One year ago today, original Deftones bassist Chi Cheng passed away. It was back in November of 2008 that he’d gotten in a car accident that left him in a coma. While he eventually emerged from the coma, he never made a full recovery. The band had been working on their sixth album, Eros, at the time of his accident. They shelved the album and there are no immediate plans to release it. Today however, perhaps as a gift to fans, the band released “Smile,” a track from the Eros sessions, and the last known material with Cheng on it, via their Facebook page. “Chi, we miss you today and everyday,” they said. Deftones eventually recruited Quicksand bassist Sergio Vega, returning in 2010 with Diamond Eyes, but Cheng was very much a big part of the band, and this is a nice way to honor him.
In addition, the Buckle Up For Chi campaign has continued on, urging those driving to wear seat belts. It’s sad to think that Chi might still be alive if he’d been wearing a seat belt, but if there’s one thing positive that might come from his passing, seat belt safety awareness might be it. If you’re interested in supporting the volunteer-based, non-profit team, go to buckleupforchi.com.
