More about: Marilyn Manson

In a no-holds-barred soon to be released interview by Consequence of Sound, Marilyn Manson relates the tale of how Canadian pop favourite Justin Bieber tried to rip him off on his iconic band t-shirts.

Bieber, who has taken to wearing shirts bearing the face of Ohio-born Manson, found himself in hot water when it emerged high-end Beverley Hills retailer Barney’s was sneakily selling shirts emblazoned with the ‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) metal icon’s likeness for $195.

The problem? Nobody asked Manson.

Worse, from Manson’s point of view; the back of the shirt bears the legend ‘BIGGER THAN SATAN: BIEBER’. Fashion designer, and the man responsible for the shirt – Fear of God’s Jerry Lorenzo – even went so far as to posted a message on social media claiming it was created with the permission of Manson.

"He was [already] wearing the shirt that had his name on my shirt’ says Manson of their first meeting.

"Then said to me, ‘I made you relevant again.’

"Bad mistake to say to me."

The next day Manson promised Bieber he’d show up for the popstar’s soundcheck at the Staples Centre, at which point Bieber confessed the t-shirt was his idea.

Manson never did attend the soundcheck, but reckons Bieber "…believed that I’d show up, because he was that stupid."

Happily, Manson eventually "…took all the proceeds from those shirts. [Bieber’s people] didn’t even fight, they were just like, 'yea, we already know, we did wrong, so here’s the money.”’

However the slight still still rankles. "He was a real piece of shit in the way he had the arrogance to say that,” Manson says of Bieber. “He was a real touchy-feely guy, too, like, ‘yo yo bro!’ and touches you when he’s talking. I’m like, you need to stand down, you’re dick height on me, ok?’"

Manson is set to release his new album, Heaven Upside Down, on October 6th. Earlier this week, he released the latest single, “WE KNOW WHERE YOU FUCKING LIVE”.

More about: Marilyn Manson