Ivan De Prume
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

White Zombie was an American heavy metal band that formed in 1985. Based in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, they started as a
noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
band, releasing three EPs and one studio album in that style before changing to a heavy metal-oriented sound that broke them into the mainstream. The albums '' La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One'' (1992) and '' Astro-Creep: 2000'' (1995) established them as an influential act in
groove metal Groove metal, sometimes also called neo-thrash or post-thrash, is a subgenre of heavy metal music that began in the early 1990s. The genre is primarily derived from thrash metal, but played in slower tempos, and making use of rhythmic guitar pa ...
and
industrial metal Industrial metal is the fusion of Heavy metal music, heavy metal and industrial music, typically employing repeating Heavy metal guitar, metal guitar riffs, sampling (music), sampling, synthesizer or music sequencer, sequencer lines, and Distor ...
, respectively. Their best-known songs include "
Thunder Kiss '65 "Thunder Kiss '65" is a song by American heavy metal band White Zombie, released in 1992 from the band's third studio album, '' La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One'' (1992). The song was released as their first official single and was later in ...
", "
Black Sunshine "Black Sunshine" is a song initially featured on the album '' La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One'' by White Zombie which was used as a promo single in 1992 and 1993. The song can also be found on Rob Zombie's '' Past, Present & Future'' and th ...
" and " More Human than Human". The group officially disbanded in 1998. In 2000, White Zombie was included on
VH1 VH1 (originally an initialism for Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network that launched on January 1, 1985, and is currently owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Global's networks division based in New Y ...
's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock, ranking at No. 56. As of October 2010, the band has sold six million albums, according to
Nielsen SoundScan Luminate Data, LLC (formerly MRC Data and P-MRC Data) is a provider of music and entertainment data. Established as a joint-venture in 2020, it brought together Nielsen Music, Alpha Data (formerly BuzzAngle Music) and Variety Business Intellige ...
.


History


Early career, name, and independent releases (1985–1986)

White Zombie was co-founded by
Rob Zombie Robert Bartleh Cummings (born January 12, 1965), known professionally as Rob Zombie, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live show ...
, after coming up with the band idea in 1985 while attending
Parsons School of Design The Parsons School of Design is a private art and design college under The New School located in the Greenwich Village neighborhood of New York City. Founded in 1896 after a group of progressive artists broke away from established Manhattan art ...
in his junior year. Zombie named the band after a 1932 horror movie starring Bela Lugosi called '' White Zombie'', considered the first true zombie movie (the movie title was also the source for Rob Zombie's stage name, as he was born Robert Cummings). Zombie's girlfriend at the time,
Sean Yseult Sean Yseult ( ; born Shauna Reynolds; June 6, 1966) is an American rock musician who currently plays bass guitar in the band Star & Dagger. She has played various instruments with different bands since the mid-1980s, and is best known for play ...
, was the other co-founder. She had been playing the
Farfisa Farfisa () is a manufacturer of electronics based in Osimo, Italy, founded in 1946. The company manufactured a series of compact electronic organs in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Compact, FAST, Professional and VIP ranges, and later, a se ...
keyboard in the band Life with Ivan de Prume, but the band soon broke up. Ena Kostabi owned a
recording studio A recording studio is a specialized facility for Sound recording and reproduction, recording and Audio mixing, mixing of instrumental or vocal musical performances, spoken words, and other sounds. They range in size from a small in-home proje ...
, which he would rent out to different bands. When he met Yseult, she asked if he could teach her to play bass. They then recruited Peter Landau to play drums and began to write and record songs. White Zombie's first release, ''
Gods on Voodoo Moon ''Gods on Voodoo Moon'' is the first recording and release by American rock band White Zombie, released independently as an EP in November 1985. It was their only release with Paul "Ena" Kostabi on guitar and Peter Landau on drums. Producti ...
'', was an EP and was recorded on October 18, 1985. It was released under the band's label Silent Explosion, where they would release most of their early work. Only 300 copies were pressed, of which only 100 were sold; the band members still retain possession of the remaining 200. In 1986, Zombie hired Tim Jeffs, his Parsons School of Design roommate, to play guitar to replace Ena Kostabi, and Yseult brought in de Prume from their days in the band LIFE as the replacement for Landau. The band made their live performance debut at
CBGB CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in the East Village, Manhattan, East Village in Manhattan, New York City. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for ''Cou ...
on April 28, 1986, and started touring. White Zombie released their second EP, ''
Pig Heaven ''Pig Heaven/Slaughter the Grey'' is the second EP by American rock band White Zombie, independently released in May 1986. Two different pressings of this album were created (the differences between the two being the different guitarists and t ...
'', that year. The release contained two songs, "Pig Heaven" and "Slaughter the Grey". The EP was recorded at 6/8 Studios in NoHo in New York City. Other songs that were recorded during the session but never released were titled "Follow Wild", "Rain Insane", "Paradise Fireball", and "Red River Flow". After touring for a year in the band, Tim Jeffs left and was replaced by
Tom Guay __notoc__ Thomas Neil Guay (born October 11, 1965), more commonly known by his stage name Tom Five (or Tom 5), is an American guitarist who joined heavy metal band White Zombiehttp://metalstorm.ee/bands/bandmember.php?member_id=14097 Metal Sto ...
, often known as Tom Five. The band released a second pressing of ''Pig Heaven'' with different cover art, but retained the same recording with Jeffs on guitar. Only 500 copies of each pressing were released on vinyl.


First two albums (1987–1990)

In 1987, the band released their third EP, ''
Psycho-Head Blowout ''Psycho-Head Blowout'' is the third EP by American rock band White Zombie, released in May 1987 by Silent Explosion. The album was recorded with producer and composer Kramer and was the band's first to feature guitarist Tom Guay, who had a ...
''. Later that year, the band released their first full-length album, ''
Soul-Crusher ''Soul-Crusher'' is the debut studio album by American rock band White Zombie, released independently in November 1987 by Silent Explosion. It was the band's second and final release with Tom "Five" Guay on guitar. Building off the sound esta ...
'', which was their first release to feature sound clips from movies in the songs, a signature that would continue for the remainder of the band's lifespan. In 1988, the band signed to
Caroline Records Caroline Records is a record label that was founded in 1973. Founded in the United Kingdom to showcase British progressive rock groups, the label ceased releasing titles in 1976 and then re-emerged in the United States in 1986. The label rel ...
, permanently discontinuing their own indie label. After completing their first U.S. tour in June 1988, Tom Guay was asked to leave the band. He was replaced by John Ricci in July 1988. Their second album, '' Make Them Die Slowly'', was released in March 1989. The album was a musical shift for White Zombie. While their previous releases had been strictly punk-influenced noise rock, ''Make Them Die Slowly'' has demonstrably more of a heavy metal sound. This is also the first album crediting "Rob Zombie" instead of his previous
stage name A stage name or professional name is a pseudonym used by performers, authors, and entertainers—such as actors, comedians, singers, and musicians. The equivalent concept among writers is called a ''nom de plume'' (pen name). Some performers ...
, "Rob 'Dirt' Straker". Ricci's
carpal tunnel syndrome Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a nerve compression syndrome associated with the collected signs and symptoms of Pathophysiology of nerve entrapment#Compression, compression of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in the wrist. Carpal tunn ...
severely affected his ability to play guitar, forcing him to leave the band when ''Make Them Die Slowly'' was finished. Jay "J" Yuenger replaced him before the album's release, affecting their future sound. One of the most obvious examples of this direction is the difference between the songs "Disaster Blaster" on ''Make Them Die Slowly'' and the re-worked version, "Disaster Blaster II", on the ''
God of Thunder Polytheistic peoples from many cultures have postulated a thunder deity, the creator or personification of the forces of thunder and lightning; a lightning god does not have a typical depiction and will vary based on the culture. In Indo-Europea ...
'' EP.


Major label years, mainstream success, and breakup (1991–1998)

After searching for a record label and being turned down multiple times, the band turned toward
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...
. However, Zombie opted for a
recording contract A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording act (artist or group), where the act makes an audio recording (or series of recordings) for the label to sell and ...
with
Geffen Records Geffen Records (formerly The David Geffen Company from 1980 to 1992 and Geffen Records Inc. from 1993 to 2004) is an American record label, founded in late 1980 by David Geffen. Originally a music subsidiary of the company known as Geffen Pi ...
. Michael Alago, a representative of Geffen, became interested after hearing ''God of Thunder'' and watched one of their shows at
Pyramid Club Pyramid Club may refer to the following night clubs: * Pyramid Club (New York City) The Pyramid Club was a nightclub in the East Village of Manhattan, New York City. After opening in 1979, the Pyramid helped define the East Village drag queen, ...
and liked them, mostly for their song "Soul-Crusher". The band produced a demo with the help of
J. G. Thirlwell James George Thirlwell (born 29 January 1960), styled as JG Thirlwell and also known as Clint Ruin, Frank Want, and Foetus, among other pseudonyms, is an Australian musician, composer, and record producer known for juxtaposing a variety of dif ...
of
Foetus A fetus or foetus (; : fetuses, foetuses, rarely feti or foeti) is the unborn offspring of a viviparous animal that develops from an embryo. Following the embryonic stage, the fetal stage of development takes place. Prenatal development is a ...
and were signed to Geffen. On March 17, 1992, White Zombie released '' La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One'', the album which launched them into mainstream recognition. The band supported ''La Sexorcisto'' with a two-and-a-half-year-long tour, which saw them performing with numerous bands such as
Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...
, Danzig,
Kyuss Kyuss ( ) was an American stoner rock band formed in Palm Desert, California, in 1987, and considered one of the pioneers of the genre. After disbanding in 1995, a number of band members have gone on to form or play in several notable bands in ...
,
Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...
,
Megadeth Megadeth is an American thrash metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1983 by vocalist and guitarist Dave Mustaine. Known for their technically complex guitar work and musicianship, Megadeth is one of the "big four" of American thrash metal—alo ...
,
Sepultura Sepultura (, "grave")Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 17. is a Brazilian heavy metal band formed in Belo Horizonte in 1984 by brothers Max and Igor Cavalera.Barcinski & Gomes 1999, page 16. They were a major force in the groove metal, thrash met ...
,
Suicidal Tendencies Suicidal Tendencies is an American crossover thrash band formed in 1980 in Venice, California, by vocalist Mike Muir. The band has undergone various lineup changes, with Muir as the only remaining original member. Their current lineup includes ...
,
Anthrax Anthrax is an infection caused by the bacterium '' Bacillus anthracis'' or ''Bacillus cereus'' biovar ''anthracis''. Infection typically occurs by contact with the skin, inhalation, or intestinal absorption. Symptom onset occurs between one ...
,
Quicksand Quicksand (also known as sinking sand) is a colloid consisting of fine granular material (such as sand, silt or clay) and water. It forms in saturated loose sand when the sand is suddenly agitated. When water in the sand cannot escape, it crea ...
,
Monster Magnet Monster Magnet is an American rock music, rock band formed in Red Bank, New Jersey, in 1989 by Dave Wyndorf (vocals and guitar), John McBain (musician), John McBain (guitar), and Tim Cronin (vocals and drums). The band has since undergone severa ...
, Nudeswirl,
Prong Prong or Prongs may refer to: * Prong, synonym of tine (structural), a branch or spike of various tools and natural objects * Prong (band), an American metal band * Prong (company), an iPhone accessories company in New York City * Prongs, British ...
and
The Obsessed The Obsessed is an American doom metal band from Potomac, Maryland, led by Scott "Wino" Weinrich. Formed in 1979, they recorded a few demos and played a handful of live shows until they first split up in 1986 when Weinrich joined as lead vo ...
. During the tour, Ivan de Prume left the band to pursue a career as a producer/engineer as well as drummer/percussionist and opened his own studio, Burningsound. He was replaced by Phil Buerstatte. The
music video A music video is a video that integrates a song or an album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device intended to ...
s for the songs "
Thunder Kiss '65 "Thunder Kiss '65" is a song by American heavy metal band White Zombie, released in 1992 from the band's third studio album, '' La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One'' (1992). The song was released as their first official single and was later in ...
", "
Black Sunshine "Black Sunshine" is a song initially featured on the album '' La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One'' by White Zombie which was used as a promo single in 1992 and 1993. The song can also be found on Rob Zombie's '' Past, Present & Future'' and th ...
" and "Welcome to Planet Motherfucker/Psychoholic Slag" (censored as "Welcome to Planet M.F.") went into regular rotation on
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
's ''
Headbangers Ball ''Headbangers Ball'' is a music television program that consists of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV and its global affiliates. The show began on MTV on April 18, 1987, playing heavy metal music videos from both well-known and more obsc ...
'', while each music video was featured on the TV show ''
Beavis and Butt-head ''Beavis and Butt-Head'' is an American Adult animation, adult animated Animated sitcom, sitcom created by Mike Judge. The series follows Beavis and Butt-Head, both voiced by Judge, a pair of teenage slackers characterized by their apathy, Stupi ...
''. This boosted the band's popularity, and led to ''La Sexorcisto'' selling over two-million copies in the U.S. alone. During this period, White Zombie had recorded several songs for movie soundtracks and various artists compilation albums, including "Feed the Gods" for the soundtrack to ''
Airheads ''Airheads'' is a 1994 American comedy film directed by Michael Lehmann and written by Rich Wilkes. It stars Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, and Adam Sandler as the members of a struggling rock band who hijack a Los Angeles radio station in ord ...
'', "I Am Hell" for the '' Beavis and Butt-Head Experience'' compilation album and a cover version of
Black Sabbath Black Sabbath are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler, and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. After adopting the Black Sabbath name in 1969 (the band ...
's "
Children of the Grave "Children of the Grave" is a song by English rock band Black Sabbath, from their 1971 album ''Master of Reality''. The song lyrically continues with the same anti-war themes brought on by " War Pigs" and "Electric Funeral" from the band's previ ...
", which appears on the tribute album '' Nativity in Black''; each of these songs received airplay on
active rock Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock stations play a balance of new hard rock songs with valued classic rock favorites, normally with an emphasis on the harder edge o ...
radio stations, while a music video "Feed the Gods" was released. By the time White Zombie entered the studio in late 1994 to begin recording their fourth album, Zombie and Yseult had ended their relationship, and Buerstatte was dismissed from the band, due to artistic differences; he was replaced by former
Exodus Exodus or the Exodus may refer to: Religion * Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible * The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan Historical events * Ex ...
and
Testament A testament is a document that the author has sworn to be true. In law it usually means last will and testament. Testament or The Testament can also refer to: Books * ''Testament'' (comic book), a 2005 comic book * ''Testament'', a thriller no ...
drummer
John Tempesta John Tempesta (born September 26, 1964) is an American drummer known for his work in hard rock and heavy metal. He has been a member of British band the Cult since 2006. He is the brother of guitarist Mike Tempesta, with whom he has also worked ...
. In 1995, '' Astro-Creep: 2000'' was released, which featured a more industrial sound and included the hit single " More Human than Human". The album was another success for the band, debuting at number six on the ''Billboard'' 200 (White Zombie's highest-ever chart position), and within a year after its release, it was certified
double platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music Sound recording and reproduction, recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video ...
by the
RIAA The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
. To support ''Astro Creep 2000'', the band toured non-stop for approximately fifteen months, playing with a wide variety of acts such as
Metallica Metallica is an American heavy metal band. It was formed in Los Angeles in 1981 by vocalist and guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
,
Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially ...
, the
Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band formed in the New York City neighborhood Forest Hills, Queens in 1974. Known for helping establish the punk movement in the United States and elsewhere, the Ramones are often recognized as one of th ...
, the
Melvins Melvins (sometimes the Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Primarily a trio, they have also performed as a quartet, with eith ...
,
The Reverend Horton Heat The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician James C. Heath (born 1959) as well as the name of his psychobilly trio from Dallas. Heath is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. A reviewer for the magazine Prick (magazine), ''Pr ...
, Babes in Toyland,
Kyuss Kyuss ( ) was an American stoner rock band formed in Palm Desert, California, in 1987, and considered one of the pioneers of the genre. After disbanding in 1995, a number of band members have gone on to form or play in several notable bands in ...
,
Filter Filtration is a physical process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture. Filter, filtering, filters or filtration may also refer to: Science and technology Computing * Filter (higher-order function), in functional programming * Fil ...
,
Everclear Everclear is a line of rectified spirits (also known as grain alcohol and neutral spirit) produced by the American company Luxco. It is made from grain and is bottled at 60%, 75.5%, 94.5% and 95% alcohol by volume (120, 151, 189, and 190 U.S. ...
, the
Toadies Toadies are an American rock band formed in 1989 in Fort Worth, Texas, best known for the song " Possum Kingdom". The band's classic lineup consisted of Vaden Todd Lewis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Lisa Umbarger (bass guitar), Darrel Herbert ...
, CIV and Pennywise. In the summer of 1996, White Zombie played its final dates, co-headlining a North American tour with
Pantera Pantera () is an American Heavy metal music, heavy metal band formed in Arlington, Texas in 1981 by the Abbott brothers (guitarist Dimebag Darrell and drummer Vinnie Paul), and currently composed of vocalist Phil Anselmo, bassist Rex Brown, an ...
. Also in 1996, an album of remixes was released under the title '' Supersexy Swingin' Sounds''. After making one last song for the film ''
Beavis and Butt-head Do America ''Beavis and Butt-Head Do America'' is a 1996 American adult animation, adult animated comedy film, comedy road movie, road film based on the MTV animated television series ''Beavis and Butt-Head''. The film was co-written and directed by series ...
'', titled "Ratfinks, Suicide Tanks and Cannibal Girls", White Zombie broke up in September 1998.


After disbanding (1998–present)

After the breakup of White Zombie, Sean Yseult released her first album with
surf rock Surf music (also known as surf rock, surf pop, or surf guitar) is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is inst ...
band The Famous Monsters, having started the band in between Zombie tours. She also started playing bass for horror-themed
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
–based band, Rock City Morgue, and briefly played bass for
The Cramps The Cramps were an American rock band formed in 1976 and active until 2009. Their lineup rotated frequently during their existence, with the husband-and-wife duo of singer Lux Interior and guitarist Poison Ivy the only ever-present members. T ...
. Tempesta continued his musical relationship with Zombie, drumming for him on his first two solo albums, ''
Hellbilly Deluxe ''Hellbilly Deluxe: 13 Tales of Cadaverous Cavorting Inside the Spookshow International'' is the debut solo studio album by American musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie. The album serves as his first release outside of the band White Zombie, with ...
'' and '' The Sinister Urge''. After leaving the Zombie touring band, Tempesta went on to play for Scum of the Earth. Tempesta has toured with Testament (as shown on Testament's DVD, ''Live In London''). On February 14, 2006, he was hired as the permanent drummer for
The Cult The Cult are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Bradford in 1983. Before settling on their current name in January 1984, the band had performed under the name Death Cult, which was an evolution of the name of lead vocalist Ian Astbury ...
, after a brief stint with
Helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protecti ...
. J. produced records for
Fu Manchu Dr. Fu Manchu ( zh, t=傅滿洲/福滿洲, p=Fú Mǎnzhōu) is a supervillain who was introduced in a series of novels by the English author Sax Rohmer beginning shortly before World War I and continuing for another forty years. The character f ...
and
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
–based Puny Human. In July 2006, original members Tom Five and de Prume reunited to perform with de Prume's band, Healer, a middle eastern infused metal band, for several concerts in Southern California for The Vans
Warped Tour The Warped Tour is a Concert tour, touring Rock music, rock music festival that toured the United States and Canada each summer from 1995 until 2019, and returned in 2025 for its 30th anniversary. By 2015, Warped was the largest traveling music ...
. De Prume continues to write and record music with Healer, as well as recording, producing and engineering for special projects in his studio, Burningsound. His drums and percussion work can also be heard on Sony's "Ghost Rider" score. In 2009, de Prume began hosting the weekly radio show, "Metalopolis". His studio guests have included
Rob Halford Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is best known as the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Perform ...
,
Dave Mustaine David Scott Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician. He is best known as the co-founder, frontman, primary songwriter and sole consistent member of the thrash metal band Megadeth and for his time as the lead guitarist of Met ...
,
Max Cavalera Massimiliano Antonio "Max" Cavalera (; born 4 August 1969) is a Brazilian musician. He co-founded the Heavy metal music, heavy metal band Sepultura in 1984 with his brother Igor Cavalera, and was the band's lead singer and rhythm guitarist unti ...
,
Vinnie Paul Vincent Paul Abbott (March 11, 1964 – June 22, 2018) was an American musician best known for being the drummer and co-founder of the heavy metal music, heavy metal band Pantera. He also co-founded Damageplan in 2003 with his younger brother, ...
and
Tom Araya Tomás Enrique Araya Díaz (; born June 6, 1961) is a Chilean and American musician, best known as the vocalist and bassist of the thrash metal band Slayer. He was ranked 58th by ''Hit Parader'' on their list of the 100 Greatest Metal Vocalist ...
. De Prume is also a member of the band KREEP, and has completed a West Coast tour in spring 2010, and is planning an East Coast tour in fall 2010. In November 2008, Geffen/UME released ''
Let Sleeping Corpses Lie ''Let Sleeping Corpses Lie'' is a career-spanning five-disc box set by American rock band White Zombie. It is named after the 1974 Italian horror film of the same name. Contents The set contains a remaster of every album and E.P. released off ...
'', a
boxed set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...
which includes sixty four tracks featuring every White Zombie album and EP (except the remix albums), all remastered. The package also contained nine music videos (including their breakthrough Grammy-nominated hit "Thunder Kiss '65"), and ten live performances. In an interview to promote the release of ''Let Sleeping Corpses Lie'', Zombie made it clear that a reunion with his White Zombie bandmates was unlikely, saying, "I don't want fans to think it's the beginning of anything." In December 2010 Yseult released ''I'm in the Band'', a book containing tour diaries and photos as well as detailing her eleven years spent as a member of White Zombie. Since the breakup of White Zombie, Rob Zombie has shown little interest in reforming the band. In June 2011, in an interview with ''
Metal Hammer ''Metal Hammer'' is a heavy metal music magazine and website founded in 1983, published in the United Kingdom by Future, with other language editions published by different companies available in numerous other countries. ''Metal Hammer'' featu ...
'' magazine, he was asked why White Zombie split up, to which he replied: "It had run its course. Success is a big thing that you can never plan for, because it affects everybody differently. I don't want to blame myself or anyone else in the band — it's just that the band didn't work anymore. Rather than continuing on and making shitty records and having it all fall apart, I thought: 'Let's just end it on a high point.'" Zombie also stated earlier in 2011 that a White Zombie reunion would never happen and he had not been in contact with any members of the band "except
John Tempesta John Tempesta (born September 26, 1964) is an American drummer known for his work in hard rock and heavy metal. He has been a member of British band the Cult since 2006. He is the brother of guitarist Mike Tempesta, with whom he has also worked ...
in about 15 years." In 2018, Yseult mirrored his comments, saying that, in regards to the breakup, " hewas definitely ready for he bandto be over with", and that she stayed in touch with most other band members aside from Zombie. In May 2013, former drummer Phil Buerstatte died. Shortly after his death, he was impersonated by con-artist Loren Dean Breckenridge III. Breckenridge was previously accused of defrauding rehab centers across the nation, and repeatedly impersonating character actor
Loren Dean Loren Dean (born July 31, 1969) is an American actor. He has appeared on stage and in feature films, including as the title character in ''Billy Bathgate'', as well as ''Apollo 13'', ''Rosewood'', ''Space Cowboys'', and ''Ad Astra''. He appeared ...
. In a November 2015 interview with Artisan News, Yseult stated that a White Zombie vinyl box set was due for release in 2016. On February 16, 2016, '' It Came from N.Y.C.'' was confirmed for a June 3 release via the
Numero Group The Numero Group is an archival record label that creates compilations of previously released music, reissues original albums, and creates album reconstructions from a variety of musical genres. The label, known as Numero, was founded in 2003 ...
. The vinyl box set contains remastered versions of all the pre-Geffen Records material (including unreleased tracks) on 5 LPs/3 CDs, a 108-page colored booklet complete with liner notes and rare photos, a discography, and a shirtography. On May 18, 2016,
Riot Fest Riot Fest is an annual three-day punk rock music festival held at Douglass Park in Chicago, Illinois. It is known for booking reunions, guest performances, and full album performances. Riot Fest is one of the largest independently-owned music fe ...
released their lineups and it was revealed that
Rob Zombie Robert Bartleh Cummings (born January 12, 1965), known professionally as Rob Zombie, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live show ...
would be performing '' Astro-Creep: 2000'' in its entirety at the Chicago weekend. This sparked a swirl of speculation, coupled with the recently reunited
Misfits MiSFiTS was the acronym for the ''Minnesota Society for Interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy''. This organization has now changed its name to GPS, an acronym for Geek Partnership Society. It was founded in 1999 and was the parent non-profit org ...
, that a White Zombie reunion would also be occurring at the festival. When asked in September 2016 about his refusal to reform White Zombie, Rob replied, " amalways amazed at how people can speak with such authority on subjects they know zero about. I have many legit reasons. Just because you don't know them does not mean they don't exist. Everything is not everybody's business." Guitarist J. said, however, that he and bassist
Sean Yseult Sean Yseult ( ; born Shauna Reynolds; June 6, 1966) is an American rock musician who currently plays bass guitar in the band Star & Dagger. She has played various instruments with different bands since the mid-1980s, and is best known for play ...
could do an "''Astro Creep'', 'more original members' tour", and added that they "joke about it sometimes". On May 22, 2017, Rob posted a short snippet of audio, to his Instagram account, of a live recording of the White Zombie song "Electric Head Part 2", with a comment stating he was in the process of mixing the ''Astro Creep 2000'' live set from the Chicago date of the 2016 Riot Fest.


Musical style

White Zombie initially emerged from New York City's
noise rock Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
scene. They were considered a New York Underground band. The introduction of Jay Noel Yuenger into the band, according to ''
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
's'' Greg Prato, "helped toughen up the band's sound even further -- inching closer to a heavy metal band more than ever before". White Zombie changed their style from noise rock to a
groove metal Groove metal, sometimes also called neo-thrash or post-thrash, is a subgenre of heavy metal music that began in the early 1990s. The genre is primarily derived from thrash metal, but played in slower tempos, and making use of rhythmic guitar pa ...
sound, and would come to be associated with the
alternative metal Alternative metal (also known as alt-metal) is a genre of heavy metal music that combines heavy metal with influences from alternative rock and other genres not normally associated with metal. Alternative metal bands are often characterized by ...
scene of the 1990s. Rob Zombie was also introducing elements of
industrial rock Industrial rock is a fusion genre that fuses industrial music and rock music. It initially originated in the 1970s, and drew influence from early experimental and industrial acts such as Throbbing Gristle, Einstürzende Neubauten and Chrom ...
into the band's sound, making White Zombie "one of the few
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
bands of the era that you could also dance to." The ''
LA Weekly ''LA Weekly'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper in Los Angeles, California. The paper covers music, arts, film, theater, culture, and other local news in the Los Angeles area. ''LA Weekly'' was founded in 1978 by Jay Levin (among others), ...
'' placed White Zombie within the
nu metal Nu metal (sometimes stylized as nü-metal, with a metal umlaut) is a subgenre of that combines elements of heavy metal music with elements of other music genres such as hip hop music, hip hop, funk, industrial music, industrial, and grunge. Nu ...
scene and said that the band's "whirling rhythms driving
dance-rock Dance-rock is a dance- infused genre of rock music. It is a post-disco genre connected with pop rock and post-punk with fewer rhythm and blues influences. It originated in the early 1980s, following the decline in popularity of both punk and dis ...
ragers" helped the band stand out. ''
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
'' described the band as "horror rock" and a "horror obsessed industrial-metal band". White Zombie fused " B-horror movie visuals and subject matter with heavy music and growled vocals", according to ''AllMusic's'' Greg Prato, ''AllMusic's'' Bradley Torreano, reviewing the album ''Soul Crusher'', wrote that Rob Zombie's "wonderfully phantasmagoric lyrics blend bizarre phrases and unique rhymes".


Band members

;Final lineup *
Rob Zombie Robert Bartleh Cummings (born January 12, 1965), known professionally as Rob Zombie, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, filmmaker, and actor. His music and lyrics are notable for their horror and sci-fi themes, and his live show ...
– vocals *
Sean Yseult Sean Yseult ( ; born Shauna Reynolds; June 6, 1966) is an American rock musician who currently plays bass guitar in the band Star & Dagger. She has played various instruments with different bands since the mid-1980s, and is best known for play ...
– bass *
Jay Yuenger Jay Noel Yuenger also known by the stage name "J.", is an American rock guitarist best known for his work with heavy metal band White Zombie. Career As a teenager, Yuenger's interests quickly progressed from pop to hard rock to hardcore pu ...
– guitars *
John Tempesta John Tempesta (born September 26, 1964) is an American drummer known for his work in hard rock and heavy metal. He has been a member of British band the Cult since 2006. He is the brother of guitarist Mike Tempesta, with whom he has also worked ...
– drums


Discography

*''
Soul-Crusher ''Soul-Crusher'' is the debut studio album by American rock band White Zombie, released independently in November 1987 by Silent Explosion. It was the band's second and final release with Tom "Five" Guay on guitar. Building off the sound esta ...
'' (1987) *'' Make Them Die Slowly'' (1989) *'' La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One'' (1992) *'' Astro-Creep: 2000'' (1995)


References


External links

* *
White Zombie
at ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
''
Zombie FAQ
{{Authority control American alternative metal musical groups American groove metal musical groups American industrial metal musical groups Heavy metal musical groups from New York (state) Musical groups from New York City Musical groups established in 1985 Musical groups disestablished in 1998 Musical quartets from New York (state) American noise rock music groups Geffen Records artists 1985 establishments in New York City Mixed-gender bands