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.

[zoobee]

Why? This guy says he left the 'anger' band for God. As for myself, I could handle both. You?

[ThinkingMan]

KORN is a great soundtrack for working out of any type- treadmills, weights, whatever.

[zoobee]

Why? This guy says he left the 'anger' band for God. As for myself, I could handle both. You?

[zoobee]

That was a not a hiccup....more like a burp.

[Skooz]

I guess so. But, I have no idea what you are asking, so I cannot be sure.

[ChadGore]

Thanks for the ping.

I hope it's not to late for him.

[Mad Dawgg]

"Korn Guitarist Finds God, Leaves Band"

Everytime I hear someone ask about finding God I think back to Forrest Gump:

Lieutenant Dan: "Have you found God yet, Gump?"
Forrest Gump: "I didn't know I was supposed to be looking for him."

Most people I know who have found God, later in their lives, are astonished at the discovery. I think maybe because when they do finally find him they are surprised it wasn't all that hard... Being that he is right there with you every step of they way through life. You just gotta notice him.

[t_skoz]

I'm heavily tattooed, and even though I'm a rocker, sometimes I like listening to extreme death/black metal. For instance this morning on the way to work I was listening to Cannibal Corpse. Yeah, maybe I'm going to hell.

Is there such a thing as a Christian alternative to black/death metal? I would listen to it as obviously I'm not into the lyrics about death, killing, suicide, gore, etc. It's just that the riffs and cookie-monster vocals are BRUTAL. I stinkin' love it some times.

I was thinking about Cannibal Corpse yesterday as I was listening to them on the way home from work. 5 dweeby dudes from Buffalo, NY... I wonder if they're just normal guys going to the grocery store every week, PTA meetings, etc. They've been banned from Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and are banned from playing any material from their first three albums live in Germany. Sometimes I wonder if dudes like that only do it for shock value. They are the premier death metal band in the world now for 15 years. Besides extreme musicianship, you don't get to the top of that genre and stay there by being a limp-wristed weenie.

[SaveTheChief]

Wow! UnF'n believable!

Careful, your lack of character and class is showing.

[cubreporter]

The Lord works in strange and mysterious ways.

[chuckles]

I hope someone cautions him about the satanic attack that usually comes very early to new converts. That's why you see so many newbies fall shortly after announcing their conversion.

One that comes to mind was Jane Fonda. She got a divorce to hang on to her "newfound" wisdom, then shortly after was speaking about killing babies was still the womans right. You generally have to leave your old friends to leave the bad stuff behind. He is doing the right thing. Let's just pray he can hold up. It's very dificult without constant mentoring. When your old friends are telling you how stupid you are every day about every thought you have, it's easy to slide back to the world. Even if you don't slide back into total depravity, you can't grow in spiritual ways always looking back over your shoulder. You cannot delve into the deeper things and you get stuck as a shallow believer( Pick your verse in the parable of the sower, shallow path, weeds, rocky path, etc.)

[Republican Wildcat]

[zoobee]

You're probably right. There are very few rockers who live the live they sing about...all they care about is making money.....the 60's were alot different than the 90's+.

[RepoGirl]

For instance this morning on the way to work I was listening to Cannibal Corpse. Yeah, maybe I'm going to hell.

ACK! Cannibal Corpse! They're still around!?

That takes me back. Back before I met my husband, I was a young wastrel in the wilds of Boston (don't snicker...) I ended up dating an MIT Geologist -- a screaming, tree-spiking lefty... it didn't last long, thankfully --- who was obsessed with TWO kinds of music.

Death Metal and New Age.

No, hell is sitting in a cramped Toyota pick-up listening to a mix tape featuring White Zombie, Cannibal Corpse, Yanni and John Tesh.

[agrace]

You were in The Outlaws?

I was about to say something like "how cool" but I realized that completely went against the spirit of your post. :) So instead I'll say

You've been serving Christ musically for 8 years - wow, that's awesome. May God continually bless your efforts. Speaking of "what still is to come," have you ever thought about how music will be in heaven? I can't wait to see the amazing talent here perform in their richest capacity there. I can't even imagine.

[itsamelman]

Hey t, check this joint...

>> Black Metal Hall of Shame <<

http://www.ruthlessreviews.com/top10/10blackmetal.html

[itsamelman]

Now if we could just get the rest of Korn to dedicate their lives to playing decent music...

.

[reagan_fanatic]

Time to start a new kick a$$ Christian rock band

Absolutely!! There are some GREAT hard rock Christian bands already out there as well, and I would think they would be chomping at the bit to get ahold of him.

Good luck to Brian and may God bless him richly!

[t_skoz]

that sounds seriously... HELLISH!

who on Earth makes a mix tape featuring Yanni, Tesh, and CC??

Although my friend in Ann Arbor MI has a mix tape with Cradle of Filth, Cannibal Corpse, Stan Rogers, Portishead and Gordon Lightfoot.

He's a biochemist with a "Ren and Stimpy" shirt, a 14-inch goatee and hair down to his ass. He rocks his science lab!

[t_skoz]

Thanks for the link. Good tunes but they aren't very "hardcore". Certainly not metal.

The search continues!