List of Korn band members

Korn is a nu metal band from Bakersfield, California, formed in 1993 by Jonathan Davis, James Shaffer, Brian Welch, Reginald Arvizu and David Silveria. With the exception of a brief departure of drummer David Silveria due to a wrist injury the band had always performed and recorded with its original five members. After the departure of guitarist Brian Welch the band formed a back-up band to replace Welch's guitar playing and later Silveria's drumming after his departure in 2006. The band has also brought in other instruments that previously hadn't been used by the band such as keyboards and various percussion instruments and backing vocalists. Currently, the only original member not part of the current line-up of the band is Silveria.

Official band members

Current

Jonathan Davis

Active: 1993-present

Instruments: lead vocals

Release contributions: all Korn releases

Davis was recruited from the fellow local band Sexart by the rest of the original band members to join the band which was named briefly Creep. After Davis joined the band the group quickly changed their name to Korn.^[1]

James "Munky" Shaffer

Active: 1993-present

Instruments: rhythm guitar, backing vocals

Release contributions: all Korn releases

Shaffer was one of four members of the band who previously played with L.A.P.D.. Since Brian Welch's departure from the band in 2005 Shaffer is the only official guitarist of the band while all other guitarists that have played with the band have been members of the back-up band. In 2008 Shaffer left the band temporarily to spend time with his ill father.

Brian "Head" Welch

Active: 1993-2005, 2013-present

Instruments: lead guitar, backing vocals

Release contributions: all Korn releases from their self-titled (1994) to Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 (2004). And on the release of the new album The Paradigm Shift (2013)

Welch was the only of the original members to leave the band after converting to Christianity and choosing "Lord Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end".^[2] In May 2012, Head performed "Blind" with Korn, the first time he played with the band in over 7 years. In 2013, Head was announced to perform a number of shows with Korn, and was later confirmed to be back in the band.

Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu

Active: 1993-present

Instruments: bass^[3]

Release contributions: all Korn releases

Arvizu played in a number of different bands with high school friends Brian Welch, James Shaffer, Ty, and David Silveria including L.A.P.D., however due to vocalist Richard Morrill's drug addiction the band fell apart in the early nineties, and the remaining members recruited Davis as their new lead vocalist. In 2012, Mudvayne bassist Ryan Martinie filled in for Fieldy at several Korn dates as Fieldy spent time with his wife who had given birth to their third child.

Ray Luzier

Active: 2007-present

Instrument: drums, percussion

Release contributions: "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" (2008), Korn III: Remember Who You Are (2010), The Path of Totality (2011), The Paradigm Shift (2013).

Luzier reportedly flew to Seattle to audition for Korn with Munky and Fieldy. When told to learn only five of their songs, Luzier learned thirty. Not only did he perfect their studio versions of each song, but the live as well. After an audition such as this, the band immediately invited Ray to join the band. Luzier played his first show with Korn on January 13, 2008 in Dublin, Ireland.

Former

David Silveria

Active: 1993-2006

Instruments: drums, percussion

Release contributions: all Korn releases from their self-titled (1994) to See You on the Other Side (2005).

In early December 2006 Silveria announced his indefinite “hiatus" from Korn, the band recruited several drummers to record the band's eighth studio album and to tour in support of it. It was later revealed that Silveria would most likely not be playing with Korn in the future.^[4] From 2012 until 2015, Silveria played drums for the experimental rock band INFINIKA.

Back-up band

Former

Zac Baird

Active: 2006-2016

Instruments: keyboard, synthesizers, backing vocals, samples

Release contributions: all from MTV Unplugged: Korn (2007) to "Kidnap the Sandy Claws" (2008), The Path of Totality Tour – Live at the Hollywood Palladium (2012), The Serenity of Suffering (2016)

Baird joined after the release of See You on the Other Side to play the keyboard parts from the album and to add keyboard parts to older songs. In late 2006 Baird played piano with the band during an unplugged concert with the band. In 2007 Baird entered the studio to record keyboard and piano parts to give the band's eighth studio album a more atmospheric and dark sound.^[5] Beside his work with Korn Baird has also worked with Jonathan Davis and the SFA^[6] as well as Shaffer's Fear and the Nervous System.^[7]

Abel Vallejo

Active: 2015

Instruments: drums

Release contributions: None.

Abel filled in for Ray for one show

JR Bareis

Active: 2014

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: None.

Bareis, Head's guitar tech and lead guitarist in Love and Death, filled in on Korn's 2014 tour of Russia with Soulfly in May and June after Head was hospitalised with a kidney stone.^[8] Bareis also plays in Islander.

Wesley Geer

Active: 2010-2013

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: The Path of Totality Tour - Live At The Hollywood Palladium

Geer joined the band as a touring guitarist after Shane Gibson's departure, and departed after original guitarist Brian "Head" Welch rejoined permanently.

Mike Bordin

Active: 2000-2001

Instruments: drums

Release contributions: none.

Bordin was the first person besides the founding members to perform with Korn when he temporarily replaced David Silveria who had suffered a wrist injury during the 2000 Sic and Twisted tour. Bordin played with remainder of the tour and departed from the band in 2001 after Silveria's wrist had recovered.

Rob Patterson

Active: 2005-2007, 2008

Instruments: guitar, backing vocals

Release contributions: MTV Unplugged: Korn (2007).

Patterson joined the band in 2005 to replace original guitarist Brian Welch in concerts, after performing with the band unplugged concert Patterson was fired after a personal fallout with James "Munky" Shaffer. Patterson briefly rejoined the band again in 2008 during the European leg of the tour when Munky was forced to return to America because his father had fallen ill.

Michael Jochum

Active: 2006-2007

Instruments: percussion, drums

Release contributions: MTV Unplugged: Korn (2007).

Jochum joined the band in 2006 as the bands percussionist during the See You on the Other Side and the 2006 Family Values Tour, during the bands unplugged concert Jochum played drums due to Silveria's hiatus. Jochum has also been touring and recording with Jonathan Davis and the SFA up until recently.

Kalen Chase

Active: 2006-2008

Instruments: thrash percussion, backing vocals

Release contributions: MTV Unplugged: Korn (2007).

Chase joined the band primarily as the bands backing vocalist for the 2006 See You on the Other Side tour but have also played a variety of different percussive instruments. In a blog post on MySpace, Kalen mentions he took time off from Korn to focus on his band called the Changing, which hints that he might be coming back to Korn's back up band in the future. He also formed Sexual Gyrations of the Universe along with Jonathan Davis, however it is currently unknown if anything from this project will be released to the public.^[9]

Christian Olde Wolbers

Active: 2006

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: none.

Longtime friend Christian played three shows with Korn to start the tour in Europe, but Patterson later replaced him at that position.^[10]

Terry Bozzio

Active: 2007

Instruments: drums

Release contributions: Untitled (2007).

Bozzio joined the band in 2007 during the recording sessions for their eighth studio album to stand in for original drummer David Silveria. After only recording six tracks for the album Bozzio departed and Jonathan Davis announced that Bozzio would not tour with the band as planned. James Shaffer later revealed that Bozzio had imposed himself on the band, demanding to be a full member of the band while receiving 25% interest, which the rest of the band felt was offensive.

Brooks Wackerman

Active: 2007

Instruments: drums

Release contributions: Untitled (2007).

Wackerman was called in to finish the recording of the untitled album after Bozzio's departure, after recording four songs that made it onto the album Wackerman was forced to leave due to his commitments with Bad Religion.

Clint Lowery

Active: 2007

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: none.

Lowery joined the band to tour in support of the untitled album in 2007 and stayed on tour for eight months before being forced to leave due to a family emergency, Lowery later rejoined his previous band Sevendust.

Joey Jordison

Active: 2007

Instruments: drums

Release contributions: none.

Jordison joined the band to tour European Festivals, Family Values and the first leg of the Bitch We Have a Problem Tour in 2007.^[11] At the end of 2007 Jordison returned to record All Hope is Gone with Slipknot.

Shane Gibson

Active: 2007-2010

Instruments: guitar

Release contributions: Korn Live: The Encounter.

Gibson was recruited to replace Clint Lowery who had to leave the back-up band one month early due to a family emergency, which left Gibson with less than one day to learn all the songs in the band's setlist.^[12] Gibson has also been playing guitar for Jonathan Davis solo project Jonathan Davis and the SFA^[13] until his death in 2014.

Morgan Rose

Active: 2011

Instruments: drums

Release contributions: none.

Rose was recruited to replace Ray Luzier pulled double duty on the last few shows of the first leg of the Music As A Weapon V tour, sitting behind the kit for co-headliners Korn while Ray Luzier, goes home for the birth of his new baby.^[14]

Ryan Martinie

Active: 2012

Instruments: bass

Release contributions: none.

Timeline

See also

References

1. ↑ Korn - Who Then Now? Retrieved: 2009-04-03
2. ↑ "Brian 'Head' Welch Leaves Korn, Citing Moral Objections To Band's Music". MTV. 2005-02-22. Retrieved 2007-10-03. 
3. ↑ YouTube.com
4. ↑ Bandit.se Jonathan Davis interview Retrieved: 2009-04-03
5. ↑ Korn Goes Experimental, Vents Anger On New Album Billboard.com Retrieved: 2009-04-03
6. ↑ Jonathan Davis and the SFA MySpace Retrieved: 2009-04-03
7. ↑ "Korn Guitarist Launches Fear and the Nervous System Project". Retrieved 2008-03-05. 
8. ↑ "KORN'S HEAD IN HOSPITAL". Retrieved 2014-05-21. 
9. ↑ Jonathan Davis and the SFA Webcast Retrieved: 2009-04-03
10. ↑ http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/guitarist-patterson-back-with-korn-after-stint-by-fear-factory-s-olde-wolbers/#1mAGFCUwv4p6tJwb.99
11. ↑ "For The Record: Quick News On Nelly Furtado, Lindsay Lohan, Sanjaya, Korn, Ciara, DJ Drama & More". MTV. 2007-04-20. Retrieved 2005-07-22. 
12. ↑ Loc Dog Show - Episode 39 Kush TV Retrieved: 2009-04-03
13. ↑ ShaneGuitar.com - Main page Retrieved: 2009-04-03
14. ↑ http://rev967.com/sevendust-drummer-playing-with-korn/