Born and brought up in Edinburgh, she is the middle daughter of a genetics scientist and a mother “gifted with parental skills” School saw the first creak of trouble. Put into a tough comprehensive, she was bullied for her accent and A-grades, called “bloodhound” and “frog eyes” Which may not sound like much, but it left its mark. “Somehow, I attracted the attentions of a very aggressive girl She got into my mind and f—ed with me big- time And I don’t think you ever get over it, to be honest. My parents claim I made a crucifix, twigs tied together with pink beads, and hung it outside my window with a letter to God, pleading to get rid of this girl from my life. It makes me feel sick now, but at least it shows a semblance of intelligence, a determination for change.”Still, the A-grades disappeared, and Manson left school to work in Miss Selfridge (“my glorious wonder years”), where she specialised in make- up, customer intimidation and beating her head on the wall in frustration. Having been trained in piano, violin and clarinet, she also found herself in a part-time band, the doomy goth-band Goodbye Mr McKenzie.

They got signed but nosedived, and Manson gradually developed clinical depression. Trying to relaunch the band as Angelfish, she was bedbound half the time, “immobile, stupefied”. Her dole officer fixed up an interview in an Edinburgh pie shop.Six thousand miles away, the respected producers Butch, Duke and Steve had decided on a mid-life attempt to plot a rock trajectory of their own. They saw the Angelfish video, met Manson in London and suggested she improvise over some rough cuts. It was more than awkward – apparently, she stormed “I can’t sing this bloody crap” – but she returned with lyrics, black as pitch and twice as sticky, that pulled everything together. She flew with her considerable baggage to Wisconsin, where the rest of Garbage live, installed herself in a hotel and became a partner “I’d never written a word or a note before Desperation was my impetus.

I said, sure I can do that, and wept down the phone to Scotland every night.”But not for long Writing became easier, and then became redemptive. “It’s metamorphosis, alchemy – you take something dark and it comes out beautiful Before, I had no expression at all, no voice But when you write, you expel the waste from your body. An analogy I like that’s particular to women is when you’re bursting on a pee and it feels like you’re close to orgasm. Do you know that feeling?”No, but don’t stop, let’s charge right into Pseud’s Corner Luckily, she’s laughing. “When your bladder’s so full it’s pressing on your uterus, I imagine, then when you try there’s a second when you can’t go, you’re so bottled up, and then,” Meg Ryan-beating gasp …