lyrics: manson / music: gacy, gein) scab loop: Manson 11. SNAKE EYES AND SISSIES (lyrics: manson / music: gacy, berkowitz, gein) skull: Podboy, "Maria": Gacy 12. MY MONKEY (lyrics: manson / music: berkowitz) boy: Robert Pierce (age 6), the pitiful pot pie brass section: Gacy, Reznor, Beavan. 13. MISERY MACHINE (lyrics: manson / music: gein, berkowitz, gacy). Contains elements from "Beep, Beep" (Claps/Cicchetti). Longtitude Music Co. (BMI). Used by permission. All rights reserved. Performed by The Playmates. Used inder license from Warner Special Products/EMI Records (UK). EPILOGUE: Contains excerpts of dialogue by Mink Stole from the film "Desperate Living". Used under license from New Line Cinema. All bass played on this recording by Gidget Gein (AKA Brad Stewart).

Executive Producer: Trent Reznor. Produced by Mr. Manson and Trent Reznor. Assisted by Alan Moulder and Sean Beavan. Recorded at The Record Plant (Los Angeles), The Village Recorder (Los Angeles), Pig (Beverly Hills) and Criteria (Miami). Engineered by Alan Moulder and Roli Mosimann. Assisted by Brian Pollack, Marc Gruber, Chris Vrenna, Barry Goldberg and Brian Scheuble. Mixed at The Village Recorder and Pig by Trent Reznor, Alan Moulder, Sean Beavan and Mart Freegard.

Digital Editing and ProgrammingL Charlie Clouser, Trent Reznor and Sean Beavan
Mastered by Tom baker at Future Disc, Los Angeles
Mood Lighting: Wade Wright, Live Sound: Chris Meyer, Tattoos: Albert Sgambati, Donovan
Doll family, logo, artkwork and album design created by Mr. Manson, Photography: Robin Perine
"American Family" cover and "Floating Dolls" Photographs: Jeffrey Weiss, Package: Gary Talpas
Managed by Frank Callari/John Tovar c/o TCO Group, Inc. P.O. Box 23329, Nashville, TN
Publicity by Sioux Z. at Formula
Merchandise can be obtained through Satan's Bakesale
To join the Marilyn Manson family write to: 2901 Clint Moore Rd., Suite #404, Boca Raton, FL. 33496 or call the Marilyn Manson Intervention Hotline anytime at (407099709437)

MARILYN MANSON WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING: MELISSA ROMERO, BARB AND HUGH, PAUL JENKINS, DEIDRI, EVERYONE AT COPYTIGHT, GLENN RICHARDS, PODBOY, T.A.G.R, JOHN A. MALM, JR,. SUSIE TALLMAN, GERRY GERRARD, SAM, JASON MORGAN, WKPX, GEN AND THE GENITORTURERS, DUKE OF DAVIE, FRANKIE, ARLEEN, KAY WRIGHT, JESSICKA AND JACK OFF JILL, JEREMY STASKA, LEE, SCABTREE, BLANCHE BARTON, ANTON LAVEY, BOYD RICE, JOHN WATERS, SUSAN WELLS, JACK KEARNEY AND MICHAEL, WILLIE, FRANK, LISA, KEVIN AND EVERYONE ELSE AT SQUEEZE, CARRIE DUNN, CHRISTOFAIRY, TOM MORRIS, CHARLIE LOGAN, MORGAN, MIA JOHNSON, LLOYD, KEVIN MACIVOR, RODNEY, AND SID OF BAD DOG VIDEO, DOG EAT DOG, BILL HOWARD, LORI WERDER, HOPE AND SUGARSMACK, JOHN "MARIA" SCAZZA, FLASHBACKS, LEW, TIM GALLAGHER, SHAWN, A.J., STEVE-O, DAN, MARNIE SMITH, CHARLZ WIEBER, CHAD McCABE, MARC GRUBER, STREITHORST FAMILY, DENONCOUR FAMILY, PIERCE FAMILY, META POWLES, DAVID "SPARKY" BANNETT, T.J. LOCASTRO, ALLEN L. MITCHELL, TIM O'NEAL OF RESURRECTION DRUMS, STEVE AND HELEN BIER, BILL AND LEE BIER, CHARLENE YIP, ANGEL ARAZHY, JULIE BLANDFORD, GJ DOUG, SCOTT VAN AMSTERDAM, PDRAIC OGLE, BRAD WILSON, MIKE FELS, DAVE FRAUMAN, HOLLY POWELL, RYAN AT BOX OF SNAKES, KURT MOODY, MARK, JOHN RAYMOND, CINDY, TEPPER, PAULA, LAURA TAYLOR, NORMA K., JOHN TOVAR, TERRI SMITH AND ALL OTHERS WHO HAVE HELPED OR WE HAVE EXPLOITED ALONG THE WAY.

YOU SPOONFED US SATURDAY MORNING MOUTHFULS OF MAGGOTS AND LIES DISGUISED IN YOUR SUGARY BREAKFAST CEREALS. THE PLATES YOU MADE US CLEAN WERE FILLED WITH YOUR FEARS. THESE THINGS HAVE HARDENED UN OUTR SOFT PINK BELLIES. WE ARE WHAT YOU HAVE MADE US. WE HAVE GROWN UP WATCHING YOUR TELEVISION/ WE ARE A SYMPTOM OF YOUR CHRISTIAN AMERICA, THE BIGGEST SATAN OF ALL. THIS IS YOUR WORLD IN WHICH WE GROW AND WE WILL GROW TO HATE YOU.

All songs published by Dinger & Ollie Music/Beat Up Your Mom Music, BMI. All rights reserved by Dinger & Ollie Music, except for the following:
"Lunchbox" published by Dinger & Ollie Music/Beat Up Your Mom Music, BMI/Onward Music, PRS. All rights reserved on behalf of Beat Up Your Mom Music administered by Dinger & Ollie Music. "Misery Machine" published by Dinger & Ollie Music/Beat Up Your Mom Music, BMI. All rights on behalf of Beat Up Your Mom Music administered by Dinger * Ollie Music. Lyrics used by permission. © 1994 Interscope Records.

Personnel

• Marilyn Manson — vocals, producer, brass, loops, artwork
• Daisy Berkowitz — guitars
• Madonna Wayne Gacy — calliope, Hammond organ, saxophone, theremin, brass, overdubs, loops
• Sara Lee Lucas — drums, sound effects
• Gidget Gein — bass
• Twiggy Ramirez — live bass (in an often misunderstood pun, Twiggy is listed in album artwork as "base tendencies", due to the fact that Gidget Gein played bass on the album)
• Trent Reznor — producer, executive producer, digital editing, programming, mixing, brass, guitar
• Robin Finck — synthesis, keyboards (uncredited on album, however Manson has confirmed his involvement)
• Roli Mosimann — engineer
• Sean Beavan — assistant producer, programming, digital editing
• Alan Moulder — assistant producer, engineer, mixing
• Charlie Clouser — drums, drum programming, editing
• Chris Vrenna — percussion, programming, assistant engineer
• Tom Baker — mastering
• Chris Meyer — engineer
• Barry Goldberg — assistant engineer
• Brian Pollack — assistant engineer
• Brian Scheuble — assistant engineer
• Mark Gruber — assistant engineer
• Hope Nichols — saxophone, vocals
• Robin Perine — photography
• Jeffrey Weiss — photography
• Gary Talpas — packaging