Brian 'Head' Welch Hits NY Times Bestseller List with Conversion Story
After only one week, a new biography written by the former lead guitarist of Korn, Brian "Head" Welch, has become one of the top 20 books on the New York Times Bestsellers list.
Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs, and Lived to Tell My Story, released on July 7 (7/7/07), is a reflection of the ex-band member's amazing conversion story. In it, he shows how God can work inside even a hardcore rocker.
"The enthusiasm from Korn's early days was gone. I just sat there in so much dark depression," writes Welch in his new book. "How did I get here?...Why is my life such a nightmare?...It felt like I was under a curse, honestly. I was stuck. And it didn't look like I was ever going to get out."
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For more than a decade, the founder of Korn played as lead guitarist and garnered huge success in mainstream music. His CD's went platinum, he won multiple Grammys, and he obtained incredible wealth. Under that, however, the musician felt trapped.
In 2005 at a 10,000-person concert people in Bakersfield, Calif., he shocked millions of his fans around the world by telling them he had found God and that he was leaving the band.
As part of his newly released book, Welch explains the evolution of Korn and how his life ended up in so much pain. He relives his biggest problem as well: an addiction to meth that he could not break, even with the birth of his first daughter.
Only through God, was he able to kick the habit, which he says proved the Lord's true existence to him.
"I got hooked on methamphetamines the last two years I was in Korn, and I did meth everyday," explained the guitarist in an interview this month with The Christian Post. "I wanted to quit [but] I couldn't quit. I tried to quit. I went to rehab, and I just couldn't quit.
"[One night I prayed] 'Lord, if You're real … please take these drugs from me. Make them go away. Reveal Yourself to me and all that.' I think in a week or two, I got the urge to throw away all my drugs with the help of a friend. I was done."
Among the main highlights of the book, Welch reveals the untold history of Korn, what a lifestyle of touring and addiction can create, the difficulties that come with walking away from fame, and the doubts that he has had to deal with the past two years since his departure but also how his faith has created more meaning his life.
The musician hopes that the book can stir up a passion inside of its readers, both Christian and secular, and that it could especially touch those in similar situation to his past.
"So I just want people to know God. I just pray that it imparts a hunger, even Christians, to know God more. You know, deeper," the ex-Korn member told The Christian Post. "And if tons of drug addicts get set free from their drugs by the book, that's awesome."
Welch is currently on a book signing tour around the United States. He has three more cities left that he will visit: Phoenix (July 16), Los Angeles (July 17, 18), and Chicago (July 25).
He also plans on releasing a currently unnamed CD in the near future, much of which is devoted to his testimony.
