In this oral history, Shirley Manson describes growing up in Edinburgh Scotland, rejecting organized religion at a young age, and her early adult life in different bands. She details her early work with Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie and Angelfish before joining Garbage. Manson talks about her experience in the band as the youngest person and only woman, being signed with multiple record labels, and how 911 impacted the music industry. Manson openly discusses aging and how the patriarchy encourages women to become invisible after 35. She talks about what she thinks it means to be an artist, her acting experience, and book. The interview concludes with her thoughts on the visibility of women in rock, the gender binary, and what she considers to be her legacy.

Shirley Manson is a singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. She grew up in Edinburgh Scotland and is best known for her work as the lead singer of Garbage. Garbage has toured worldwide and sold over 17 million records. Manson lives with her husband in Los Angeles and continues to record with Garbage. The band released No Gods, No Masters in 2021.

Learn more at: WomenofRock.org
Interviewed by Tanya Pearson for the Women of Rock Oral History Project

The Women of Rock Oral History Project is a collection of digital interviews and written transcripts, housed at the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College—one of the oldest women’s history archives in the United States. Started by Tanya Pearson in December, 2014, WOROHP documents the lives and careers of women in rock whose work and careers have been underrepresented or omitted from rock journalism and historical scholarship. With a collection of publicized and accessible primary source documents, the Women of Rock Oral History Project seeks to facilitate a more comprehensive, inclusive, and accurate cultural history.

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