Metal-funk mavens Korn and ex-White Zombie leader Rob Zombie, who engaged in a

war of words in the summer, will begin rekindling their friendship by kicking off their joint

tour on Feb. 26 with a show in Tucson, Ariz.

For his part, industrial-rocker Zombie says he has no idea why the bands fought earlier

this year.

"Finally, [two weeks ago] I talked to their drummer [David Silveria]," Zombie (born Rob

Straker) said, "and he was like, 'Oh, we have nothing against [you].' There never was

anything, which is what I've said all along. I don't know what any of that was about. But

whatever it was, it's over."

Only five months after Zombie left Korn's Family Values Tour amid unkind words from

Korn's management, the artists have decided to pair up for what promises to be a series

of raucous metal shows.

In July, Korn's manager, Jeff Kwatinetz, was quoted in a press release saying that

Zombie's music as a solo artist was "substantially less attractive" than his work with his

former band, White Zombie. Zombie, who was asked to leave the Family Values Tour

even before it kicked off, said he was stunned by the personal attack.

"It was one of those things where I think people talked," Dennis Dennehy, Zombie's

Geffen Records publicist, said. "I think the Korn guys realized it was a big

misunderstanding, and it was squashed."

After kicking off with the Arizona show at the Convention Center Arena, the double billing

will wind its way through New Mexico, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, South and North

Carolina, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio and Ontario, Canada. With more dates to be

announced at a later date, the tour is expected to stretch through April 11. Hard rockers

Videodrone, signed to Korn's Elementree Records label, will open the first string of

shows.

Saying he had no leftover bad feelings about the public rebuke, Zombie explained that

the musicians had never spoken to each other about the quarrel. And, despite Zombie's

brief discussion with Silveria, they still haven't cleared the air face-to-face.

"It just became inevitable," said Zombie, whose debut solo album, Hellbilly

Deluxe, features the pounding industrial-rock of

href="http://media.addict.com/atn-bin/get-

music/Zombie,_Rob/Dragula.ram">"Dragula" (RealAudio excerpt) and other

songs. Zombie's style is seemingly a perfect fit with Korn's own metallic grind, as heard

on

music/Korn/Dead_Bodies_Everywhere.ram">"Dead Bodies Everywhere"

(RealAudio excerpt) from their recent Follow the Leader album.

The highly publicized falling-out between Zombie and the Korn camp was set in motion

after Zombie was planning to join the Family Values bill.

He was slated to come on board along with rapper Ice Cube and Korn's fellow

neo-metal-rockers Limp Bizkit and Orgy, but it was announced in late July that Zombie

had been asked to leave. The tour, which ran from Sept. 22-Oct. 31, grossed more than

$6.4 million and played to more than 234,000 fans, according to the project's publicists

at the Mitch Schneider Organization.

"When you look at the charts, the only two rock records doing anything are Zombie and

Korn," Zombie said. "I always knew [the joint tour] was going to happen, even when

everyone was arguing. That almost guarantees we'll end up touring together. It's just too

good of a tour."

Representatives for Korn were not available for comment at press time.

Zombie promised to increase the horrific trappings of his stage show, while saying the

two camps are trying to keep the down-time between bands at a minimum.

"I'll expand my show because I don't want the kids to come and see the same thing

again," Zombie said. "I look at this almost like the [1992] Guns 'N Roses/Metallica

[summer] tour, where there were two very different bands with different vibes who made

an exciting package."

Zombie/Korn Tour Dates:

Feb. 26; Tucson, Ariz.; Convention Center Arena

Feb. 27; Albuquerque, N.M.; Tingley Arena

Feb. 28; El Paso, Texas; Coliseum

March 2; San Antonio, Texas; Freeman Coliseum

March 3; Dallas, Texas; Reunion Arena

March 5; Biloxi, Miss.; Gulf Coast Coliseum

March 6; Jacksonville, Fla.; Civic Center Arena

March 7; Greenville, S.C.; Bi-Lo Center

March 9; Greensboro, N.C.; Coliseum

March 11; Chicago, Ill.; Rosemont Horizon

March 13; Detroit, Mich.; Palace of Auburn Hills

March 15; Hamilton, Ont.; Copps Coliseum

March 16; Toledo, Ohio; Sports Arena