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Article snippet: Charles Manson, who died on Sunday at 83, has loomed large in American culture ever since a brutal killing spree by his gang of followers, called the Manson family, claimed the lives of the actress Sharon Tate and eight others in the summer of 1969. Mr. Manson once dreamed of stardom, and he assembled a drug-fueled apocalyptic cult along the way. Like a 20th-century Jack the Ripper, his name evokes a legendary tale of violence that has inspired writers, filmmakers and others for decades. Here is a look at Mr. Manson’s ties to pop culture before the killing spree and the Manson family’s endurance in the public imagination since. Dreams of Stardom Mr. Manson wanted to be a rock star, and one year before the killing spree the family briefly lived in the home of Dennis Wilson, the drummer for the Beach Boys. Mr. Manson hoped to parlay that friendship into a record deal, but their relationship soured and a music career never materialized. Years after the murders, he did end up releasing two albums from prison, “LIE” and “Live at San Quentin.” Guns N’ Roses and Marilyn Manson, whose stage name was in part inspired by Mr. Manson, recorded songs he wrote. The Beach Boys released a song based on one he wrote, too, but they gave it new lyrics and a new title, “Never Learn Not to Love.” Mr. Manson’s version had been called “Cease to Exist.” Pop music was also the medium through which Mr. Manson believed he was being sent secret messages about an apocalyptic race war whose ... Link to the full article to read more