Charles Manson

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 8 Jun 2002 10:52 am

For years the rumor has been circulating that Charles Manson plays steel. We now know from Tom Bradshaw, who knew Manson in prison (Tom was a guard, not a prisoner) that it's not true. Now we know where the rumor got started.

Radio commentator Paul Harvey did a short piece on gangster Alvin Carpis, and how while in prizon, he influenced the young Charlie Manson by among other things, teaching him how to play the standard 6 string guitar. The instrument the two men used had steel strings, and Harvey, in his commentary, should have said "Steel string guitar", but left out the word string.

I heard a tape of the piece, and Harvey definately said that Carpis taught Manson how to play the steel guitar.

And, to quote Harvey's tag line, that's the rest of the story.

Steven Welborn · Post by **Steven Welborn** » 8 Jun 2002 3:19 pm

Maybe Manson did try to learn steel...and then......................sorry[This message was edited by Steven Welborn on 08 June 2002 at 04:21 PM.]

Chip Fossa · Post by **Chip Fossa** » 8 Jun 2002 5:05 pm

Mike, with all your great credits, it's
a bit hard to believe that you would even
concern yourself of this monster. "Who Cares"?
ChipsAhoy

Richard Sinkler · Post by **Richard Sinkler** » 8 Jun 2002 5:14 pm

Actually, I find it interesting. I've always been intrigued by ole Charlie.

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Carter D10 9p/10k
Richard Sinkler

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 8 Jun 2002 5:18 pm

(Well, it would at least make the rest of us look good by comparison...)

Louie Hallford · Post by **Louie Hallford** » 9 Jun 2002 2:08 pm

I am quite sure that Manson was guite active at on time and posted on the Off Topic using several familiar aliases. Every once in a while you will see some of his posts on the forum.

This is quite a famous place. [This message was edited by louie hallford on 09 June 2002 at 03:09 PM.]

Jason Odd · Post by **Jason Odd** » 11 Jun 2002 8:26 am

'I am The Iron Man'
'That is All I Am'
'I am The Iron Man'
'That is All I Am'

That's a couple of lines from a catchy number that Charlie did in the late 1960s.
There's about two people on the Forum who would be (ahem)'unique' enough to do this topic, me and Mike. (no offence Mike)

Charlie mainly played acoustic, although he did go into the studio and cut a rather strange folk/psyche set that was released during or just after his trial. The recordings preceeded the murders and were partially done by a fellow named Phil Kaufman who was later chauffer for GRam Parsons and Road manager for Parsons, then later Emmylou Harris.
It's suspected that those tapes were the very ones that Terry Melcher rejected and it was Melcher's old place where one lot of killings took place.
Manson wanted to be a singer and performer as well as a messiah type figure in his commune. He even got a song on a Beach Boys album in 1968, but I digress.
Charlie did not play steel, and Mike found out where the mistake came from. Cool.