Named after the 1932 Bela Lugosi film, White Zombie's musical style was sample-heavy, based around groovy riffs and Rob Zombie's snarling vocals. The samples that filled their records were mostly from obscure horror films, but used creatively to create a kind of carnival freak-show vibe.
Rob Zombie, still known at this time as Rob Cummings, supported himself through multiple jobs, including working as a cycle courier. Most famously, he was a production assistant on Pee-Wee's Playhouse, but he also worked as a designer on pornographic magazines. At this time, he became involved with Shauna Reynolds, another up-and-coming designer. Together they shared a love of classic horror and sci-fi, heavy music, and the weirder corners of American underground culture. They decided to form a band that would draw upon all these influences and White Zombie was formed. Rob took vocals and the name Rob Straker (later changed to Rob Zombie), while Reynolds became the bassist and assumed the name of Sean Yseult. They became the only constants in the often-fluctuating band line-up.
White Zombie best showed their signature style on their final two studio albums. La Sexorcisto: Devil Music, Vol. 1 and Astro-Creep: 2000 Songs of Love, Destruction and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head were impressive displays of their sample/riff style, thanks to higher production values.
In 1998, Rob Zombie founded his own label, Zombie-A-Go-Go, signing surf and horror acts like The Bomboras and The Ghastly Ones, as well as compiling the mix album Halloween Hootenany. He was managing the new band of his brother Michael, now known as Spider One, the punk-tinged Powerman 5000, but also looked to his own solo career.
After huge opening week sales of his first solo album, Hellbilly Deluxe that dwarfed those of any White Zombie release, it was announced that the band had split up. Bassist Sean Yseult left to form female horror-rockers Famous Monsters and, later, Rock City Morgue. Rob Zombie went on to continued success with his solo music project, and new acclaim as a successful film director.
Creature Of The Wheel
White Zombie Lyrics
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Twist a reckless life, straight
Into the heart of the ripper,
Trick of treat my mind to
A rebel ride, Heldorado
Move like a monster
Creature of the wheel
Trigger wicked way,
Beneath me
Ankle-deep in hell
Through another way crucify
The sky above me
New God kill machine
And man say Lord of the
Engines, yeah
Pocket full of dirt, frozen
In my hands, hold on to
The nameless
God yeah
Breathe
Into the deep
And dying light
Of day, Overdose
On bloody wings
Splinter in the
Skin turn your
Eyes away, sick and
Swaggering, beneath me
Revolution mind ye of
Little faith
Rusty and dull
Cut me
New God kill machine
And man say Lord
Of the engines
And O' brothers and sisters
I ask you to look at him. Does
He have the marks? Do you see
Them? NO.
Demon-paper clowns
Stitched across my back
Easygoing dead black eyes
Microscopic giants on a chicken
Run, Everybody dies laughing
Thrust into the drag on the
Edge and wait Motivate the one
Inside you Bastard kicker burn
Blow the ash away, Heldorado
Gonna get you, get you
Get you, get you
The lyrics to White Zombie's song "Creature Of The Wheel" describe the experience of being a rebel and a monster, twisting a reckless life into a way of making one's mark on the world. The singer of the song moves like a creature of the wheel, with a trigger wicked way that tangles like a web beneath them. They are ankle-deep in hell, crucifying the sky above them and breathing in the deep and dying light of day. The lyrics are full of contradictions, as the singer seeks power and glory while acknowledging their insignificance in the grand scheme of things. They mention a pocket full of dirt frozen in their hands, holding onto the nameless god as they seek to revolutionize their mind and overthrow the established order.
The imagery in "Creature Of The Wheel" is vivid and intense, with references to demons, paper clowns stitched on the singer's back, and microscopic giants on a chicken run. The lyrics capture the feeling of being an outsider, someone who doesn't fit into the normative society and is driven to become something greater. The song is a celebration of rebellion and the thrill of danger, with the singer living life on the edge and daring to blow the ash away with a bastard kicker burn.
Line by Line Meaning
Alone against the world
Facing the world and its challenges alone.
Twist a reckless life, straight
Transforming a life of recklessness into a more focused one.
Into the heart of the ripper,
Venturing into dangerous territory.
Trick of treat my mind to
Playing with one's mind, tempting it.
A rebel ride, Heldorado
A wild and rebellious ride.
Move like a monster
Moving in a powerful, beast-like way.
Creature of the wheel
A person who identifies with machines and their power.
Trigger wicked way,
Acting in a wicked manner.
Tangle like a web
Getting caught up in a complex situation.
Beneath me
Being in control of the situation.
Ankle-deep in hell
Being in a very bad situation.
Through another way crucify
Crucifying oneself by choosing a difficult path.
The sky above me
Feeling trapped and constrained by the environment.
New God kill machine
The machine has become a godlike entity.
And man say Lord of the Engines, yeah
Perceiving the machines as powerful and divine.
Pocket full of dirt, frozen
Feeling helpless and unable to escape.
In my hands, hold on to the nameless, God yeah
Clutching onto something, even if it's just a nameless concept.
Breathe
Taking a deep breath (to calm down or gain focus).
Into the deep
Going deeper into oneself, or into a challenging situation.
And dying light of day
The end of a day, or the end of something important.
Overdose on bloody wings
Experiencing something overwhelming and painful.
Splinter in the skin
Experiencing a minor injury, or minor pain.
Turn your eyes away, sick and swaggering, beneath me
Being disgusted by something (such as oneself) and hiding from it.
Revolution mind ye of little faith
Calling for a revolutionary mindset among those who have lost faith.
Rusty and dull, cut me
Feeling old, worn out, and not sharp anymore.
Demon-paper clowns
Figurative representations of demonic forces.
Stitched across my back
Marked, tattooed, or scarred with a representation of evil.
Easygoing dead black eyes
Having lifeless, emotionless eyes.
Microscopic giants on a chicken
Small, insignificant things appearing larger and more important than they are.
Run, everybody dies laughing
Running toward and embracing danger with a rebellious attitude.
Thrust into the drag on the edge and wait
Putting oneself into a challenging, risky situation and waiting for something to happen.
Motivate the one inside you
Encouraging oneself to be stronger and better.
Bastard kicker burn
Destroying something evil or corrupt.
Blow the ash away, Heldorado
Getting rid of the past and moving on symbolized by Heldorado (a town in Nevada).
Gonna get you, get you, get you, get you
Making a forceful, threatening statement or warning.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JAY NOEL YUENGER, ROB ZOMBIE, ROB WOLFGANG ZOMBIE, SHAUNA YSEULT REYNOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind