Rob Zombie’s whole deal is my favorite.

“Rob Zombie named it after it; how terrible could it be?” My boyfriend chose Jean Rollins’s song, and I laughed. The Living Dead GirlCriterion’s dinner menu. 

I was mostly joking — I’m a cinephile after all, so I knew we were in for at least some tasteful French bosoms, if not full-on bush given Rollin’s oeuvre — but also not, because if there is one artist whose output I can’t get enough of, it’s Robert Bartleh Cummings, aka Rob Zombie. Robert Zombert as he’s commonly known among my friends.

Although I don’t remember when his music became so popular, I know that it was in his solo album White Zombie. I do know that I came across his work while watching television. Beavis and ButtheadWith my metalhead boyfriendHigh school. Before Beavis and Butthead “changed everything”Zombie was living in NYC, working as a bicycle messenger. East VillageThis is where I first moved in 1998. It was decades before NYU’s campus became an extension. Pee-wee’s Playhouse. It’s quite funny to think that he was Kiev pea soup is the only way to survive.These same streets had been my playground for at least a decade. It’s embarrassing to be so enthralled by the artistic output of someone who has spiritual, if not physical, talent. DreadlocksBut, life is too short not to be ashamed. Everything, dammit. 

This is the result Hellbilly DeluxeIt has a strong effect on my brain when “Superbeast” kicks in with a driving beat. I think I started with that album back in the days when I was primarily writing about video games. Then, in the dying days of the dotcom bubble, I moved backwards to enjoy his older albums. It’s more than Rob Zombie’s music. Even though I have fond memories and a strong desire for it, Silkwood shower after seeing The Devil’s RejectsIt’s not just about his movies. His films bounce between gritty, slapstick homages and supersaturated clowny nightmares. I also love the way he casts so much actors from classic grindhouse flicks and cult flicks. One example of this is Sid Haig, who had a significant late-in-life career rebound when Zombie chose him to portray the iconic Captain Spaulding. House of 1,000 Corpses.

It’s all about the Vibe, man — the aesthetic! It’s all about capturing that giggly-screamy feeling as a tween trick or treating on. One street is full of Victorian-era housesDecorations to the extreme. Rob Zombie’s attention to detail in all his obsessions across different mediums like old movies and TV shows is what it’s all about. He’s tried it.Or the references he crams into other art or movies. Although it took me around 20-30 minutes to understand, The MunstersBecause of its strange pacing, it made me fall in love with its sweetness and how packed it was with all of Zombie’s key obsessions.

Because Sheri Moon Zombie is also my favorite, and I love her. They love. They create art together. rescue goats Just want peace and tranquility?You know what? Baby Firefly is her most well-known role. The House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s RejectsAnd 3 From HellShe says scary things in a haunted doll voice, like “We like getting fucked up!” (You can purchase A T-shirtThis is my favorite quote, but I like this one. Shorts with purple bootsThat read, “I Slam in my Dragula’s Back!” across the bum. Her most prominent role, and her most straightforward, was in 2012’s wildly magical flick. The Lords of SalemShe plays the role of a DJ at a Salem radio station who is haunted and haunted by supernatural happenings and eldritch visions after she drops the needle on a creepy record late one night. There’s a lid for every pot, I always say, and the Zombies prove it. 

I tried twice to interview Mr. Zombert, but to no avail. Once for 31Premiere of’s Sundance Midnight Madness, and once for The MunstersHe was probably not keen to talk about these two beleaguered projects. I have the impression that he doesn’t like talking to entertainment media (as opposed, uh music press). Larry King). After his experiences with HalloweenIts sequelYou can see why. If you’re a seasoned entrepreneur, this isn’t your idea of a great time. Carnies, dropped out of art school, and hung out on the edges of NYC’s burgeoning noise scene only to go “mainstream” and become a rich and successful multi-hyphenate artist, you’d probably talk to fewer people, too. 

Sometimes, it’s better to not meet your heroes. It can be a difficult decision to interview the artists you love. Instead, it’s more fun to share your enthusiasm with strangers — and maybe take some interior decor tips from Zombie’s episode of Cribs.