Marilyn Manson took a moment during the inaugural show of his 2026 One Assassination Under God tour to address his sobriety in a deeply personal, albeit characteristically theatrical, manner. Performing at the Yaamava’ Resort & Casino in Highland, California, on April 22, the artist paused his set to deliver what he described as a “confession” to the audience.
The moment began with a nod to his 1998 single, “I Don’t Like the Drugs (But the Drugs Like Me).” Manson addressed the crowd, stating, “I have a confession to make. Some of you may have known this, but I did in fact like the drugs.”
As his backing band stood down, Manson transitioned into a vivid, metaphorical narrative about his relationship with substance abuse. He described a scenario where he invited the drugs on a “romantic ride into the desert,” only to take a darker turn in his storytelling:
“One day, I had to teach drugs a lesson. I said, ‘Hey, drugs, you want to go for a romantic ride into the desert with me?'”
Manson recounted driving into the middle of nowhere, digging a heart-shaped hole, and confronting the substances. “And I looked at the drugs, and they looked at me, and they said, ‘I’m going to love you forever.’ And I looked at them and shoved them into the fucking hole and buried them and I came home alone.”
Following this dramatic declaration, he explicitly identified himself as a “drug addict” before immediately transitioning into the performance of “The Dope Show.”
This public acknowledgment aligns with recent comments regarding his personal health. During his 57th birthday celebration in January, which was attended by notable figures including Billy Corgan, Courtney Love, and Dita Von Teese, Manson spoke optimistically about his future. At that time, he noted, “2026 is going to be even better. I’ve got another album coming out. Another world tour that’s going to be extra special. And five years continuous sobriety.”
Manson’s current tour is scheduled to continue through mid-May, followed by a European leg and a subsequent North American summer tour alongside Rob Zombie, which is slated to begin on August 20.
