 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fieldy
Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn
(Harper Collins)
Okay, okay…maybe I’ve said this before, but when acclaimed Korn guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch announced his conversion to Christianity and his subsequent departure from the chart-topping group, many wondered what the future would hold. Who would replace Welch? An established, well-regarded veteran? A naïve, easily-molded ‘…newcomer…’? Fortunately, it wouldn’t take long for the notoriously prolific act to again persevere, releasing 2005’s See You On The Other Side and 2007’s MTV Unplugged and Untitled in rapid-fire succession, once again exemplifying their trademark resilience. Now, four improbably long years later, bassist Reginald ‘Fieldy’ Arvizu adds yet another curious chapter to the quartet’s exhaustive chronology with the release of the awkwardly-titled opus Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn.
On the stellar Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn (2009; MSRP: $34.99; Ages: 18 And Up), an expertly assembled 288 page emotionally-charged journey that encompasses nearly every aspect of Arvizu’s oft-tumultuous life and career. Wasting little--if any--time submerging all parties involved amid a mind-boggling array of frequently sordid recollections, the proverbial average reader is afforded the delightfully rare opportunity to vicariously relive the author’s troubled past (most notably the abusive, alcoholism-fueled relationship with his now-deceased father). Quickly ‘…shifting gears…’ without, believe it or not, avoiding any of the understandably difficult subject matters at hand, Arvizu eagerly details the group’s various early financial and logistical tribulations with what can only be described as a very well-rehearsed ease.
Offering an arguably previously unimaginable foray into the ‘…interworkings…’ of a multi-Platinum group operating amid an obvious creative and commercial peak, the author leaves precious little to the imagination, thus projecting what is, without a doubt, the most accurate and compelling portrait of the group to date. Gritty and realistic without mindlessly bludgeoning the reader with unrealistic tales of excess, even the most seasoned bookworms will surely find themselves voraciously consuming everything in their wake. Most definitely not for the faint of heart or weak of constitution (or, for that matter, those without a insatiable appetite for all thing Rock ‘n’ Roll and Rock ‘n’ Roll-related), Arvizu continues to wax nostalgic whilst profusely apologizing for a bevy of past sins, a much-welcomed characteristic that only adds to the book’s overall charm.
With New York Times Bestselling co-author Laura Morton (A Passion For Parties, Danica--Crossing The Line and Burning Up: On Tour With The Jonas Brothers, to name only a few) effectively ‘…channeling…’ Arvizu’s occasionally detail-deprived recollection(s) into a cohesive, easily-digestible tome, the end result, as you may have already guessed, is ultimately as informative as it is thoroughly enjoyable. An absolute must-have for any genuine and sincere Korn fanatic, what truly separates Got The Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn from its few would-be contemporaries is Arvizu’s seemingly unparalleled penchant for brutal and unflinching honesty. Undoubtedly seeking atonement for a lifetime of exceedingly heinous atrocities, the author is finally granted absolution only after wholeheartedly ‘embracing’ both faith and sobriety.
So what’s really wrong? Absolutely nothing. While certainly not ‘on par’ with the undeniably ingenious 2007 effort that was Welch’s Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs And Lived To Tell My Story, the majority--if not all--of the decidedly debauchery-laden wares contained herein deftly chronicles the groundbreaking bassist’s dizzying ascent to international recognition and the disturbingly, equally meteoric downward spiral that accompanied it. As a result, if you’ve once again found yourself in search of a refreshingly insightful alternative to the veritable wealth of painfully bloated, ‘…tell-all…’ autobiographies that are so often force fed en mass (anyone remember Chuck Klostermann's Fargo Rock City?), then this, my friends, might just be the high octane cure for what ails you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
Select Discography
Got The Life: My Journey Of Addiction, Faith, Recovery And Korn (2009) ***
Untitled (2007) *
MTV Unplugged (2007) *
Live On The Other Side (DVD) (2006) *
Chopped, Screwed, Live And Unglued (2006) *
Live And Rare (2006) *
See You On The Other Side (2005) *
Greatest Hits, Volume 1 (2004) *
Take A Look In The Mirror (2003) *
Rock ‘n’ Roll Gangster (2002) **
Deuce (DVD) (2002) *
Untouchables (2002) *
All Mixed Up (EP) (1999) *
Issues (1999) *
Follow The Leader (1998) *
Life Is Peachy (1996) *
Korn (1994) *
Neidermeyer’s Mind (Demo) (1993) *
* as a member of Korn
** as a solo artist
*** as an author