KORN's MUNKY: 'We Still Get To Create And Reinvent Ourselves On Each Album'

Jason Rockman, SLAVES ON DOPE singer and on-air announcer on the Montreal, Quebec, Canada radio station CHOM 97 7, conducted an interview with KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer at this past weekend's Heavy Montreal festival in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. You can now watch the chat below.

Speaking about KORN's influence on the heavy music scene of the past couple of decades, Shaffer said: "When we're doing festivals like this and I have other bands, or other musicians, come up to me and say, 'You had a big influence on me playing guitar,' or, 'You had an influence on our direction,' or whatever, then it starts to be, 'Wow, that's really cool.' Then you start to realize the impact that you made, and [you feel] the gratitude, because we still get to do it — we still get to create and reinvent ourselves on each album. But it's still a challenge, man. And then now, with the record industry changing, you're trying to find new avenues to discover new music from bands. Even [for] established bands, it's tough."

KORN guitarist Brian "Head" Welch said in a new interview on "You Don't Know Jack" that material the band is writing for its 12th album is "heavier than anyone's heard KORN in a long time." He added, "We're really pleased with what's going on. We just want everyone to be happy with the album. We want everybody to be smiling at the end of the process, so we do have other things to consider. But, yeah, we're gonna come out heavier than anyone's heard KORN in a long time, I think. And just the beginning stages are proof of that to me."

Welch was asked if some recent performances of KORN's 1994 self-titled debut in its entirety had led the band back to a heavier sound. He replied, "I think it's helped being on the SLIPKNOT tour last year and seeing the crowd and just seeing Jonathan [Davis, singer] lead the arena in all the arenas we played. I think it sparked and reminded everybody in the band what KORN started out to be."

KORN has booked a fall North American tour on which the band will perform its debut album in its entirety at every stop. The trek kicks off on October 1 in Chicago, winding down a month later on October 30 in Oakland.