THE BEAST

In a candid new interview with Radioactive MikeZ on 96.7 KCAL-FM's Wired In The Empire, bassist Matt Montgomery—better known to fans as Piggy D.—opened up about his current role in Marilyn Manson’s band and the personal transformations he's witnessed firsthand.

Montgomery, 49, who made his name playing bass for Rob Zombie, explained how he landed the coveted position with Manson. “Referral,” he said simply. “It's a small, small community. Yeah, the timing worked out. Things are meant to be. I guess that's the universe working the way it should.”

Reflecting on his time with Manson so far, Piggy D. expressed enthusiasm about the direction the band is headed in. “It’s been really cool to be along for the ride for this rebirth. The band is killer, we have a great time, and the shows have been rad. I can't say or feel any better about it.”

When the topic turned to Manson’s sobriety and renewed focus, Montgomery didn’t hold back on his admiration. “Yeah, he’s amazing. His focus is sharp and he is an inspiration to people; he really is. And I'm proud to stand next to him, because I think he's representing hard. As somebody that's been in and out of sobriety over the years, it's amazing to see someone turn their life around. It’s always an amazing story. The miracle is never lost on me. You put a microphone in front of it, you can do some good. And it’s cool.”

Montgomery also spoke highly of guitarist Reba Meyers, who joined the Manson lineup after gaining recognition with Grammy-nominated heavyweights CODE ORANGE. “It’s great to have a female voice doing the female vocal parts,” he said. “She adds so much color and texture to the songs. Yeah, she’s awesome. She’s a joy.”

Discussing the current Marilyn Manson setlists, Piggy D. emphasized the balance between fan favorites and new material. “I wouldn't say it writes itself. There’s a new record—One Assassination Under God – Chapter 1—and the new cover of ‘In The Air Tonight’ just dropped. So there’s definitely an agenda to push the new material, but there are songs you probably should play. And then there have been some interesting curveballs. On the last tour, we did ‘Long Hard Road Out Of Hell,’ which was a nice addition. There’s a wealth of material to pull from if you wanna get weird and do weird stuff. He [Manson] knows what he’s doing.”

“For me personally,” Montgomery added, “I love the hard stuff. It makes me think it's 1996 again, which was a good time—nostalgic for different reasons. But I enjoy all of it. It’s all very musical and fun stuff to play, and I’m honored to be able to play it.”

Montgomery made his debut with Manson in August 2024 during the opening night of FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's summer arena tour. Prior to joining Manson, he had a long-running stint with Rob Zombie beginning in 2006, stepping in for bassist Rob "Blasko" Nicholson, who left at the time to join Ozzy Osbourne. Interestingly, Blasko returned to Zombie’s lineup in 2024 after Montgomery’s departure.

During his years with Zombie, Piggy D. contributed bass on multiple studio albums including Hellbilly Deluxe 2 (2010), Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor (2013), The Electric Warlock Acid Witch Satanic Orgy Celebration Dispenser (2016), and The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy (2021). His first live appearance with the band was on The Late Show With David Letterman in May 2006.

Beyond Zombie and Manson, Montgomery’s resume includes collaborations with Alice Cooper, John 5, and Wednesday 13. He also pursues solo music and is one-half of the goth-pop duo THE HAXANS, alongside NEW YEARS DAY frontwoman Ash Costello.

With new energy fueling the band and a renewed sense of purpose, Piggy D.’s latest chapter with Marilyn Manson marks yet another evolution in the bassist's impressive career—and he's clearly embracing every moment of it.