We are Billy Corgan and Marilyn Manson. Ask us anything.

Who is the sexiest member of your bands, and why is it Twiggy Ramirez?

BC: Hehehehehee!

MM: Hehehehe. Probably because... Billy and I... don't know if we should even say this... but he tends to... I resent that statement, FIRST! However, I think you can't really answer something like that. It's like asking... how a rabbit comes out of a hat.

BC: Twiggy has magic.

MM: Twiggy's throwing some powerful dick magic.

BC: He has a magic wand.

Both of you: What's the weirdest rumour you have ever read about yourself? And What is something funny about you both no one knows?

BC: Well there used to be this rumor I was the kid from THE WONDER YEARS. And then somewhere over the years it turned to Manson. The rumor transferred over to him like a virus.

MM: Yeah, I think it might've been - Billy and I used to spend quite a lot of time together in Los Angeles, when I first moved there. And one fun fact is that I DID go for a ride with Billy once, and I threw up, because he was driving very fast! Or you can tell that story - what's your version?

BC: We had our own MULHOLLAND DRIVE movie.

MM: Well, he said "Do you want to go for a ride?" like he does in his song - and of course, he got that, cuz he's smart as a whip, and so I went for a ride in his whip...

BC: We're both cat lovers.

MM: That is true. We both love cats.

BC: We love cats more than we love women.

Billy:

Do you still use DR 9-42 strings on your Stratocasters?

BC: Holy nerd alert!

MM: Hahahahah! I think I still have those strings on the guitar you gave me. I don't think I've changed 'em yet.

Marilyn - do you ever just surf the internet when you're bored, or do any geeky/nerdy things like play video games?

MM: Uh, I don't play video games. Sometimes I like to get drunk and buy things on the internet, and then I wake up the next day and find 'em on my doorstep, and it's like Christmas. I get excited.

Is it difficult to continue to perform songs about past relationships and can the current feelings about it influence your performance?

MM: I'll go first. I think that one... huge difficulty for people who don't know me, and listen to songs from an outside point of view, they may see them attached to relationships, because we live in a different era. Than, for example, when we would listen to the Stones or David Bowie. For me, I think, it's more difficult to play songs that are attached to periods of my life that were upsetting. But most importantly, I've never written songs about relationships. I've written songs about how I feel. The songs are more about me, than another person. That's the way I like to look at it. So yeah, it is difficult sometimes, but that's why you make music - to express that pain.

BC: I agree, that it's hard to sing songs from certain periods. If you have any kind of success in life, people come and go, like water. So you end up looking at things more of the perspective of someone who's standing in the eye of a hurricane.

Question for both: What are the most memorable places you've toured?

MM: I think one of the most memorable events of my life was playing in Transylvania, with Alice Cooper. It couldn't be more ironic. Or more of a childhood dream come to life! And there were feral wild dogs running around. That should be noted. I didn't see any bats, just wild dogs.

BC: We once played in Slovenia. During the - there were wars going on, in the former Yugoslavia. And we were about 60 miles away from actual war, which in itself was pretty crazy. And then, as we wereplaying, there were people in the crowds giving Nazi salutes, and we thought they were being ironic or something, and then we realized they were actual Nazis?! And they were telling us they didn't like us by giving us the salute...

MM: One time, Billy, we played the MTV Europe Awards, in Ireland, and I came onstage, and I had a cross made of televisions that was on fire, and I was painted entirely back and wearing a cowboy hat. And the ENTIRE audience turned their backs on me. You will NEVER see it on MTV. The most unusual protest I'd ever seen. I just laughed the entire time. I forgot about the whole "Catholic" thing there...

Mr. Manson, your acoustic tracks and performances really stand out, are there any plans to release more Pale Emperor tracks as acousic versions? Or perform an acoustic show?

MM: I like the idea of...doing things that are stripped down, and raw. And I especially enjoy the time when Billy and I first met - Billy is actually responsible for trying to teach me how to play guitar. And he gave me my first guitar as a gift. So I would... maybe we'll just listen to each other play, Billy and I together.

BC: Or we can play an acoustic version of "I feel you" by Depeche Mode on a loop. Over and over.

MM: Yup!

BC: In your revival tent.

MM: Well, I will offer you... a position in my revival choir, hahaha! I don't know if - you need to make the Texas southern accent.

Of all the things any fan has ever said to you, which stood out the most?

BC: Oh boy... I'll tell you one quick thing. I don't know why it sticks in my head. I happened to be in Philadelphia, on the fourth of July, at peak Pumpkins insanity. And I was walking down the street, and a girl recognized me - there were fireworks going off- and she said "Don't you think it's stupid that you have a song called "TODAY" and a song called "TONIGHT?"

MM: Hehehehe.

BC: I said "Obviously, you don't understand the irony."

MM: Hahaha! For me... I would say that one of the weirdest things that anyone has ever said to me - well they didn't say it TO me, but I was walking into a movie theater, and I happened to have a black fedora on, and someone yelled ISN'T THAT MICHAEL JACKSON?!?! Now, I don't know if they were a fan of me or MIchael Jackson. There's lots of things that people have said to me... there's a lot of people who when they tell you how they feel about your music, I keep those locked in my memory bank. Those are things that remind me of the collateral effect of what I do. I don't do what I do for anyone but myself. But i do want to share it with people - of course, as an artist, you're not in a vacuum. You can't create things in a vacuum. So I think - and I mostly remember things that people who aren't fans are. Most often they said "AH thought what you said in Bowling for Columbine was really intelligent. Ah never knew you were so smart!" and my response is always the same:

Well, I never knew you were so fucking stupid. Because I don't know you.

BC: AND... somebody actually came up and said that to ME the other day. About HIM.

MM: HAHAHAH!

BC: That they saw him in Bowling for Columbine, and they couldn't believe he was that smart. Which shows you this tour is going to be amazing.

MM: he says in a southern accent OH, the Faceless SHALL be TAUGHT!

Manson: what is your favorite Smashing Pumpkins album? Billy: what is your favorite Manson album?

MM: Well, I'm going to have to go with Mellon Collie. Because it was an important record, for me in my life at the time, to listen to. And I think it was before we met right Billy?

BC: Yeah.

MM: So at that time, he was in the catalogue of musical heroes for me, so I love that record. I love that it never gets boring. Never gets old. And it's 2 albums, and it's got so much depth to it. I actually sang "Today" onstage last night for you Billy. But just one verse...

BC: Although I'm a fan of the classics, from the Manson catalogue, I think I like this new album the best. I think that it shows a depth, and - let's call it - a "third act" that I never doubted was there, but maybe other people did? And he's proven that he's a singular artist, which in my estimation is what makes somebody important. And there's only one Manson in the whole world. And he proves it on this record. He's been able to shift his gear. No one could have predicted this record. And yet it's there. And it's quite brilliant.

Marilyn, why did you do Juice so dirty in Sons of Anarchy?

MM: It was in the script! Hahaha! But I needed, you know... I told him it should've been Capri-Suns of Anarchy, because it's always difficult to jam the straw in the juicebox. They didn't go for it. I was discussing it with the people who ran the show. The most important part is that I didn't die. That show really stuck with me. And I was doing it while making my new record. So I think while having a struggle-snuggle with a fellow inmate is now part of my daily agenda, the thing is the masculinity of having to be somebody in that position in jail came home with me in the sense that there's a different type of... masculinity on this record. For some reason. Somewhere more leaning towards James Morrison than David Bowie, if I'm going to shout out my heroes.

MM: Any news about Phantasmagoria? Target release, production status, etc? Really looking forward the release.

MM: Well, a lot of people think that I made the film because there was a trailer for it. I made the trailer in order to get people to make the film. I've since decided, because while writing it, it was so... damaging to my psyche, I've decided I don't want to have anything to do with it. I've decided to work on other movie projects. And I want to pass that to Billy...

BC: In fact, I haven't talked about this, but I have a movie idea that I think Marilyn Manson would be the perfect lead in. It's confidential. But I think it's in line with the kind of things he and I are both interested in.

Hey Marilyn Manson! Glad to see this outreach for the fans! Question for both you and Mr. Corgan: How has your original vision and/or message changed as you've evolved through the years?

MM: Well... if we were to be specific about where I'm at right now, on my new album - I kept my thoughts on Christianity obvious with a record like ANTICHRIST SUPERSTAR in a different way with my new record. I look back on all my life, growing up in Ohio, and going to Florida, then to New Orleans, and then to California, and just the different versions of religion - and how, there's not a lot of difference between someone who is a snake-handling Southern Baptist, or someone who is cutting off heads in Santeria, or someone who is starting wars, it's all different forms. I just thought I'd sing about it in the traditional way that rock & roll was invented with the blues. Where the story is both the listener's, and the singer's. Not just my point of view. It becomes both.

BC: When I was young, I beat my head against a wall. And now I just try to walk around the wall.

Will you both ever make a song together?

MM: I think so.

BC: Yes! In fact, we even have a title.

MM: Yes we do! And that's confidential - hehehe! If you want to share, go ahead...

Manson Is there any further update about the 'Holywood' novel seeing the light of day ?

MM: Yeah, that's on my to-do list of things that... I was keeping music separate from. My paintings, and writing, and acting. I was very determined to conquer other art forms without it being because of people knowing me for music. But now I've gotten to the point where I like to look at things more like Salvador Dali would. Where it's - there's no line between any of them. So I do plan on releasing that. Because I actually just re-read it, and it's actually more relevant now than when I wrote it.

BC: There's a new title.

MM: Actually, there is a new title. Did I tell you that Billy?

BC: No, I was guessing.

Manson,

I'm a huge fan and have met you a couple times before at meet and greets. I'd like to thank you for all the inspiration you've provided me. Anyway, a pressing question in my mind, and in the mind of many other fans, is how do you choose the setlist of a performance on a given night? What can fans expect for the Endtimes Tour? Thanks!

MM: We usually pick the songs that we enjoy playing most, based on the audience's response, a lot of times. I think there are songs that we will want to play, but not necessarily songs that translate in a life scenario. Or maybe there's times when we want to experiment and see if they work in a live scenario. But for this particular tour, I think that Billy and I are going to put our heads together to put something together that compliments each other. But I want to make sure that it's not something too heavily based on THE PALE EMPEROR, but at the same time, it won't simply be songs that people would have heard on the radio. I think I'd like to play a little bit off of each record, the songs that people love most off of each record and the songs I love most off of each record.

OR we could just play all Smashing Pumpkins songs. That would be funny Billy!

But we actually kinda did that together. And that was fun as well.

What does your typical breakfast consist of?

MM: You go Billy.

BC: Um, as a healthy person, my breakfasts are very bland and boring. Think kind of a white pasty gruel. Or there can be an occasional banana over the top.

MM: I usually wake up far after breakfast. So I have no other choice but to go straight to dinner. But I'm... I actually had a wonderful dinner prepared for me by Mr. Corgan. That was quite a dinner. We had salmon, didn't we Billy?

BC: We did.

MM: That's as much as you're going to find out about my dietary requirements other than marijuana and vodka.

MM and BC will there be an opportunity for meet and greets on upcoming tour?

BC: I will be doing what we've been doing lately, where I do some songs before the show, and do a sort of meet & greet Q&A sort of thing.

MM: I will be meeting people before the show. And I will also bring a revival tent with me, so I might do a post-show preaching session. I actually bought a church revival tent Billy! On, guess where? ChurchRevivalTents.com! Hahaha!

BC: I can attest to the fact there will be a laying of hands.

MM: HAHAHA!

Marilyn, in your opinion, what is the greatest issue the millennial generation has to face?

MM: I think the question is "why?" And for me, the answer is always "because." The best way to ever have a conversation about anything. But you could oursource it to Billy for a bigger answer.

BC: Facing their apathy.

MM: I'd say "making something with your hands."

For Manson, What would you do if you were president of the united states?

BC: If we ran together, he definitely would be President, and I would be Vice-President.

MM: I think that... I've almost considered being expatriated at times. I have voted once. And I don't really like the illusion of a 2-party system. I think that, if anything, Billy and I would live in a country where cats were presidents. Like the ancient Sphinx. Or I'd be an Emperor, like my new album...

BC: The idea of him running a democratic society is anathema to his personality.

Will you guys play Eye together on the upcoming tour?

BC: We've discussed it.

What is your favorite word? Least favorite?

MM: You go Billy, first.

BC: My most favorite word is "yes" and my least favorite word is "no."

MM: Well-played. My turn?

BC: Wouldn't yours be "my most word is No and my most favorite word is yes?"

MM: Hehehe! My most favorite word is "NOPE!" and my favorite word is "YEP!"

What book is your favorite? And what book inspires you in your life?

BC: I think we're both huge Philip K. Dick fans.

MM: That is true.

BC: He is one of the great writers of all time.

MM: That is true. We actually bonded over exchanging Philip K. Dick books, and that was a great inspiration to MECHANICAL ANIMALS. A SCANNER DARKLY was a great inspiration.

Hey William (like you asked) and Manson.

Question: I read somewhere that William contributed to Mechanical Animals in some way. Is that true? What did you do?

PS: Any news on the Machina reissue?

BC: As far as contributing to MECHANICAL ANIMALS, I was sort of around during that time, and I would say things like "Hey, you guys should try that," or "Try this." I didn't have a huge impact, but I had enough of an impact that when I listen to the album, I feel proud of it because they did such a good job.

MM: He actually had a good deal of input with the song "Disssociative." When you listen to it, you can definitely hear some Billy influence in the song.

BC: Think negative! And on the MACHINA question, unfortunately there's a dispute going on with the label. So for the time being, the reissue is being held up.

MM: You can really see our friendship, and our influence, of each other just... knowing each other, having the same interests, appear throughout records like MACHINA and HOLY WOOD, we were very much into the same writers, the same inspiration of alchemy, and that was one of the side effects of our friendship...

BC: It was a love child!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

BC: Um... well...

MM: No, you go.

BC: Go ahead.

MM: Spare time is like spare change. It's hard to quantify, the definition of that phrase. What do I do when I'm not onstage singing, or sleeping, with or without someone else? I watch movies. Hahaha.

BC: I just lay in bed and scheme.

MM: Schemer.

If the two of you were in a "Spy vs. Spy" kind of situation, what weapon would you use to try to kill the other?

BC: The way to kill Manson is with kindness. Hehehehe!

MM: I'd be the guy in the white outfit, though. I'd probably just poke you with my incredibly pointy nose.

BOTH: what made you name it The End Times Tour?

BC: That was my idea.

MM: Mmm-hmm.

BC: Basically, if you're going to have an apocalypse, I think we're the right bands for the apocalypse. I mean, look around.

MM: It was very odd. The day after we had agreed that was going to be the name of the tour, there was a big headline on the news that said "THE END TIMES?!" and it wasn't about our tour. It was about the whole ISIS situation. So we figured that was a sign. I didn't want to watch it, it was just on.

Manson, you wrote a book back in the 90s when you were first becoming "famous." Have you considered writing another book about all the shit that's happened in your life since then?

MM: Technically, I wrote the book, THEN became famous. MANIFEST DESTINY! Yes, I may write a book. Or just record my ramblings, that Billy has so often heard on any occasion when we sit together.

Hi gentleman! Who will headline your tour, who will open and will you both play an exclusive setlist that is different than current?

MM: Well, Billy's - the Smashing Pumpkins obviously deserve to go as the headliner. So just out of pure respect, I wouldn't dispute that. Although I'm sure a really good friend of mine, CAGE, is opening for us. You should hashtag him on Twitter #CageWorm, I think. I'm not sure.

BC: I think our plan is to approach the tour as an artistic opportunity. Push one another to play a cooler, heavier, deeper set than we would, with the idea of the night ending with us playing together. But the whole NIGHT will be a unique experience. We're actually going to figure it out so the whole night feels like a really unique event.

MM: And that's why it is The End Times.

Favorite movies?

MM: Billeh?

BC: I love your typical foreign art film stuff. Things like SOLARIS... SATYRICON by Fellini...

MM: For me, when it comes to Fellini, I like the short by Fellini - it's based on an Edgar Allen Poe short story. And with Tarkovsky, I'd go with STALKER. But it's really difficult to ask people, some people, like Billy and I, what our favorite films are, because we really are fans of cinema.

BC: When in doubt, watch DUMBO.

MM: I'd say my favorite film is Ingmar Bergman's HOUR OF THE WOLF.

Manson,

What's your favorite kind of pot?

MM: Ahem. I don't know. Because I would say... are there options? What's the kind that makes you tired? The kind that makes all the monsters go away.

BC: It's a strain out of Hawaii called "Gone to pot."

MM: Hehehe! or Pottery Barn!

BC: Pottery Barn! Yeah!

manson, is captain crunch still your favorite cereal?

MM: I don't ever remember it being my favorite cereal? If we're going back to breakfast again...

Can I hope for a tour in Europe, especially in Berlin soon?

MM: You can hold out both hands. Shit one, hope in the other, and see which one fills up first (my dad used to say that to me when I was a kid, put that!)

BC: I can say personally that I think the combination of us is going to prove to be super-potent. And I think there will be offers to us from all over the world. Just holy insanity on the road.

MM: I believe we're going to have so much fun, as best friends being on tour together... it's like we're almost... having a second childhood. In this whole scenario. So it's going to be hard to get us to stop touring. Now you gotta go home! Nope! We're not done yet!

Good evening, MM and BC. I'm Lucas Alves from Brazil! Any chance of this tour going outside the US? Like in South America... We miss you guys a lot you know. Manson, you came in 2007, come on. Follow Billy's steps and come in more often! (coming jokes are welcome). Also, you talk about wax on The Pale Emperor and we have brazilian wax... can't be a coincidence.

MM: It seems like, when we have our calling, we must sometimes answer that calling. But as far as the waxing goes - I prefer to shave.

Favorite historical era and why?

MM: Wanna go first?

BC: I'm sort've fascinated by the court of Louis XIV. France, pre-Revolution. I'm also fascinated by America in the middle 1800s, leading into Victorian England. And then the Deco 1930's. Well, it was the whole age. The Gilded Age. I think we're sorta in a similar age. Basically, before WWII, there was this outburst of shallow behavior mixed with high art. And I think we're living in that exact same set up. Everyone's having a grand ol' party while the world is setting up for WWIII.

MM: I would agree. And that was the same era I was always obsessed with. For several different and similar reasons. I think the birth of expressionistic art, and it being shunned, and damned, are things that I've experienced in my lifestyle as an artist. So I think the furniture, the detail of design, in that era of the 30's - that's an entire - that's a broad stroke, but I'm agreeing with the era that Billy's talking about. I think it was probably best said in a Doors song: "I just wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames." That is where we're at. And I don't think either one of us - speaking on behalf of us - I've never been a suicidal person. I've never been someone to want to see the world come to an end. But I would like to see something different than what I'm seeing. Because it is becoming a monotonous - as if you're watching re-runs of things you've already seen. And almost going back to the other question, about "What does the next generation have to work towards" - it's doing what Billy and I both did. Doing research. Because you have a thirst for knowledge. Reading a book. Watching movies that were made before you were born. Listening to music that was made before you were born.

Knowing where it all started. So you know where you need it to go to.

In your opinion, what would be the best soundtrack for a real end of the world?

BC: You go first.

MM: This tour.

BC: Good answer.

MM: I mean, pretty obvious!

Personal listening preference after a stressful day; classic rock or Motown?

MM: You Billy?

BC: I vote for silence.

MM: Yes. I agree with him 100%.

BC: Motown after a stressful day would make me want to kill.

MM: Our day is comprised of making music, or singing music. So the last thing we want, by the end of a stressful day, which would include that (if it were stressful) so the last thing we would want would be any sort of noise. Silence is golden, baby!

How did you meet each other ?

MM: Do you remember Billy? I'm trying to think of the exact... it's strange, because I have such a precise memory. I think that we met - did we meet in LA or NY?

BC: I think we met in LA at a party. But that's an educated guess.

MM: I think that WAS an educated guess. I sorta remember us hanging out in New York, but it coulda been a dream? It was an era where - it wasn't so much drugs, or alcohol. It was an era of being young, and having all of this thrown into your life, because you asked for it. And when you get something you've dreamed for your whole life - your brain only has so much space in it to keep ALL the memories. So sometimes the smaller ones have to get kicked out for the bigger ones. So we remember more knowing each other, not so much meeting each other. We probably met on a different astral plane.

BC: My memory is that we didn't never NOT know each other! It was like, I didn't NOT know him. It was like...

MM: It was like BC or AC - so it's like Pre-MM, or post-MM.

Marilyn Manson, what is your favourite Canadian city?

MM: Uh... I think, including the entire continent - I was just in Fort George, which is the murder and meth capital of North America. They sell guns over the counter. But I wasn't allowed to buy one. Instead I bought a crossbow.