Lazy Sunday With Jonathan Davis

Sometimes, even rock stars need a break! Between touring the world and recording albums, your favorite musicians like to kick their feet up on the weekends like anyone else. But what do they get up to on their well-deserved days off? We decided to find out. This is Lazy Sunday, the new series that shows you how rock’s elite spend their day of rest.

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“Lazy” isn’t a word one can easily apply to Jonathan Davis. The Korn frontman and solo artist is never without at least a handful of irons in the fire -- in 2018 alone, he dropped a solo album, played Download, hinted at wanting to write a musical, and still found time to chat about his army of Xbox Ones. All this, and his year’s not over -- he still has Ozzfest to play on New Year’s Eve!

But this packed schedule just makes us all the more curious about what he does during his time off. What’s the ideal Lazy Sunday like for one of the busiest men in rock and roll?

“That’d be my life every day, bro!” chuckles Davis. The singer is at home in Bakersfield, which he makes clear is a big part of his perfect day (and life). “I moved back to my hometown, so when I’m home, I’m home. When I’m back on the road, that’s work, even though I love what I do. But basically, when I’m home, even if I’m creating or in the studio, that’s what’s important.”

For some musicians, life on the road sounds like a nonstop rager...and for Jonathan, that might have been the case once upon a time. Now, though, the road is the obligation, and the home front is the reward.

“At home, I don’t think about work at all,” he says. “Back in the day, it was a nonstop party, but now, for me, it’s more about taking the time for me.” He considers this a moment and laughs. “Honestly, it’s pretty fucking boring!”

Walk us through your ideal Lazy Sunday.

First, I don’t get up in the morning, I get up around three or four. And then I’m up with my kids. I play with my kids, or I’ll cruise around the fields out in back of my house. I play video games a lot, or I work on music, because that to me isn’t work. What I do for a living is like hitting the fucking lottery. I get to do what I love, and work with people I love. In that sense, it’s amazing.

What do you do when you’re slobbing out on the couch?

I mostly play video games, because it allows me to get out of my head.

What are you favorite kinds of video games to play?

I love playing kids games. I did play Fortnite here and there, but I’m not into the battle royale shit, I’m into the storyline. I’m really into the LEGO games, I just started Red Dead Redemption II. Anything where I’m not having my ass handed to me by an eight year old kid! It’s insane how these kids talk during multiplay. I fear for the future, bro.

What’s your lazy Sunday meal you enjoy with your kids?

Usually, because it’s so hectic, we’ll go out to the diner and have an old-school diner breakfast. We head to the Woolworth Diner in Bakersfield. It looks like it’s 1954 in there. We go and eat out for the special times. There’s also an old-school ice cream shop here called Dewars -- soda fountains, the like. You can just go up to the bar and shoot the shit. It’s awesome.

Are you a coffee or tea drinker?

I drink lots of Monster. That’s my thing.

What music do you listen to on your Lazy Sunday?

When it’s just me, I listen to a lot of music from the '30s and '40s now. It's really dark -- it was a weird time, with the Depression and the World Wars happening. The whole sound, the whole vibe, I’m really into that. I don’t know, I’m weird -- there’s no good rock music anymore. Or there’s some, but it’s suffering. But this stuff, it’s some crazy murder music. I love it.

Overall, what’s the best part about a lazy Sunday at home?

Back in Bakersfield, me and my kids are working-class normal people. It’s so much different from LA; I lived there for a long time, and I don’t want my kids around it. I really like that I can be here and just work and be around everyone else.