Fieldy Comes Correct

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What makes up the diary of a madman?

Too many things to mention, but if you can stomach stories of hard-partying, lots of booze, drugs, family and Jesus … Fieldy has some stories that might make even Ozzy blush.

Following his former KORN guitarist bandmate Brian “Head” Welch, bassist/producer Reggie “Fieldy” Arvizu has taken some of the darkest and brightest chapters of his life and put them on paper.

Appearing at Russo’s Books at The Marketplace on Saturday, March 14, beginning at noon, Arvizu will be signing copies of his first book entitled, “Got the Life: My Journey of Addiction, Faith, Recovery, and KORN.”

In the book, Arvizu reveals a childhood of abuse and neglect, and music as a way of escaping the pain that enveloped his early years living in Bakersfield. In each chapter, Arvizu also talks about the triumphs of being a member of one of the biggest rock bands of our generation, KORN, as a born-again Christian.

Speaking via telephone from his home in Southern California, Arvizu spoke with Bakotopia magazine to discuss life and the book’s upcoming release:

Q: What does the release of this book mean to you?

A: It means so much to me.

It’s amazing that I’m still alive. No one would ever know the abuse I put myself through seven days a week for 20 years. It’s a miracle because I should have been going through withdrawals. I can’t believe I’m restored, alive and healthy. If I can just reach one person, it makes it all worth it.

Q: How did you put the book together?

A: I sat down with (writer) Laura Morton, as well as a lot of it over the phone, for at least a year and a half. When you’re on tour, and you’ve stopped living the dark side of life, you have to replace it with something. It sucks just to be “good.” I replaced it with writing.

Q: The book is basically split in two parts - “old” Fieldy and “new” Fieldy. “Old Fieldy’s rules” you list at the beginning are intense - were you really that bad?

A: The list is a little sugar-coated. I was worse. If I went into detail, you'd probably say I should be in prison. But I was living in my own chains back then, just destroying everything that had to do with love.

Q: The early parts of the book read like a guidebook on, “How to Make a Monster,” when it details your hard life as a kid.

A: It was the favor of God. He knew I was going to go through all this. Some people are just not designed to make it.
Growing up there was no church or nothing. If you were to ask me back then who Jesus was, I’d be like, “Who’s that?”

Q: What were some of the excesses you indulged in when you were young to deal with the pain?

A: Before I could run to drugs or alcohol, I was running to food. I started becoming really overweight, so I was numbing myself with food. I just didn’t understand what was going on when my parents were fighting or the abuse. I can look back today, and see it was because my parents were partying. Back then, if I was drunk and you put me in the right place, I’d kill you.

Q: Did you ever contemplate suicide? Did you have any positive forces working with you?

A: No. I stayed medicated ... I never gave myself a chance to feel anything. But when I was younger I was into dirt bike riding, then music for hope. If it wasn’t for music, I’d probably end up dead.

Q: How has the creative process changed for KORN with the changes in your life?

A: Where I’m at today, I still love to hear and create heavy music. I think it’s cool when kids get to come to a concert, bang their head, jump around in the pit and lose their mind - as long as they’re havin’ a good time. Go be the “light” in the pit!

Q: As a born-again Christian, do you have to deal with conflicting issues being in a band like KORN?

A: Wherever Jon’s at lyrically, I can’t tell him what to do - it’s about where he’s at in his life. I’ve seen him grow. For me, I love being in KORN because I love playing heavy music. If Jon’s using curse words, I can just filter that out. You can buy clean versions of the CDs. It’s the power of being in KORN that’s letting me put out this book to reach people. Any project I can do that’s going to help people, I can do it that much more being in KORN. I’m right where I’m supposed to be until it’s my time to go, but it’s not that time. I'm not getting that tug from the holy spirit. I’m getting placed into these areas where I can just reach people.

Q: The relationship you had with your late father in the book, reminded me of Mozart and his father in Amadeus, where his late father’s powerful presence haunted some of his work. Is it that way with yours?

A: Everything my father dad has done, I didn’t really mean to do I just did. He was a musician, I’m a musician. He was an alcoholic drug addict, I was the same. He was a carpet cleaner, and I cleaned carpets.  That’s why we need to not live by telling people what to do, but to live by example.

Q: Tell me about your new solo-project?

A: It’s called Stillwell. Wuv from P.O.D. is playing drums, “Q” on vocals, and our bass player’s name is “Chiva.” “Street Metal” is what we’re calling the type of music we play. The album’s called Surrounded By Liars and it should be ready soon. April 25, our first show is in Tucson, AZ with KORN. We have our MySpace at: www.myspace.com/stillwellstreetmetal.

Q: It does seem like divine intervention bringing you guys all together in KORN, struggling together, suffering then succeeding. Will we ever see a full band reunion?

A: If it would make KORN more powerful to make the things we want to happen to make a difference. If it’s not, then I don’t even wanna see it happen. But I don’t know - only God knows. All five of us are cool. I just don’t now if they’re “there.” I know I am.

- MEET "FIELDY" OF KORN! Book Signing!
- Saturday, March 14, 2009
- 12pm.
- Russo's Books at The Marketplace
- 661- 665- 4686

(Click below to order the book online!)


Also printed in Bakotopia magazine, issue 49, 3-5-09