Korn, originally called LAPD, was founded in Bakersfield, California and included guitarists James "Munky" Shaffer and Brian "Head" Welch, bassist Reginald "Fieldy Snuts" Arvizu, and drummer David Silveria. In 1993, LAPD was introduced to Jonathan Davis, a mortuary science student who sang lead for the local group Sexart. He was invited to join the band and the quintet rechristened itself Korn. They issued their eponymous debut album in late 1994 on Epic's Immortal imprint and began an insanely exhaustive tour schedule, playing over 200 shows and opening for artists such as Marilyn Manson, Ozzy Osbourne, House Of Pain, Biohazard and 311. Their first single, "Blind," was a late-night MTV staple and the album was declared by Billboard magazine as "the first debut hardcore rock act to top the Heatseekers chart and one of the first to crack the upper half of the Billboard 200 in the last two years."

On the strength of their live shows, "Korn" eventually went Gold. The 1996 follow-up, "Life Is Peachy," had more commercial success, reaching the No. 3 spot on the pop charts. The following year, Korn established their own label, Elementree, and headlined Lollapalooza, only to drop off when Shaffer was diagnosed with viral meningitis. They also made the news by serving a cease-and-desist order to the assistant principal of a Michigan high school, who suspended a student on the grounds of wearing a Korn T-shirt.

In 1998, the eagerly anticipated "Follow The Leader" emerged as a commercial and critical success, debuting at U.S. No. 1. Highlights were "Freak On A Leash" (with a wildly popular video) and "Got The Life." This was also the year that Korn initiated their annual Family Values tour, a smash live event which mixed hard-edge rap and metal and featured Korn collaborators such as Limp Bizkit and Ice Cube. "Issues" followed in 1999, with the first single debuting in an episode of "South Park." The album’s tour was cut short when drummer David Silveria was unable to perform due to an injury. They hired former Faith No More drummer Mike Bordin to complete the remaining shows and, shortly after, toured with Metallica, System Of A Down, Kid Rock and Powerman 5000. A brief headlining tour followed before Korn took a much-needed break from the road.

During the hiatus, Davis scored the vampire flick "Queen of the Damned" and Fieldy released a gangsta rap album. Over the years, many fans wondered whether the band was still together, but fears were assuaged when the band re-entered the studio in 2001. The "Untouchables’ was released in June 2002 and features the single "Alone I Break."