DEFTONES have recruited Fred Sablan as their new touring bassist following the recent departure of Sergio Vega. Sablan made his live debut with the DEFTONES Thursday night (April 14) at the opening concert of the band's spring 2022 U.S. tour at the Moda Center at the Rose Quarter in Portland, Oregon. Sablan is best known as the former bassist for MARILYN MANSON, having toured and recorded with the shock rocker between 2010 and 2014. He has also played bass for CHELSEA WOLFE and PETER HOOK AND THE LIGHT, and is a member of the punk-rock supergroup HEAVENS BLADE alongside YOUTH CODE singer Sara Taylor, ROB ZOMBIE bassist Piggy D. (on guitar) and SUICIDE SILENCE drummer Alex Lopez. Vega, who officially joined DEFTONES in 2009, confirmed his exit last month, just days after a new photo of the band without him emerged online on various digital service providers. At the time, the 51-year-old musician claimed that he had been led to believe he would eventually be brought in as a full-time member, but, in 12 years' time, that never happened. "It was clear there was no opportunity for growth for me," he said. Vega also thanked his former DEFTONES bandmates, adding that he wished he could have spoken to them in person. "I want you to know that I appreciate all the years we spent together: writing, performing, being taken into your worlds," he said. "I learned a lot from each one of you, when you brought me in, you created a new sense of passion for music that I will always cherish and carry with me. You truly changed my life." Vega cut his teeth in the New York City hardcore scene in the late 1980s before going on to play in the influential post-hardcore trio QUICKSAND. QUICKSAND released two major-label albums ("Manic Compression" and "Slip") before calling it a day. Soon after, Vega found himself filling in with the DEFTONES and eventually joined the band as the full-time replacement for Chi Cheng. QUICKSAND reformed in 2012 and released a comeback album, "Interiors", in 2017, ending the band's 22-year interval between LPs. A follow-up effort, "Distant Populations", arrived last August. Chi died in April 2013 at the age of 42. He had been in a semi-comatose state for more than four years after being seriously injured in a car accident in November 2008. In addition to not recovering full consciousness, Cheng had been in and out of hospitals for various infections as his family has struggled with the mounting costs of care since he had lost his health insurance a few months after the accident. Cheng required surgery after the car accident to remove part of his brain, but his recovery was strong enough that he was taken off life support seven months later. Over the course of the last couple of years of his life, Cheng emerged from his coma for brief intervals. He was able to open his eyes and apparently could see and hear things going on around him but could not respond verbally.
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