Ex-Korn Guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch Talks Touring with a 17-Year-Old

2012-04-26

Story by Anne Erickson

Brian ‘Head’ Welch is prepping to tour with P.O.D. and RED

Former Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch famously left the nu-metal band after finding Christ years ago, and Welch’s debut album as a solo artist, “Save Me from Myself,” followed in 2008. Since then, Welch has shaped a solid lineup of musicians to help make his musical vision come to life, and these days, Welch has a new band in toe, Love and Death.

Love and Death released a five song EP called “Chemicals” this week, and they’re prepping for a mega tour that kicks off April 30 with fellow Christian rockers P.O.D. and RED. Expect a full album to drop later this year.

When Love and Death go out on tour this spring, fans will notice that one band member looks a little younger than the rest. Actually, a lot younger. JR Bareis, the band’s guitar player, is only 17! As the story goes, Bareis — who Welch calls “a little guitar prodigy” — joined the band when he was just 15 years old.

“ …Last year we lost another guitar player because his wife’s having a baby,” Welch explained to AOL’s Noisecreep. “It was two weeks before a tour and I’m like, ‘What am I gonna do now?’ and randomly our tour manager found this video of this guitar player who was trying out for TSK, Thousand Foot Krutch.

“So we called him and said, ‘We don’t know if you’re going to get this Thousand Foot Krutch gig, but we need a guitar player for this tour. Can you go?’ He like, ‘Okay. I’m 15.’ [Laughs] In the video, he looked 20 because he could play really good; he was moving his hands all crazy and it looked like he’d been on the road before… I got one year with him being underage. I can legally ground him if he messes up the show. [Laughs]” Find a list of Love and Death’s tour dates on the band’s official website.

 




Anne Erickson
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