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Brian Welch
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Brian Phillip Welch (born June 19, 1970), better known as Head, is an American musician best known as a former guitarist of Korn, and a major influence in the rise of the nu metal movement. Welch left the band in 2005 due to contrasting personal beliefs, to focus on life as a father and as a Christian. He has since embarked on an eponymous solo project, of which his debut solo album, Save Me from Myself, was released on September 9, 2008.
h was raised in Bakersfield, California.
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Brian Phillip Welch (born June 19, 1970), better known as Head, is an American musician best known as a former guitarist of Korn, and a major influence in the rise of the nu metal movement. Welch left the band in 2005 due to contrasting personal beliefs, to focus on life as a father and as a Christian. He has since embarked on an eponymous solo project, of which his debut solo album, Save Me from Myself, was released on September 9, 2008.
Biography
Welch was raised in Bakersfield, California. Welch claims that, early in his life, he was different from most kids and was picked on a lot in school. His one passion was music. Welch had started playing the guitar at the age of 10. His first guitar was a Peavey Mystic, which he referred to as "the most metal looking guitar you have ever seen." Originally, he expressed interest in playing drums but his father pushed him to guitar since it was quieter. While in seventh grade, Welch met Reginald Arvizu, who also started at guitar, but Welch said Arvizu wasn't very good at the guitar, so he suggested Arvizu play bass since it was easier and it stuck. Welch's first band was called "Pierct" which is pronounced as Pierced. Growing up he was a very big Ozzy Osbourne fan.
Personal life
In 1995 Welch's wife Rebekah gave birth to a child, but she decided to give it up for adoption. When she got pregnant again, they decided to keep the child. On July 6, 1997, Welch's wife Rebekah gave birth to their second daughter, Jennea Marie Welch. The band was scheduled to be on the UK version of Ozzfest but dropped out before it started so that Welch could be by his wife's side. He and his wife have since divorced and Welch has custody of their daughter. The two reside in Arizona.
From the early stages of Korn, Welch used methamphetamine on and off until after the album release of Issues, when he and Rebekah divorced and he developed a consuming addiction to the drug along with the addiction to Xanax, which led him into a deep depression. His addiction, along with wanting to spend more time with his daughter, of whom he had recently gained custody, was a key reason for his leaving the band in 2005.
On how he got his "Head" moniker, Welch said, "I got a big head...go get me any hat, and it won't fit. 'Cept this one, cause it's stretchy."-from the home video 'Who Then Now?'
On February 22, 2005, Korn's management announced that after almost 12 years, Welch had parted ways with the band, citing that he had "...chosen the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end."
On March 10, 2005, Welch was baptized in the Jordan River with a group of believers hailing from Bakersfield, California. He has declared that he has rid himself of all drugs in his "own personal rehab" with God, in which he had checked into a hotel room and sat in his bed for hours.
Welch and Jonathan Davis have attacked each other in the media since the former's departure. After he said that Davis and the rest of Korn care only about money, Davis responded in kind, opening a rift between them that may or may not have been resolved. But recently in an interview with Beliefnet.com in which Welch was asked about his book and Korn's reaction to the book and the attacks in the media he made earlier at the band:
How did the other members of Korn feel about your having written the book? Do you still talk to them and know what they think about it?
They heard that I'd written it, and there was rumors going around in Hollywood that I was totally trashing them and that it was a "tell all" book about everything they did and I did. And so they actually wrote two songs on their new album bashing me about the book.
But once I heard that they were concerned about the book, I sent them a copy and put a note in there and said, "I love you guys. I didn't trash you like people say. Read it yourselves. It is what it is." And now they're doing interviews, and I've read that they're totally cool with the book, and it's not what they thought it was going to be. So everyone's happy. But, now they've got two songs hating on me on their record. But it's cool. It's all good. I love them, they love me. I think maybe I deserved those songs because of some of the stuff that I said after I quit the band. So it's all good.
In July 2005, Welch appeared on CNN's feature-format program "People in the News" where he admitted to having been addicted to alcohol, methamphetamines, Xanax, and sleeping pills before being reintroduced to the Christian faith.
Following his conversion to Christianity, Welch went to some of the more poverty stricken areas of India to build orphanages or "Head Homes". He visited a tribe of head hunters who were apparently reduced to cannibalism because of a lack of food.
Welch has been tattooed with the words Matthew 11:28 ("Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."), Matthew 6:19 ("Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.") and Matthew 5:8 ("Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."). He also has a Jesus tattoo on the palm of his right hand. In his biography, Welch says that he starts everything with his right hand, and when he starts something new, he wants Jesus to be right there with him for guidance.
In March 2008, Welch founded a record company with Mark Nawara and Greg Shanabeger called Driven Music Group. The company has a distribution deal with Warner Music Group and Rykodisc.
In a podcast with Headbanger's Blog, on May 30, 2008, Korn vocalist Jonathan Davis expressed interest in playing with Welch on the band's upcoming album, but stated that it isn't likely.
In late 2008 Welch, among other celebrities such as Josh Hamilton and Greg Ellis, appeared in testimonial videos called "I Am Second" in which he shares his story of recovering from drug use with the help of his faith in Jesus Christ.
Solo career
As early as a week following his departure from Korn, Welch had claimed through press that a solo record was close to being completed, although there was no release date given, nor had he yet signed on with a label to distribute the record. A number of demos from these early sessions surfaced on peer-to-peer networks, among them "A Cheap Name," a song directed at rapper 50 Cent. He also recorded several other songs including "Dream" and "A Letter to Dimebag," the latter being an instrumental tribute to "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, guitarist for rock bands Pantera and Damage Plan. In his autobiography, Welch mentions the songs "Washed by Blood," "Save Me from Myself," and "Rebel," which all have made the final track listing for the album.
Initially tight-lipped about the details, in an interview with MTV News Welch was quick to clear a few things up. Primarily, he was concerned that it was reported that his new songs wouldn't be "Christian music."
During his stay in Israel with members of the Valley Bible Fellowship of Bakersfield, California, Welch continued to write songs for his solo effort, confident that the music would speak for itself. "I want to make music that will help people. I want to use every dime of the money I make off the songs to build skate parks for kids," he said. "My life now is about helping kids." Originally, Welch contacted Fieldy of Korn to produce the album, but Fieldy made no response.
Brian stated that he ended up walking away from a 23 million dollar recording contract which was a very difficult decision for him at the time.
On March 15, 2008, Welch announced he had signed with Driven Music Group, and had re-dubbed his album Save Me from Myself, after his autobiography of the same name. Following this, his official MySpace profile went online, and the domain name for his official website was moved to . Welch has revealed that a tour is expected to follow the release of Save Me from Myself. For the album, Welch contributed the majority of the instruments, but also hired other contributors, including rhythm guitarist Archie J. Muise Jr., bassist Tony Levin, and drummer Josh Freese for assistance. The first single, "Flush," was released on July 5, 2008, and a music video directed by Frankie Nasso followed on September 5.
Originally, Welch planned for the project to follow the "Head" name, but was persuaded otherwise, so as not to be sued by the tennis equipment manufacturer of the same name. Though the project has since been dubbed "Brian Head Welch", the album art continues to carry the imprint of the project's original title. The project's true title does appear on the spines of the packaging, however.
Musical equipment
Welch's first ever guitar was a Peavey Mystic, which he later sold along with a practice amp to future bandmate James "Munky" Shaffer. Throughout his career with Korn Welch almost exclusivly played Ibanez guitars, most of which were assembled at the Ibanez LA Custom Shop. During his later days with Korn Welch and Munky played their own signature guitar the Ibanez K7. After leaving Korn Welch mostly uses custombuilt baritone guitars from Ibanez. Welchs pedalboard has also grown considerbly from his early days with Korn, he also considers experimenting and trying out new pedals to be one his favorite things to do when working in a studio.
Guitars
Effects
Amplifiers
Discography
Korn
Korn (1994) Life Is Peachy (1996) Follow the Leader (1998) Issues (1999) Untouchables (2002) Take a Look in the Mirror (2003)
Limp Bizkit
Results May Vary (2003)
Brian "Head" Welch
Save Me from Myself (2008)
Bibliography
Save Me from Myself (2007) Washed By Blood (2008)
Filmography
Who Then Now? (1997) Deuce (2002) Korn Live (2002) Live at Montreux 2004 (2008)
External links
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