RockOm

In 2005, Brian "Head" Welch – guitarist for KORN, one of the single-most popular (and controversial) rock acts in the world at the time – shocked the music world by announcing his resignation from the Grammy Award-winning band, due in large part to his newfound faith in Jesus Christ. Earlier this year RockOm brought you an in-depth interview with Welch about his life in music and his new album Save Me From Myself.

News came this week from Amanda Cagan at ABC Public Relations that Welch is set to return to the road this month in support of his critically acclaimed debut album, and with a new band.

From Amanda Cagan-

Brian "Head" 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 September 9 on his Driven Music Group label.

With a new band at his side--Scott Von Heldt (guitars), Ralph Patlan (guitars), 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 turn out and a lot of energy at the shows!”

Save Me From Myself, had tremendous sales its first week, making its debut on Billboard‘s "Top Hard Rock Albums" chart at #13, #7 on Billboard's "Top Independent Albums" chart and #21 on SoundScan's "Top Current Rock Albums" chart.  Overall, against all genres, including new releases and catalog, Head's album debuted on Billboard's "Top 200 Albums" chart at # 63.

Critics are taking notice as well.  To wit:

"…an honest, forceful, spiritual metal record…" Brian Stillman, Revolver

"It’s downright impressive how a guitarist who has never sung before could release such a melodic, haunting record…" Robert VerBruggen, Outburn

"Shown throughout Head's debut solo effort, SAVE ME FROM MYSELF, though his lyrical messages may now be more positive and uplifting than anything found in the Korn hard rock catalog, the style of music brought forth here is as heavy as anything Mr. Welch has ever presented before." Hit Parader

"The hefty, synth-led  'Flush' nods towards Korn and early Static-X, while the amusingly titled 'Die Religion Die' is a dark stomper.  All evidence that for Head, life these days, is definitely peachy."
Ronnie Kerswell, Rock Sound (U.K.)

FULL CONCERT DETAILS AT: myspace.com/brianheadwelch

LINKS:

brianheadwelch.net
myspace.com/brianheadwelch
www.drivenmusicgroup.net

By Trevor Harden, trevor@rockom.net

In 2005, Brian “Head” Welch – guitarist for KORN, one of the single-most popular (and controversial) rock acts in the world at the time – shocked the music world by announcing his resignation from the Grammy-award winning band, due in large part to his newfound faith in Jesus Christ. Through with years of battling drug addiction and the seedy, “anything goes” backstage playground of rock stardom, Head turned to God for help – and God responded.

Then in 2007, wishing to share his life story, difficult struggles and spiritual testimony, Head released his autobiography, Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs and Live to Tell My Story. The book went on to be a New York Times bestseller and inspire many who were looking for answers or a way out of addiction.

On the heels of the book's success, Head dropped his first solo album, also titled Save Me From Myself, in September of '08. The album (which features such renowned musicians as Tony Levin and Josh Freese) plays much like the book reads – as both a retelling of his tumultuous history and the lessons learned as well as a sharing of the inspiration and hope that he has gleaned from his time in following Jesus.

RockOm: Your book Save Me from Myself has been out for well over a year now and has gained quite a bit of attention. What's the experience been like for you over the past year as you listen to friends' and fans' responses to reading your life story? Has their feedback been encouraging?

Head: I think any time you do something drastic like that you're going to get some people thinking you're crazy. People in my faith know I'm not crazy but some other people may be on the fence still. It's just different and every time someone [has a conversion experience] people think, “Oh, nutcase!” (laughs) Since they've read the book it seems like a lot of people understand that I was just a drug addict that needed out, and I got it. All of the fans are just saying “I'm glad you're alive.”

RockOm: We won't spend much time on your story itself as people can go pick up your book and read the whole thing for themselves, but I wanted to ask you about two things quickly. First, you're very open and honest in this book – which I find quite refreshing. Most of what passes as Christian non-fiction books can seem so sterile, but your writing tells your true, raw story in a no-holds-barred fashion. Has that been received well by the Christian community and Christian retailers selling your book?

Head: Mostly, yes, because it's real but there are some conservatives that are afraid of it. And that's OK, they've got their choice and opinion. They're thinking maybe I'm glorifying my past life or they're trying to protect their kids, you know, so that's cool. To each their own. There are all kinds of different types of people out there.

RockOm: Secondly, in your book you mention an orphanage in India you helped found called Head Home. How is that going? Are you still involved and have there been any cool success stories from those working or living there?

Head: I'm not really involved anymore, no. I had a partner [in it] that I was hooked up with and things went sour; it's kind of in the past now. That organization, Good News India, was the one doing it; I was just partnering with them, just like a lot of other people do. You donate money and you can have an orphanage out there and name it what you want if you donate a certain amount. But after we went in there and talked to the cannibal tribes that I wrote about in my book, a school was put up by Good News India and crime dropped like 91% or something. It's a lot better out there. I'd like to get involved in some stuff maybe here in the United States doing something eventually.

RockOm: It's amazing what a little love and concern will do for people.

Head: Ya, gets your mind off yourself for a second.

RockOm: Well, let's chat about a couple of the tunes from your newly released album Save Me From Myself. The opening track “L.O.V.E.” is a sort of love song sung from God's perspective. I like that the lyrics say “You're angry, it's OK.” Have you found a freedom in God to just be all that you are - anger, warts and all?

Head: Yes, and that's a good thing because it's not like you've got to be perfect. Be who you are and He [God] will change you slowly how He wants to change you. It's a walk of courage; it's a walk of trust. It's cool just to know that when you screw up badly that you're not done. He will just keep taking you back as long as you try and if you want to be that person that He's created you to be then it's all good. That's freedom right there. But if you're blatantly going against Him and doing stuff constantly without even caring, then that's not good. In my life I was having problems that I couldn't change. I couldn't stop doing them, just certain personal things, not the drugs. There were certain things in my life that I couldn't stop so eventually [I turned it over to God]. It's Christ in us that changes us; it's not me – I can't do it. It's like, “Alright, I'm not perfect God, and I screwed it up again so I give you full permission to do whatever you've got to do to help me out.”

RockOm: Most of us have a love/hate relationship with the church in that it is the body of Christ but there's also a lot of nasty stuff that can go on – all of which you speak about in your song “Die Religion Die”. How do you currently see your relationship with the church and how do you feel it is either living out or could better live out the teachings of Jesus?

Head: I think there's good in all denominations – Catholic, Baptist, Pentecostal... and there's 'not good' in all of them. We're humans and we all screw up; we've got to give more grace to everybody and realize that we're not all perfect. I don't know, maybe it's set up that way to test our hearts and to see how we're going to react - like if we're going to judge each other. I keep growing a lot, there's a lot of stuff to learn and I definitely don't know it all. I don't understand mean religion; I don't understand the judgement and the “make you feel bad” type of stuff that's mentioned in “Die Religion Die,” where there's no love in it. God is love. But there's a lot of growth to happen in me, to answer your question.

RockOm: Lastly, there are rumors of new albums from you out in 2009 and 2010. What can we expect from the new records sonically (what you're doing in the studio) or in terms of some of the themes on the album?

Head: It'll definitely be more mature. This album I just did was written in 2005, about six months after I got saved. I had to change some words around [when I finally recorded it] because I was not knowing what I was saying. I think you'll notice a more Christlikeness in everything I'll be doing but still heavy, because I love the heavy music. We'll see – this year we're trying to get on the road and do some live shows but every time I get up to get going, something knocks me down. We'll just wait and see what happens. There's not going to be another album this year - maybe next, but not this year unless God has other plans. [laughs] You never know!

http://www.brianheadwelch.net/
http://www.myspace.com/brianheadwelch

Edited by Andrew Hoogheem

Photography by Alonso Murillo

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