Deftones Bassist In Coma

11/05/08 12:55pm

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Deftones bassist Chi Cheng is in a coma after a car crash on Monday.

According to Warner Bros. Records, the band's label, Cheng is in hospital in "serious but stable condition" following the crash, which happened in Santa Clara, Calif. Deftones frontman Chino Moreno told The Sacramento Bee newspaper that he didn't know much about Cheng's condition, but was heading to the hospital with the rest of the band to be with Cheng and his family.

"I don't know everything that's going on — I just know it's very serious," Moreno said. "I'm on my way to be with his family. I'm pretty freaked out about it."

The Deftones are in the studio recording their sixth studio album, tentatively titled Eros, which is due out next year. Moreno announced the news about the crash on the Deftones' studio blog on Tuesday.

"It deeply saddens me to inform you that our brother Chi Cheng was involved in a terrible car accident last night," he wrote. "Chi is one of the strongest people I know, and I'm praying that his strength will get him through this. Please say a prayer for him as well."

Cheng, 38, holds a bachelors degree in English literature and is the author of a poetry collection called The Bamboo Parachute. He also released a spoken-word album based on that book.

Cheng recently told MTV News that Eros sounds completely different from any other Deftones album and is "heavy as fuck with a shitload of groove... I always say this shit, but I truly believe this album to be well worth the wait and appreciate all your support and kind loyalty."

The Grammy Award-nominated Deftones — who consist of Moreno, Cheng, guitarist Stephen Carpenter, drummer Abe Cunningham and turntablist Frank Delgado — formed in 1988. They've released five albums, with the last being 2006's Saturday Night Wrist.

The Deftones last performed in mid-September in Arizona.