Marilyn Manson Fills Track 29 With Mansonites And Knee High Fox

  • Saturday, May 16, 2015
  • Mark A. Herndon

It was an awkward but exciting feeling at first when you get that phone call or email; Mr. Herndon you are approved, media credentials are good to go.  Your access is permitted; special instructions await your check in.  I have had the distinct honor to receive that word in many approaches, whether it’s from the White House Press Corp to stand in the same room before a sitting President (Obama and Bush) of the United States with a camera pointed on him and his staff, secret service or other distinguished people in circles many people and photographers rarely enter in.   

Then again, it’s those and other opportunities which make me extremely humble.  I continue to follow careers of many well-known political figures, actors, actress, comedians and recording artists since ’69 Woodstock.  In my camera lenses are some national artists/musicians/ comedians who would include Crosby, Stills & Nash, Hall & Oates, John Cowan Band, The Eagles, Train, Three Doors Down, BB King, Bob Seger, Buddy Guy, Joan Jett, Gary Allan, Eric Church, Corey Smith, Here Comes The Mummies, Cee Lo Green, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Bill Cosby, Joe Bonamassa, Don Williams, Elton John, Leon Russell, Indigo Girls, 10,000 Maniacs and more.  

I keep adding to a list of those whom I hope to someday photograph and report back to Chattanoogans of those observations.  I approach every opportunity as their guest, respective and follow the conditions of the assignment and agreements.  There are agreements with the subject management team that have to be honored.  I think that is why concerns for my copyright are so important; it falls back on many venue/artist management signed agreements I have agreed to.  The bottom line would be keeping the professional respect for one's work, whether it’s the photographers, artists, musicians, singers/songwriters or others.  

My respect is for so many local creative singers/songwriters in an effort to see them move to the next level and tour with a national artist.  Recently, Chattanooga’s band Strung Like A Horse opened several dates with Travis Tritt and Corey Smith.  In addition, Remembering January opened for Corey Smith at Engel Stadium.  Ryan Oyer will be headlining Nightfall Music Series on July 10, after being selected on the Road To Nightfall competition.  So many local bands to lock in to and watch, enjoy their music, with so many stages to offer live music.  Riverbend Festival has selected many local bands to stage acts this year from June 5-13. 

Sometimes criticism falls from those who think you should photograph only what is acceptable to the majority of the public. My photography is a presentation of an art that does not create boundaries.  A photo should tell the viewer a story without words.  Whether I go to the local homeless communities in early freezing January to raise community awareness by capturing harsh conditions of those less fortunate people/families, or a national event, I never avoid the criticism of photo-journalism with controversial subject matter.  

Perhaps it is why I set this journal up before you see the following photos.  It’s that controversial thing again.  It happened a few days ago.  The place was Track 29, located on the Chattanooga Choo Choo campus on South Market Street; a four-year old music hall venue that has gained quickly the recognition of entertaining a variety of genres of music, drawing into a national platform.  A place where more and more national artists meet more local and regional artists to work together. 

A few days ago it was announced Brian Hugh Warner and his band would be performing at Track 29.  They would bring along a Los Angeles band not so well known on the east coast, Knee High Fox; a four-piece band with young and aggressive singers and musicians.  It was an alternative rocking group with front girl, Christine Connolly, who has a great stage persona and controlling grip on stage and with the audience. The awesome tight band mates included on bass guitar Simon Nagel, with Neal Tiemann, lead guitar and Oscar Silva, a killer drummer. 

Somewhere in the order of 1,500 were waiting in line since early morning.  I arrived about an hour early and the lines was impressive, to say the least.  In some cases, the fans in line looked different, not because they were exhausted from standing in the heat, but the physical appearance of some. 

So you are wondering, who is Brian Warner and the opening band Knee High Fox that would sell out the Track house.  Oh, I failed to mention, Brian Warner is also mostly known to the world as Marilyn Manson, born in 1969 (46-years-old).  He basically started on the Long Road Out of Hell in 1998.  He has a deep draw to the sex beauty of Marilyn Monroe and the dark side of serial killer Charles Manson.  In addition, to his twisted haunting darkness in his music, he also appear in his first movie roles beginning in 1997. (More bio is available http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marilyn_Manson

Tracking the intensity with Knee High Fox, we met after their performance and I realized the band leader Christine Connolly has a Chattanooga connection.  She is a longtime friend of Dennis Haskins (a/k/a Mr. Belding – Save By The Bell) who currently lives in Los Angeles too.  Dennis told me that he and Christine have worked together on movie roles while both living in California. 

So it turns out the long line of people waiting to enter the music hall was mostly Mansonites.  That explained everything in regards to the sold out performance.  Many traveled for hours to come to Chattanooga to witness the cult-like experience.   

You see this person had built a huge fan base over the years, once selling out 30,000 and more arena seats.  Drawing tens of thousands to festivals.  The artist is most unique and very crafty.  In addition to being an American songwriter, singer, actor, painter, multi-marketing artist, he is intelligent and yet has a most controversial stage act.  He created and marketed one of the most unique live performances.  His contribution to video music media extends to illustrate his creativity and is widely found on YouTube. On this night in Chattanooga, Marilyn Mansion executed his stage set, sound, lights and fog affects flawlessly.  The audience engagement was unbelievable to him and his band. 

One more item, who are his band mates?  Wikipedia list the following as current members of his band:  Twiggy Ramirez, Paul Wiley and Gil Sharone. The members have not been validated at the time of writing of this journal.   

Marilyn Manson fans are loyal.  The photos included in this photo journal are an attempt to capture what is was like to have Marilyn Manson staring down the other end of my camera lenses and more than 1,500 fans at your back.  

Chattanooga Live Music is growing with a mix of rising local bands participating with national headliners at venues such as the Nightfall Music Series, Riverbend Festival, The Camp House, Rhythm & Brews, and others. 

Let’s all find time to engage in Chattanooga Live Music scene this summer, support our local singers/songwriters bands, musicians and various venues and festivals.

Mark A Herndon, certified professional geologist and professional photographer grew up in Chattanooga area, graduated from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga.  He is the Entertainment and Chattanooga cityscape/event photographer affiliated with Chattanoogan.com and contributor to magazines, venues and various festivals including Riverbend Festival, Nightfall Music Series, Southern Brewery Festival, Roof Top Hop, Wine Over Water and other events.  Email at MAHerndon@ChattanoogaLiveMusic.com

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