Rocker Marilyn Manson has hired Mars Volta star Juan Alderete to join him on tour after parting ways with his longtime guitarist Twiggy Ramirez over allegations of rape.
Ramirez, real name Jeordie White, was released from Manson's band last month (Oct17) after his ex-girlfriend Jessicka Addams, of the group Jack Off Jill, accused the musician of subjecting her to physical and psychological abuse during their relationship in the 1990s, allegations the guitarist has denied.
Manson, who admitted he was "saddened" by the claims of abuse, has since recruited Alderete to fill in for Ramirez, and the bassist made his debut onstage with the Antichrist Superstar hitmaker at the Ozzfest Meets Knotfest event in California on Sunday (05Nov17).
The performance marked Manson's first since breaking his leg in an onstage accident in New York on 30 September (17), just a few dates into his Heaven Upside Down Tour. The incident prompted the singer to postpone the remainder of his shows for October (17).
Meanwhile, Manson's comeback show wasn't without controversy after he was criticised for pretending to fire a fake gun at the crowd inside San Bernardino's Glen Helen Amphitheater, almost two years after 14 people were killed and 22 others were seriously injured in a gun attack and an attempted bombing terror attack at the Inland Regional Center in the city. The stunt also occurred hours after America's latest mass shooting, when a man opened fire at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs in Texas on Sunday, leaving at least 26 people dead.
Manson has since defended his performance to TMZ.com as an "act of theatre" which wasn't meant to cause any offence.
