Deftones pictures, interviews, magazine scans.

[rock_n_frost]

terrible

[Vesanic]

Taken today

[Vesanic]

http://bostonglobe.com/arts/music/2012/08/05/deftones-bounce-back-after-tragedy-strikes/7fmlQAtrQfg4Elth4A3kLO/story.html

Deftones bounce back after tragedy

By Scott McLennan |  GLOBE CORRESPONDENT     AUGUST 06, 2012



Following a car accident involving the band's original bassist, Deftones are touring again and will release a new album in October.


In October, Deftones will release a new album, trying to build on the creative rebirth sparked by the 2010 comeback "Diamond Eyes." Founded in the late 1980s by singer Chino Moreno, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, drummer Abe Cunningham, and bassist Chi Cheng, the band blurred the lines between metal, hardcore, and art rock, eventually adding DJ and keyboard player Frank Delgado. But Deftones seemed spent after its 2006 album, "Saturday Night Wrist," and then shattered in 2008 when Cheng was in a car crash from which he remains in a semi-conscious state.

Deftones regrouped with bassist Sergio Vega from the band Quicksand, which toured with Deftones in 1997, and the new lineup produced the stellar "Diamond Eyes." Subsequent shows revealed a refocused, re-energized Deftones. The band is back after nearly a year off and playing a handful of shows this summer with System of a Down, including Thursday at the Comcast Center, before cranking up its own fall tour when the as-yet-unnamed album comes out. Moreno was reached by phone in Philadelphia on the summer tour's opening day last week.

Q. "Diamond Eyes" had a long, cool flow. Is the new work similar to that or a turn away from that?

A. As far as flow, it fits in with "Diamond Eyes" and our earlier records. We didn't overthink things on the first couple of records. [Our second record] "Around the Fur" we wrote after whirlwind touring, went in with a positive mindset, made it really fast. We reconnected with that mindset on "Diamond Eyes." It was a work ethic that is better for us. "White Pony" was the first time we took a lot of time to make a record. It turned out great, but was very taxing on the band. We were second-guessing ourselves and it was becoming not fun.

Q. You recently played the Troubadour nightclub. Is it important for the band to get back to those kinds of small gigs?

A. We're not big everywhere, so we play smaller places. But it is great to be on that little stage and everyone is in your face. It's more intimate compared to an arena, but you can do other things in an arena, too. This band does all right in different sized venues. I was nervous at those shows because we hadn't played in almost a year. We played some in the studio, but not a whole show. I was forgetting some words during the rehearsal. But once we started, it all just came back to me.

Q. This band started with you and three friends. What was it like having Sergio come into it, especially under the particular circumstances?

A. As difficult a time as it was, when Sergio came in, it woke something up in us. Chi's accident actually woke us up in a lot of ways. Like you said, we've all know each other as friends, and little things build up. You just go on and work, and everything gets big. Chi had the accident and it woke us up. Life is fragile and we saw how precious our time is. We bonded really tight. Sergio added a new sound and an appreciation for what we have. He's the kind of guy who is enthusiastic about everything. He got us together again. It's not like he was somebody we hired. We knew him and he's a great guy. If it wasn't for him, we probably would have stopped.

Q. Deftones songs always seem to come from a personal place. Does the outside world influence your writing?

A. I suppose I see some things slipping in, but I make a conscious effort not to be influenced. I never felt that's what this music is about. I can appreciate music like that. But it's tough for me to write about any kind of topic in such a forward manner. I want to paint a picture, and capture overall emotion. I'm usually driven by the music to create a certain feeling. Words come and fill in the space. I'm intentionally vague with what I say.

Q. Teaming with System of a Down is pretty cool. That tour with Godsmack, not so much. What sorts of decisions go into putting together a tour?

A. We've turned down a lot of things because it's usually a democracy deciding what we do. We've been friends with System of a Down for a long time and have wanted to tour together, but they haven't been working a lot. They asked us to come out on this handful of shows and it seemed like a good warm-up before our record comes out.

Q. You've had Serj Tankian, Max Cavalera, and Maynard James Keenan on your records and collaborated with Tech 9. Any guests on the new record or people you'd like to collaborate with?

A. Nobody is on the record as of yet, but we still have some B-sides to record. We usually have some random things. We'd like to do something with Los Lobos. They're from LA too and we listened to them a lot. And Willie Nelson is someone we'd like to work with.


Interview has been edited and condensed. Scott McLennan can be reached at smclennan1010@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @ScottMcLennan1.

[rock_n_frost]

who is Los Lobos and Willie Nelson?

[Penicks]

[Vesanic]

I have no idea why I'm laughing.

[deftoner664]

haha.. How would they ever incorporate such artist with their sound? Seems to me nobody will appear as a guest on this album.. And I'm Okay with that.

[iceache]

That was a lame interview.. Come on.. 2 months til album release and they're not even asking any real questions about it... laaaaaaaaaaaaaaame

[luisch]

who is Los Lobos and Willie Nelson?

I think he's talking about they

Los Lobos - Don't Worry Baby

and well, Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson - Always On My Mind

[rock_n_frost]

did we get that old?

[luisch]

well, we're not so young

[Vesanic]

Fuck you, I'm 22, I'm a toddler.

[luisch]

Sorry, Deftones should do a collaboration with this guys

[bewareofrats]

I'm fine with no collabs.  I mean, MJK on Passenger, Serj on Mein, disgusting whatsherface on Pink Cellphone.  No thanks.  Not that MJK is bad, his vocals are actually pretty good, I'm just not a fan of him.

[sing blue silver]

No more collabs please. Passenger was the only one there ever need be. When your first collaboration is perfect, don't do any more.

[cvthedrv]

I'm fine with no collabs.  I mean, MJK on Passenger, Serj on Mein, disgusting whatsherface on Pink Cellphone.  No thanks.  Not that MJK is bad, his vocals are actually pretty good, I'm just not a fan of him.

dude, this is what im waiting about the new album, no fucking collabs.

[BillyNo.9]

well, we're not so young

[SomeOf]

[normsteez]

Deftones with System of a Down on rare tag team tour



Another dispatch from the desk of metal correspondent Dave Wedge: 

It's been four years since Deftones bassist Chi Cheng nearly died in a horrible car wreck. Cheng, who co-founded the Sacramento alt-metal band with vocalist Chino Moreno when they were just teenagers, has laid in a coma ever since.

It's been a painful turn of events –- one that has haunted Moreno, even as the band embarks on a massive double-bill with L.A. prog-metal titans System of a Down. The tour has just a handful of stops, including one Thursday at Mansfield's Comcast Center.

"He's still fighting through it. It's a tough thing," Moreno told the Herald this week while on a tour bus to Washington, D.C. "He's got a traumatic brain injury. It's really day-to-day. He's still yet to really communicate. I know he's in there somewhere and he's been fighting for four years. I feel personally he wants to make it through it."

"We pretty much spent every day on tour together," he continued. "You're used to having someone in your job and in your life every day and suddenly they're not there. But he is still alive. It's not like he's gone and we can grieve him. There's still a chance we can have a conversation with him again. It's a weird thing."

The band, which has three platinum discs under its belt, has carried on without its original bassist, replacing him with Quicksand's Sergio Vega. Vega handled the bass duties on 2010's "Diamond Eyes" as well as on the band's as-yet-untitled new record, which is due in the fall.

"I don't think it goes in any one specific direction too much," Moreno says of the new album. "It's a very dynamic record, which is one of our best traits. At times it can be very abrasive and at times it can be very soothing. I think it works very well. There are peaks and valleys."

System of a Down, meanwhile, are doing a mini-reunion and have not revealed any plans for a new record. Vocalist Serj Tankian, though, has a stellar new solo album, "Harakiri," and is reported to be recording three other solo discs.

The tour is a bit unusual in that neither band is out promoting a record. But for metal fans – and Moreno – it's a dream match up.

"We've been talking about touring with System for many years now. It just worked out. It was good timing for us," he said.

While Moreno - and fellow original Deftones Stephen Carpenter (guitar), Frank Delgado (keyboards, turntables) and Abe Cunningham (drums) - are in a creative groove once again, the tragedy with Cheng is always on their minds.

"It's as simple as appreciating what we had and what we have and the opportunity we have to still make music," Moreno said. "The rest of us have pulled together. We feel really appreciative to be here and still making music together. Every day it comes through my thoughts."

[snw9]

I'm waiting for those b-sides, hopefully we'll get an unreleased track this time with the covers.