It May Be Korn’s Season

Jonathan Davis is a man on a mission. Beyond the usual motivations for being a musician, he and his compadres in Korn have a greater goal in mind--nothing less than the rejuvenation of rock.

A daunting task to be sure, but when the Huntington Beach-via-Bakersfield quintet began its quest four years ago, it was armed to meet the challenge.

Inspired by such groups as Nirvana and Metallica, which had broken out of the underground and through genre barriers with their music, Korn pushed the boundaries even further, cultivating a powerful blend of rock that cut with a roughshod punk edge and rumbled with hip-hop and funk grooves.

It was a risky mixture that would either draw fans of many stripes together or alienate everyone. But Korn had absolute faith that people would respond to it.

“We had the cards stacked against us when our first album came out, with this kind of music,” says Davis. Contrary to his ominous stage presence, at close range the 27-year-old singer exudes a disarmingly scruffy charm.

“Everybody was scared of it. . . . So from the start we were fighting that battle, and the record label knew they were gonna have to invest in us and put us on the road ‘cause that’s the only way we were gonna get out there: by constant touring.”

It was a strategy that ultimately paid off. With only marginal radio support, no MTV buzz and spotty press coverage, Korn racked up two million-selling albums, their self-titled debut and 1996’s “Life Is Peachy.” There were also two Grammy nominations and a growing legion of fans who are lifting the band out of the underground and into more mainstream success. It’s been a long time coming, but no one in the Korn camp ever doubted it would happen.

Jeff Kwatinetz, one of Korn’s managers, feels the slow road to the top was a blessing. Too many bands on the fast track end up crashing and burning because they haven’t invested the time and effort to lay the groundwork for a long-term career.

“The greatest bands of all time were considered extreme or on-the-fringe in the beginning,” he notes. “Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and on and on. There are no expectations on people in the beginning and certainly with Korn, the expectations were low. And that gave them the freedom and the space to really develop properly.”

Korn’s roots go back to Bakersfield, where drummer David Silveria, bassist Reggie “Fieldy” Arvizu and guitarist James “Munky” Shaffer were in band called LAPD. They relocated to Burbank in 1990, made an EP and an album for Triple X Records, then moved to Huntington Beach and became Creep.

The lineup solidified when Brian “Head” Welch signed on, filling out the crunching guitar attack, and the group discovered the dynamic Davis fronting a quasi-grunge act called Sex Art back in Bakersfield.

With all the pieces in place, Korn signed with the Epic-distributed Immortal Records and released “Korn”--a shuddering, hulking collection of songs that burrowed straight to the heart of issues such as child abuse and alienation.

After nearly two years of constant touring, Korn unleashed its second effort, “Life Is Peachy,” Though it didn’t pack any less musical muscle than “Korn,” it represented something of a holding pattern.

Korn’s third album, “Follow the Leader,” which will be released this week, looks to be the one that will charm its way on to radio play lists. Working with a new producer (Steve Thompson, known for his work with Blues Traveler, Butt-hole Surfers and Guns N’ Roses), Korn pulled off the tricky task of pushing its sound in a new direction without compromising its signature style. (See review on Page 70.)

“We spent more time trying things,” explains drummer Silveria. “A lot more time. The last record--no one was really happy with it. We knew we needed to go to another level. We definitely were more experimental. We tried to work every song in every direction we could think of. . . .”

Adding spice to the album’s atmosphere is a hefty guest list, including Ice Cube, the Pharcyde’s Tre and Limp Bizkit’s Fred Durst. Cheech Marin joins the band for an update of Cheech & Chong’s “Earache My Eye.”

More startling is the distinct pop feel that crops up now and again, notably on the first single, “Got the Life”--a product of Davis’ persistent penchant for ‘80s new wave such as Depeche Mode and early Ministry.

In the week following its radio release, “Got the Life” became the most added track at both rock and alternative radio nationwide. Locally, KROQ started playing the single several days earlier and it has remained one of the most requested tracks ever since.

“It comes down to the song, and this song appeals to more than just the average Korn fan,” says KROQ’s Zeke Piestrup. “That’s why they’re going to be large. I don’t think anyone will think they’re compromising their sound, ‘cause they’re still a really loud band. It’s just that under the surface they’re hiding melody now.”

Having spent almost an entire year off the road, Korn is raring to resume touring, and when it does in September, it will be headlining its own package tour. In the works for over two years, the Family Values Tour is more than just a jibe at a right-wing pet phrase. It reflects the philosophy that’s gotten Korn where it is.

The artists slated to play--Ice Cube, Limp Bizkit, German hard-rock band Rammstein (replacing Rob Zombie, who signed off the tour in a noisy public spat after disagreements about staging) and Orgy (friends from Korn’s Bakersfield days who recently signed with Elementree, the Reprise-distributed label that Korn founded this year)--weren’t chosen simply for marquee clout, but because they, like the fans who are expected to turn out, are considered part of the Korn family.

As pleased as he is with Korn’s accomplishments, in Davis’ mind the band still has lots of ground to cover.

“We’re trying to break our scene open, and it’s still not there,” he says. “When most people embrace it, and we’ve made our point, then we’ll maintain it as long as we can. Like what Metallica did, basically. Just stay there and build on what we are.”

Sandy Masuo writes about pop music for Calendar.