FEATURED INTERVIEWS

Brian Head Welch

Found God. Found Life. Found Music. Brian Head Welch has found what he's looking for.
By: Gian Erguiza - - November 19th, 2008 - 10:59 am PST

Brian Head Welch has found a new leash on life. Walking away from a hugely successful band in Korn and leaving behind the nasty side of rockstar life, Brian Head Welch is overcoming the negative element of his life that once consumed him. So what's Brian like now? What is he all about now? We decided to have a conversation with the man himself and find out for ourselves. This is the Brian Head Welch interview.

Brian! How’s it going and what are you up to man?

Oh nothing, just laying around, what’s up with you?

Same old stuff man, getting some business done and moving along. So let’s talk a little about your latest endeavor,‘Save Me From Myself.’ 'Save Me From Myself' is a bold statement for you Brian. I love the fact that you let it all hang out and still find a common ground with what you went through. Was the album a relief to be finally released and how stoked are you to finally have the album out?

It’s pretty cool since I got to empty myself out with all of the stuff I went through and I speak the best with music cause that’s my thing. I’m stoked! I worked on it off and on for three years and it feels good to have it out there.

Man! I didn’t even know you worked on it that long man, it’s some good stuff! Now I’m sure that you put a lot of work into this record from listening to it. What aspects of the album did you concentrate on the most to make sure that you captured the whole vibe and sound of the album?

I really concentrated on everything. I concentrated on the melodies and wanted the melodies to poke through cause the music is really heavy and I wanted the heart to poke through. The vocals I concentrated on too and did a lot for the vocals cause I was learning as I went since I never sang lead before. I also concentrated a lot on the mix and everything. Before when I was in Korn, I was just drinking all the time and I let the producers and everyone else do that stuff but now it was me so it was a bit challenging.

Awesome. Good to hear by the way. There is a certain dark imagery that the album suggests and I’m sure it only reflects what you’ve experienced. Can you please enlighten our readers of what the definite message of the album is?

It’s just my experiences that I went through you know? There’s a lot of messages. Music is about sharing what you go through, to me. Its not about all this other stuff. Like a lot of the mainstream stuff is about making a hit song but to me music is about sharing your soul with other people and being united in a way with a group of people that get what you’re saying and that have been through what you’ve been through. I just want to share my drug addiction experiences, my spiritual encounters and my life experiences and that’s what I did.

Has the album been somewhat of an inspiration to stay sober and live life?

Yeah, totally. You know it’s crazy cause I found God and now I’m really high. I have a real high now you know and that is life. When people think sober when they’re partying and stuff, they think it’s boring. But it’s actually what I’ve found to be the most fun high I’ve ever had and it’s pretty cool.

Cool. Writing for this album must’ve taken some time and effort. What was the songwriting process like for this album and what inspired you the most to write?

"When I went through that stuff, I got close to death and everything. I was a junkie you know? I wanted to write about it. I wanted to be challenged to do something I’ve never done before and staying in Korn would be doing the same stuff and it wouldn’t be challenging to me to do the same stuff. I appreciate that time and I liked it and it was hard to leave but at the same time, my life was starting over so I wanted to go somewhere else and get through some hurdles you know?"

I went in the studio and I started writing and I really got inspired. The songwriting process? The beginning of the songs and most of the songs took like a day each to write and I just added to them, took away stuff and that’s kind of how it went for the next few years. It was just a fun experience! It was different, I tried everything different.

Hey Brian, what sparked the decision to take over the duty of singing alongside your guitar playing after all of these years?

When I went through that stuff, I got close to death and everything. I was a junkie you know? I wanted to write about it. I wanted to be challenged to do something I’ve never done before and staying in Korn would be doing the same stuff and it wouldn’t be challenging to me to do the same stuff. I appreciate that time and I liked it and it was hard to leave but at the same time, my life was starting over so I wanted to go somewhere else and get through some hurdles you know?

I totally give you credit.

Thank you.

Let’s go back to the album here and lyrics wise, which song on the album speaks to you the most and why?

There’s a lot of them that do but I choose ‘Washed By Blood’ cause it does speak to me the most. I did some messed up things in my life you know? All the heaviness of all that stuff and the guilt got washed away cause I believe in Christ and his death, dying for me for all of that stuff. He took care of all of that stuff and took all the guilt from me so when you’re released of all the guilt, you feel like a new man and its just real important to me.

Let’s talk about your video ‘Flush.’ Aside from what people are saying about your video ‘Flush,’ I think the video’s absolutely great! I totally get it!

Cool, thanks!

Yeah, definitely! Where did the idea come from and why do you think that some conservatives frowned on the video instead of taking away a positive experience from it?

I don’t know man? I thought the message was clear? I went through all of that stuff, the drugs, perversion, freaky lifestyle and I was into it you know? You just can’t please everybody you know? Even the people that saw the good positive message were like ‘How come he didn’t talk about his redemption to Christ and why was Christ not mentioned in there?’ Well everyone knows what I went through and you don’t have to shove it down the throat with everything so you know, people are people and they’re going to think what they’re going to think. I thought it was a very positive video with a good message in it. Shows these kids talking about real life stories and their addictions and shows them in the end of how their life is going so good know so I mean, why can’t people see that?

I totally get man, I saw the video and thought to myself ‘What are these people looking at?’ I don’t get what they’re looking at but what I was looking at was something positive and like I said, you can take a positive experience from it, instead of taking a negative view on it.

A lot of people turn it off when they see the girls and the drugs. They turn it off and don’t want to watch it to the end and they miss out on what I’m trying to do with it.

Brian, I love the fact that you didn’t stray away from metal. What sparked the decision to stick with your metal roots instead of going indie, acoustic, or whatever else is out there?

I love metal. I love heavy music and I wanted to go heavy. I’ve been doing that for years and I think I kind of got away from that towards the end of Korn by trying to please the industry, instead of myself. I got to regroup when I quit and got to do what I love and not care about trying to be a rockstar anymore and just doing what I love inside.

Awesome! Hey Brian, if there was one thing that you can take back from the KORN days, what would it be?

Like wish I didn’t do?

Right, something that had happened or transpired?

I don’t know? I think everything happened the way it’s supposed to. When you live life like that, you learn a lot. The drugs was pretty crazy and I learned not to do that stuff. I learned how to fight out of that hole I was in.

You have an iPod Brian?

Yes! Since 2001.

Well since you have an iPod Brian, what have you been listening to? Any recommends?

I checked out the new Underoath album and that was pretty cool. I listen to a lot of instrumental music and a lot of atmospheric music, take me a away type of music, take me to another place.

Awesome! So moving forward now, what do you consider to be good times these days?

Living everyday, doing music that I love, hanging out with my kids, going to get tattoos and basically everything I used to do but without killing myself with illegal drugs. I love the same stuff you know? But obviously, I ‘ve got a serious relationship to God and that’s real cool to me.

Alright Brian, let’s do a referral. Name me 5 of the best guitarists of all time or 5 of the best rock phrases of all time?

Hendrix, Angus Young, Randy Rhoads, Tom Morello’s cool and I liked George Lynch when I was a kid. He’s a shredder!

What’s the best advice that you have gotten so far at this point in your life Brian?

Well there’s one thing I live by, which I heard a few years ago. This woman that had a lot of wisdom said, ‘If you’re afraid to do something or if you had to step out, just do it afraid.’ And ‘If you’ve got fear, do it with fear but just do it.’ It’s like Nike, just do it. Face you fear and it will go away.

That’s a great point and I’ve actually never heard that before so thanks, I’m going to start using that one!

It’s like when I left Korn, I was afraid but I just kind of did it. Everything’s working out.

Let’s talk music industry. In your opinion, what are some obstacles or problems in the music industry of today?

I don’t know, I’m just getting back into it. Seems like there’s always problems going on. When my first single came out, ‘Flush,’ it came out on iTunes and everybody was stoked. Then they messed up and it didn’t get put on iTunes for like a few days and it happened again with one of our other labels with Godhead. Their album just came out and something got screwed up with iTunes and its not available on iTunes. The digital market has mistakes and I know were all human but there’s hiccups in the digital end from what I’ve experienced. But hey, I like it! There’s musicians out there that can get somewhere now without getting on a major label. You can go out and get your music out there. I think that’s cool, instead of just having a handful of select musicians, you’ve got all kinds of things going on. I think the digital world is way cool!

As of right now Brian, at this point in time, what are you most thankful for?

I’m thankful for my faith. Without faith I think I’d be dead by now or still doing drugs if I didn’t have my faith. I’m thankful for my daughter. And what is this man, a Thanksgiving article?

Love the humor man! Sorry about that question?

I’m just kidding with you man! I’m really thankful that I’m still alive and that’s the main thing I’m thankful for and that I didn’t die of a drug overdose.

I’ve got about three more questions here and Brian, are you going green anytime soon? With the whole global warming threat upon us, are you going green anytime soon?

Can I put that in my BMW?

Well, it’s almost there? They made a Tesla that runs strictly on biodiesel and it goes up to 175 mph?

Oh yeah, anything for the environment. I don’t get all crazy about cause none of our homes are here anyway? We only have a few years, then we die and go somewhere else, whatever you believe. I don’t get all freaked out with money problems, global warming….we’re all going to leave this place anyways so what’s the big deal! But I’m totally into helping you know what I mean? So if something came up where I could help, I’d do it, definitely.

So Brian before I give you the last question, I’d love to know and I bet your fans would love to know, what else can we expect from you for the rest of 2008, going into 2009?

We’re trying to put together a live show real soon here and get it out on the road. Take the show on the road and see what happens.

Any additional comments or shout-outs Brian?

Yeah, I just want to give a shout out to my fans that have stuck by me even though I got a little religious nutty in 2005. I had to go through that and acted a little crazy. I just found out how faithful and loyal they are so it’s really cool.

Brian, thank you for doing the interview. You’re a gentleman and a scholar. I totally love it that you’ve found God since I believe in God myself and I hope nothing but the best for you in the future! Hope the tour goes along fine and I’ll see you out on the road.

Thanks for your time man!

Thank you!

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