Zombie-inpired Jokes and Music? Zombie!

One of the things I've been wanting to do but haven't gotten around to is post about other zombie sites. There isn't a better one to start off with than to talk about ZOMBIE!, a one-man horror rock band. Formed on Halloween of 2008, ZOMBIE! has sounds in the vain of the Misfits and topics from out of your favorite horror movies. Don't just take my word for it, head over to the ZOMBIE! MySpace page and listen for yourself.

The music is not availble for purchase, but you can show support by heading over to the Zombie Rocks site and picking up some merchandise. I'm a sucker for a cool logo; So, of course, I couldn't run off without picking up a shirt. Don't worry, if you like a little more action in your clothing you're still covered. There's some great shirt designs including imagary from the original Night of the Living Dead and a really cool old school-ish design for the ladies.

Read through to see some pics of my son modeling the shirts I bought. Eric Weiss, the creative force behind ZOMBIE!, was also kind enough to answer a few questions regarding his music.

Eric's zombie outlet doesn't just stop with the band. Follow him on Twitter where he is ZombieRiot. This is essential. ZombieRiot has been entertaining me for a few months now with tweets throughout the day. These aren't jokes you want to tell to your mommy as the content ranges from zombies to necrophelia. Are some of them crude and tasteless? Absolutely. Are they still funny? Absolutely. Here are a few of my favorites to give you an idea of what I'm talking about:

How do you make a little girl drink? ... Put her in a blender.
My girlfriend asked me to take out the trash ... So I killed my neighbors.
Why won't zombies attack a marathon?... To avoid the runs.
What's the difference between an onion and a corpse?...You don't cry when you chop up a corpse.
I got into a fight with my best friend because I had sex with his ex. I honestly thought he moved on by now. She's been dead for AT LEAST 3 years.
What did the zombie do after he dumped his girlfriend?...He wiped his ass.
A lot of people don't know this, but I have dozens of tattoos. They're in my freezer. I'll have enough to make a quilt very soon.
What's the worst part about having sex?... Paying off the mortician.
Why don't zombies eat vegetables?...They are confused by the wheelchair.

If you enjoyed those, click here and be entertained throughout the day!

Now, as promised, let's hear from Eric about ZOMBIE!

Here's an obvious one: How did ZOMBIE! get started?

I just really needed a creative outlet. I was having some anger issues and really dark thoughts that just demanded release. Horror has always been very therapeutic for me. Being able to scream out lines like “I’ll tear the flesh from your smashed face!” without receiving a restraining order is far more effective at relieving stress than any psychotherapy or prescription medication.

Was the name ZOMBIE! chosen due to your appreciation of everyone's favorite film creatures or is there another meaning behind it?

I just reached a point in my life where I literally felt like a zombie. I was working too hard and too long on things that were not stimulating or fulfilling. I became completely dead inside and constantly felt the urge to rampage through the streets hellbent on mutilation. I couldn’t imagine calling this project anything but ZOMBIE! Many of the songs reflect those feelings and use zombies as a metaphor for the true unfortunate aspects of daily life.

So we can assume you like zombie films. What else do you watch?I really enjoy ghost stories, slashers, and anything ghoulish or creepy that’s supposedly “based on true events.”
At one point in my life I lived directly next door to serial killer Robert Shulman and at another point just a few blocks from The Amityville Horror house. True evil isn’t found in fiction, it’s lurking right next door. So anything that allows us to escape that reality for a while is good. After all, we only know about the ones who get caught.

So what is your favorite zombie film?

Return of the Living Dead. Zombies, punk rock, and lots of twisted humor.

Where do you find most of the inspiration for your songs?

The true darkness inside of people, horror fiction, and my own issues. It’s all in fun, as “horror” should be. But the feelings are real and the music is from the heart.
Basically, the songs allow me to shout out the things that I would love to say, but wouldn’t exactly go over to well at places such as airports, the DMV, or supermarkets.
The fact there’s people out there who want to scream along with me is just awesome. The ZOMBIE! myspace page has grown by almost 1000 people a week since it started. There’s already 2 fan clubs and even other bands have been covering the songs… while I don’t even have a CD out yet! So, hopefully ZOMBIE! is helping those people vent, have fun and ultimately feel a little better too.

Are there any bands you would like to eventually tour with?

The Spice Girls or Meatloaf. They sound delicious. I never want to play with the Bad Brains.