DEFTONES BASSIST CHI CHENG HOSPITALIZED IN REPORTED COMA

Bassist Chi Cheng of The Deftones is currently in the hospital reportedly in a coma resulting from injuries he suffered in a car accident

Chi Cheng, bassist for legendary rock band The Deftones, was hospitalized and is reportedly in a coma after he was involved in a car accident. Deftones lead vocalist Chino Moreno was quoted in The Sacramento Bee on the extent of Cheng’s injuries. “I don’t know everything that’s going on — I just know it’s very serious. I’m on my way to be with his family, I’m pretty freaked out about it.” Moreno has also posted a statement on the band’s Web site, writing, “I am on my way up North right now to be by his side along with the rest of our band mates and family. Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I’m praying that his strength will get him through this.” Warner Brothers, which is the bands label issued a statement saying Cheng was in “serious but stable condition” and didn’t mention if he was indeed in a Coma. The Deftones had been working on their up coming album “Eros” which was scheduled to be released in 2009.

We caught up Chi Cheng during The Deftones last tour to find out if the band does any songwriting while on the road.

“We’re talking about doing the next album on this whole touring cycle and I really just don’t know if we have the responsibility. I don’t know if we’re responsible enough to do that. Yeah, so we’ll see.”

Chi was also asked on the last album-tour cycle about the inspiration for the song “Hole in the Earth” and he touched on the fact The Deftones were notorious for having daily mutinies during the recording of their albums.

“That song is about Chino being really pissed at the band because we were really pissed at him. He kept not getting the album done for a long time and we threatened, we were like ‘Look we might just disband then.’ And so you know he comes back with a song where he’s singing I hate all my friends and we’re like ‘Good. You can say I hate Chi Cheng just finish the album. There’s almost a mutiny in the band everyday.”

“Eros” will be The Deftones followup to 2006’s “Saturday Night Wrist,” which debuted at No. 10 on the U.S. pop charts. No further details are available as of press time on Cheng’s condition and his family and friends request privacy at this time.