Korn Guitar Player Leaves Band, Pursues Jesus

[deeder7001]

Korn Guitar Player Leaves Band, Pursues Jesus
Sunday, February 27, 2005
According to several news sources, Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has left the multi-platinum band, because of a newfound relationship with Jesus Christ.

According to an official statement from the band Welch "has chosen Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end. Korn respects Brian's wishes, and hopes he finds the happiness he's searching for."

Welch, unhappy with the direction of the band, reportedly submitted a written "letter of resignation" to the band's management, citing various moral objections, including the band's most recent music video for "Word Up," in which his face is superimposed onto a dog patrolling a strip club, according to MTV news.

According to an article on MTV.com, Welch told a radio station in Bakersfield, California during an interview on Sunday, "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. 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 [bleep] near."

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."

http://christianhardrock.net/news.asp?userid=

i think it's awsome that he's turning his life around. and please don't turn this into another religious debate.

[NJK]

did the other members nail him to a cross and put thorns in his head??

or did he try to walk on water

[deeder7001]

i don't think they did any of that but they seem kinda pissed that he left especially fieldy.

[petitechloe664y]

i think its wonderful that he makes a decision rarely done by others in the rock industry

[Spazz333]

I doubt it's rarely done. It's just rarely publicised. It takes a big band to get people to talk about it.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Fair play to him.

[Aratar]

You have got to be kidding me, BAHAHAHAHAHAHA ROFLMAO
well I hope jesus will give me the money he was making with KORN good for KORN they don't need him, sure they wish him well and after he left they were rolling on the floor. hahaha

[Fickle]

Originally posted by Aratar
You have got to be kidding me, BAHAHAHAHAHAHA ROFLMAO
well I hope jesus will give me the money he was making with KORN good for KORN they don't need him, sure they wish him well and after he left they were rolling on the floor. hahaha

Doubtful. They were after a group of friends, not just strangers. I bet they're pretty upset about it, especially since they're not so popular anymore.

[Pixelcraft]

Arg....Well I guess it's good for him and everything, but he had an awesome voice!!

[Mattress]

then you should buy his solo album.

[JRSellers]

Originally posted by deeder7001
i think it's awsome that he's turning his life around. and please don't turn this into another religious debate.

Sorry, but I have to.

If he feels he needs to leave in order to find spirituality, hey, let the Power Of Three set him free, but still leaving the band for this, it just doesn't makes sense to me.

[zootm]

Korn gave Jesus head.

I'm sorry. I had to say it.

[JRSellers]

Originally posted by zootm
Korn gave Jesus head.

I'm sorry. I had to say it.

SMF.

[Mattress]

Originally posted by JRSellers
Sorry, but I have to.

If he feels he needs to leave in order to find spirituality, hey, let the Power Of Three set him free, but still leaving the band for this, it just doesn't makes sense to me.

uh yeah it does, just look at the lyrics to some of their songs and you'll see that they're not exactly compatible with Christian Morality.
How could a person who believes in christian morality assist in spreading a message of sex, violence, and hopelessness whithout having any hangups?

[JRSellers]

Originally posted by Mattress
uh yeah it does

You answered like I said "it doesn't make sense." That's not what I said. I said "it doesn't make sense to me."

just look at the lyrics to some of their songs and you'll see that they're not exactly compatible with Christian Morality.

How could a person who believes in christian morality assist in spreading a message of sex, violence, and hopelessness whithout having any hangups?

Faith overcomes all.

Besides, I listen to what could be considered hellish music, yet I go to church.

[Fickle]

Originally posted by Mattress
uh yeah it does, just look at the lyrics to some of their songs and you'll see that they're not exactly compatible with Christian Morality.
How could a person who believes in christian morality assist in spreading a message of sex, violence, and hopelessness whithout having any hangups?

I disagree. Churches and money go together like hand in fist. He said he stopped worshipping money in order to be a good father. So he joined the Jesus crowd. Big fucking deal. He'll warp his daughter and she'll become a huge slut and nail his former band mates when they're like 50 but it'll be okay because he'll have God in his soul.

The only thing he lacks is the "I'm better than you" atittude that most Christians develop, but after trying to convert the rest of the band, maybe the holier than thou thing follows.

I can understand quitting the band for his daughter. I can't understand quitting because of his religion. I mean Jesus' (girl)friend was a fucking PROSTITUTE (Mary Magdelene). What gets you closer to redemption, beleiving you've been saved or making friends with whores? Don't know personally.

[JRSellers]

Originally posted by Fickle
I disagree. Churches and money go together like hand in fist. He said he stopped worshipping money in order to be a good father. So he joined the Jesus crowd. Big fucking deal. He'll warp his daughter and she'll become a huge slut and nail his former band mates when they're like 50 but it'll be okay because he'll have God in his soul.

The only thing he lacks is the "I'm better than you" atittude that most Christians develop, but after trying to convert the rest of the band, maybe the holier than thou thing follows.

I can understand quitting the band for his daughter. I can't understand quitting because of his religion. I mean Jesus' (girl)friend was a fucking PROSTITUTE (Mary Magdelene). What gets you closer to redemption, beleiving you've been saved or making friends with whores? Don't know personally.

Couldn't've said it better myself ...and I didn't.

[Mattress]

Originally posted by Fickle
I can understand quitting the band for his daughter. I can't understand quitting because of his religion. I mean Jesus' (girl)friend was a fucking PROSTITUTE (Mary Magdelene). What gets you closer to redemption, beleiving you've been saved or making friends with whores? Don't know personally.

Mary Magdalene was a prostitute, but after meeting Jesus and being healed of demon possession by him she ceased being a prostitute. In other words, she quit her job after deciding to follow Christ because her job was not compatible with her new found faith.

[Fickle]

The point is she was a whorer when he knew her. You think he had first met her the day of the near stoning? He had been around. Perhaps he stuck up for her because he knew her. How do you know? Plus he was still her friend even after she "changed her ways", which isn't totally explorered in the Big Book, knowing full well that she had sold her body for money (or maybe just some good poppies). Perhaps she didn't do it anymore for fear of being hit with really big fucking rocks.

Suppositions on Saviors aside, I don't think that quitting a band that made you famous and alienating your friends is what is needed to find redemption. Good luck Head but for the rest of the world's sake, I hope you're terribly wrong.

[deeder7001]

you guys need to stop doing crap like this every time someone mentions the name Jesus.

i even asked, in the first post, that you guys NOT TURN THIS THREAD INTO ANOTHER RELIGIOUS DEBATE. and you do it anyways. i swear i just want to beat the living crap out of you guys sometimes.

[deeder7001]

Originally posted by JRSellers
Sorry, but I have to.

you're not sorry. you did this just to spite me.

[auhsor]

I do really respect his decision. I'm happy that he found Jesus and changed his life. It will be pretty interesting to hear his solo work.

[Fickle]

Originally posted by deeder7001
you guys need to stop doing crap like this every time someone mentions the name Jesus.

i even asked, in the first post, that you guys NOT TURN THIS THREAD INTO ANOTHER RELIGIOUS DEBATE. and you do it anyways. i swear i just want to beat the living crap out of you guys sometimes.

What the fuck were we supposed to discuss? if you wanted a "good" or "bad" you should have made a poll. You wanted discussion and this is how it went. You started a topic that is about someone that has changed thier life over religion and you expect us not to talk about religion. That's pretty fucking bold. I think we've actually kept it pretty close to topic compared to other religious arguments, so why not just express your own opinion instead of whining about where the thread got to?

[deeder7001]

he changed his life because of Jesus, not religion. where did the prostitute thing come from? have you noticed that the prostitute isn't apart of the article? i'd want to discuss something related to the story i posted and not about other religious stuff.

[taylormemer]

KoRn, yeah well I have all their albums though I didn't think they really made it to the top. After Follow The Leader things sort of went downhill for them.
All that I can say is good for Brian Wlech (Head), if he can find happiness through Jesus then that's fine.

[Mattress]

would you guys be confused if some member of a christian band quit because he became a buddhist or something?

Korn's overall message in their music is at best unchristian and at worst probably anti-christian. Why would any true christian want to continue to be a part of that?

[Fickle]

Originally posted by deeder7001
he changed his life because of Jesus, not religion. where did the prostitute thing come from? have you noticed that the prostitute isn't apart of the article? i'd want to discuss something related to the story i posted and not about other religious stuff.

Learning to read can be FUNdamental!

I can understand quitting the band for his daughter. I can't understand quitting because of his religion. I mean Jesus' (girl)friend was a fucking PROSTITUTE (Mary Magdelene). What gets you closer to redemption, beleiving you've been saved or making friends with whores? Don't know personally.

My point being the hypocrosy of modern religion and Most Jesus Followers ARE following a religion (as in someone else who tells them what is true and not, instead of deciding for themselves), where you feel you can't sing about how you feel in a band, but Jeus' girlfriend can sell (or have sold) her lovely young self for money.

That was how we got into Mary Magdelene. No conversation that stays strictly on topic and doesn't make comparisons (which is how subjects get moved around) is interesting. There has to be different angles, and to do that, people make comparisons. After the comparison, many people will try to undermine that particular example, as in any debate. Thus the subject will get moved from STRICTLY HEAD AND HIS WAYS AND NOTHING MORE to whether or not Mary Magdelene can be considered a whore after she was "saved".

Furthermore, I tried my damnedest to keep going back to the same points to keep the subject from leaving view. I kept coming back to how I felt about Heads move, and I said that I think it's stupid. So don't start bitching that the thread got way off topic because it's still on topic.

Do you have any idea how many times something I've written had gotten way off base and was still a great thread, whether we were talking about Jones' Red Doc Martens or Terrorism in America. Threads can not be concrete in subject matter, Deeder, brains don't work that way. We'd just go in circles and no one would learn anything.

[deeder7001]

i still want to know where the prostitute thing came from. i know there's a small story about her in the bible but that's all i know.

[Fickle]

Originally posted by deeder7001
i still want to know where the prostitute thing came from. i know there's a small story about her in the bible but that's all i know.

Read, Goddamn it!

Learning to read can be FUNdamental!

My point being the hypocrosy of modern religion and Most Jesus Followers ARE following a religion (as in someone else who tells them what is true and not, instead of deciding for themselves), where you feel you can't sing about how you feel in a band, but Jeus' girlfriend can sell (or have sold) her lovely young self for money.

That was how we got into Mary Magdelene. No conversation that stays strictly on topic and doesn't make comparisons (which is how subjects get moved around) is interesting. There has to be different angles, and to do that, people make comparisons. After the comparison, many people will try to undermine that particular example, as in any debate. Thus the subject will get moved from STRICTLY HEAD AND HIS WAYS AND NOTHING MORE to whether or not Mary Magdelene can be considered a whore after she was "saved".

You can't learn if you don't fucking read, deeder.

[Mattress]

Originally posted by deeder7001
i still want to know where the prostitute thing came from. i know there's a small story about her in the bible but that's all i know.

All it really says is that Jesus cast seven demons out of her. In a quick search I couldn't find anything about her being a prostitute. I could be missing something, most people think she was a prostitute but I don't know why, there must be some justification for it?

[deeder7001]

i don't know. i'm thinking of the adulterer that was about to be stoned by the villagers and Jesus stops them from stoning her. i don't remember where that story is.

i was getting my stories mixed up. i thought that Mary Magdalene was the adulterer in a different story.

the story i was thinking of was John 8:3-11

[Fickle]

Originally posted by deeder7001
the story i was thinking of was John 8:3-11

Oh, right. That one.