Interview a Rock Star

When I volunteered myself to interview Brian "Head" Welch of the hardcore band Korn and brought home his book, I think my roommates were a bit confused. A book with a very frightening portrait of a tattooed, dread-locked Brian was just chilling on our kitchen table.

Let's just say it was a conversation piece, and for 2 days we discussed the impending interview. I was a bit spooked when his publicist asked if I'd like to conduct an interview in the hotel or at the office. I was quick to suggest the office.

His book -- a memoir of how this meth-addict, violent, Grammy-winning lead guitarist encountered God and became a new man -- was gripping. I read about a very un-glamourous side of the hardcore scene, and how he popped pills and meth like candy. Then there was the near-abortion with his girlfriend's baby, but the moment they ultimately decided to give the baby up for adoption. The account of the day in the delivery room, when they handed over their wrinkly, red-skinned firstborn forever, gutted me.

But I was curious about this guy. His book seemed authentic enough, but was this conversion 2 years ago just a publicity stunt?

I found that out in our hour-long conversation yesterday.

During our interview, Brian fidgeted the way a recovered addict sometimes does. He occasionally lost his train of thought. But he looked me in the eye, and when I asked what it was like to be a Christian, this emotion just welled up. He raised his voice to tell me, in a voice halting with sincerity, that it was the most difficult and incredible thing he's ever experienced.

Brian lived the coveted rock star life, but what I got out of this was that it was all rubbish compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus. I mean, the day he was saved, any temptation to do meth vanished into thin air. He's been clean ever since. Wow.

At the end of the interview, Brian was all energetic and told me that all his interviewers seemed to ask the same questions, but I asked some better ones. That was cool.

I really hope Brian will be able to touch lives with his testimony and this book that he wrote. It's got to be hard to be this "saved celebrity" because people are mockers.

But I think he will.