Ann WIlson Explains On Charles Manson Relationship Rumors

Ann Wilson of the iconic 70s band Heart has finally addressed the long-standing rumors connecting her and the band to the infamous cult leader Charles Manson in a recent episode of The Totally 80s Podcast.

Wilson dispelled persistent speculations about Heart’s 1976 hit, “Magic Man”. Some had suggested that the song hinted at the notorious criminal, asserting that Ann and her sister Nancy were somehow linked to the Manson family.

“We were playing a festival in Pennsylvania, and somehow, the words started circulating that the magic man was Charles Manson; Nancy and I were part of his family, and all the money that Heart made was going to go to free Charlie,” Ann clarified how the rumor started.

The Magic Man isn’t Charlie

Rumors have long been whispered about behind closed doors and even a nefarious Reddit post fueled the speculations some years ago. 

The post suggested that “Magic Man” was a subtle reference to Manson’s family and even brought up claims about Beach Boy Dennis Wilson’s supposed ties to Manson.

However, another user intervened to set the record straight, asserting that ‘Magic Man’ was, in fact, a reflection of Ann’s relationship with Mike Fisher, the original guitarist of the group.

Fisher became Ann’s boyfriend during the Vietnam War years and this led her to follow him to Canada to avoid the draft. By 1974, Nancy joined the band, and Fisher transitioned into the roles of their manager and sound engineer.

Just another ridiculous experience

In addition to dispelling the “Magic Man” rumor, the interview also discussed other challenges the band encountered. Ann highlighted an incident where one of their songs faced a ban in Ireland due to its content.

“I think the next one that we laughed about was this song, “All I Want To Do Is Make Love To You”, the Mutt Lange song, was banned in Ireland because it was just too forward,” Ann recalled.

The irony is that the banned song, if one really listened to it, merely tells the story of a woman picking up a random man for sex.

“Which is ridiculous, isn’t it? Because nothing happens in that song except sex!” the singer exclaimed.

Heart after decades of rocking

In February 2019, Heart ended their short hiatus, revealing plans for the Love Alive tour scheduled for the summer of that year. The first onstage reunion of the sisters took place in March 2019 at the Love Rock NYC benefit concert.

Despite the reunion of Ann and Nancy, the former Heart members who had joined Nancy’s solo project were not included in the reunion, and the new lineup featured Ann’s touring band, with changes that included the replacement of Ben Smith on drums, Dan Rothchild on bass, and Chris Joyner on keyboards.

In 2022, Nancy embarked on her own musical journey with Nancy Wilson’s Heart, focusing primarily on performing Heart’s classic repertoire during her tours. Meanwhile, Ann, accompanied by her backing band Tripsitter, unveiled their new album Another Door on September 29.

Watch the complete Ann Wilson episode of The Totally 80s Podcast below: