Bradley Stewart, a.k.a. Gidget Gein, was the 39-year-old second bassist for industrial metal band Marilyn Manson from 1989 to 1993, during which time his stage name was created through the fusion of the names of Gidget (the television character played by Sally Field) and Ed Gein (the notorious American serial killer.) He died from a suspected heroin overdose on October 9, 2008 at his home in Burbank, California. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office has stated it will not release further details until the Gein’s family has been informed of the situation. He was only the bassist for Manson’s first album, 1994’s Portrait of an American Family (and their cassette-only demo albums before that, when the band was named Marilyn Manson and the Spooky Kids.) He was fired though shortly after the completion of the album because he overdosed on heroin for the fourth time, and he wasn’t getting a handle on his addiction. He received a letter via Federal Express from the band on Christmas Eve of 1993, when finding himself in a hospital bed, declaring his services “no longer needed” (he was replaced by the group’s former groupie, Jeordie “Gordy” White, otherwise known as Twiggy Ramirez.) He went on to form Gidget Gein and the Dali Gaggers before performing art and fashion shows under the name Gollywood. (more…)