Marilyn Manson

Marilyn Manson is countersuing a former bandmate, who brought a $20 million breach of contract lawsuit against the shock rocker. The Rock Is Dead hitmaker claims he "dissolved" his business partnership with keyboard player Stephen Bier, aka John Wayne Gacy, in the mid-1990s because his then-friend did not carry out agreed obligations.

Filing the lawsuit in Los Angeles earlier this week, Manson -real name Brian Warner - is seeking unspecified general and special damages.

Bier originally filed suit against the rocker in August, claiming Manson squandered cash rather than look after the financial interests of his band.

In court documents, he claimed Manson used band funds to buy a mansion and pay for drug treatment and a Nazi memorabilia collection.