Personnel for the album included John Tempesta on drums who had joined White Zombie as they released their final album Supersexy Swingin’ Sounds. New to working with Zombie was Blasko who came on to play bass and Mike Riggs who played the guitar. The album would also see guest drums from Tommy Leeof Motley Crue. Kaufman, Gil (July 31, 1998). "Rob Zombie Solo Debut Is Monstrous". MTV . Retrieved November 7, 2018.

Ambroz, Duane. "Rob Zombie: Hellbilly Deluxe: Pitchfork Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000 . Retrieved February 4, 2023.Filmed in Texas, the concert explodes with a blistering set of sixteen Zombie staples including “Dragula,” “Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Supertown,” “Superbeast” and “Living Dead Girl.” When I talked to Riggs in 1999, he said he and Zombie were cousins who knew each other growing up. Zombie, however, said he didn't meet Riggs until ex- Nine Inch Nails guitarst Danny Lohner introduced the two in Arkansas. “Riggs and Danny knew each other for a long time -- I'm not exactly sure how,” Zombie recalled. “Danny was just like, 'I know the perfect guy.' He gave me Riggs' phone number and I called him out of nowhere. I trusted Danny, so that was it. Riggs came out and he was great. We didn't have a bass player yet. Riggs and I hung out and talked and I told him everything I wanted to do. He said, 'That sounds f---ing bad-ass.' That's all he kept saying. He went, 'This is exactly what I always wanted to do.' And eventually we played together.” a b c d "17 Years Ago: Rob Zombie Goes Solo with 'Hellbilly Deluxe' ". Loud Wire. August 25, 2015. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Riggs, who left Zombie's band in 2003 to form Scum of the Earth, has an entirely different story, and insists Zombie's maniacal persona is more than mere theater. a b Mark Voger (June 24, 2015). "Monster Mash: The Creepy, Kooky, Monster Craze In America". p.187.

Given the album’s follow-up status to Rob Zombie’s original psychedelic nightmare hit-factory, it couldn’t be any other way. Album sequels are often a dangerous idea. So many heritage artists have to contend with their new work constantly being compared to their early achievements, regardless of the fact that those past albums were often made in wholly different circumstances, in a different time and by fundamentally different people. Many naturally do their best to distance themselves from that idea, highlighting their growth and evolution. On the week dated September 12, Hellbilly Deluxe debuted at number five on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. [65] The album sold an estimated 121,000 copies during its first week of release. [66] The project's first week sales were noted as the highest of Zombie's career at the time, outselling the first week sales of all four White Zombie studio albums. [67] The album fell to number twelve on the chart the following week, [68] and to number sixteen the week after. [69] Hellbilly Deluxe had shipped over 500,000 copies by September 29, earning it a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). [70] It was certified platinum for sales and shipments exceeding one million copies on November 4, and earned a multi-platinum award the following April. [70] Hellbilly Deluxe went on to spend over sixty-six weeks on the Billboard 200 album chart, making it Zombie's longest charting effort to date. [71] The album was certified triple platinum on January 11, 2000, for shipments of three million albums. [70] Since its release, Hellbilly Deluxe has become Zombie's most commercially successful album to date. [70] Rob Zombie Signs With Loud & Proud/Roadrunner Records". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner Records. October 28, 2009. Archived from the original on October 31, 2009 . Retrieved October 28, 2009.Compilation albums [ edit ] List of albums, with selected details, chart positions, sales and certifications The industry machine around Rob Zombie, however, had its doubts. In their minds, White Zombie was a hugely profitable act, and debut solo albums rarely did well from a commercial standpoint. While Rob was focused on making a record that he considered a perfect distillation of his sound, the people involved in his career thought that they were humouring a frontman before breaking a hard truth.

White Zombie announced in 1998 that the band had officially broken up, and it was confirmed that Rob had begun working on a solo debut album. [18] Though acting as a solo artist, Zombie worked to find a band to record and tour with; Mike Riggs was selected to play guitar, Blasko played bass guitar, and John Tempesta played the drums. [19] Tempesta had been a member of White Zombie, while Rob was introduced to Riggs through a mutual friend. [20] On finding the guitar player, Zombie claimed " Danny [Lohner] was just like, 'I know the perfect guy.' He gave me Riggs' phone number and I called him out of nowhere. I trusted Danny, so that was it. Riggs came out and he was great. We didn't have a bass player yet. Riggs and I hung out and talked and I told him everything I wanted to do." [20] Work on the album began in August 1997, prior to the announcement of White Zombie's separation. [1] The album took an estimated ten months to complete. [1] The majority of the album was recorded at The Chop Shop in Hollywood, California. [20] Zombie described the finished product as a "full-blown evil raging beast - a total Zombie extravaganza" and claimed that the album was "no small, self-indulgent album filled with whining about deep feelings." [1] Blistering Metal News: Rob Zombie's Educated Horses Debuts At Number 5 On Billboard Top 200". Blistering.com. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013 . Retrieved November 24, 2012.Joey Jordison Talks New Rob Zombie Music, Upcoming Murderdolls Album". Blabbermouth.net. Roadrunner. July 15, 2010. Archived from the original on July 18, 2010 . Retrieved July 15, 2010. Durchholz, Daniel. "Wall of Sound Review: Hellbilly Deluxe". Wall of Sound. Archived from the original on April 6, 2001 . Retrieved March 11, 2023. Two covers for the album were released. The original cover features Sheri Moon Zombie posing nude, but after Zombie received complaints, a tamer version was released featuring a cats face.