Jonathan Houseman Davis
Vocals & Bagpipes
Jonathan Davis was born in Bakersfield, California on January 18th, 1971. At age 16, he got a job as an assistant coroner in the Kern County, CA, Coroners Department (also moonlighting as an undertaker at a nearby funeral home), having recently earned a degree at San Francisco's School of Mortuary Science. His nickname is HIV, as a sort of agreement with the "fagot" term that he was dubbed in high school. He does not, in fact, have AIDS or the HIV virus, although he does have the letters "H I V" tattooed on his upper left arm. He says "That tattoo has probably saved my like. You know in situation when passion and lust take over your brain…I take a look at that tattoo and I remember that the virus is out there and you never know who's got it." On his upper right arm is a tattoo of a crazed bishop ripping up his skin: "The bishop is a symbol of atrocities that religion is making. He is ripping up my skin to reveal Christ. It is more of a symbol of how corrupt religion is. I do not believe in any of it because of stuff like televangilism. Do you really think all the money goes to charity?" Jonathan married Renee Perez in late November 1998. They have one son, Nathaniel Houseman Davis, who was born on October 18th, 1995. He had (astrologically) been expecting a baby girls, but at delivery Jonathan was only slightly surprised to see, as he put it, "pink balls," and he had to come away from the girls name Salaam Dementia. Jonathan is into Duran Duran, claiming them to be glam. But they don't sell out, but on the tour bus the band is known to listen to LL Cool J and Black sheep. In fact, in concert, during the version of Predictable called 'Predick,' they do part of a Black Sheep song called "You Mean I'm Not?" They also do a version of "It Takes Two", by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock, during live performances of Ball Tongue.
David Randall Silveria
Drums
Born: September 21, 1972
Marital Status: Married Family Wife: Shannon Bellino
Son: David Jnr David Silveria was born in Bakersfield, California, on September 21st and daughter born in Huntington Beach, California on July 27th, 1999.
David grew up in Bakersfield, where he learned how to play drums at the age of 9. "I think one of the reasons music became such an obsession for everyone in the band is that there just wasn't a whole lot to do where we lived." James, Brian and Fieldy were looking for a drummer for their band. Fieldy says "I get a message on my answer machine from this kid. Davids like fuckin 13... 'hey you guys looking for a drummer'. So we called him up, tried him out...he was fuckin good man" "David was like, so young, he used to have to get his mom to drop him off at practice" says Munky. "They called me up. And I loaded up my drum kit into the car, and took it down to the studio, and it's been there ever since" says David. David married Shannon Bellino in April, 1997, and tattooed her first name on his back. They have a son, David Jr., born on August 22, 1997. David supposedly has a penis fetish and usually when he signs things he makes a penis somewhere on it. Along with the aforementioned tattoo of his wife's name, David has three more tattoos: a cheshire cat, a guy sticking out his tongue that has a drum stick through it, and the Korn logo. He is described as the shy member of the band. When Jonathan Davis was asked about signatures from David he said: "He doesn't do that shit. He's shy. He like hides." David has a lucrative side job as a model. He has already completed a modelling assignment for skatepunk clothing company 26 Red. He proved such a hit that 26 Red's biggest rivals, Grind, have now also contracted Silveria to do a series of ads for them. Of Jonathans lyrics David says "Personally, I didn't have a bad childhood, but I can relate as far as I've heard other stories and seen so many things that happen. And every time you turn on the TV, you hear the awful things that happen to children. I understand it all even though I didn't have a bad childhood. Some of the other issues...I understand, but he writes a lot about fighting with your own personal insides. I don't really have things like that going on in my head. I'm pretty at ease with myself and with my life." Of David's influences he says "There's music that I like to listen to, but when it comes to writing our music, I don't really get influenced by anyone else's music. I get influenced as we write our music. The part comes up and it influences me to think a certain way about the part and about how to go about writing to it." David's favorite song is B.B.K. When asked what 5 albums he'd like to be stranded on an island with he says "I'd say Filter's "Shortbus," Blondie's "Greatest Hits," Orgy's "Candyass," I guess our new record. Gotta be honest. Um...let me think. Probably Helmet's "Meantime." And Weezer's first album."
Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu
Bass
Nickname: Fieldy
Born: November 2, 1969
Marital Status: Married
Family: Wife: Shela Arvizu Daughter: Serena Rae Daughter: Olivia
"My sound is more like a drummer. I'm a percussion-sounding bass player. A lot of times people think that what they're hearing is drums and it's actually in the bass. For instance, when Les Claypool (of Primus) heard some of the new stuff, like "B.B.K.," he said, "That's a pretty cool double kick!" And it wasn't, it was my bass. On the business side of KORN, I do all the T-shirt designs for KORN, all the merchandise, like the hats and stickers. All the merchandise you see. That's all me. I think everybody could do it. I think everybody's just lazy. So I end up being the one that does it all. I come up with a bunch of designs, show them to the band. They either approve or disapprove." The only thing that inspires me is hip-hop--all west-coast hip-hop. Not that I favor west-coast or east-cost, but that's just what seems to inspire me. Just the beats and the style. Fieldy is known for his alcohol related antics. For instance, on a photo shoot, a bucket had to be found in case he threw up. Q: What do you like about touring clubs? A: The free beer. At the end of May, 1998, Fieldy married his girlfriend, Shela. They have two daughters, Sarina Rae, born on September 30th, 1997, recently had another baby girl. When he was asked about his nickname, he said: "When I was younger, I had these fucking chipmunk cheeks, right... so they called me 'Gopher', and then it became 'Garf'. Then they started callin' me 'Garfield'. Then it became 'Fieldy'." On the album, his name is Fieldy Snuts. (get it, feel deez nuts) When asked whether the fans ever become annoying, asking for autographs etc, Fieldy says "think of your favorite band when you were a kid, and they were all like..get away from me.. you'd be crushed". Fieldy's favorite song is Freak on a Leash. When asked what 5 albums he'd like to be stranded on an island with he says "The new KORN record, of course. Chris Rock's live comedy album. The biggest old school hip-hop compilation you could get. So I could have a variety of a bunch of shit. Psycho Realm. And Erykah Badu Live." Fieldy is currently writing and producing his own hip-hop album called "Fieldy's Dreams", on which he will play all the instruments on.
Brian "Head" Welch
Guitar
Nickname: Head
Born: June 19, 1970
Marital Status: Married Family Wife: Rebekkah Welch Daughter: Jennea Marie Welch
Brian and Munky went to the same school where Brian showed Munky how to play a few songs. They were friends up through high school, and had a friendly sort of competition with each other. Brian would go to Munky's house and jam. If Munky would learn some new material, Brian would be like, "Damn I got to practice!". Later, Munky joined LAPD, while Brian would just sit around drinking their beer. LAPD decided that they needed a second guitar for when they toured, so Brian went on tour with them. Brian and Munky have been playing together for more than two thirds of their lives. Brian's wife is Rebekkah, who recently gave birth to their daughter Jennea Marie, on July 6, 1998. As a result of the birth, Korn had to drop out of the 1998 OzzFest in Europe. Brian would not travel overseas and be away from his wife at such a crucial time, and the rest of Korn were set in the fact that they would not use any replacement musicians in any situation if one of them couldn't be on hand due to an extenuating circumstance. When asked how he got the nickname "Head", Brian said: "...Because I got a big head... Go get me any hat, and it won't fit."
James "Munky" Shaffer
Guitar
Nickname: Munky
Born: June 6, 1970
Marital Status: Single
Munky began his musical career after an accident with his three-wheeler which severed the top of his left index finger. One night while sneaking out to a party and pushing his bike the chain slipped off. He slapped his hand on it so it wouldn't make a noise but his finger got caught and cut the top off. "The doctor's like..you got to rehabilitate your finger somehow, like take up a musical instrument. And I said..how about guitar..he goes, that's perfect" Before joining Korn Munky was in a band named LAPD with Head, David and Fieldy. "Brian (Head) said..oh I know this guy from my highschool, so they called me up, and they're like, do you want to come and try out for our band, it wasn't that I could play, it was that I had long hair" says Munky. "I sat down, Brian showed me the songs, and then that's how we all just started playing together". On stage Munky is more than often seen wearing a pair of old overalls. "I wanted to wear something on stage that was like kinda trashy, dirty, you know, because when I'm up there I feel like...sick" says Munky. "Really what it is, it's like that person I don't like in me, all the things I hate about myself, that's who I am up there". Munky now sports a spanking clean pair of white overalls with black X's down the chest. Munky earned his nickname from his feet. "My feet. I'd spread 'em out and everyone said they look like hands, like monkey hands."