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James Christian Shaffer KoRn: Guitar Nickname: Munky Born: June 6, 1970 Marital Status: Single |
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James Shaffer was born in Rosedale, California, on June 6th, 1970. Munky began his musical career after an accident with his three-wheeler which severed the top of his left index finger. One night while sneaking out to a party and pushing his bike the chain slipped off. He slapped his hand on it so it wouldn't make a noise but his finger got caught and cut the top off.
"The doctor's like..you got to rehabilitate your finger somehow, like take up a musical instrument. And I said..how about guitar..he goes, that's perfect"
Before joining KoRn Munky was in a band named L.A.P.D with Head, David and Fieldy. "Brian (Head) said..oh I know this guy from my high school, so they called me up, and they're like, do you want to come and try out for our band, it wasn't that I could play, it was that I had long hair" says Munky. "I sat down, Brian showed me the songs, and then that's how we all just started playing together". Munky doesn't like to even play live with out Head. And no wonder, two-thirds of Head and Munky’s lives were spent together.
The first song Munky learned how to play was "Mary Had A Little Lamb" and took acoustic guitar lessons from a man named Mr. Haas. Until Brian showed him, Munky had no idea what distortion was.
Head sold Munky Munky’s first electric guitar "a Peavey Mystic," for three hundred dollars…a total rip-off. Head says, "I played it for a few years and then I made my money back, and then some, on Munky."
Munky: "Brian pretty much inspired me to start playing. I used to go over to his house and eat his mom and dad’s food so I could save my lunch money and then by an amp." Though Munky started to play a 7 string guitar before Head did.
Munky's favorite band is Bootsy collin, and Mr.Bungle, and his influences is faith no more. On stage Munky is more than often seen wearing a pair of old overalls. "I wanted to wear something on stage that was like kinda trashy, dirty, you know, because when I'm up there I feel like...sick" says Munky. "Really what it is, it's like that person I don't like in me, all the things I hate about myself, that's who I am up there". Munky now sports a spanking clean pair of white overalls with black X's down the chest.
When watching their video "falling away from me," Munky almost cried he was so moved. Munky says this about their music: "It’s like we’re directing our own scary movie."
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Munky earned his nickname from his feet. "My feet. I'd spread 'em out and everyone said they look like hands, like monkey hands." |
Munky's Equipment:
Guitars:
- White 7-string Ibanez Universe UV7PW (all duct taped up, VERY damaged! now w/green humbucker in the bridge, and black pickguard)
- Black Universe UV7
- Black Universe UV7BK (all black, 1997 model, his current guitar used on the Lollapalooza '97 tour)
- Black Saber S5407 (used in the "Blind" video)
- '56 Fender Telecaster (for recording "KORN")
- Black Universe PRE-97 UV7BK (green pickups)
- Black Universe UV7BK (w/white pickguard, Munky switched the pickguards with this guitar with his white UV7PW)
- (Old) Fender Stratocaster (for recording the sitar part of "A.D.I.D.A.S.")
- (Old) Silvertone guitar (the one with the amp built right into the guitar case, they put the mic right up against the guitar - used on "Blind" intro part)
Amps:
FXs: