Billy Corgan remains steadfast in his relationship with close friend and longtime colleague Marilyn Manson, despite a series of sexual misconduct and domestic violence lawsuits filed against Manson over the years. When asked about the friendship on a recent episode of the New York Times podcast “Popcast,” the Smashing Pumpkins frontman said he “didn’t personally feel guilty” and didn’t like the world telling him “who I should associate with.”
“As a Christian, you have to support your friends, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have an opinion, and it doesn’t mean you’re not critical,” Corgan said. “Personally, I didn’t think he was guilty of the things he was accused of, and ultimately the fact that the prosecutor didn’t prosecute…the person I knew and the way it all unfolded, even though it was a long process, was a measure of the person I knew.”
He continued, “I don’t want the world to tell me who my friends are and who I should associate with. It’s political or social. In Brian’s case, we have a relationship that goes back almost 30 years.” Corgan noted that Manson’s wife, Lindsay Usich, is the twin sister of the wife of Smashing Pumpkins guitarist James Iha. “So Manson is basically part of our family,” he added.
“Anyone in that situation struggles with the accusations, the severity of the accusations. But again, I also knew the inside of the case. I knew some of the people who were involved, and so you’re the ones making those assessments. If he’s guilty, or if anyone in that situation is guilty, they should go to jail. I’m not saying I have any moral supremacy here. I’m saying it’s case by case. That kind of witchy stuff bothers me.”
In 2021, actress Evan Rachel Wood alleged that Manson “horribly mistreated” her while she was in a relationship. She made a statement to Vanity Fair, and an article in the magazine also featured statements from three other women accusing Manson of abuse. Manson was subsequently dropped from his label, his manager and CAA. In 2022, Manson sued Wood for defamation, but in 2024 he dropped the suit and was ordered to pay his legal fees.
“Game of Thrones” actress Esmé Blanco also accused Manson of sexual abuse and filed a federal lawsuit accusing him of rape and other acts of sexual violence. At the time, she was among a dozen other women who also made allegations against Manson.
In 2025, the Los Angeles County District Attorney decided that Manson would not be prosecuted for allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence. Years before, in 2018, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office declined to pursue sexual assault cases against Manson due to the statute of limitations expiring.
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