- Nov 28, 2004
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After 12 years, six albums, and 11 million record sales, Brian "Head" Welch, founding member of the notorious alternative rock band Korn, has called it quits. He has traded the drugs, women and wild parties of Korn's concert stage for Jesus Christ and is determined to stay "on fire for the Lord" and "change the world." Pastor and mentor Ron Vietti confidently calls Welch's conversion the "real deal."
"I thought I had it all, everything I thought was important when I was a kidmoney, fame, pretty womenbut I came to a point where I didn't want to live," says Welch.
After battling a two-year drug addiction to meth, Brian Welch finally hit rock bottom. Desperately struggling to quit, rehab centers and Internet advice sites couldn't help. Finally, Welch tried church at Valley Bible Fellowship in Bakersfield, California as a last resort.
"I just asked Him, 'Show me how to quit. Please, I need more strength.' And praise God! I quit!" Welch's life changed that morning.
Two months later, Brian Welch returned to Valley Bible Fellowship to share his testimony with approximately 10,000 people. (Listen to it online at www.headtochrist.com.)
When MTV asked Welch why he left Korn, he shared, "I love everybody in the band. I was afraid to leave. 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."
Newfound religious convictions weren't the only reasons Welch decided to drop out of Korn. His decision had a lot to with his six-year-old daughter.
"I want her to be able to look me in the eye," he said in an MTV interview. "I'm a single dad, that's what it comes down to. The guys were really accommodating when I would tell them that. They'd be like, 'Bring your daughter on tour!' But that's not the place for a 6-year-old. [Our bassist] 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!'"
Welch finally realized that the fleeting pleasures of fame and fortune were not worth violating his convictions and losing his daughter's respect. After a little soul-searching and Bible reading, he decided it was time to get out.
"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. "Money can't buy happiness. Happiness comes from one place and that's the Lord."
Since his life was changed, Welch has witnessed to the other members of Korn through his testimony and by inviting them to church. Although the band members are hardly receptive, Welch loves them deeply and still considers them his best friends.
With "Matthew 11:28" tattooed on his neck and "Jesus" etched across his fist, Welch plans to launch a solo career under his nick-name "Head." With a similar sound to Korn, his lyrics will be filled with spiritual insights from his new experiences. He's also talking with Stephen Baldwin about starting a line of cutting-edge Christian products.
Welch plans to donate the money he makes to charities and to Valley Bible Fellowship's plan to build "rock and roll churches" across America. He also plans to build skate parks. "Every dime I make is going back to the people in a positive way," he assured fans.
Concluding Brian's Sunday morning testimony, Pastor Vietti gave the audience an opportunity to give their lives to Jesus. More than 200 people responded, including members of the media who came to cover Welch's talk.
"I am the real deal," Welch tells skeptics. "People say, 'You're just a baby Christian.' No, I'm telling you, just watch, in 2 years, 5 years, 10 yearsI'm going be like this guy [referring to Pastor Vietti]. I'm on fire for the Lord. I'm not going to lose it. I'm gonna dump it out, I'm gonna build churches, whatever. I'm gonna change the world or die trying."
"With Korn, I got the money, all kinds of drugs, everything. But this is my life now." He also added, "I'm never gonna change. That drug [meth] is known for making people crazy, but I'm in my right mind. This was all His plan."
"It's not about religion, it's not about this church, it's not about me. It's about the Book of Life and everybody needs to be taught this. It's crazy, it's gonna do stuff like this, like change a guy in a rock band." Last month Welch accompanied Pastor Ron Vietti to Israel where he was baptized in the Jordan River.
"I thought I had it all, everything I thought was important when I was a kidmoney, fame, pretty womenbut I came to a point where I didn't want to live," says Welch.
After battling a two-year drug addiction to meth, Brian Welch finally hit rock bottom. Desperately struggling to quit, rehab centers and Internet advice sites couldn't help. Finally, Welch tried church at Valley Bible Fellowship in Bakersfield, California as a last resort.
"I just asked Him, 'Show me how to quit. Please, I need more strength.' And praise God! I quit!" Welch's life changed that morning.
Two months later, Brian Welch returned to Valley Bible Fellowship to share his testimony with approximately 10,000 people. (Listen to it online at www.headtochrist.com.)
When MTV asked Welch why he left Korn, he shared, "I love everybody in the band. I was afraid to leave. 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."
Newfound religious convictions weren't the only reasons Welch decided to drop out of Korn. His decision had a lot to with his six-year-old daughter.
"I want her to be able to look me in the eye," he said in an MTV interview. "I'm a single dad, that's what it comes down to. The guys were really accommodating when I would tell them that. They'd be like, 'Bring your daughter on tour!' But that's not the place for a 6-year-old. [Our bassist] 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!'"
Welch finally realized that the fleeting pleasures of fame and fortune were not worth violating his convictions and losing his daughter's respect. After a little soul-searching and Bible reading, he decided it was time to get out.
"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. "Money can't buy happiness. Happiness comes from one place and that's the Lord."
Since his life was changed, Welch has witnessed to the other members of Korn through his testimony and by inviting them to church. Although the band members are hardly receptive, Welch loves them deeply and still considers them his best friends.
With "Matthew 11:28" tattooed on his neck and "Jesus" etched across his fist, Welch plans to launch a solo career under his nick-name "Head." With a similar sound to Korn, his lyrics will be filled with spiritual insights from his new experiences. He's also talking with Stephen Baldwin about starting a line of cutting-edge Christian products.
Welch plans to donate the money he makes to charities and to Valley Bible Fellowship's plan to build "rock and roll churches" across America. He also plans to build skate parks. "Every dime I make is going back to the people in a positive way," he assured fans.
Concluding Brian's Sunday morning testimony, Pastor Vietti gave the audience an opportunity to give their lives to Jesus. More than 200 people responded, including members of the media who came to cover Welch's talk.
"I am the real deal," Welch tells skeptics. "People say, 'You're just a baby Christian.' No, I'm telling you, just watch, in 2 years, 5 years, 10 yearsI'm going be like this guy [referring to Pastor Vietti]. I'm on fire for the Lord. I'm not going to lose it. I'm gonna dump it out, I'm gonna build churches, whatever. I'm gonna change the world or die trying."
"With Korn, I got the money, all kinds of drugs, everything. But this is my life now." He also added, "I'm never gonna change. That drug [meth] is known for making people crazy, but I'm in my right mind. This was all His plan."
"It's not about religion, it's not about this church, it's not about me. It's about the Book of Life and everybody needs to be taught this. It's crazy, it's gonna do stuff like this, like change a guy in a rock band." Last month Welch accompanied Pastor Ron Vietti to Israel where he was baptized in the Jordan River.
i praise God and pray that this man has the real fire of the Holy Spirit. and will lead others like his fans to look for the greatest gift; truth, light and life of the cross.
wow... Korn!! 
well praise Jesus. I never thought of them as being religious. Freak on a Leash was a cool song
