Rob Zombie, Korn Ready To Roll On Joint Tour
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
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