Brian Welch (born June 19, 1970 in Torrance, California), better known by his nickname, "Head," was a member of the band KoЯn, who were an influential group in the rise of the nu metal movement. Welch played rhythm and lead guitar with the act as well as provided backup vocals.
Before the formation of KoЯn, Welch was friends with James "Munky" Shaffer. The two jammed together on guitar. When Shaffer's band, L.A.P.D. ("Love and Peace, Dude"), was looking for another guitarist, he joined and the two would become one of rock's most revered guitar-tandems. Eventually, the band found a singer in Jonathan Davis, and they released their album KoЯn in 1994 which would be the first of many successful albums, including Life Is Peachy, Follow the Leader, Issues, Untouchables, and Take a Look in the Mirror
Welch's main — if not exclusive — guitar was/is an Ibanez 7-string. Most were custom made guitars built and assembled at the Ibanez LA Custom Shop. During the later days in KoЯn, he made, along with James "Munky" Shaffer, a signature series Seven String Guitar called the K7, which was distributed by Ibanez Guitars. He, with Munky, mainly used Mesa Boogie amps (specifically, a Triple Rectifier or Road King). Favored effects included the Digitech "Whammy pedal" [then known as the Digitech XP-100 Whammy Wah pedal], the Dunlop UV-1 Uni-Vibe, Boss PH-2 Super Phaser, Boss CE-5 Chorus Ensemble, Rocktron Tremolo, and the Boss RV-3 delay.
In 1998, while the band was on the prestigious Ozzfest tour, Brian and his wife Rebekkah gave birth to their first daughter, Jennea Welch. The band left the tour so that Welch could be by his then-wife's side. He and his wife have since divorced and Brian now has custody of their daughter.
On how he got his four-letter moniker, Welch says, "I got a big head... go get me any hat, and it won't fit."
On February 22, 2005, KoЯn's management announced that Welch had parted ways with the band, citing that he had "...chosen the Lord Jesus Christ as his savior, and will be dedicating his musical pursuits to that end." On March 10, 2005, Welch was baptized in the Jordan River with a group of believers hailing from Bakersfield, California. Welch has also been tattooed with the words Matthew 11:28, a verse referring to the "rest" sinners receive on conversion.
Welch is now working on his solo album.
Shake
Brian Welch Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Forget everything
You took my name out of schools
I'll take back my blessings
How can I bless the things I don't believe in?
Isn't right
Remember who's planet it is
Mine
You hate
You're fake
You take
Away from me
Lie
Don't try to
Make things right
Earthquakes
Will shake
To wake
You up again
Cry
Ask why
I don't protect your nation now
My rain is pouring down
You're welcome to drink
Just follow your heart
And try not to think
I'll relieve you from gut wrenching torture
In your soul
But first you'll have to die to yourself
You'll be so
Sorry then
You'll wish you were
Forgiven quakin
Shakin earthquakin
Buildings are crashing down
Just look around and see
If you don't get a grip you will soon be dead
The lyrics to Brian Welch's song Shake are raw and emotional, speaking to the frustration and anger that he feels towards those who have betrayed him and his beliefs. The first verse speaks to the idea of forgetting the rules and everything that society has told us to believe in. Welch is angry at those who have taken his name out of schools, indicating that he has been betrayed by those he once trusted. He believes that he can no longer bless the things that he no longer believes in.
The second verse takes on a more aggressive tone, with Welch calling out those who he sees as fake and taking away from him. He believes that these people are lying and that they cannot make things right. He warns of coming earthquakes that will shake everything up and force people to wake up to the reality of the situation. He asks why he should protect those who have betrayed him and speaks to the idea that the planet belongs to him.
The chorus of the song speaks to the power that Welch holds, claiming that his rain is pouring down and that he is welcome to drink. He encourages others to follow their hearts but to try not to think too much. He promises to relieve them from their gut-wrenching torture, but first, they will have to die to themselves.
Overall, the lyrics to Shake are intense and full of emotion. They speak to the frustration and anger that Welch feels towards those who have betrayed him and his beliefs.
Line by Line Meaning
Forget all the rules
Let go of all the societal norms and conventions
Forget everything
Abandon all pre-existing beliefs and perspectives
You took my name out of schools
You removed God from education
I'll take back my blessings
God will reclaim all the blessings that were taken away
How can I bless the things I don't believe in?
It goes against my faith to bless things I don't believe in
Isn't right
It's not morally justifiable
Remember who's planet it is
Humans are mere inhabitants of this Earth, which ultimately belongs to God
Mine
God is the rightful owner of everything, including the planet
You hate
You have feelings of deep animosity for me
You're fake
You're not genuine
You take
You're always taking from me
Away from me
Taking things from me and causing me harm
Lie
You're telling lies and deceiving me
Don't try to
It's not worth attempting to make things right
Make things right
Trying to make amends won't work
Earthquakes
Natural disasters are a warning sign
Will shake
Earthquakes will cause a reckoning
To wake
To awaken people and realize their mistakes
You up again
To remind you of the truth
Cry
To feel remorse and sadness
Ask why
To question and reflect on one's actions
I don't protect your nation now
God won't intervene to protect a nation that has turned away from him
My rain is pouring down
God's wrath is being poured out
You're welcome to drink
People are free to consume what's being given to them
Just follow your heart
Make decisions based on your own values and morals
And try not to think
Don't overanalyze, just follow blindly
I'll relieve you from gut wrenching torture
God will remove your internal suffering
In your soul
Mental and emotional pain
But first you'll have to die to yourself
You need to let go of your ego and selfishness
You'll be so
You will experience great
Sorry then
Regretful later on
You'll wish you were
You would have preferred to be
Forgiven quakin
Forgiven and no longer experiencing earthquakes
Shakin earthquakin
Shaking and experiencing earthquakes due to lack of forgiveness
Buildings are crashing down
The world around you is falling apart
Just look around and see
Take a moment to observe and reflect on the chaos
If you don't get a grip you will soon be dead
If you don't take control of your actions, you will face severe consequences
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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