Dan Cleary, a former personal assistant for Marilyn Manson, alleges that the rocker abused and threatened to kill his current wife, Lindsay Usich. The revelation comes weeks after Manson’s ex-fiancée Evan Rachel Wood, former girlfriend Esmé Bianco, and several other women accused the singer of abuse.
Cleary, who initially worked as a a keyboard tech on Manson’s touring crew, served as his personal assistant from 2014 to 2015. He claimed on his Rare Form Radio podcast (via Huffington Post) that during that time he saw Manson be abusive to his “then girlfriend” and “now wife”.
“I saw some physical abuse as far as like pushing and throwing things at her and a lot of like violent outbursts around her ― breaking things,” Cleary claimed. “A lot of mental abuse and name-calling and threats.”
He continued, “There were times when Manson would tell her that he’s going to kill her and cut her up and that I’m going to bury her in the desert ― me [as in Cleary]. He would leave the room and I would [tell her], ‘You’re going to be fine. I’m not going to do any of that. Let’s get you to a hotel.’”
Cleary, who has also worked as a guitar tech for Jane’s Addiction, further divulged that he witnessed Evan Rachel Wood’s distress while on tour with Manson from 2007 to 2008. “Her demeanor changed,” Cleary said. “Her physical looks changed. She got skinnier. She got ― her whole like aura just became darker.”
Cleary’s allegations echo previous claims he made back in September, months before Wood went public with her abuse allegations against Manson. In a then little-seen Twitter thread, Cleary wrote accounts about Manson’s treatment of Wood and Usich. “He would threaten to kill [Usich], cut her up, bury her, embarrass her to the world,” Cleary tweeted at the time. “Making her cry & fear him made him feel good. He would remind her that she’d be homeless without him and make fun of her learning disabled family member.”
Cleary also admitted that he shares in the complicity of Manson’s inner circle. “I mean I spoke to his manager about it, but the manager seemed to know all that and didn’t really care a lot,” Cleary said. “There’s people saying that I’m complicit because I saw this stuff happening and I didn’t do anything and I’ll accept that. There is some truth in that.”
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Since Evan Rachel Wood’s initial abuse claims, Manson has been dropped by his record label and his longtime manager, and removed from two television series in which he had acting roles. He has also been criticized by a number of former partners, bandmates, and associates. Actress Rose McGowan, a former Manson girlfriend, said, “I stand with Evan Rachel Wood.” Jenna Jameson, who dated him in the late ’90s, recalled how he “fantasized about burning me alive”.
Limp Bizkit’s Wes Borland, who briefly played guitar in Manson’s touring band, declared, “He is a bad f**king guy … that guy is canceled.” Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, once a friend and mentor to Manson, stated, “I have been vocal over the years about my dislike of Manson as a person and cut ties with him nearly 25 years ago.” Indie rocker Phoebe Bridgers also opened up about a “horrible” experience she had when she visited his house years ago.
Additionally, Game of Thrones actress Esmé Bianco, who had a relationship with Manson, called him a “monster who almost destroyed me.” And actor Corey Feldman, who developed a friendship with the singer, said he suffered “decades long mental and emotional abuse” at the hands of the rocker.
Dan Cleary’s podcast is available for a fee via a subscription, while selections from his September Twitter thread can be seen below.
Thread: I worked directly with #MarilynManson in 2007-2008 for his touring band when #EvanRachelWood was with him. She was on tour with us the entire time. Over the course of 1 year he turned her into a different person. He broke her. I didnt totally realize until later in life.
— DanCleary (@DanCleary79) September 13, 2020
He would threaten to kill her, cut her up, bury her, embarrass her to the world. Making her cry & fear him made him feel good. He would remind her that she’d be homeless without him and make fun of her learning disabled family member.
— DanCleary (@DanCleary79) September 13, 2020
Those of us that stay quiet do it because we were making a living. And it’s hard to find work in music if you can’t keep your mouth shut. But enough is enough. His fans will be angry & not believe it because they don’t want to. I understand that. I’m sorry to them. But its true.
— DanCleary (@DanCleary79) September 13, 2020
