Chris Vrenna: Yeah I worked on ‘Portrait of an American Family’, the ‘Dope Hat’ EP, and ‘Antichrist Superstar’ was the really big one. However when it came to the next album (‘Mechanical Animals’) that was when the team kind of fell apart. Right after Antichrist was when Trent and I went our own ways, and I didn’t work on anything until ‘Lest We Forget’. ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ was all Tim Skold. But yeah I have been in and out of the camp since the very beginning.

Rafi: Do you think in a way it has been leading to this point where you are a core member of the band?

Chris Vrenna: I guess so, honestly I never really thought about it at all. The one year that Manson took off from touring to do ‘Eat Me, Drink Me’ I went out and did a tour with Gnarls Barkley, which is a project that everyone was shocked I was involved with after touring with someone like Manson. All I can say to that is “why? Because it is hip hop or soul. Do you not think I have a soul? Because I am white you don’t think I can groove? What are you trying to say fucker?” (both of us laughing). That band and their live shows were amazing, I loved working with them.

Rafi: It would appear Manson is going through a huge leap from his music to his lyrics, what insight can you give us to what happened, what roll you are playing in it, and what do you see the future holding for the band?

Chris Vrenna: I know some people are having some issues with the changes the band/Manson has made and all I can is “fuck off!” I personally love the record and think it is one of the ballsiest he has done. Yeah so it is not the typical four to the floor stomp beats and he is not running around in pantyhose anymore, it was just his birthday recently and he turned 41 and I am 43, you just can’t like you are 21 forever. You look like an idiot, you have to mature as an artist and reflect on other things in your life and world. I just can’t stand that people can be so closed minded about the whole thing, “this doesn’t sound like Hate Anthem…” well than go listen to Hate Anthem then. (both of us laughing) This has been ongoing thing though, when you think about it every Manson album has been pretty different, after ‘Antichrist Superstar’ ‘Mechanical Animals’ came out and people hated it because they were not the same album. Artists should write what is in their hearts at the time, so it is obvious that Manson was feeling more about the emotional aspects of his life rather than politics and religion. Who knows what he is going to feel this time around?

Rafi: Have you guys already started talking about the new album?

Chris Vrenna: Right now we are just talking and coming up with concepts for it. We just got back from the tour Dec. 23rd and it was really a long and brutal tour this time. We usually go for about five weeks and take a week off, this time around we really had no time off at all.