.

(7/12/02, 3 p.m. ET) -- With multiplatinum sales under their belts, the members of Korn are enjoying their current North American tour in relative luxury, but it wasn't always that way. In the mid-'90s when the band was starting out, it ran into hostile crowds. On one particular night opening for Megadeth, guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer came close to getting stabbed.

Shaffer, with bandmate Brian "Head" Welch goading him on, told LAUNCH about the most f--ed up experience he's ever had on the road."We were opening up for Megadeth and we were playing Oklahoma or something," Shaffer recalled."And we were playing there and I heard this 'Baaam!' Right? We're on stage and I look behind me and there's like a six-inch open blade knife that someone had thrown from the crowd and hit my speaker cabinet behind me. And I was tripping. I was like, 'Man, I don't know what to do.'"

Welch added, "He kept playing, though. He didn't run off the stage like 'Aaaaaaahhhhh.' I probably would have ran off-stage screaming like (The Simpsons character) Ned Flanders)."

Shaffer, with Welch still badgering him, added that the experience has caused a permanent mental scar. "Ever since then I've always felt like a target up there. You know what I mean? Like, 'Oh man, a shoe is going to hit me!' I always get hit."

"Is that why you're always moving?," Welch asked.

Shaffer continued, "That's why I'm always moving around. I'm scared sh-tless."

Korn's latest album, Untouchables, currently stands at Number Seven on the Billboard 200 album chart. The album has sold more than 712,000 copies thus far.

(7/11/02, 7 a.m. ET) -- Korn guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer has backed away from his statement that "Hitler went to heaven," which was published in the U.K. magazine Metal Hammer. In a statement released to LAUNCH by the band's representatives, Shaffer said, "I want to make it clear that in no way, shape, or form do I approve of Hitler's atrocities."

The statement continued, "[Hitler's] fate and treatment in the afterlife is determined by a higher power, not me or anyone else. I apologize to anyone who was offended by my comments, which read confusingly in Metal Hammer."

In the Metal Hammer interview, Shaffer was quoted saying, "I think this is true. Hitler went to heaven (if there is such a thing as heaven really exists). He felt that what he did was right, and I think that if what you feel you're doing is right, in your heart, then you can't be wrong."

Korn continues its tour Thursday (July 11) in Indianapolis. The U.S. portion of the tour ends July 31 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

(7/2/02, 6 p.m. ET) -- Korn is rolling along on its tour in support of its latest album, Untouchables. The album was delayed due to drummer David Silveria's wrist and arm injury. The band patiently waited for Silveria's injury to heal, and now it seems that he's back to form on the band's current North American tour.

Brian "Head" Welch and James "Munky" Shaffer told LAUNCH about the health of Korn's skin-basher. "It's all worked out," Welch said. "He's healthy as a horse now. He doesn't have any pain, does he?"

Shaffer added, "I don't think so. I think he's doing really well. The last few rehearsals and the shows that we've done, he's played like, damn, a monster." Welch continued, "It feels so good with him back."

Some bands may have carried on with a replacement drummer, but Shaffer told LAUNCH about Korn's bond and sticking with Silveria through his difficult time. "It just comes from the backbone of the band just being friends, I think. We all grew up together, went to the same high schools together, we hung out at the same places, went to the same parties. Watched each other grow up along with the development of the band. We've all watched each other have children, been in and out of marriages," he said.

Korn continues its tour in Auburn Hills, Michigan on Wednesday night (July 3) and Rosemont, Illinois on Friday night (July 4).

(6/22/02, 7 a.m. ET) -- Korn has postponed two upcoming tour dates in Canada, Wednesday (June 26) at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto and Thursday (June 27) at the Molson Centre in Montreal.

According to a spokesperson for the group, one of the members of the band is returning to Los Angeles on a personal matter; additional details have not been provided.

The Korn tour resumes June 29 in Pittsburgh at the Mellon Arena. The Toronto and Montreal concerts will be rescheduled for the fall, after the band's European tour. All tickets for the original June dates will be honored.

(6/20/02, 1 p.m. ET) -- Korn kicks off its first full-fledged tour in two years on Thursday (June 20) in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. After the North American leg wraps August 1 in Phoenix, the band will head to Europe starting August 16. The band has just added dates overseas in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and France.

Guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told LAUNCH about the band's plans for the summer. "We're just going to get into touring mode and try and have a successful tour. And then after that we're going to go to Europe do some festivals and do some shows of our own over there. We haven't been there in two years, so they'll be ready for us."

Korn's tour is in support of its latest album, Untouchables, which debuted at Number Two on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Korn has just announced pre-sales for shows in Oklahoma and Phoenix good through the band's website until Thursday (June 20). Next week's pre-sales include Albuquerque and other, still unrevealed, cities.

Korn North American Tour dates (subject to change):

June 20 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - First Union Arena

June 21 - Hartford, CT - Hartford Civic Center

June 23 - Albany, NY - Pepsi Arena

June 24 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

June 26 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Center

June 27 - Montreal, QC - Molson Center

June 29 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena

June 30 - Cleveland, OH - CSU Convocation Center

July 2 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena

July 3 - Auburn Hills, MI - Palace Of Auburn Hills

July 5 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena

July 6 - Cedar Rapids, IA - U.S. Cellular Center

July 8 - Peoria, IL - Civic Center Arena

July 9 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center

July 11 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse

July 12 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center

July 13 - Dayton, OH - Ervin J. Nutter Center

July 17 - Roanoke, VA - Roanoke Civic Center

July 18 - Greenville, SC - Bi Lo Center

July 20 - St. Louis, MO - Savvis Center

July 21 - Kansas City, MO - Kemper Arena

July 23 - Omaha, NE - Civic Auditorium

July 24 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center Arena

July 26 - Green Bay, WI - Brown County Memorial Arena

July 27 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center

July 29 - Denver, CO - Denver Coliseum

July 31 - Albuquerque, NM - Tingley Coliseum

August 1 - Phoenix, AZ - America West Arena

(6/19/02, 5 p.m. ET) -- Eminem sold nearly 530,000 copies of his new Aftermath/Interscope album, The Eminem Show, to stay at Number One on the Billboard 200 albums chart for a fourth consecutive week. Korn scored the highest debut of the week with Untouchables, which posted solid first week sales of more than 434,000 units, but the rockers will have to settle for Number Two behind "Slim Shady". Eminem's four-week tally has grown to more than 2.9 million copies.

Korn guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer recently spoke with LAUNCH about the possibility of topping Eminem. "I mean, yeah, it'd be nice to have a Number One record. It's flattering, but at this point it's, like, we don't need anybody to tell us we're doing well."

The various artists collection Totally Hits 2002--featuring contributions from Tweet, Pink, and Michelle Branch, among others--is at Number Three. New Found Glory's Sticks And Stones enters at Number Four after selling some 91,000 copies. Sean "P. Diddy" Combs's P. Diddy & Bad Boy Records Present...We Invented The Remix drops one spot to Number Five, and Ashanti's self-titled debut also slides a notch to Number Six.

In other top-10 action, the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack jumps from Number 19 to Number Seven after selling nearly 30,000 more copies than it did a week before. Country singer Kenny Chesney's No Shoes, No Shirt, No Problems is at Number Eight, while Donell Jones's third album, Life Goes On, moves to Number Nine.

Seventeen-year-old singer Avril Lavigne's Let Go posted a second week gain in sales, moving nearly 70,000 copies and climbing to Number 10. The album, which came out June 4, debuted at Number Eight last week on sales of more than 62,000 copies.

Other debuts of note this week include The Osbournes Family Album at Number 13, David Bowie's Heathen at Number 14, Raphael Saadiq's Instant Vintage at Number 25, AZ's Aziatic at Number 29, and the Who's Ultimate Collection at Number 31.

(6/19/02, 1 p.m. ET) -- Korn is getting ready to hit the road in support of its latest album, Untouchables. The tour kicks off In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on Thursday (June 20), and the band has some special surprises for the fans. Guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told LAUNCH what's in store for this tour.

"We're going to have the fans play our own instruments while we watch," he said with a laugh. "We always like to keep them involved with something. You know what I mean? And even going back to Life Is Peachy we were one of the first bands to ever have a live webcast. I don't know, it's just like keeping them involved and staying cutting edge is what we like to do."

Vocalist Jonathan Davis will bring out his H.R. Geiger-designed serpentine-woman microphone stand for the tour, but the band kept mum on the rest of the production. Korn's tour with special guests Puddle Of Mudd runs through July 29 in Denver.

(6/18/02, 12 p.m. ET) -- It looks like Korn will not be playing Family Values 2002 this fall. However, the band, which originated the traveling tour and played on its inaugural lineup, will still be integral in putting together the tour.

Korn guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer told LAUNCH that Korn will probably headline in the fall. "After we go and tour Europe, we're going to come back and do some more touring here in the States with the same production and possibly the following year," he said. "We'll probably still put together the tour and help be a part of that, because we always are, but I don't think we're going to play it this year."

When asked how long he sees Family Values continuing, Shaffer told LAUNCH, "Well, we'd like to see it continue for like five or six more years."

Shaffer said the only band lined up for Family Values 2002 right now is Marz, which Korn singer Jonathan Davis is producing.

Last year's Family Values Tour featured Staind, Linkin Park, Stone Temple Pilots, Static-X, and Deadsy.

(6/14/02, 3 p.m. ET) - Korn's new album Untouchables went on sale this week (June 11), and has a chance of beating Eminem's The Eminem Show when it debuts in the Billboard 200 album chart next week. However, Korn guitarists James "Munky" Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch told LAUNCH they're not betting on topping the huge-selling Slim Shady.

"I mean, he's reaching lots of different people. He's on like four different radio stations. You know what I mean? We're on maybe, like, one or two," said Munky.

"We reach like 50,000 people and his music reaches 100,000 people, just on radio," added Head. "So, I don't know. If it happens, if we get Number One that would be great, but I don't know, man."

On album sales, Munky added, "He sold a week ago something like a million-three for one week. We've never done anything like that."

Head spoke to the band's manager and excitedly blurted out, "We have a chance. Eminem did 808,000, so if he drops down to like 500,000 we have a chance."

Korn kicks off a tour in support of Untouchables starting Thursday (June 20) in Wikes-Barre, Pennsylvania, with special opening acts Puddle Of Mudd and Deadsy.

(6/12/02, 7 a.m. ET) -- Korn's Untouchables was released on Tuesday (June 11), and fans that purchase the CD are entitled to exclusive audio and visual content via Korn.com and the band's Epic label site, KORNTV.com. The CD contains a key to exclusive content via connecteD technology, and also contains extra bonus material such as a director's cut of the "Here To Stay" clip and a bonus remix of the track by T Ray.

In conjunction with the release of Untouchables, the band played an exclusive show at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom. The upbeat performance featured songs spanning Korn's career, including the new single "Here To Stay," "Embrace," "Blame," and "Thoughtless."

The complete set list, in order: "Here To Stay," "Twist," "A.D.I.D.A.S.," "Trash," "Blind," "Embrace," "Faget," "Falling Away From Me," "Blame," "Make Me Bad," "Freak On A Leash," "Somebody Someone," "Thoughtless," "Shoots And Ladders," and "Got The Life."

Korn is set to embark on a North American tour June 20 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

(6/11/02, 12 p.m. ET) - Korn's fifth album, Untouchables, hits stores today, and it comes on the heels of one of the biggest album release extravaganzas ever. The band performed an hour-long set at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on Monday night (June 10), which was beamed to 40 theaters across the country. It was preceded by a half-hour Making Of Untouchables video clip.

Korn singer-songwriter Jonathan Davis told LAUNCH how on Untouchables he was able to take his singing to the next level, thanks to producer Michael Beinhorn. "I improved a gazillion times singing," he said. "I got a vocal coach--Ron Anderson, who does everybody, sat down and worked with [me]. Michael made me do it. I'm glad he did, because it made me a way better singer."

Davis added, "[The album] is a lot heavier, sonically. It's insane because we're using new technology. It's like more dramatic, too, really dramatic."

(6/8/02, 10 a.m. ET) -- Korn has added eight dates to its first North American tour in two years. The tour, in support of the June 11 release Untouchables, now ends July 27 in Minneapolis. Other cities added include Roanoke, Virginia; Greenville, South Carolina; St. Louis; Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Oklahoma City; and Green Bay, Wisconsin. The opening act on the tour is Puddle Of Mudd.

Korn plays a secret New York City gig Monday (June 10) that will be simulcast in 40 movie theaters nationwide.

"Here To Stay," the latest single by Korn, is currently at Number Four on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.

New Korn tour dates (subject to change):

July 17 - Roanoke, VA - Roanoke Civic Center

July 18 - Greenville, SC - Bi Lo Center

July 20 - St. Louis, MO - Savvis Center

July 21 - Kansas City, MO - Kemper Arena

July 23 - Omaha, NE - Civic Auditorium

July 24 - Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center Arena

July 26 - Green Bay, WI - Brown County Memorial Arena

July 27 - Minneapolis, MN - Target Center

Previously announced Korn dates (subject to change):

June 20 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - First Union Arena

June 21 - Hartford, CT - Hartford Civic Center

June 23 - Albany, NY - Pepsi Arena

June 24 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden

June 26 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Center

June 27 - Montreal, QC - Molson Center

June 29 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena

June 30 - Cleveland, OH - CSU Convocation Center

July 2 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena

July 3 - Auburn Hills, MI - Palace Of Auburn Hills

July 5 - Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena

July 6 - Cedar Rapids, IA - U.S. Cellular Center

July 8 - Peoria, IL - Civic Center Arena

July 9 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center

July 11 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse

July 12 - Columbus, OH - Schottenstein Center

July 13 - Dayton, OH - Ervin J. Nutter Center

(6/4/02, 12 p.m. ET) -- Jonathan Davis of Korn is awaiting the release of his band's new album, Untouchables, on June 11, but he's also getting things ready for his new museum. Davis is an avid collector of memorabilia relating to gangsters and serial killers, and he's assembling artifacts for his Museum Of Justice and Oddities or MOJO. His partners for the museum include Arthur Rosenblatt and artist Joe Coleman.

"I really caught the bug of collecting serial killer artifacts and we have a whole gangster section with autopsy bullets of famous gangsters that were killed; like a whole bunch of stuff, so...I think my pride and joy is my [John Wayne] Gacy suit and the [Ted] Bundy Bug [automobile]."

Davis has most of the items in his house. LAUNCH asked him how he will decide what gets put in the museum.

"Well, I'm going to keep some of it, but like the suits and the car have gotta go," he said. "It's gonna be called MOJO, the Museum Of Justice and Oddities. So, it's gonna be, there's gonna be diff rooms when you walk in. There will be a Bundy room, there'll be serial killer different rooms, and then there's gonna be, like, the gangster sections, and just a whole bunch of different...and then the oddities. It's gonna be really cool."

Davis summed up his fascination with the macabre. "I love death. I think it's crazy. I am totally into anything that's dark. I've always been drawn towards dark things, be it horror movies...or collecting serial killer artifacts."

(5/29/02, 4 p.m. ET) -- Korn's album Untouchables is due out June 11, but the album's first single, "Here To Stay" is already Number Four on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.

Korn vocalist Jonathan Davis told LAUNCH what inspired the tune. "I wrote it up there, it was about being fed up with being a victim, with people always blaming myself for my problems and people trying to take advantage of me and being fed up with it. I'm going to take control of my life. I'm here to stay. I'm not gonna let that s--t get me down," Davis said.

Korn is celebrating the release of Untouchables with a concert in New York City, which will be simulcast in movie theaters across the nation. It's slated the night before the release of the album, June 10. The location of the show in New York City is still undisclosed.

(5/13/02, 5 p.m. ET) -- Korn has added dates in Milwaukee, Kansas City, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Green Bay to its tour, which kicks off June 20 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. The tour will feature openers Puddle Of Mudd and Deadsy.

Korn is touring in support of its June 11 release, Untouchables. The first single from the album is "Here To Stay," which is currently Number Six on the Billboard Modern Rock chart.

The complete track list for Untouchables: "Here To Stay," "Make Believe," "Blame," "Hollow Life," "Bottled Up," "Thoughtless," "Hating," "One More Time," "Alone I Break," "Embrace," "Beat It Upright," "Wake Up Hate," "I'm Hiding," and "No One's There."

Revised Korn summer tour dates (subject to change):

June 20 - Wilkes-Barre, PA - First Union Arena

June 21 - Hartford, CT - Hartford Civic Center

June 23 - Albany, NY - Pepsi Arena

June 24 - New York, NY - Madison Square Garden"

June 26 - Toronto, ON - Air Canada Center

June 27 - Montreal, QC - Molson Center

June 29 - Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena

June 30 - Cleveland, OH - Convocation Center

July 2 - Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena

July 3 - Detroit, MI - Palace Of Auburn Hills

July 5 - Chicago, IL - Allstate Arena

July 6 - Cedar Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena

July 8 - Peoria, IL - Civic Center

July 9 - Madison, WI - Alliant Energy Center

July 11 - Indianapolis, IN - Conseco Fieldhouse

July 12 - Columbus, OH - Jerome Schottenstein Center

July 13 - Dayton, OH - Nutter Center

July 17 - Roanoke, VA - Civic Center

July 18 - Greenville, SC - Bi-Lo Center

July 20 - St. Louis, MO - Savvis Center

July 21 - Kansas City, MO - Kemper Arena

July 23 - Omaha/Evansville, NE - TBA

July 24 - Moline, IL - Marks Of The Quad

July 26 - Green Bay, WI - Brown County Arena

July 27 - Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center

July 29 - Ames, IA - Hilton Coliseum

July 30 - Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN - TBA

August 1 - Grand Forks, ND - Alrerus Center

(3/26/02, 5 p.m. ET) -- Members of Korn, Limp Bizkit, and Static-X will serve as the backing band for a performance by hip-hop powerhouse Jay-Z at the second annual ESPN Action Sports & Music Awards at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles April 13. The one-time group will feature Korn bassist Fieldy, Bizkit drummer John Otto, and Static-X guitarist Wayne Static.

Others performing during the made-for-television show will be the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Unwritten Law, the X-Ecutioners with Xzibit, and 3rd Strike. The Peppers will also be honored with the Action Sports Artist Contribution Award for their musical innovation and its impact on the world of extreme sports.

The ESPN awards celebrates the connection between extreme sports and music with awards in 17 categories.

(2/27/02, 12 p.m. ET) -- Queen Of The Damned is America's number one movie this week, but that's not making Korn's Jonathan Davis, who co-wrote three songs for the movie, feel any better. His vocal tracks were removed from the Warner Bros. soundtrack album for Queen Of The Damned due to contractual matters, and Davis isn't happy about it.

"It's big corporate business, man. They're all a--holes. Both lawyers on each side have egos and, 'You're not going to take my band, and f--k you, you're not going to do this, and that's just how it goes...' It's all decided in the little lawyers' offices," he said.

Davis was able to recruit Disturbed's David Draiman, Linkin Park's Chester Bennington, and Marilyn Manson to sing his parts on the soundtrack album, which was released February 19.

Meanwhile, Davis's band, Korn, is set to release its new album, Untouchables, on May 14. The first single is "Here To Stay," and the band is in Los Angeles shooting a video for the track with directors the Hughes Brothers. The Hughes Brothers' credits include the films From Hell and American Pimp.