Jesus loves his Korn.

[Shockeye]

Brian 'Head' Welch Leaves Korn, Citing Moral Objections To Band's Music
02.22.2005 1:10 PM EST

Guitarist plans to further explain his decision to a church congregation in Bakersfield, California, on Sunday.

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

[stray]

Gotta hand it to you Shockeye:

Truly Useless

[Shockeye]

Gotta hand it to you Shockeye:

Truly Useless

I strive you bring you the bottom of the barrel.

[Paelos]

He does rock.

[HaemishM]

I lost all interest in Korn somewhere about midway through the second album. The first album was great, raw, energetic and fresh. The second album started with this rapping shit, and I never got it. It just seemed completely out of place and at odds with the music. Their cover of "Word Up" was just godawful.

Apparently, Jesus hates it too.

[Llava]

Glad that someone closer to home was able to see that Korn is angst and self-pity for angst and self-pity's sake.

Even if it does mean there's another born-again out there.

[stray]

Even if it does mean there's another born-again out there.

Contrary to popular belief: Most of us are nothing like what the parodies suggest. How about judging people on an individual basis...or something?

[Llava]

I am going by an individual basis.  Every born again who's told me they're born again that I've ever met, exluding you though I don't know that I'd say we've "met", has been flat out nuts.

I'm sure there are exceptions.  Then again, I'm an asshole, pedantic atheist myself so I instantly rule against anyone who expresses any sort of faith.

[Strazos]

I am going by an individual basis.  Every born again who's told me they're born again that I've ever met, exluding you though I don't know that I'd say we've "met", has been flat out nuts.

I'm sure there are exceptions.  Then again, I'm an asshole, pedantic atheist myself so I instantly rule against anyone who expresses any sort of faith.

Heh, right on.

[Sky]

I liked Korn a bit longer than Hammy, I like their second disc, Good God was one of our anthems on the loading docks. That said, they weren't very good musicians (except for David, who got Lars syndrome and started getting lazy..maybe in ten years they'll record a st anger), and the strength of their music was really Jon Davis, who lost his aggression somewhere in the recording of the third album. I like a few tracks off the third and fourth albums, I have a couple friends who are huge korn fans...oddly enough not much musical taste there...and I spent this past New Year's Eve at his house drinking copious amounts of beer, listening to Korn was rough, so I requested Pantera in memory of Dime.

As far as born-agains, I have a lot of experience with them. Some people just need the external influence to complete their inner self, whatever floats thy boat, eh? Just don't preach that shit to me imo. Here's a little ditty someone wrote about it, wanna hear it, here it go!

So glad to see you well
Overcome and completely silent now
With heaven's help
You cast your demons out
And not to pull your halo down
Around your neck and tug you off your cloud
But I'm more than just a little curious
How you're planning to go about
Making your amends to the dead
To the dead

Recall the deeds as if
They're all someone else's
Atrocious stories
Now you stand reborn before us all
So glad to see you well

And not to pull your halo down
Around your neck and tug you to the ground
But I'm more than just a little curious
How you're planning to go about
Making your amends to the dead
To the dead

With your halo slipping down
Your halo slipping
Your halo slipping down

Your halo slipping down to choke you now

[Paelos]

I guess as a resident non-born again Christian I will say this. People's faiths are very different within the Christian religion. That is why I have such a problem with organized southern denominational doctrine. It's basically trying to put people in a box and raising them to believe in something that simply falls into what Paul refers to as the grey areas of our faith. I've known many born-again people, mostly from college. They do have some similar characteristics. They are usually very full of a burning desire for their faith early on. They want to share it with everyone because it's a great gift that they have found. This can be off-putting.

I say so what? Christ was off-putting. He didn't try to appease the people who were against his message and tone it down. Instead he ramped it up and kept moving forward. He was a rebel, and that is one of the main reasons I love Jesus.

[stray]

I guess as a resident non-born again Christian I will say this. People's faiths are very different within the Christian religion. That is why I have such a problem with organized southern denominational doctrine.

Oh, by "born again", everyone means "Southern denominational doctrine"? Eh...That wouldn't be me then. I just thought it meant someone who chose to believe in Christ, after years of...err....not believing in Christ. That'd be where I fit in, though I don't use the term "born again" for myself. Just "Christian" (Orthodox specifically).

I just thought I fit under the born again category because I was such a horrible bastard before...and now, not so much. Heh.