Hellbilly Deluxe
Hellbilly Deluxe (sometimes referred to by its full title Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales Of Cadaverous Cavorting Inside The Spookshow International) is the debut solo album by the former White Zombie singer Rob Zombie, released on August 25, 1998. The album's title is a play on the Dwight Yoakam album Hillbilly Deluxe. Zombie's debut effort met with considerable success, peaking at #5 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and featured songs that would go on to become fan favorites, in particular, "Dragula" and "Living Dead Girl."
The album features the heavy guitar/bass and twisted, often violent horror themes of White Zombie, but it also reveals elements unique to Rob Zombie's solo career. For example, songs often feature a more danceable groove and electronic sounds/vocal overdubbing. In October 1999, Rob Zombie released a Hellbilly Deluxe remix album, American Made Music to Strip By.
On September 14, 2009 it was announced that Rob Zombie would embark on the Hellbilly Deluxe 2 Tour, which is in support of his 2010 album Hellbilly Deluxe 2: Noble Jackals, Penny Dreadfuls and the Systematic Dehumanization of Cool which is stated to be a companion to the original album as per his website.
Reception
- Rolling Stone (9/3/98, p. 102) - 3 Stars (out of 5) - "...pulverizing hard-rock riffs propelled by drums and electronic percussion, a sonic assault that, under all the bombast, is as meticulously arranged as any Whitney Houston track..."[4]
- Allmusic - 4 Stars (out of 5) - "...it delivers the goods, arguably even better than Astro-Creep: 2000. To outsiders, the entire schlock enterprise may seem ridiculous or sound monotonous, but even the weak cuts here hit hard and give fans exactly what they want."[1]
- Entertainment Weekly - C+ - "It's all a little creepy, to be sure, but Zombie's cartoonish antics are too over-the-top to really get under your skin."[2]
Artwork
The album's song titles and the art of the label and lyric book bespeak Zombie's fascination with classic horror films and tropes.
The album was re-released in 2005, with a DVD containing a music video for every song as well as brand-new artwork. While Zombie directed the music videos, some fans showed disliking for the artwork by Austrian chef Jörg Fercher, in which Zombie took no part.
Other media
- A remix of the song (Hot Rod Herman remix) "Dragula" was included on the soundtrack to the 1999 film The Matrix and the 2000 film Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2.
- A remix (Hot Rod Herman remix) of "Dragula" was used in the video game Twisted Metal 4 and featured Rob Zombie as a playable character.
- The song was used in American version of Gran Turismo 2
- The PlayStation game Sled Storm used the Hot Rod Herman remix of "Dragula" during the intro, it was also part of the game soundtrack.
- "Superbeast", "Dragula" and "Meet the Creeper" are featured in the video game Twisted Metal 3.
- "Living Dead Girl" was used in the opening credits for 1998's Bride of Chucky.
- "Spookshow Baby" was featured in the 1998 horror movie Urban Legend.
- "Demonoid Phenomenon" and several other tracks from the album were used in the videogame Nightmare Creatures II in 2000, "Demonoid Phenomenon" being used for the game's opening cinematic.
- In the Malcolm in the Middle episode "Home Alone 4", Richie is seen wearing a Hellbilly Deluxe T-shirt.
- "Superbeast" is part of the soundtrack in the game Brütal Legend.
- "Dragula" and "Superbeast" were released as downloadable content on October 27, 2009 for the Rock Band series.
- "Dragula" was played in the background of a spring break scene in the show King of the Hill.
Track listing
All lyrics written by Rob Zombie, all music composed by Rob Zombie and Scott Humphrey, except "Superbeast" by Rob Zombie, Scott Humphrey and Charlie Clouser.
| 1. |
"Call of the Zombie" |
0:30 |
| 2. |
"Superbeast" |
3:40 |
| 3. |
"Dragula" |
3:42 |
| 4. |
"Living Dead Girl" |
3:21 |
| 5. |
"Perversion 99" |
1:43 |
| 6. |
"Demonoid Phenomenon" |
4:11 |
| 7. |
"Spookshow Baby" |
3:38 |
| 8. |
"How to Make a Monster" |
1:38 |
| 9. |
"Meet the Creeper" |
3:13 |
| 10. |
"The Ballad of Resurrection Joe and Rosa Whore" |
3:55 |
| 11. |
"What Lurks on Channel X?" |
2:29 |
| 12. |
"Return of the Phantom Stranger" |
4:31 |
| 13. |
"The Beginning of the End" |
1:52 |
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Total length:
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38:23 |
Chart positions
- Album
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 1998 |
The Billboard 200 |
5 |
| Top Canadian Albums |
2 |
- Singles
| Year |
Single |
Chart |
Position |
| 1998 |
"Dragula" |
Mainstream Rock Tracks |
6 |
| Modern Rock Tracks |
27 |
| 1999 |
"Living Dead Girl" |
Mainstream Rock Tracks |
7 |
| Modern Rock Tracks |
22 |
| "Superbeast" |
Mainstream Rock Tracks |
26 |
References
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