An interview with Brian “Head” Welch – shortly following his performance at Eleanor Rigby’s in Jermyn, PA this past October.
DM: How is the tour going?
Brian Welch: Good. It’s been big & small places…every show has been great!
DM: Tell me about your new single, “Paralyzed”. It sounds a lot like KORN.
Brian Welch: I think the band was going in a different direction, when I was leaving.
They wanted to try more stuff like the “See You On The Other Side” record. I liked more of the old school sound, & they like to reinvent themselves. I think that’s the main reason.
DM: How different is your new CD going to be from your last CD, “Save Me From Myself”?
Brian Welch: It’s going to be more mainstream. My first solo record was more experimental…the songs were long. It had some tripped-out sounds & stuff like that. This one is going to be more like a mainstream record. I’m getting back into playing heavy riffs. The first one didn’t have a lot of that.
DM: You recently put out a video for “Paralyzed”. Looking back on making the video, what are your thoughts on it?
Brian Welch: That was a fun video to shoot! What was cool…a lot of directors do take, after take, after take. This guy only did four takes of the big room with the whole band, & three takes each of the band members…& that was it. It was a wrap!
DM: Since you found God, how has your fan acceptance been?
Brian Welch: It’s getting better. I think the first solo record was okay, it had some decent moments…some people dug it. I don’t think a lot of people jumped on it. But the last couple weeks, “Paralyzed” got 40,000 views on YouTube – so, I think, that’s speaking for itself! More people are opening up to it, so we will see how it goes.
DM: Is your band considered a Christian rock band?
Brian Welch: I am a Christian guy, but I would prefer not to be labeled that. I’m a Christian guy playing the same metal music I have always played…singing about pain & things we all go through. People are going to say what they are going to say. Some people shut their doors on things that are labeled “Christian”. Don’t be so uptight, everybody…we are all the same.
DM: I noticed you have speaking events booked. I have also watched one on YouTube that you did not too long ago. Do you do these often?
Brian Welch: Whenever I’m not touring, I go out & speak. It’s fun for me to do…I love it! And I have this gift…I attract people that are really hurting in life. I look at them, & I tell them I was hurting too…& I got out of it. You can see hope & positive things happening in their eyes, & people tell me – “Man, you make me feel like I can do this!” For me, there is nothing better than that. It’s really cool & I love it.
DM: How do you separate your “LIVE” performance from your speaking engagements?
Brian Welch: It is just who I am inside. If I’m on stage or not, I want to connect with people however I can. My music is hard & powerful, but at the same time…I just want to tell the truth about the whole “Rockstar Thing”. It can be a trap, if you are not careful. Drugs & alcohol can really ruin lives. I have seen it ruin a lot of people & it almost ruined my life.
DM: After this tour, what are your plans…as far as getting the new album finished & touring?
Brian Welch: We are hitting the studio in November, & we will be in the studio until the album is done. We are going to be focused – nothing until April of next year, as far as travelling goes. So, we will see.
DM: Brian, thank you for your time.
Dante Martino – November, 2011
