Quote:
Originally Posted by Marsh.
Do we know why they picked Sharon Tate specifically?
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They didn't. They targeted the house.
Basically, that house was owned by Terry Melcher who was Doris Day's son and a successful record producer (behind The Byrds and The Beach Boys early success and many more acts of the 60's, basically pioneered the "California Sound"). Back in the day, record producers and musicians addresses were well known and it wasn't uncommon for people to just rock up and "audition" for these people in the hopes of them putting in a good word or even better getting signed to a record contract. Mama Cass and Frank Zappa to name just a couple would basically hold open mic nights/parties in their homes, this was the culture at the time. It's how the likes of Joni Mitchell and Crosby/Stills/Nash/Young got discovered.
Anyway, through Manson's brief but intense "friendship" with Dennis Wilson (Beach Boys drummer), he was put in touch with Melcher and Terry actually went up to the Spahn Ranch where The Family were living and had Manson "audition" there for him. Long story short, Melcher didn't sign him and Manson was fuming. Also, not long after, Manson gave his song "Cease to Exist" to Dennis Wilson basically and The Beach Boys recorded it on one of their albums with different lyrics/format, this also made Manson furious because he didn't understand that they could record/change/release it without his permission.
So basically on the night, he sent them "to that house Melcher lived in" as it was a symbol of Melcher and the music industry that had shunned him. Melcher and his girlfriend, actress Candice Bergen, had moved out some time prior and had rented it to Roman Polanski and Sharon. Manson knew that Melcher didn't live there anymore though as he'd been to the property a few times looking for him.