The Manson Family Album was intended to be Marilyn Manson's first studio album and is a precursor to Portrait of an American Family. It is composed of the original takes and alternate mixes of songs that would later be found on the band's debut and due to the many differences between it and its final form, it can be considered an album unto itself. The album's title is a reference to serial killer Charles Manson's band, "The Manson Family".