Korn frontman Jonathan Davis took some time to reflect on the rise of the nü-metal genre which they initially helped to pioneer and popularize. In a newly published feature over at Teamrock.com, the following exchange took place:
“You often were lumped in with nu metal though, did you resent that?
“When the first record came out in 1994 no one knew where to stick us. We did tours with No Doubt and Pennywise and then Sick of It All, all types of music. Then the scene broke open and all these bands came and it over saturated everything.”
Was there rivalry between bands in the nu metal scene?
“No, it was a tight knit family. Everybody helped everybody out. I don’t see that much these days, it’s more of a competition kind of thing.”
Could you believe how big nu metal became so quickly?
“That freaked us all out. Once Follow The Leader came out and we did the Family Values tour all of us went a little crazy because all of our freedom was taken away. We were a band that was used to going out in the crowd and having a drink with our fans and we’d have parties after shows with them. Overnight with that album that was taken away. We had to have bodyguards and all that shit. That time was crazy for us and it took us about six months just to adjust. It was scary.”
Today nu metal is making a big comeback, why do you think that is?
“I think people missed musicianship, good songs, melodies, all of the stuff that we do. I sure the fuck miss it. Why do you think we still listen to Led Zeppelin and the classics? It’s because that shit is good and good music is good music, it doesn’t matter what genre you’re in to. I think it’s a bunch of kids rediscovering that time and realising that shit was kinda cool.”
There’s a lot more to be read from Davis in the feature from the band’s early days to how he unconventionally kicked drugs and more. You can read it all at Teamrock.com. Korn will have their new album “The Serenity Of Suffering” in stores next Friday, October 21st.
