BRIAN 'HEAD' WELCH: 'If I Ever Felt God Lead Me Back To KORN For Some Reason, I'd Go'

Former KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch has told Noisecreep that he is fully happy with his decision to leave the band in 2005 and has not considered a return to the group that made him famous. "If I ever felt God lead me back to KORN for some reason, I'd go," he said.

Welch will launch the first solo U.S. tour this month in support of his debut album, "Save Me From Myself", which was released September 9 on his Driven Music Group label. Later this summer, Welch will appear on the main stage at the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnell, Illinois on July 2, and in Las Vegas at the 20,000-seat Thomas & Mack Arena in August (exact date and billing to be announced May 1). More tour dates will be announced in the coming weeks.

Welch's backing band will consist of the following musicians:

Scott Von Heldt (guitar)
Ralph Patlan (guitar)
Michael Valentine (bass)
Dan Johnson (drums)
Brian Ruedy (keyboards/programming)

Head is very excited about hitting the tour circuit again. "I did my first show in Phoenix last weekend and it was nuts," he told Noisecreep. "Besides the normal crowd, the promoter bused in a bunch of drug-addicted kids that lived on the streets and you could see them change right before your eyes. They were jumping up and down. At the end of the show, we all shouted together like an army, 'Jesus Christ, change me. Make me a new person.'"

Head also shared the story of overcoming drug addiction with the crowd before launching into the title track. "That was emotional and there were a lot of tears," he recalled. "Overall, it's a very draining experience, with kids jumping up and down, sweating, crying, hugging and screaming for change. It's like a huge heavy metal party with God."

"Save Me From Myself" sold 7,800 copies in the United States in its first week of release to debut at position No. 63 on The Billboard 200 chart. The CD was released on September 9 through Driven Music Group (distribution by Ryko/Warner Music Group),the label Welch co-founded with music execs Greg Shanaberger and Mark Nawara.

"Save Me From Myself" was produced by Head, who recorded the music off and on for the past two years in Phoenix, Arizona. It features renowned musicians Tony Levin (PETER GABRIEL, DAVID BOWIE) and Josh Freese (A PERFECT CIRCLE, NINE INCH NAILS),and was mixed by Ralph Patlan and Bob Clearmountain. It's a testimony of Head's life as he battled with drug addiction and leaving KORN, and finding spirituality.