Original Marilyn Manson Guitarist Daisy Berkowitz Has Stage Four Colon Cancer
Scott Putesky, better known to the world as Daisy Berkowitz, has been diagnosed with stage four colon cancer. In case you’re not aware: there is no such thing as stage five colon cancer, and only 6% of stage four patients live an additional five years following the diagnosis. So, yes, this is very, very serious.
How much of a role Putesky played in Manson’s success is up for debate. He appeared on Manson’s debut album, Portrait of an American Family, and its follow-up EP, Smells Like Children, the latter of which includes Manson’s cover of “Sweet Dreams,” which ended up being his big breakthrough single. Those two releases are vastly different from the music Manson went on to make, in no small part because of Putesky’s looser, more-rock-less-industrial guitar style is such a strong contrast from that of subsequent guitarists Zim Zum and John 5. Putesky is also credited with the guitars on Antichrist Superstar, although he was already out of the band before recording of that album was completed, and it’s never been clear how much of the guitars are his work and how much is the work of Twiggy Ramirez, Zim Zum, and Trent Reznor. (His only songwriting credit on the album is for “Irresponsible Hate Anthem,” the track which kicks off the record.) Meanwhile, Manson has nothing nice to say about him in his book Long Hard Road Out of Hell, and the two men have been embroiled in a number of lawsuits over the years, as is so often the case when someone leaves or is fired from a really successful band.
Regardless of what Putesky may or may not have actually contributed to Marilyn Manson, he obviously doesn’t deserve this. There’s going to be a benefit show, Beat 4 Life, to help raise money for Putesky’s treatment tomorrow, Saturday, November 16 at Churchill’s Pub in Miami — which, incidentally, is the venue where Putesky first played with Manson. Putesky won’t be in attendance, as he’s currently receiving treatment in Philadelphia, but this is obviously a good cause and you should go if you can. Get more details here.
Check out some Putesky’s work with Manson below.
[via Metal Insider]
