Korn Guitarist Finds God, Leaves Band

Reuters ^ | 02.22.05 | Jonathan Cohen

[Rastus]

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has parted ways with the hard rock act, citing a recent religious awakening.

Welch broke the news Sunday on Bakersfield, Calif., station KRAB-FM.

"I had it in my heart to come here and explain to you," Welch said. "I'm good friends with Korn. I love those guys, and they love me, and they're very happy for me."

Addressing the aggressive tone of the music he made with Korn, Welch said, "Anger is a good thing, and if kids want to listen to Korn, good, but there's happiness after the anger. I'm going to show it through my actions how much I love my fans."

Welch added that he would be appearing at a local church on Feb. 27, during which time he would "speak (about) how I got to this place in my life, and I'll answer all your questions."

On its official Web site (http://www.korn.com), Korn's remaining members said they respect Welch's wishes and hope "he finds the happiness he is searching for." The group is in the studio working on a new album, due in September, which will be its first since fulfilling its contract with Epic last year.

For now, no replacement for Welch has been named, nor has a new label home for the band.

[reaganaut]

i understand. I like the same kind of metal. "If you can understand it, it's too light". Also, check out firestream.net for death metal suggestions in a Christian vein.

[Freebird Forever]

"Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him?" - 1 Corinthians 11:14

Reading that verse causes me to wonder how long Adam's hair grew prior to his inventing a knife?

[Blue Jays]

Hi Korn-

I couldn't believe it took until Post# 108 for you to be pinged to this story! Korn was the absolute highlight of Woodstock '99...

~ Blue Jays ~

[Melas]

That is surely some kind of blasphemy. I'm just not sure what kind. Creed is like Air Supply with amps that work.

[xm177e2]

No, you can listen to samples of the tracks on Amazon.com.

It would make a great gag gift for Christmas or whatever.

[smith288]

I've always wondered what is so wrong with NOT being one, and still being a christian. Why can't you do one or two gospel songs, and some about love, or something else? Music is a form of entertainment, like movies. Do you limit yourself to ONLY movies about God.

I didnt say he HAD to limit himself. But if someone is going to write songs about Christianity or Jesus why run like hell from the Christian tag like the black plague like he did during his Creed days?

[KoRn]

WOW. That's a shock. I'm happy for him though. I hope they find a good replacement.

[AmericanArchConservative]

LOL!

Now look what I've gone and started! I totally agree; they showed their ability to change their style through the years without changing their signature sound as a band. All the way from stuff like "Afrikaans" and "Concert for a Queen", "Music to Raise the Dead", "Awaiting your Reply", "Rainbow's End" to my personal favorite, "Colours"

Just for the fun of it - here's the lyrics to the title track:

Colours

Music and Lyrics: Glenn Kaiser

In the dead of night, like the lightning bright, You'll come
In the eyes of my heart, where You silenced the dark, I know You'll come

As the planets dance around the sun I rejoice in the Risen One
You are the Lord, the love of my life
I wait for You in the morning light

Silence stands with open hands hushed before the King
Joy believes and happily praises as she sings
Wonder sits in open fields beholding all You made
Desire seeks Your colours, each and every shade

Whatever one could ask of faith, obedience will give
Together all express the love in hearts where Jesus lives

and as a bonus,lyrics to "the Struggle"


The Struggle
Music: Glenn Kaiser, Jim Denton and Stu Heiss
Lyrics: Glenn Kaiser

Sometimes You scare me by what You cause me to see
And I'm afraid of knowing who I am
Although You've changed me there's still a whole lot of old wineskin
And to open up would destroy the me I'm afraid to show
One part of me doesn't want to grow
But I'm tired of this lingering winter
Tired of ground so hard and cold
Plow Your way through, I'm asking You to, Jesus
Lord, You're my only hope

Without You . . . I can't face myself

My pride wants me to hide inside myself
But I love You an' I don't want our love put on the shelf
I'm tired of fighting to be who I am
Jesus, make me what You want me to be
Because of You I desire reality
A love for You is what I'm dying to receive
Though I hate what I am I understand what You've promised me
You've promised me freedom in the truth
But I can only face myself when I've faced You
An' I'll be ready to face myself when I face You

Their Stuff from 1979 still stands up well today - and rocks HARD!

[biblewonk]

Are they still making that series, I love that series. It must be on cable or something.

[t_skoz]

cookie monster is on deathmetal vocals, of course.

[Uncle Meat]

I saw something on VH1 about Randy Bachman and his son.Said he got drunk one time at a party when he was young and made such a fool of himself that he never touched another drop of alcohol since.You'd never know it listening to Not Fragile and Four wheel Drive.Good tunes to get drunk too,especially Roll on Down the Highway.

[Lancey Howard]

'Monk' is on USA Network every Friday night at 10:00. The same episode is repeated at 12 midnight, and then a few more times during the week.

[biblewonk]

Thanks, unfortunately, I don't get the USA network.

[reaganaut]

ROFL

[humblegunner]

Don't hate the playa... hate the game, yo.
Meet tha p'duction crew:

[reaganaut]

I saw something on VH1 about Randy Bachman and his son.Said he got drunk one time at a party when he was young and made such a fool of himself that he never touched another drop of alcohol since.

that's interesting, I once heard him give a devotional where he said he quit drinking because he joined the LDS (Mormon) church (BTW, his son just left mormonism).

[Uncle Meat]

When I was a kid,all we had was AM top 40 radio.BTO had a lot of hits back then.Not Fragile was pretty heavy,then came 4 Wheel Drive.I always pictured them to be at least hardcore whiskey drinkers.I was shocked to find out otherwise.That don't change my opinion of them though.Still dig them these days too.

[KoRn]

Thanks for the Ping, by the way.

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Ted Nugent was clean and sober, too, I believe, and actually used his image to make fun of the druggies.

newcats: I actually do like Korn's music. But if the lifestyle was causing him problems serious enough to want to quit, then he needs to do so.

Creed sucks and their lead singer is an idiot.

[itsamelman]

Ha Ha! Although technically he shared the exact same voice with Cookie Monster, I'm partial to their "Dikembe Mutombo on death metal vocals" period myself.