The dreadful, turkey-filled days of November are now a full week behind us, which means we’re well into a season that The A.V. Club likes to think of as “the most wonderful time of the year.” That’s right, it’s almost Christmas, so there’s no better time to call up some old friends, squash some beefs, and then maybe let somebody else deal with you and your stupid bullshit for a little while. Apparently, the brightly colored lights and dead trees that fill everyone with such cheer during these cold winter months has even infected the cold, cold hearts of Courtney Love, Billy Corgan, and Marilyn Manson, who—according to Rolling Stone—recently decided to become friends again.
For a dumb feud between bitter rock stars who just hate everyone these days—and Marilyn Manson—this whole thing is weirdly complicated, but a lot of it goes back to the fact that Love and Corgan used date back in the day. Unsurprisingly—so unsurprisingly, in fact, that it transcends the meaning of the word—things ended poorly, and back in 2010, Love used a handful of songs that Corgan had written on her album Nobody’s Daughter without asking his permission. Upon realizing this, he went on a big Twitter rant about how much he hates her. Then, as recently as this October, Love claimed that all of the Smashing Pumpkins’ hit songs are about her, which, fine, whatever.
On the Marilyn Manson side of this thing, he actually seems to be a bit more levelheaded than the other two are. His argument with Courtney Love goes back to 1999, when he went on tour with Hole specifically because he hated them and thought it would be a fun challenge. Hole quit the tour after nine shows, and, hopefully, Manson learned his lesson about the difference between a challenge and a fun challenge. Manson says they’ve talked a few times since then and it sometimes “seems OK,” but otherwise, he says, “she’s just a bitch.”
As for his fight with Corgan, Manson says there was “there was no fall out or anything.” However, he theorizes that Corgan got mad at him for once suggesting that he sell Charlie Brown t-shirts and bald caps at Smashing Pumpkins concerts because “he does look like Charlie Brown a little bit.” Now, at the risk of starting our own feud with Billy Corgan, that joke is pretty hilarious.
Anyway, that’s all in the past. The Hatfields, McCoys, and Courtney Loves have all buried their hatchets and are officially best buds again. Well, given the dour expression on Manson’s face in the Instagram photo that Courtney Love posted of the three of them (which you can see below), best buds might be a bit excessive. They’re willing to appear in a photo together, at least, and that counts for something. Manson also joined Corgan onstage for a couple of songs at a recent show in London, and then everyone got together to help decorate the ratty, little tree that Corgan picked out for the Christmas play. Now, hopefully, Corgan can get over his similarly goofy feud with Anderson Cooper.