Brian "Head" Welch: I was all good until I tried to record with an engineer. I was self conscious in front of people. I struggle with trying to get the vocals down, the layering, the pitch. I have a lot of respect for singers now, because it’s pretty difficult to sing your own stuff. I have it down now, but to learn the techniques and getting it all album quality, it’s pretty gnarly. I got through it, though. With this life I thought things were going to get easy, but actually a life with God you are set with struggles, and the whole thing is overcoming those struggles. That’s what makes you strong, so when the waves of life come against you, you don’t freak out. I freaked out a lot when I was doing my vocals in the beginning, smashing stuff. But I’m a totally different person now.
Instead of releasing the CD on a major or indie label you formed Driven Music Group to release it. How come?
We wanted to do it our own way. I live by faith, and it’s how things happened. I want to do it with my timing, and don’t want someone to tell me what I have to do. We do have the major label power because we have a distribution agreement with Warner Music and Ryko Distribution. We have the power, but we make all the decisions. It’s cool that way, because I’m a single dad and I have to juggle my life in the best way for my daughter. It makes me feel free.
There are some other bands on the label as well. Are you involved in the A&R side of things, or are there others that take care of that?
My two partners are Greg Shanaberger and Mark Nawara. Mark has been in the industry for years and he brought those other bands with him. Those are his bands, but we’re all partners. I don’t really handle that part of the label.
You recently spoke at the Cornerstone Festival. What is that, and what was the response?
Cornerstone is a Christian festival that’s been around for a long time. This was the first I had heard about it. They asked me to come and speak and tell my testimony because it encourages the kids when they heard people that leave the world to do something for God. I went there and told my testimony and just hung out. It was pretty cool. I was surprised because I thought it was going to be really conservative. But there was a section of crazy looking kids, hardcore bands and screaming. It was like Woodstock. It was pretty crazy.
Church attendance and religion among young people seems to be declining. What can be done to reenergize them and get them into a religious setting?
I think we have to change our mindset. I have a song called “Die Religion Die” on my album. It’s about changing mindsets, the Sunday church thing. I think God wants it to be taken outside the church. When people leave the churches, they aren’t feeling it and end up leaving God. But it’s an everyday lifestyle. Jesus says that the kingdom of God is within in. It’s about that every day intimate relationship with God. I want to encourage people to live the lifestyle, and not just the Sunday one day a week thing.
Some say that all heavy metal is evil, even Christian heavy metal. What do you say to that?
They say all heavy metal people are evil, but God saved me. They just don’t understand. The people that say those things really believe that, but I don’t believe it’s evil. I know it’s not evil. God wants to save the world, he doesn’t want to call everybody evil. It’s all about grace. It’s not about judging.
You mention in the book that you have mended fences with the guys in Korn. Do you think you could be in the band again and stay clean and sober?
Yes, I can go anywhere and stay clean. I could be in a room full of drugs and wouldn’t do them. I’m past that and I’m better than that. I’m delivered from that. I don’t see God telling me to go back to Korn, but I don’t know what the future holds. I’m open to anything that He leads me to do.
Your daughter is now 10. Are you concerned that with her genetics that she may gravitate toward drugs as she gets older?
I have a lot of confidence in God. I’m going to stay tight with her. It’s just me and my daughter. We’re always together. But I’ve never had a teenager and it’s definitely a concern. Everything will work out.
