Charles Manson: podcast appearances and interviews

Charles Milles Manson was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who founded the Manson Family. He became widely known for orchestrating the Tate–LaBianca murders, which resulted in the deaths of nine people in 1969. Manson spent much of his life in correctional institutions prior to the murders. During his efforts to gather followers, he engaged in a career as a singer-songwriter on the fringes of the Los Angeles music scene, notably through an association with Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys. Wilson introduced Manson to record producer Terry Melcher, and the Beach Boys recorded Manson's song 'Cease to Exist,' retitled 'Never Learn Not to Love,' although Manson was not credited. Manson's attempts to obtain a record contract through Melcher were unsuccessful. He was known to speak about the Beatles, especially their 1968 album, and according to the district attorney Vincent Bugliosi, Manson believed he was guided by the Beatles' lyrics, particularly the concept of 'Helter Skelter,' which he interpreted as an impending apocalyptic race war. During his trial, Manson was accused of intending to incite such a war, though he denied ordering the murders. Manson served time in prison and died in 2017 from complications related to colon cancer.