Brian 'Head' Welch: 'Most Of The Korn Fans Don't Want Nothing To Do With What I'm Doing'

Rockerrazzi.com recently conducted an interview with former Korn guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. Watch the five-minute chat here.

Welch is set to launch the second leg of his first-ever solo U.S. tour in support of his debut album, "Save Me From Myself", which was released in September 2008 on his Driven Music Group label.

With a new band at his side — Scott Von Heldt (guitar), Ralph Patlan (guitar), Michael Valentine (bass), Dan Johnson (drums), Brian Ruedy (keyboards, programming) — Head will embark on another round of dates starting August 14 in Los Angeles, including a free concert in Las Vegas on August 29 at the 20,000-seat Thomas & Mack Arena along with Flyleaf, Blindside and others.

"The first leg of the tour a couple months ago was a great warm-up tour," says Head. "Now we're ready to kick it up a notch. We're coming into my neck of the woods with this West Coast leg and I'm expecting to see a great turnout and a lot of energy at the shows!"

"Save Me From Myself", sold 7,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 63 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released through Driven Music Group (distribution by Ryko/Warner Music Group), the label Welch co-founded with music execs Greg Shanaberger and Mark Nawara.

"Save Me From Myself" was produced by Head, who recorded the music off and on for the past two years in Phoenix, Arizona. It features renowned musicians Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, David Bowie) and Josh Freese (A Perfect Circle, Nine Inch Nails), and was mixed by Ralph Patlan and Bob Clearmountain. It's a testimony of Head's life as he battled with drug addiction and leaving Korn, and finding spirituality.

Thanks for the report to Blabbermouth.net.

Comments

[thirdeye_15]

Well speaking as an "ex-KoRn" fan (meaning i like only the albums up to "Issues") I bought Brians album last year and could clearly see why i liked KoRn when i did... Apparenlty hes the one with most the ideas that gave KoRn their edgy fresh sound... He left, the band was never the same. KoRn just took a HUGE DOWNWARD SPIRAL! Down the ol' rabbit hole... now they got.. what... 2 original memembers??? Fuck even Munkey has left! Thats when you know hang it up boys! Start up other projects! Stop ruining the name KoRn.. ppl wont think of the good ol' KoRn if they keep releasing bullshit...Basically... im more interested in what Brian is doing then what ever "KoRn" is up to these days...

[AEnima18]

Munky is still in KoRn.

[James_Het_Rules]

My band is opening up for Head this weekend @ The Grail in Couer d'Alene, ID. His stuff isn't half bad, the lyrics i can't exactly say i like, but the music is pretty ****ing good, and i was always a fan of Korn when Brian was there. Should be fun no doubt.

[\m/(-_-)\m/]

If Brian spent half his time not trying to look like Jesus he might be able to write some interesting lyrics and put out an album that's not mediocre.

[James_Het_Rules]

\m/(-_\m/ wrote:

If Brian spent half his time not trying to look like Jesus he might be able to write some interesting lyrics and put out an album that's not mediocre.

Agreed.

[kryzay311]

ironically, most fans of actual musicianship don't want anything to do with either band

[strat0blaster]

I thought his album was better than anything Korn's done since Issues, frankly. And -

kryzay311 wrote:

ironically, most fans of actual musicianship don't want anything to do with either band

Yeah, you're right. Anything that doesn't have 200bpm shredfests with middle eastern scales and sick finger tapping is definitely crap, right?

Musicianship isn't play fast and flashy, learning techniques to floor someone. It's knowing how to play and when to play, working for the song. 20 bar solos don't mean crap if you can't put it to music that has some value other than "LOOK AT ME!!"

In fact, most people who have a degree of musicianship know that it's harder to fill space with fewer notes tastefully than it is to throw four hundred in a lightning pace.

[CQB_241]

thirdeye_15 wrote:

Well speaking as an "ex-KoRn" fan (meaning i like only the albums up to "Issues") I bought Brians album last year and could clearly see why i liked KoRn when i did... Apparenlty hes the one with most the ideas that gave KoRn their edgy fresh sound... He left, the band was never the same. KoRn just took a HUGE DOWNWARD SPIRAL! Down the ol' rabbit hole... now they got.. what... 2 original memembers??? Fuck even Munkey has left! Thats when you know hang it up boys! Start up other projects! Stop ruining the name KoRn.. ppl wont think of the good ol' KoRn if they keep releasing bullshit...Basically... im more interested in what Brian is doing then what ever "KoRn" is up to these days...

Acually, Munky is still in the band but I couldn't agree with you more on everything else that you said!!

[XeroDivide]

In actuality the new Korn records have been pretty damn good in my opinion, I think most of you just bash it because Jon Davis' vocals make you uncomfortable, if you truly sat down and listened to their new stuff you'd hear the skill Munky has compared to "NU-WAVE Jesus". Korn still possess the same sound they used to have with Head and David, for example It's me again, Eaten Up Inside. Both of those songs weren't included on Syotos’ main cd cause they didn't match the experimental touches they did with that record (*tearjerker is a prime example, the ending licks Munky does are haunting*), with the disc two tracks they sounded like old Korn. Untitled was crazy guitar wise, I’d give Head a chance with his stuff if he actually picked up the phone and gave his "previous family" a call. Supposedly him and Fieldy were supposed to do a song for Chi Cheng, what happen there? I mean it's your opinion if you think Korn sucks, just like I think Brian's new stuff blows chunks, that's music though & just like anything else in this world it's gonna be full of opinions.

Munky for the win!

[pantericadeth]

strat0blaster wrote:

I thought his album was better than anything Korn's done since Issues, frankly. And -
kryzay311 wrote:

ironically, most fans of actual musicianship don't want anything to do with either band

Yeah, you're right. Anything that doesn't have 200bpm shredfests with middle eastern scales and sick finger tapping is definitely crap, right?

Musicianship isn't play fast and flashy, learning techniques to floor someone. It's knowing how to play and when to play, working for the song. 20 bar solos don't mean crap if you can't put it to music that has some value other than "LOOK AT ME!!"

In fact, most people who have a degree of musicianship know that it's harder to fill space with fewer notes tastefully than it is to throw four hundred in a lightning pace.

Owned haha.