Ginger Fish
Kenneth Robert Wilson (born September 28, 1965), better known by his stage name Ginger Fish, is an American drummer from Framingham, Massachusetts, most recognized for his role as the longtime drummer of the industrial metal band Marilyn Manson from 1995 to 2011, during which he contributed to several of the group's commercially successful albums and extensive world tours.[1][2][3] Fish began his musical career playing drums in local jazz and rock bands in Las Vegas after studying music at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and was recruited by Marilyn Manson following performances in the local scene.[4][5] His tenure with Manson marked him as the band's longest-serving percussionist, enduring the physical demands of high-energy live performances amid the group's provocative aesthetic and thematic explorations.[4] After leaving Marilyn Manson in 2011, Fish joined horror rock artist Rob Zombie's touring and recording lineup, participating in events such as the 2013 Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, and has maintained involvement with Zombie's projects into subsequent years.[6] Additionally, he fronts his own band, Martyr Plot, and has made guest appearances with acts like Powerman 5000, showcasing his versatility within the heavy music genre.[7] Notable incidents in Fish's career include sustaining injuries during Manson's intense tours, such as breaking his collarbone, which highlight the rigorous physicality of his performance style.[4]Early Life
Childhood and Family Background
Kenneth Robert Wilson, professionally known as Ginger Fish, was born on September 28, 1966, in Framingham, Massachusetts.[4] He grew up in a musical family, with his father having toured as a musician with Frank Sinatra and his mother working as a dancer.[8][7] Wilson has two brothers, one older and one younger.[7][8] Limited public details exist on his early upbringing beyond the family's artistic environment, which likely fostered his initial interest in music, though he later developed his skills through independent pursuits before formal professional entry.[9]Initial Musical Development
Kenneth Robert Wilson, known professionally as Ginger Fish, demonstrated an early aptitude for rhythm, banging on pots and pans with spoons before he could walk and experimenting with toy drum kits modeled after the Partridge Family during his childhood.[10] He began formal drum lessons in Boston while in the second and third grades, laying the foundation for his technical skills.[10] By seventh grade, Wilson had advanced to performing in school pit bands, where he learned to read music notation, marking a shift from informal play to structured musical education.[10] He participated in drum corps competitions for three years, honing ensemble discipline and marching percussion techniques, before transitioning to college-level drum corps with the University of Nevada All-State Big Band.[10] In high school in Las Vegas, he immersed himself in music, enrolling in every available class during his senior year and rarely leaving the band room; during this period, he backed performers such as Paul Anka and Barry Manilow and contributed to local theater productions including Company and Jesus Christ Superstar alongside his parents in Orlando.[10] Wilson briefly attended the University of Palm Beach to study music but departed due to dissatisfaction with the instructors, opting instead to tour with a Top 40 cover band in the mid-1980s.[10] This experience exposed him to professional road performance, followed by house gigs in Pompano Beach and Daytona Beach, Florida, as well as recordings with original bands in New Jersey studios, bridging his formative training toward session and live work.[10] Other accounts place him studying music at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where he engaged in big band and corps activities, suggesting possible attendance there as well or concurrently.[11]Professional Career
Early Jazz and Session Work
Kenneth Robert Wilson, known professionally as Ginger Fish, commenced his drumming career in Las Vegas, where he performed with local jazz bands prior to his involvement in rock music.[4] This period encompassed session and live engagements that established his reputation as a versatile percussionist in the city's music scene.[12] In 1995, while active in these jazz circles, Wilson was recruited by Marilyn Manson after the band's frontman encountered his playing during a performance.[4] His foundational experience in jazz contributed to the rhythmic precision he later brought to industrial and metal genres, though specific band affiliations or recording credits from this era remain undocumented in available records.[13]Joining and Tenure with Marilyn Manson (1995–2011)
Kenneth Robert Wilson, known professionally as Ginger Fish, joined Marilyn Manson as the band's drummer in early 1995, replacing Sara Lee Lucas amid lineup changes following the release of Portrait of an American Family.[14] His recruitment came after he had closely studied the band's early material and was living in precarious financial circumstances, with unemployment benefits expiring just as the opportunity arose.[15] Fish's entry stabilized the rhythm section during a pivotal period, contributing to the band's transition toward more complex industrial metal arrangements. During his tenure, Fish provided drums for several key Marilyn Manson releases, including Smells Like Children (1995), Antichrist Superstar (1996), Mechanical Animals (1998), Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) (2000), The Golden Age of Grotesque (2003), and The High End of Low (2009), though he did not participate in Eat Me, Drink Me (2007), which was recorded hastily without full band involvement.[16] His straightforward yet forceful drumming style underpinned the band's live performances and supported high-profile tours such as the Dead to the World Tour (1997–1998), the God Is in the TV Tour (1999), and the Grotesk Burlesk Tour (2003–2004), where his reliability contrasted with the chaotic stage dynamics often involving frontman Marilyn Manson's provocative antics.[14] Fish endured physical risks inherent to the band's theatrical shows, including incidents where Manson hurled microphone stands at him during the Antichrist Superstar tour and a November 25, 2000, performance at Madison Square Garden, during which Manson struck him in the face, fracturing his nose and requiring hospitalization.[17] Despite such events, Fish remained the longest-serving member, offering a consistent percussive backbone amid frequent personnel turnover. On February 23, 2011, Fish announced his departure from Marilyn Manson via social media, citing a desire to explore new opportunities after 16 years, having recently filled in on tour dates with Rob Zombie and deciding to join that band permanently.[16][18] His exit marked the end of an era for the group, as he had been instrumental in shaping its sound through multiple evolutions.Departure from Marilyn Manson
On February 23, 2011, Ginger Fish, whose real name is Kenneth Robert Wilson, announced his departure from Marilyn Manson after serving as the band's drummer since 1995, making him the longest-tenured member during that period.[19][16] In a statement posted on Facebook and Twitter, he expressed regret to fans and indicated his decision to leave in order to pursue other opportunities.[20] This exit followed the release of the band's 2009 album The High End of Low, on which Fish had contributed, and came amid a period of lineup instability for Marilyn Manson, though no specific conflicts were publicly detailed in his announcement.[21] Fish's tenure had included notable incidents, such as a 2004 onstage fall at the Comet Awards in Germany that resulted in a broken wrist and mild concussion, requiring temporary replacement by Chris Vrenna, but he returned shortly thereafter.[19] His departure left the band without its most consistent rhythm section anchor, prompting Manson to recruit session and touring drummers like Matt Oxley for subsequent performances.[16] Less than two months later, on April 22, 2011, Fish joined Rob Zombie as a permanent member, marking a swift transition to a new collaborative environment.[22]Post-Manson Career with Rob Zombie and Other Projects
Following his departure from Marilyn Manson in February 2011, Ginger Fish filled in as drummer for Rob Zombie during the band's U.S. warm-up dates that month, while regular drummer Joey Jordison was committed to his other project, Murderdolls.[23] His first performance with Rob Zombie occurred on February 6, 2011, at The Catalyst in Santa Cruz, California.[23] Fish continued to perform with the band through subsequent tours, including a notable debut at Rock on the Range in May 2012.[6] On April 21, 2011, Rob Zombie officially announced Ginger Fish as the band's permanent drummer, replacing Jordison due to ongoing scheduling conflicts.[23] Fish has since served as a core member of Rob Zombie's lineup, contributing to extensive touring schedules such as the 2022 Freaks on Parade tour alongside acts like Mudvayne, Static-X, and Powerman 5000.[24] This tenure has solidified his role in delivering the high-energy, groove-oriented percussion central to Zombie's industrial metal performances.[25] Beyond Rob Zombie, Ginger Fish has maintained involvement in limited side endeavors, though no major new band formations or extensive collaborations have been documented post-2011. His prior side project, Martyr Plot—formed in 2004 with vocalist Dave Scott—effectively disbanded by 2006 and did not resume after his Manson exit.[26] Guest appearances, such as contributions to Powerman 5000's 1999 album Tonight the Stars Revolt!, predate his post-Manson phase.[27] Fish's primary focus remains on Rob Zombie, where he continues to perform as of 2024.[25]Musical Style and Technique
Influences and Drumming Approach
Ginger Fish's musical influences include Black Sabbath, Pantera, and Rush, bands known for their heavy riffs, technical prowess, and progressive elements that shaped his transition from session work to rock and metal drumming.[28] These acts informed his affinity for powerful grooves and intricate rhythms, evident in his adaptations to industrial and groove metal contexts. His drumming approach emphasizes precision and mechanical intensity, delivering steady, groove-oriented patterns that underpin the aggressive structures of Marilyn Manson's industrial rock and Rob Zombie's horror-themed metal.[29] As a left-handed player, Fish mirrors his kit setup to maintain natural feel, combining traditional acoustic elements with programmed sequencing and sample loops for layered, modern textures in live and recorded settings.[30] Fish favors elaborate stage rigs, such as triple bass drum configurations, where additional kicks serve aesthetic purposes while he primarily operates two for practical power and speed during performances.[27] This setup supports dynamic phrasing, allowing subtle pushes and pulls around the beat to accentuate verses and choruses without overwhelming the ensemble's industrial precision.[9]Equipment and Performance Innovations
Ginger Fish's drum setups have emphasized hybrid acoustic-electronic integration, allowing for layered sounds that blend raw power with programmed precision during live shows. In the late 1990s, while touring with Marilyn Manson, he utilized a configuration featuring three bass drums—two actively played and one for visual effect—with the active drums modified to 8 inches deep for improved onstage visibility and compactness. Toms were positioned forward, and bass drums offset to the left using DW hardware extensions and a custom DW double pedal adapted for ergonomic efficiency, reflecting his left-handed origins despite a right-handed playing orientation.[31] This period's rig incorporated electronic enhancements such as ddrum triggers linked to a ddrum3 module for seat shakers and sample triggering, mixed approximately 70% acoustic via microphones and 30% electronic in the live signal chain to amplify low-end impact without overwhelming the natural kit tone. An Akai S5000 sampler with 256 MB RAM handled extensive drum layering across MIDI channels, while an MPC3000 managed click tracks and loops, controllable via a foot pedal for seamless transitions. These elements enabled dynamic adjustments mid-performance, contributing to the industrial-metal aesthetic by simulating orchestral percussion and effects not feasible on pure acoustic kits.[31] During his tenure with Rob Zombie starting in 2011, Fish maintained a similar hybrid methodology, employing drum sequencing, sample loops, and triggers alongside traditional acoustic instruments to sustain high-energy grooves in heavy metal contexts. His kits featured ddrum triggers for electronic augmentation and Zildjian cymbals, including the 20-inch Z Custom Heavy Power Ride, selected for their cutting projection in dense mixes. Endorsements like the Kelly SHU microphone system further optimized kick drum capture, ensuring clarity in large-venue seismic sound reinforcement where his kit received extensive miking.[30][32] Performance-wise, Fish's innovations include unconventional kit ergonomics, such as forward-angled toms and offset bass placement from the Mechanical Animals era, prioritizing accessibility and visual spectacle over standard symmetry. This setup facilitated rapid, stamina-driven fills and solos, as demonstrated in Rob Zombie tours where he delivered extended drum showcases emphasizing endurance and hybrid textures. His approach to left-handed technique on right-handed kits—eschewing mirrored reconfiguration—preserved conventional feel while leveraging natural power, a pragmatic adaptation noted for enhancing consistency in high-tempo, physically demanding sets.[33][30][34]Discography
Contributions to Marilyn Manson Albums
Ginger Fish, whose real name is Kenneth Robert Wilson, served as the primary drummer for Marilyn Manson from 1995 to 2011, contributing percussion elements to multiple studio albums that defined the band's evolution from industrial shock rock to more experimental territory.[13] His work emphasized powerful, syncopated rhythms suited to the group's dense sonic layers, often blending live kit recordings with programmed elements under producer oversight.[35] While Marilyn Manson exerted significant creative control over arrangements, Fish's input included tracking acoustic drums for key releases to achieve organic textures amid electronic production.[35] On Smells Like Children (1995), Fish provided live drums and "kiddie pops" percussion for select tracks in this remix and covers collection, marking his early involvement shortly after joining the band.[36] For Antichrist Superstar (1996), he delivered the core drum performances, supporting the album's aggressive, Trent Reznor-produced intensity across its three-act structure.[37] Fish's contributions to Mechanical Animals (1998) highlighted his technical adaptability, with the majority of drum tracks recorded using acoustic kits to contrast the album's glam-infused, futuristic aesthetic, as he noted in contemporary interviews.[35] This approach, guided by producer Michael Beinhorn's rigorous preparation, helped maintain rhythmic drive beneath layered synths and effects.[38] In Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) (2000), Fish handled both drum machine programming and live kit drums, integrating mechanical precision with raw energy to underpin the record's thematic critique of media and violence.[39] His playing on The Golden Age of Grotesque (2003) featured pounding, cabaret-influenced beats that complemented the album's neo-burlesque style and collaborations with figures like John 5.[40] Fish did not perform on Eat Me, Drink Me (2007), which Manson and Tim Sköld largely self-produced using drum machines and minimal band input during a period of internal shifts.[13] He returned for The High End of Low (2009), supplying drums amid co-production by Chris Vrenna and Sean Beavan, contributing to its chaotic, guitar-heavy sound before his departure.[41]| Album | Release Year | Key Contributions |
|---|---|---|
| Smells Like Children | 1995 | Live drums, kiddie pops percussion[36] |
| Antichrist Superstar | 1996 | Drums[37] |
| Mechanical Animals | 1998 | Acoustic drum tracks (majority), rhythms[35] |
| Holy Wood (In the Shadow of the Valley of Death) | 2000 | Drum machine, live kit drums[39] |
| The Golden Age of Grotesque | 2003 | Drums[40] |
| The High End of Low | 2009 | Drums[41] |