Singer Marilyn Manson says that the 1999 Columbine High School shooting severely hurt his record sales.
“The Columbine era destroyed my entire career at the time,” Manson said in an interview with The Guardian.
Manson was partially blamed for the shooting, which left 15 dead including the two shooters, when the perpetrators were mistakenly believed to be fans of his music. However, The Guardian noted that he continues to fill arenas and get roles in shows like Salem and Sons of Anarchy.
“Give them the money and let them make their own choice: guns or records. If [the Columbine killers] had just bought my records, they would be better off. Certain people blame me for the shootings at schools – I think my numbers are low, and hopefully they go up on this record,” Manson said.
He said he even received “hundreds” of death threats when playing in Colorado, the state where Columbine occurred, following the shooting.
“No, I don’t miss that at all,” Manson said. “It made everyone around me upset. And I discovered that police bomb dogs are also drug dogs. So when there were bomb threats, I had a very difficult time hiding my narcotics.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Caitlin Clark Is TIME's 2024 Athlete of the Year
- Where Trump 2.0 Will Differ From 1.0
- Is Intermittent Fasting Good or Bad for You?
- The 100 Must-Read Books of 2024
- Column: If Optimism Feels Ridiculous Now, Try Hope
- The Future of Climate Action Is Trade Policy
- FX’s Say Nothing Is the Must-Watch Political Thriller of 2024
- Merle Bombardieri Is Helping People Make the Baby Decision
Contact us at letters@time.com