Korn - Follow The Leader

Korn's breakthrough third album, "Follow the Leader," was released on August 18, 1998.

We'll begin with the success, proceed to the chaos, and conclude with the renowned tour...

While this album marked a breakthrough and propelled the band to immense international success, it only produced two well-known and successful tracks: "Freak On A Leash" and "Got The Life". Following two powerful albums that established Korn's path to success in the evolving Nu Metal scene and even positioned them as leaders of the genre, this album shattered barriers and elevated the band to monumental status. There was nothing particularly special or fundamentally different from the previous albums, but it represented a step up for the band. The hip-hop style is more prominently featured, with Fred Durst and Ice Cube contributing to the album. Jonathan Davis, who grew up on hip-hop and was deeply connected to the style, sought to incorporate it into the melodies, enhancing the songs. On this album, he took it further by giving a platform to Fred and Cube, while also integrating numerous hip-hop elements himself.

Unlike the prior two albums, Ross Robinson did not produce this one but was only involved in a small portion of Davis' vocal recordings. Davis mentioned that Ross was his mentor for singing, and he couldn't imagine singing without him, though Ross had some unusual working methods. He would punch Davis in the spine during singing or press his neck with his nails, which sounds quite bizarre! So after recording several songs for this album, Davis decided he had enough of this "nonsense" and chose to continue on his own.

Another advancement was with the guitars. James Shaffer (Munky) and Brian Welch (Head) decided to use all their pedals and experimented wildly with the guitar sounds. They aimed to process the guitars so that in the loud and noisy sections of the songs, they would resemble cymbals or electronic sounds, attempting to achieve the lowest or highest frequencies possible.

Given the success the record company directors anticipated, they granted the band complete creative freedom.

Overall, the band members felt they could unleash their talent (and other things) freely. They were provided with a studio and a substantial budget, replaced their producer with two others, and amidst all the parties, there were magical moments, as described by Toby Wright, one of the producers who helped create such a significant album.

(Photo: Robin Platzer)

Internet anyone?

The events surrounding the creation of this album, primarily at the NRG recording studio, were far from embarrassing and might even surpass the scenes depicted in the movie "The Dirt" about Motley Crue. There were parties, drugs, alcohol, sex, celebrities, and an array of other indulgences.

However, before delving into that, let's start with something more significant. Korn was the first band to embrace the internet and integrate live broadcasting into the album's recording process. They pioneered by allowing fans to glimpse and participate in the production process. The studio was equipped with webcams (provided by QuickTime), and each week featured a day when fans could explore the studio, witness everything in real time, and even interact with the band members. This was undoubtedly a groundbreaking move in 1996, and no one had done it before them.

Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll...

Monkey mentioned that out of the six days a week spent in the studio, they were only productive on two, with the rest of the time dedicated to various parties and celebrations. He explained that this is what happens when you give a lot of money to young people who are already struggling with alcohol and drug addictions and let them do as they please. Davis wouldn't begin singing until he had snorted a line or two of cocaine; he would then record his vocals and immediately start drinking until he passed out. According to him, during recordings, while he was singing, people were engaged in sexual activities in every corner of the studio. They hired individuals to bring men and women to the studio for parties, and at one point, Toby admitted he no longer recognized half of the people present. Hip-hop stars, porn stars, and rock stars regularly visited the studio, not to listen to the band's new work but to indulge in sex, drugs, alcohol, and partying until dawn. Steve Thompson, the second producer working with Toby, recalled that at one point, someone asked the band if they wanted to put an end to the chaos because it was impossible to work under such conditions, but they all responded with a resounding... NO!

All the band members agreed that it was an intense period, during which they managed to survive and emerge stronger as a group. Following the chaos, which led to numerous confrontations, disgust, and even hatred at times, they decided to take control of the situation. Each member underwent some form of rehab, freeing themselves from all the negativity that surrounded them.

To promote the album, the band released several singles: "All in the Family," "Got the Life," "Children of the Korn," "BBK," and notably, the latest single with the famous video "Freak On A Leash," which made a huge impact, was played non-stop on MTV, and even won a Grammy in 1999.

Besides releasing singles and music videos, the band launched one of the most renowned tours in 1998, known as the "Family Values Tour." They spearheaded the tour as the main act to promote their album and also to support lesser-known bands by taking them along. The tour featured bands like Limp Bizkit, Ice Cube, Incubus, Orgy, and Rammstein.

They chartered a private jet, which was an experience in itself, and traveled to every possible country in North America. The tour featured 27 performances, each accompanied by fan meetings, photo sessions, album signings, and similar activities. Various critics and magazines hailed this tour as groundbreaking and one of the most prominent of the time. It eventually evolved into a festival and was repeated multiple times.

In March 1999, the album and DVD from the tour were released, featuring selected songs by each band from various performances.

In addition to being groundbreaking and successful, this period marked a turning point for the band. After the album's release, all the band members began addressing their addictions to drugs and alcohol. Simultaneously, they started confronting the consequences of success and its effects on their personal lives. They underwent a challenging process of disillusionment and adjusting to a changing reality.

This album is undoubtedly a significant milestone... You can listen to it on: Spotify, Apple Music

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