"I feel I've achieved to get back to Korn's heaviest songs on my record."

After leaving Korn in 2005, guitarist Brian "Head" Welch first embraced religion, then published two books, and now, in the autumn of 2008, he finally released his smashing solo debut, entitled "Save Me from Myself"...

Vassil Varbanov: Where did you record this toilet noise at the end of "Flush"?

Head: The toilet flush? We dragged the mike to the studio toilet and...

V. V.: Another thing that makes a big impression in your debut solo album is that you sing amazingly well! Did you dome some singing in your Korn years as well?

H.: I did a couple back-up vocals, but not really, because Jonathan did all that stuff. I took the background vocals he did on record and tried to do them live, but I got really into singing after I quit Korn - I taught myself, prayed and came up with that voice.

V. V.: After you recorded the album it took you quite a while to mix and master it. Can we say this is a technological record or it's more primitive?

H.: I'd say both. I tried a lot of new things, so it was cool to experiment, but there was also stuff I did with technologies

V. V.: It was you that took care of the production work, right?

H.: Yeah. I had a little bit of help from some friends, but I pretty much oversaw everything. I came up with the songs in my mind, so I knew how they should sound like. I got all these cool engineers and people that had a really good ear and a good mind for all the equipment and stuff, so I've gotta give them a credit.

V. V.: There's a bunch of great musicians playing on your album, like Tony Levin, Josh Freese, etc. If it's some sort of natural to have Josh on this record, Tony Levin is not part of this scene. How did you hook up with him?

H.: I knew somebody that knew Tony. Pretty much everyone knows who Tony Levin is - he jammed with Peter Gabriel, David Bowie... He's done all kinds of session stuff. I think he was the one who wanted to do some stuff like this, because he said his daughter was a Korn fan. It was cool to produce this guy, because he's a legendary bass player... He was like, "Am I doing it right?", and I was like, "You're going great, it's awesome!" It was great fun.

V. V.: You're planning a tour for the beginning of 2009. Do you already have a stable line-up for your live band?

H.: Right now I have one guy that's for sure - Ralph Patlan, the guy that mixed my album. He's gonna do some stuff... We'll be doing auditions in December, so we'll probably have a line-up then.

V. V.: Before the album you published two books - "Save Me from Myself" and "Washed By Blood". What's your all-time favorite book?

H.: Oh, that's a hard question... I guess I'd say the Bible, because when I'm reading it I feel I got safe from death.

V. V.: Did you get any feedback for your album from the other guys from Korn?

H.: No. I haven't heard nothing from them, but I'm sure they'll like it, because we all wrote the same type of music together. We're all fans of each other.

V. V.: Why did you actually wait so long to release your debut album?

H.: I was focusing on other things besides music. I took eight months off to write my book. Then I'm a single dad and I'm with my daughter all time, so I just didn't have enough time to get on it. Plus I did drugs for so many years that I needed to chill for a couple of years and just kind of heal and come back to normal. It just takes time.

V. V.: What has been your biggest vice through the years?

H.: American beer. I couldn't go a day without it for so many years... It just started like clouding my mind... Anything you do too much is bad, but alcohol brings depression on you. That lead into other drugs and stuff...

V. V.: Yeah, that's a poison, but I was asking about a vice - like greed or something.

H.: Yes, I was really greedy.

V. V.: OK, back to your album now. The record has a very deep sound and great melodies, although it's definitely not a pop record. How do you personally feel about it? Are you proud of it?

H.: Yes, I'm really proud of it. I like how it does have a lot of melody in it, bit it's really heavy, and that's my heart. Back when I was in Korn my favorite part were our heaviest songs - the ones that were full of energy. That's what I wanted to get back to, and I feel I've achieved that on this record - I got the melodies without being too poppy or cheesy. I think there's a good balance of everything.

V. V.: We can hear some kids' voices on the fourth song, "Re-Bel". Who are these kids?

H.: My daughter and some other kids. A friend knew this girl and a couple of other kids, and they came down with some other kids that I didn't really know that well - I just needed some kids to sing like a school choir. By the way, what's funny is that I didn't have them sing to that song, but to a piano line that went to their vocal line.

V. V.: Don't you think it sounds like an angelic choir?

H.: Yes, you can say that. I like the mix of this really heavy stuff with this euphoric type of music...

V. V.: It reminds me of a horror movie soundtrack, so it has some sort of a terrifying effect at the same time...

H.: Yeah, I love that sound. I love that eeriness.

Copyright: Tangra Mega Rock