LOL@KORN...Korn guitarist finds God, leaves band

[theanswerman]

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Musi...eut/index.html

[MsOrange]

yea I heard about it on the radio... if that's what he feels led to do, I commend him for having the guts to do it

[Dutabi84]

Heh.

[theanswerman]

Originally Posted by MsOrange

yea I heard about it on the radio... if that's what he feels led to do, I commend him for having the guts to do it

me too, its just funny.

[MsOrange]

Originally Posted by theanswerman

me too, its just funny.

it is quite ironic

[Dean Winchester]

why did he have to quit the band just because of religion?

Ever heard of Creed? I mean, I hated their music, but they proved you can be in a rock band and be Christian at the same time. Not all Christians have to follow the Michael W. Smith formula

[ABlairican Pie]

Brian Welch found God?? I didn't know He was even lost!

But seriously, why do I have mixed feelings about this? I mean, as a Christian, I feel like, that's great, finding stability in your life through Christ or religion is an important thing, but why do I feel that with him, he will go through all these things like shunning his music and his bandmates and fans because he'll think of it as "sinful" and negative and all that. I have seen it quite a few times in Christian music circles. Of course, Korn hasn't been the happiest of bands theme-wise, Jonathan Davis has come across as a dark character, but the only thing I see him doing, if he still plans to get into Christian music, is that he'll put out a pale imitation of what he did with Korn. He'll become a walking parody of himself. And of course he'll have no connection to what made the music of Korn work in the first place--it was different, cutting edge, it influenced about half of what everyone hears these days, it touched on "negative" things as a way of catharsis--it released fears and frustrations we keep locked up inside. The problem with Christian music these days is that it's too much about "handing out answers" rather than dealing with honest questions. Questions aren't a bad thing.

[theanswerman]

Originally Posted by BuffySlayer79

why did he have to quit the band just because of religion?

Ever heard of Creed? I mean, I hated their music, but they proved you can be in a rock band and be Christian at the same time. Not all Christians have to follow the Michael W. Smith formula

creed was voted worst band of '02

[ABlairican Pie]

From mtv.com:

Brian 'Head' Welch Leaves Korn, Citing Moral Objections To Band's Music
02.22.2005

Guitarist plans to further explain his decision to a church congregation in Bakersfield, California, on Sunday.
Korn's Brian "Head" Welch
Photo: Amy V. Cooper

Guitarist Brian "Head" Welch, a founding member of Korn, has left the band and has rededicated his life to Christianity, according to the group's management.

"Korn has parted ways with guitarist Brian 'Head' Welch, who has chosen Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end," a statement from the band reads. "Korn respects Brian's wishes, and hopes he finds the happiness he's searching for."

The announcement puts to rest weeks of rumors that Welch was unhappy with Korn's direction. On February 8, he had apparently written a "letter of resignation" to the band's management. In the note, Welch detailed a long list of reasons for leaving the band, including increased moral objections to Korn's music and videos. In particular, he was upset by how he was portrayed in the clip for their cover of Cameo's "Word Up," off their recently released Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 album. In the video, Welch's face was superimposed on a dog patrolling a strip club.

"I can go up there and play those songs and those solos but ... I distanced myself from Korn for probably a year and a half, two years. I just wanted to fade away, it was crazy. I was so gone," Welch told Bakersfield, California, radio station KRAB on Sunday. "But I found my way out and I want to help anyone that wants to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I had to go through the lows to appreciate the highs and it's not perfect but it's damn near."

Welch plans on further explaining his decision to leave Korn this coming Sunday, when he'll address the congregation at the Valley Bible Fellowship in Bakersfield, California. And on February 28 he plans to leave for Israel.

Korn formed in 1992 as the Bakersfield metal act LAPD, which featured Welch and guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer, bassist Reggie "Fieldy" Arvizu and drummer David Silveria. In 1993, vocalist Jonathan Davis joined the group, and they rechristened themselves Korn. Their self-titled 1994 debut went double platinum and was hailed as a landmark album in the burgeoning nü-metal scene. The group released six studio albums with Welch, sales of which have topped the 11-million mark in the U.S. alone. Their final album with Welch, Take a Look in the Mirror, was released in 2003.

According to Korn's management, the band is currently in the studio working on a new record, which is due in stores in September.

— James Montgomery

[ABlairican Pie]

Brian 'Head' Welch Explains Why He Left Korn
02.25.2005 3:15 PM EST

Guitarist had become sick of 'chasing the almighty buck.'
Brian "Head" Welch (file)
Photo: Kevin Winter

On Tuesday, Korn's management made a formal announcement that guitarist Brian "Head" Welch was leaving the band to rededicate his life to Christianity. On Thursday night, in an effort to explain his decision to both his fans and his former bandmates,

"I wanted to tell [Jonathan Davis], 'You guys were out partying while I was sitting on the tour bus wanting to die.' " — Brian "Head" Welch



Welch spoke with MTV News.

"I love everybody in the band — I was afraid to leave. It made me sad to think that I would be hurting the band if I left. For the last year and a half, I wanted to leave, but someone would always talk to me and convince me to stay," Welch said. "But I've had a problem with the way things were going since the second record. I mean, we would do things, and I would be like, 'Oh, this is metal! This is the rock and roll life!' But inside, I thought they took it too far. It was a little too crude for me."

Welch said that the statement issued by Korn's management company blew things out of proportion, and that his newfound spirituality was just another step on his path of self-discovery (see "Brian 'Head' Welch Leaves Korn, Citing Moral Objections To Band's Music"). It wasn't the reason he left Korn — the band he helped form in 1993, a band that's sold more than 11 million records in the U.S. He left because he had become sick of "chasing the almighty buck," and felt that being respected by his young daughter was more important than being rich.

"I have a 6-year-old daughter, and I want her to be able to look me in the eye. I'm a single dad, that's what it comes down to," he said. "And the guys were really accommodating when I would tell them that. They'd be like, 'Bring your daughter on tour! We'll work the tour around you.' But that's not the place for a 6-year-old. She would be sitting backstage sometimes, just counting dollars. Because Fieldy would tell her, 'Every time you hear a curse word, you'll get a dollar. It will help us stop cursing.' And at the end of the day, she'd turn to me and be like, 'Look at all my money, Daddy!' "

So after a weekend of soul-searching, coupled with reading from a Bible his friend had leant him, Welch decided it was time to go. And his decision was not a popular one with his bandmates.

"I think it made the guys mad. It confused them. I left at the worst possible time. We got off Sony, and all the money was there, we were going to own all of our songs, but I had to prove to myself that money wasn't my God," he said. "I talked to Jonathan [Davis] and he said, 'I don't get it, man, you're all happy and we're sitting here grieving because our band is breaking up. And I wanted to tell him, 'Well, for years, you guys were out partying while I was sitting on the tour bus wanting to die.' "

Welch also said that for the past month, he's been trying to reach out to the other members of Korn, but has gotten little response. He said he spent his final days in Korn talking with bassist Fieldy, and had even mentioned the songs he'd been recording on his own, which reflected his growing spirituality. Fieldy was less than receptive.

"I just asked Fieldy if he'd be interested in producing some of the stuff I've been working on, but he hasn't called me back in weeks," Welch said. "I mean, I was saying some stuff to him during my final days in Korn, some crazy stuff. But since I've left the band, I've heard nothing from him at all."

Welch's solo material — which will be released under the name "Head" — will not be Christian music. Rather, he said, he wants it to be an "extension of the Korn family."

"I always loved that Korn's music helped kids let out aggression. But with my new music, I want kids to know that there's more out there," he said. "I want to show them there's a light at the end of the pain tunnel. That there's more out there than just aggression. I want to say to them, 'Hey kids, come over here. Let's bounce back and forth and have fun.' "

And yes, Welch does plan on speaking on Sunday at the Valley Bible Fellowship. He's just not certain what he's going to say. He's just going to speak from the heart. And he wants his fans to know that even if they can't make it out to Bakersfield, California, to hear him speak, they can check out his message on his new Web site — www.HeadToChrist.com — which launches Friday (February 25).

"Man, when I get up there onstage, it's going to be me just letting things flow. I have no idea what I'm going to say, it's just going to come out," he said. "I mean, I'm going to be like a kid up there. Because that's really what I am now. I'm a baby Christian."

— James Montgomery

[Dean Winchester]

Originally Posted by theanswerman

creed was voted worst band of '02

did you overlook the part where I said

Originally Posted by BuffySlayer79

Ever heard of Creed? I mean, I hated their music

I STATED I hated Creed, but said they showed that you can be Christian and still perform in a rock band, something the guy from Korn doesn't understand (nor did members of America or Kansas in the 70's)

[ABlairican Pie]

It's strange that Brian Welch seems to be capitalizing more on his "I left Korn on account of my Christian faith" excuse than out of his sense of responsibilities he felt as a parent or out of his disenchantment from being on the road.