Former Marilyn Manson guitarist Wes Borland has spoken out on the abuse allegations from Evan Rachel Wood, calling his ex-bandmate “a bad f—ing guy.” Borland, who is most well-known as the lead guitarist of nu-metal icons Limp Bizkit, played with Manson as a touring member of his band in 2008 and 2009. During a Twitch live stream on Tuesday, Borland spoke out about Manson, saying, “I was in the band for nine months. He’s not a great guy. Every single thing that people have said about him is f—ing true.”
Borland then went on to defend Wood and the other women who have come forward with sexual assault and grooming allegations against Manson, saying, “They are speaking the truth.” He continued, per Metal Sucks, “I’m sorry to everyone on this podcast right now who doesn’t like this. But that guy, he’s amazingly talented, but he’s f—ed up and he needs to be put in check and he needs to get sober and he needs to come to terms with his demons. He is a bad f—ing guy.”
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In a surprising twist, Borland then seemed to imply that he actually witnessed Manson’s abuse toward Wood, stating, “I was there when he was with Evan Rachel Wood, I was at his house, it’s not f—ing cool. That’s all I’m gonna say about it.” Borland later added, “Sorry to take this to a dark place, but that guy is canceled, goodbye, don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”
Before ending his rant against the disgraced shock-rock star, Borland stated that Manson once physically assaulted him during a concert performance. “He tried to choke me out on stage and I flipped him over and knocked the breath out of him,” he recalled. “He’s not a great guy. Goodbye.” The guitarist then concluded by saying, “My apologies. I was the biggest fan and [now] I am not.”
Borland’s comments come after Wood publically named Manson as her abuser, after having previously implied that she’d been subject to it in a past relationship. “The name of my abuser is Brian Warner, also known to the world as Marilyn Manson,” she said in a statement. “He started grooming me when I was a teenager and horrifically abused me for years.”
“I was brainwashed and manipulated into submission. I am done living in fear of retaliation, slander, or blackmail,” Wood continued. “I am here to expose this dangerous man and call out the many industries that have enabled him, before he ruins any more lives. I stand with the many victims who will no longer be silent.” Manson subsequently denied the allegations.
