Name: James Shaffer
Band:
Korn
Instrument played: 7-string
Guitar
Nickname:
Munky
DOB: June 6, 1970
Marital Status:
Married
Previous bands before Korn:
LAPD
James was born in Rosedale, California, on June 6th, 1970. He acts as one of the two guitar players for the band Korn, beside Brian Welch (Head). The way James started to play the guitar was in a freak accident involving a bike and his finger. The doctor suggested that he should pick up a hobby or something to help rehabilitate his finger, so he chose to play the guitar. Acting as Brian's musical sidekick and best friend, Munky is also one to mess around and joke, just not as much as Brian does.
James and Brian met while in high school, and used to go around to each other's houses and play guitar. They would try to better each other in terms of skill, always coming up with newer material everyday. This could go some way into explaining their amazing talent and knowledge on guitars.
The first band James was in was called LAPD. The band consisted of (at first) James at guitar, Richard Moral on vocals, future Korn drummer David Silveria, and future bassist Reginald Arvizu (fieldy). When the band realised that only James at guitar wasn't enough on tour, they recruited Brian, who used to just sit around and drink all their beer.
When Richard left the band, they needed a new vocalist. It was Brian and James who discovered Jonathan Davis in a bar one night, while watching a set for the band Sexart. Jon later joined in 1992.
James is still with the band ten years after their formation, and still continues to churn out complicated riffs on their albums. He admits that he would be no good if it wasn't for his good friend and bandmate Brian, who he has been playing with for at least two thirds of his life. Jokingly, Brian refers to James as his "soulmate" as they are so alike.
Brian and James's sound has since evolved from their loud, downtuned guitars of the first two albums, their self-titled debut and Life is Peachy. Since Follow the Leader (and especially Issues, their fourth album), they have both turned to a more melodic side of their music, while still retaining their heavy sound. Distortion is used to full effect, and on their fifth and latest album Untouchables, it sounds as if one of them has picked up an acoustic guitar(!) for the first time on a Korn record.
Nickname Origin:
It is a misspelling of the word monkey. This is becuase James' feet can be stretched out to look like hands, or monkey feet. It could also be due to his rough attire and dreadlocks.
Interesting facts:
- James thinks Brian is much better at the guitar than him. He admits that he still looks up to him as an idol in some way, even after all the years they have been friends.
- Every other member of the band has changed their hair at least once thorughout their mainstream success. Munky has never ditched the dreadlocks once (or the jump suit, for that matter).
- Recently, James sold his prized speedboat on eBay. I don't know the exact number that it reached, but it reavhed into thousands of dollars. /msg me if you know.
The other members of Korn are:
Sources:
Deuce
http://www.korn.com