Garbage frontwoman Shirley Manson has defended her outburst at a fan who threw beach balls during the band's set at Melbourne's Good Things Festival on December 5. Manson called the fan a 'fucking douchebag' and a 'fucking middle-aged man in a fucking ridiculous hat', and said she wanted people to 'fucking punch you in the fucking face'.
In a post on Threads, Manson doubled down on her comments, writing: 'I make NO APOLOGIES whatsoever for getting annoyed at beach balls at shows. I joined a band because I HATED THE FUCKING BEACH. I joined a band because I wanted to listen to Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure and be dark and beautiful.'
She added: 'I love the musical community and I want to respect their artistry. I am so tired of folks taking music for free and treating us all like circus performers.' The rant has divided fans online, with some supporting her frustration and others criticising her language.
Garbage recently announced a huge show at Edinburgh Castle next summer, following a co-headline UK tour with Skunk Anansie. They are touring their eighth album, 'Let All That We Imagine Be The Light', which NME awarded a five-star review, calling it 'some of their most intriguing and impactful material'.
Manson has previously spoken about the financial strains of the music industry, telling NME last year that only independently wealthy musicians or those who achieved success before 1995 can survive. She also discussed the theme of love on the new album, saying she wanted to 'reach out to find all the different types of love' after the deaths of her mother and her dog.
