Korn's Original Drummer David Silveria Opens Up on 30th Anniversary
Silveria shares memories of the band's rise and reflects on leaving Korn after a back injury and disagreements.
- David Silveria celebrates the 30th anniversary of Korn’s debut album with a nostalgic Instagram post.
- He reflects on leaving the band due to creative differences and a serious back injury in 2006.
- Despite past lawsuits and tension, Silveria remains open to reuniting with Korn, though the band continues without him.
David Silveria took to Instagram on October 12 to post the cover of the band’s self-titled debut. It wasn’t just a picture, though. He couldn’t resist sharing some heartfelt words. Childhood dream, first drum set, met the guys, history made. You know the drill. “The right five guys came together at the perfect time,” he says. Sentimental stuff. But for those who remember the real story, this feels more like the intro to a Netflix doc than a casual stroll.
Let’s not forget why he actually left. 2006 wasn’t just about “creative differences.” Sure, he didn’t like the fact that decisions weren’t exactly democratic anymore. But there’s also the part about breaking four bones in his back. Squatting weights, watching TV, boom—down he went. Spent years in pain before getting it sorted. So yeah, he had reasons to exit stage left. Legit ones.
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By 2019, though, he’s trying to patch things up. Or at least, smooth over some of the nastiness. Silveria even apologized for the “mean” things he said about the band. And let’s be real, he had some choice words after he was booted. Most of it came from a place of hurt, especially after Brian “Head” Welch was welcomed back with open arms in 2013. Silveria was clearly ticked off. He tried to get Head to join him in asking to rejoin Korn together. Head said no. Then Head turned around and did exactly that, but alone. Savage.
It got uglier when Silveria decided to lawyer up. In 2015, he sued Korn, insisting he was on a “hiatus” and that he still had an ownership stake in the band. The group fired back. Legal battle ensued. Two years later? Settled. Silveria got a lump sum, gave up future royalties, and walked away from the mess—again.
Yet, despite the legal drama, the broken back, and the public fallout, Silveria still wants back in. “I have no problem with anybody,” he insists in interviews. Really, though? Because the way things went down makes it seem like there’s plenty of unresolved baggage. And Jonathan Davis doesn’t seem all that keen on the idea. He once said Silveria lost his passion for drumming after the first couple of albums. Silveria, of course, begs to differ. “Until they have the real funky drummer, it’s just not gonna groove the way it could,” he says. Modesty isn’t his strong suit.
Meanwhile, Korn isn’t exactly waiting around for a reunion. They just played a 30th anniversary show at BMO Stadium. Big crowd. Special guests like Evanescence, Gojira, and Spiritbox on deck. They even busted out “Hey Daddy”, a track they hadn’t played live in almost 25 years. Yeah, they’re fine.
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So while Silveria keeps reminiscing about the old days, Korn is busy tearing it up on their North American tour. Will they ever bring him back? Probably not. They’re moving forward at full speed. David? Well, he’s still stuck looking in the rearview mirror.
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