James “Munky” Shaffer, Korn’s co-founding guitarist, had to leave the European tour of the band’s late last week due to a family emergency that is still undisclosed.

Shaffer left the tour on January 15, only two days after Korn launched their European outing. The unexpected department of Shaffer’s was underscored by a blog entry he wrote on January 13 on his MySpace page. Shaffer wrote he was looking forward now that he was back in Europe to going out again and playing more killer shows.

Guitarist Shane Gibson is taking over for Shaffer. He had been filling the band’s vacant second guitarist spot occupied originally by Brian Welch, co-founding guitarist. In early 2005 Welch announced he was leaving the group after he had chosen Jesus Christ to be his savior. He said he would dedicate his music for that end.

According to a note posted on Gibson’s website, he learned Shaffer’s parts on 20 Korn songs all in one day.

Rob Patterson, meanwhile, will step into the second guitarist role after Gibson was promoted. Patterson has been playing with the band since 2005 on and off.

According to the management for Gibson, it is expected that Shaffer will return to the band. They stated that when Munky was able to return that it was expected that Shane would be returning to his position as backup guitarist.

With the absence of Shaffer, the lineup for Korn will only consist of two original band members: Reginald “Fieldly” Arvizu, bassist, and Jonathan Davis, singer. Since 2006 David Silveria, drummer, has been on a hiatus indefinitely. Ray Luzier has been filling in on drums on the band’s tour of Europe.

Korn continues supporting their untitled album from 2007. It was released last July. The band will be touring Europe until early March with dates in March also lined up for Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The band’s website has additional details.

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