Ex-KORN Drummer DAVID SILVERIA On Debut Album's 30th Anniversary: 'The Right Five Guys Came Together At The Perfect Time'

On Saturday (October 12),the day after the 30th anniversary of the release of KORN's self-titled debut album, the band's original drummer David Silveria took to his Instagram to share the LP's cover art, and he included the following message: "When I was 10yrs old I got my first drum set. That's when I knew I wanted to play music for people everywhere. Then I met the guys and it all came true. But none of it would have happened without the fans all over the world. Thanks to you my childhood dream came true. The right five guys came together at the perfect time and made history.

"I have the sincerest gratitude towards the guys for their amazing creativity, their absolute dedication and hard work and their commitment to the band. I love you guys so much! Thank you to all for giving me this amazing blessed life! 30yrs and it feels like yesterday! I love you all:)".

In a 2021 interview with Rocking With Jam Man, David Silveria, who left KORN more than a decade and a half ago, was asked if there is any chance of him rejoining KORN in time for the group's 30th anniversary. He responded: "It would obviously take all of us talking. So far, I don't see any of that even happening. But you never know. You just never know."

Silveria also talked about his decision to exit KORN back in 2006. He said: "I left the band for a few reasons. One of them was because when we started out, we were all equal members and everything was supposed to be voted on and everyone had equal say in everything. And that slowly turned into a different way of things working that I totally, a hundred percent disagreed with. And at the same time, three days before I filmed the last video on [2005's] 'See You On The Other Side' [album], I was lifting weights in my garage and I was squatting, holding dumbbells and there was a TV above me. And I squatted down. Something on the TV got my attention and I fell backwards and I hit the ground. And I actually broke four bones in my lower back… It was actually a few years that went by before I had my back repaired. But I was in so much pain, I couldn't even do anything."

In 2019, Silveria revealed that he apologized to his former bandmates for the "wrong and mean" things he had said about them since his split from KORN. The drummer was said to be especially upset over the fact that the band welcomed back guitarist Brian "Head" Welch 11 years ago but wouldn't do the same for him. Welch left the group in 2005 and continued as a solo artist before rejoining in 2013.

"I was immature, hurt and mad that after Head [rejoined KORN,] they wouldn't let me back in," Silveria wrote in an Instagram post. "Specifically, because the year before Head came back, I personally talked to Head and tried to get him to, along with me, talk to the guys about both of us going back to KORN. At that time, Head said, 'David, you and I are good friends. But don't call me if you are only going to try to get me to go back to KORN. I will never go back.' Then, less than a year later, he goes back to KORN. On our phone call, he said very negative things about KORN, which I won't repeat. The things I said were wrong and mean. I haven't said anything negative about KORN in years now. I have the utmost respect for the guys and an appreciation for every one of those guys."

In June 2019, Silveria, said that he would be willing to mend fences with his former bandmates. "Yeah, I would have no problem with it any way whatsoever," he said during an appearance on the "Appetite For Distortion" podcast. "I have no problem with anybody whatsoever. I just think at some point our comminications broke down so bad that our managers were calling other bandmembers, saying, 'Okay, we talked to Jon [singer Jonathan Davis] about this or that. He wants to do this or that.' And I'm thinking, 'Why isn't Jon talking to us? Why is it happening like this?' And it just got worse and worse, to the point where we weren't even talking at all — nobody was even talking. It was so weird. I don't even know why the hell it ever got like that. It was so many years ago, I couldn't even imagine, at my age, ever having a relationship break down that bad and not just go up and say, 'Hey, we've gotta work this shit out. This is ridiculous.'"

Asked why he couldn't rekindle his relationship with his former bandmates, even if it's just on a friendship level, David said: "I really don't know why. I guess you have to ask those guys."

Silveria sued KORN in February 2015, insisting that his exit from the group was merely a hiatus and that he was rebuffed when he tried to return to the band in 2013. David said he still had ownership interest in KORN and asked a judge to force the band to reveal how much money they've made since he left so that he can get his rightful share. KORN countersued and the two sides reached an agreement in 2016 that called for Silveria to give up his rights to KORN royalties going forward in exchange for a lump sum.

A few years ago, Davis told The Pulse Of Radio that he believed Silveria had lost his passion for playing music, saying, "The first two albums, I think, he really enjoyed playing drums and then after that he just lost his love for playing drums. It happens."

David told fans in 2013 that KORN was not the same since he left, saying, "Until they have the real 'funky drummer' it's just not gonna groove the way it could. I've made it clear that I would come back and restore the groove."

In celebration of its milestone 30th anniversary, KORN played at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles on Saturday, October 5. This one-night-only performance featured special guests EVANESCENCE, GOJIRA, DARON MALAKIAN AND SCARS ON BROADWAY, SPIRITBOX and VENDED.

KORN kicked off its summer/fall 2024 North American tour on September 12 at MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre in Tampa, Florida. The band's 18-song setlist included "Oildale" off the band's 2010 LP "Korn III: Remember Who You Are" and "Hey Daddy", a track from KORN's 1999 album "Issues" which had only ever previously been performed almost 25 years ago.

KORN's 25-date Live Nation-produced trek featuring special guests, Grammy-nominated band GOJIRA and Canadian heavy metal group SPIRITBOX, will wrap up in St. Paul, Minnesota at Xcel Energy Center on October 27.