Brian “Head” Welch came into fame as the guitar leader of alternative metal band Korn-- a role that earned him six Grammy nominations and album sales in the tens of millions. That all came to a screeching halt in 2005, though, when Welch’s addiction to crystal meth got the best of him, and he stepped away from Korn -- permanently -- to regain control of his life and connect with a Higher Power.

Now, Welsh is knee-deep in his solo project, and he's teaming up with RED songwriter and former guitarist Jason Rauch on some upcoming tracks.

“We're writing together and hopefully we're going to have something out definitely before next spring or I'm going to lose my mind,” Welch told the Appleton Post Crescent. “It's like three years since my album came out. I need to move forward.”

Welsh went onto talk about the turbulent period after leaving Korn and how his departure shocked fans.

“…I made it worse. I grew my beard out, and then I got offered a ticket to go to Jerusalem to get baptized in the Jordan River… so I was in a white robe in a beard and there were pictures of it,” he said. “Everyone was laughing; is this a joke? Is this a thing [Korn] is doing for publicity? But it was real for me. I had real tears and real life-changing things were happening to me…

“It's not about getting all squeaky clean and being all religious on the outside. It's all about your heart on the inside. The true change comes from within… God connects with your heart.”

Ultimately, he hopes to impact the youth today through his story, music and faith in Christ.

“…I'm glad to share my story that the fame and the rock star stuff it's not what people think. It ruined people's lives and more in the Korn camp,” he said. “…Call it fun, but at the end of the day, your life's ruined. I want to spread that message to everyone.”

Watch RED Perform 'Fight Inside' and 'Death of Me' with Brian 'Head' Welch

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