Brian Head Welch
"Everything is influenced by working with Korn"
Brian "Head" Welch (front) and his band Love and Death were busy during the corona pandemic. The result: the new album "Perfectly Preserved".
© Sam Link
Love and Death, Brian "Head" Welch's band, have released a new album. In an interview, he reveals why Korn is his "first love".
Korn founding member Brian "Head" Welch (50) is back with his band Love and Death: Eight years after the last album "Between Here & Lost" (2013) the new longplayer "Perfectly Preserved" is released. Brian "Head" Welch explains in an interview with the news agency spot on news why Love and Death took so much time. "We wrote about a song or two a year in those eight years." Meanwhile he was busy with grain. After leaving the Nu-Metal group in 2005, he returned in 2013.
Love-and-death bassist Jasen Rauch (39), who produced the album, had similar commitments: He is a member of the band Breaking Benjamin. "So we were all very busy. It wasn't until the pandemic came that we had time to really think about the songs we composed. Then we wrote a few more and there we are," explains Welch. His work with Korn has had a huge impact on the sound of Love and Death. "I think everything I do is influenced by working with Korn," says the 50-year-old. "Korn is just a part of me and if you will, it's my first love."
Big shows with System of a Down and Faith No More canceled
Would the album even have existed without the corona pandemic? Welch's plans for 2020 were actually completely different: together with Korn he would have "played many shows with System of a Down in Europe". "The tour would have been huge and we were so excited about it. But our plans were put on hold like any other." A tour with Faith No More would have been planned for the summer. "That was a huge dream of ours. We love the band, it had a big influence on us. But that was canceled too."
The pandemic also had a positive impact on Brian "Head" Welch. "I think the pandemic has brought some changes with it. You try to keep more peace and quiet and to be trusting. Hard times often sharpen your character." He now cares more about others "because I want to make sure that their psyche is okay. There are many problems with that".
Assault on the Capitol was "pretty embarrassing for Americans"
The past year was not only dominated by the corona pandemic, the presidential election in the USA also made headlines again and again. "I pay more attention to politics the older I have gotten. I wasn't interested until I was 35. Now I'm taking a closer look and trying to learn from it. But I don't want to take one side," he says Guitarist. "If people choose one side, it could ruin America's society. It's just crazy. It's called the United States of America. We're just the opposite of united right now."
Ex-President Donald Trump (74) "brought a lot of disagreement" to the country. "Obviously it wasn't a smart idea what he said to the people before they wanted to storm the Capitol," explains the 50-year-old. Trump's words "helped make this happen". "Quite embarrassing for Americans," is Welch's conclusion. About Joe Biden (78) the musician says: "I hope that this new president will heal the gap in America."
Brian "Head" Welch is "very positive" about the year 2021. "Our plans are to hopefully go on tour later in the year and not be disappointed if it doesn't work out," he says. "We enjoy our lives, help others and stay strong, even when things get tough. We're not over the hill yet, but things are going in the direction of an improvement. I wish everyone who read this a great year 2021 and a lot of patience. Hang in there, find things you love to do and then this year will be better. "