From Tulsa World: Rob Zombie promises Rocklahoma fans ‘monstrously huge’ show

With Rob Zombie set to wrap up touring with Megadeth this weekend at Rocklahoma, before going into the studio with the band to make his next album, he just had time to catch up with Tulsa World where he explained the show he plans to put on for the fans.

Enjoy!

Rob Zombie promises Rocklahoma fans ‘monstrously huge’ show by Gene Triplett from NewsOK.com

This year’s Rocklahoma festival should be one of the biggest yet, with Rob Zombie, Megadeth and Theory of a Deadman on Saturday and Chickenfoot, Queensryche and Jackyl dominating Sunday.

Organizers expect attendance to top 20,000 a day, more than the 35,000 total attendance the 2011 show drew, according to Joe Litvag, AIG Live senior vice president of the Midwest Region.

“One of the things I really admire about Rocklahoma is that we here in America finally have a premiere rock festival again,” said David Ellefson, bassist, backing vocalist and co-founder of Los Angeles thrash-metal veterans Megadeth.

“When I was growing up in Minnesota in a rural area, and I remember there were all these festivals – Iowa Jam, Texxas Jam, California Jam. America had real rock ‘n’ roll festivals, you know, multiple days, big events, and all the biggest bands would go play ’em. And then by the time we got into the ’80s, and certainly by the ’90s, those were gone.”

Another veteran of the sometimes wild and wooly event is Theory of a Deadman leader Tyler Connolly, whose band played Rocklahoma in 2010, the year the festival dropped its emphasis on ’80s “hair” bands such as Poison, Ratt and Quiet Riot in favor of a more varied and current musical menu.

“I think now they’re kind of mixing and matching,” Connolly said. “Now it’s Megadeth and Jackyl, so it’s kinda cool, man, ’cause I like those bands. I just wanna go see ’em.”

Connolly has come under fire for writing songs that are misogynistic, particularly on TOAD’s 2011 album “The Truth Is …,” which contains lines such as “so much better when she’s down on her knees” and titles such as “Bitch Came Back.” But he’s quick to point that he co-writes some of those songs with his ex-wife, Canadian actress Christine Danielle Connolly, and he’s only telling the truth about how bitter broken relationships can be.

“What works I think is the fact that it’s so relatable,” he said. “It’s from a level that a lot of other people can relate to when it comes to love … I have a knack for writing about when the s— hits the fan.”

Which also can be said of Rob Zombie, writer-director of horror flicks “House of 1,000 Corpses,” “The Haunted World of El Superbeasto” and the forthcoming “The Lords of Salem,” and composer of such heavyhearted ditties as “Living Dead Girl,” “Dead Girl Superstar” and “The Devil’s Rejects.”

“To say that this is my favorite lineup is not meant to bash any other lineup,” Zombie said of his current band in a recent phone interview from New York. “Every time I have to change personnel I always try to find somebody who fits even better, and at this stage of the game, after all this time, I mean it’s the most comfortable and the best fit of personalities … and this is really the best-fitting group of personalities I’ve ever had.”

Zombie’s sidemen include guitarist John 5 and new drummer Ginger Fish, both formerly with Marilyn Manson, as well as bassist Piggy D. The band is currently at work on a new album, due out in September.

“I think that’ll play and make a big difference with the record, too, because you know sometimes conflicting personalities don’t always make for great music,” Zombie said. “It just makes for drama.”

As for a dramatic performance, Zombie promises plenty.

“It’ll be a monstrously huge show, probably the biggest show Rocklahoma’s ever seen,” he said boldly. “So … get ready.”