Andreas Rentz/Getty ImagesUPDATE 3 (Dec. 28, 2009): Gacy/Bier will get $380,000—$175,000 from Manson's insurance company and the rest from his former business managers.
UPDATE 2: Manson and Gacy finally settled their differences in December 2009. Gacy's attorney told a judge that they were still hammering out a deal, which will remain confidential.
UPDATE: A judge has set a new trial date of Nov. 30 after taking Manson's upcoming tour in support of his next album into consideration. He met the defense half way—Manson's team had requested a March 2010 start date.
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Marilyn Manson wants to hook back up with Dita Von Teese...and Trent Reznor and several other old pals.
The shock-rocker's camp has unveiled a witness wish list that includes his ex-wife and his Nine Inch Nails-fronting mentor to testify on his behalf in an upcoming court showdown with estranged keyboardist Stephen Bier.
Bier, otherwise known as Madonna Wayne Gacy, sued Manson for more than $20 million last year, claiming Manson siphoned off millions of dollars in band revenue.
The funds allegedly paid for drugs, assorted Nazi paraphernalia, the cost of Von Teese's engagement ring and the ex-couple's 2005 wedding, and the interior decorating of Manson's mansion, which features a stuffed grizzly bear, a pair of baboons and the skeleton of a 4-year-old Chinese girl.
Manson, whose real name is Brian Warner, countersued in August, claiming Bier didn't live up to the terms of his contract and was simply a disgruntled ex-employee. Bier left the band in 2005, shortly before Manson began work on his sixth album, Eat Me, Drink Me.
The trial is set to kick off on Feb. 2. Both Manson and Bier are expected to take the stand, along with their witnesses.
Reznor, for instance, is expected to speak about his tenure producing Manson's debut album, Portrait of an American Family, released on Reznor's Nothing Records imprint.
As for Von Teese, the burlesque model will answer questions about their marriage and personal life.
Manson also wants to call former drummer Fred "Freddie" Streithorst, aka Sarah Lee Lucas, to discuss the band situation.
UPDATE: On Jan. 5, Manson dropped his countersuit against Stephen Bier. "Bier doesn't have any money, so it would have been a Pyrrhic victory," attorney Howard E. King said.
Bier's lawyer, Keith A. Fink, said that Manson abandoned the suit because he wouldn't be able to prove his allegations.
"They dismissed the complaint against Bier because they are attempting to avoid being embarrassed at trial in trying to defend the absurd and specious claims they alleged," Fink said.