Talk about Zombie winking at his audience. I won’t lie I will be one of those aficionados. Undoubtedly, Zombie’s new album will be snatched up by vinyl aficionados and they will get to experience a self-referential sample of vinyl record sound effects while listening to real time vinyl record sound effects as their album spins on their turntables. The opening of “The Triumph of King Freak (A Crypt of Preservation and Superstition)” features vinyl sound effects complete with needle drop, pop, and hiss. Dropping faux vinyl hiss is exactly what Zombie does to introduce the album. Getting back to that kitsch/not kitsch thing though, there are very few, if any, artists who can convincingly get away with incorporating recorded vinyl hiss at the opening of a song and not come across as sounding completely, well, kitschy-especially with the current popularity of vinyl records and the ensuing hipster fog that shrouds it. The addition of John 5’s style of guitar playing perfectly compliments Zombie’s style of songwriting. Rather, to reference another group whose sound was taken to the next level by a new guitarist, John 5 is to Rob Zombie as John Fruciante was (and hopefully will be again) to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Rob Zombie’s band, as a recording and performing unit, hasn’t surrendered to John 5 as the controlling creative force though. The many different genres of guitar playing now heard on a Rob Zombie album is undoubtedly the influence of John 5. The former Marilyn Manson guitarist has sounded more at home with Zombie’s less angry, but no less heavy, groove than he ever did with Manson. One would think that the formula would have worn itself out over the past twenty two and a half years, but through sheer force of will, and a wicked sense of fun and nostalgia, Zombie has continually found ways to remain fresh sounding and (dare I say it) relevant.Ī significant contributor to Zombie’s freshness of sound is his long term collaboration with guitarist John 5. Zombie’s latest release, The Lunar Injection Kool Aid Eclipse Conspiracy, is loaded with the same type of horror film dialogue samples, grunge-come-metal riffs, and Saturday afternoon creature feature lyrics that his first solo album, Hellbilly Deluxe, was. He’s often done this while winking at his audience, desiring to inspire a frighteningly fun time with his music rather than a scary one. From his early “hellbilly” moniker to his recent encyclopedic album titles, Zombie has continually expanded upon his nascent love for all things rock and horror. This fact is oxymoronic, but it’s also true. Zombie was well aware of the silliness he flirted with, and that made his music the furthest thing from kitsch. ![]() ![]() Rob Zombie’s entire recording career has always skirted the edge of kitsch without slipping down the very slope it perilously danced upon. With The Lunar Injection though, they both go a long way towards doing so. Rob Zombie isn’t trying to prove he’s a rock and roll genius and neither is John 5.
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