Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch, who quit the band in 2005 after he found Jesus, made headline a couple of weeks back when he admitted he “went too far” with his Christian religious convictions. Now he has attempted to walk back those comments a bit, saying they were taken out of context and further explaining his “early fanaticism with Christianity,” while at the same time pledging his continued devoting to Jesus Christ.
Welch, you’re likely aware, became born again after kicking a serious drug habit. So when he recently appeared on Robb Flynn’s No Fuckin’ Regrets podcast a few weeks back, the Machine Head mastermind asked him if religion had become his “new addiction.” To which Welch replied:
“The crazy thing is I had an experience with something from another dimension. And it wasn’t the religion — going to church and being a good boy — it was, like, I felt something come into my house, and I can’t explain it to this day. But I believe that it was Christ doing something in me. So that was real — that was very real. But yes, I think I went too far with it. And I got obsessed with it, just like I was obsessed with the drugs. I believe I did, for sure. And I had to come out of that and find normalcy, because there’s nothing worse than a freakin’ irritating religious person just shoving it down your throat — there’s nothing worse than that. And you saw it on the documentary [Loud Krazy Love], Jonathan’s [Davis, Korn singer], like, ‘I hate those motherfuckers.’ People can’t stand ’em. And for years, we’ve had those Christians outside of Korn concerts, saying Korn of the devil, and all this. It’s crazy — it’s a crazy thing. But I’m just glad I got through it. And I’m glad that I am who I am now, and I have a lot of peace and rest for my soul. I feel very leveled and at peace with myself.”
Now, posting on his own Instagram account, Welch attempted to explain those comments further, going into detail about some of the ways in which he “went too far” with Christianity. He recounted:
“Some have taken my words out of context, but I do have a tendency to ramble without articulating my heart’s intent clear enough, which is typical when a person with A.D.D. tries to juggle the inflow of dozens of thoughts coming in at once.
“Let me shed some more light here: I was trying to address my early fanaticism with Christianity. Do I regret taking some much needed time away from Korn? Not at all. I enjoyed some of the best years of my life with my daughter, making precious memories with her I wouldn’t have been able to make if I would’ve stayed. But some of the choices I made were reminiscent of a true fanatic: I ripped Jennea out of public school because it was’t a ‘Christian’ school. One day, I left my house with her out of the blue and NEVER returned and I hired someone I barely knew to sell all of our furniture and bring our personal items to AZ; expensive items went missing of course! I joined a group of Christians in AZ that ended up resembling a cult and the leader squandered all my money away! And finally, I gave my mom ‘The Book of Christian Martyrs’ and told her that was who I wanted to be!
“These are only a few of the fanatical decisions I made, and they did damage to Jennea, and still effect her negatively in some ways to this day. What I will never regret though, is giving my entire being to Christ and I will share my story until the day I die. Sharing your story of faith is way different than shoving scripture down people’s throats in a heartless way as I was trying to convey in this interview with our old friend Robb.
“Jesus Christ is my whole life’s foundation. When the storms come, AND THEY WILL COME, my life will not crumble because my foundation is very secure. I have found true rest in the depths of my soul. Matthew 11:28; the first scripture that I found–my first scripture tattoo–came true for me in EVERY way. This life I’ve discovered is so real! I’m so glad I’ve never walked away from Christ like many have, AND I NEVER WILL! Take that you overly religious Christian haters”.
Welch’s other band, Love and Death, have a new album called Perfectly Preserved out now on Earache. You can stream it at the bottom of this post, and/or purchase it here.