As mentioned in the interview, I first met Rob Zombie in 2005 at Thomas Jane’s house for Tom’s 40th birthday. What was surprising to me at the time was how much Rob and I had in common, and how laid back he was in conversation. My perception of the man back then, like many, was that of the White Zombie singer in heavy makeup singing hard rock songs and looking menacing. In person, Rob is nothing like that image, and is in all honesty quite pleasant. He’s made quite a career for himself outside the music scene as a filmmaker, directing and writing films like HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, THE DEVIL’S REJECTS, and the update of HALLOWEEN.
His most recent project is the movie THE LORDS OF SALEM, and his new album Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor, both hitting this month (THE LORDS OF SALEM opens this weekend).
I had a chance to chat with Rob over the phone about both efforts, and as before I found him to be very insightful and self-aware. We talk about casting, and his tendency to use great character actors and actresses that Hollywood sometimes overlooks, along with how he wanted to give this latest film a timeless quality. We also discuss the new album and some of the inspirations behind the songs. It’s a fun, candid discussion. You can listen to the full MP3 interview HERE – just click on the link or right-click and download the MP3 file. Venomous Rat Regeneration Vendor will be released April 23, 2013, but you can order it HERE.