Claim: Gil Sharone began working with a band from Fort Lauderdale and he is a musician.

Marilyn Manson is an American rock band formed by singer Marilyn Manson and guitarist Daisy Berkowitz in Fort Lauderdale , Florida , in 1989 . Originally named Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids , they gained a local cult following in South Florida in the early 1990s with their theatrical live performances . In 1993 , they were the first act signed to Trent Reznor 's Nothing Records label . Until 1996 , the name of each member was created by combining the first name of an iconic female sex symbol and the last name of an iconic serial killer , for example Marilyn Monroe and Charles Manson . Their lineup has changed between many of their album releases ; the current members of Marilyn Manson are the eponymous lead singer -LRB- the only remaining original member -RRB- , bassist Twiggy Ramirez , guitarists Paul Wiley and Tyler Bates , keyboardist/percussionist Daniel Fox , and drummer Gil Sharone .   In the past , band members dressed in outlandish makeup and costumes , and engaged in intentionally shocking behavior both onstage and off . Their lyrics often received criticism for their anti-religious sentiment and references to sex , violence and drugs , while their live performances were frequently called offensive and obscene . On several occasions , protests and petitions led to the group being blocked from performing , with at least three US states passing legislation banning the group from performing at state-owned venues . They released a number of platinum-selling albums , including Antichrist Superstar -LRB- 1996 -RRB- and Mechanical Animals -LRB- 1998 -RRB- . These albums , along with their highly-stylized music videos and worldwide touring , brought public recognition to Marilyn Manson . In 1999 , news media falsely blamed the band for influencing the perpetrators of the Columbine massacre .   As this controversy began to wane throughout the 2000s , so did the band 's mainstream popularity . Despite this , Jon Wiederhorn of MTV , in June 2003 , referred to Marilyn Manson as `` the only true artist today '' . Marilyn Manson is widely regarded as being one of the most iconic and controversial figures in heavy metal music , with the band and its lead singer influencing numerous other groups and musicians , both in metal-associated acts and also in wider popular culture . VH1 ranked Marilyn Manson as the seventy-eighth best rock band on their 100 Great Artists of Hard Rock . They were inducted into the Kerrang ! Hall of Fame in 2000 , and have been nominated for four Grammy Awards . In the US , the band has seen eight of its releases debut in the top ten , including two number-one albums . Marilyn Manson have sold in excess of 60 million records worldwide .