Interview . Deftones . w/ Stephen Carpenter(guitar), Abe Cunningham (drums), Sergio Vega (bass). Label Warner Records

Interviewer: Marc . 07/05/2010 . FZW. Dortmund . Germany .

Punk76: How was your day so far?

Sergio: So far so good.

Abe: Slept good.

Punk76: So when did you arrive here in Dortmund?

Abe: We arrived last night and had a little dinner with wine. Also we had a little party last night.

Punk76: Were there any problems because of the vulcano situation in Iceland?

Abe: We're hearing about that now so we hope not to get in trouble when we travel to Portugal tommorow.

Sergio: You know that it actually impacted our flight yesterday.

Punk76: You're here for a few shows in Europe, so which things are important to take on tour?

Sergio: Oh, let's see - my iPhone, I had all my games on it and also my PSP.

Abe: Coffee!

Stephen: Most important to me is the iPhone.

Punk76: So what did you guys eypect from tonight's show?

Abe: Pleasure, good times and stuff like that.

Sergio: Personally I don't really expect something. I'm just preparing and get excited you know to speak for myself.

Punk76: Which ones are your favorite activities on tour?

Sergio: Hanging out with everybody that we're travelling with. We're just enjoying that time and it's really fun so I'm glad to be here you know.

Abe: We love being in the cities and we're thankful for doing it for so many years now.

Punk76: After doing press today, is there time for exploring the city?

Stephen: No.

Abe: Not today but we've been here before a few times in the past so we know the city a bit and we like it. Today is a busy day for us with doing press and talk to much people.

Punk76: Sergio, i think it's your second time here in Germany as a part of the Deftones. So how did it come to get into the band?

Sergio: Let's see, 1994 we met at the Warped Tour and a few years later i filled in for Chi for a four week run with the Deftones. So we just maintained our friendship and then they gave me a call about a year and a half ago. That's it and basically I came up from New York City to Califoninia. The first time we jammed was in Sacramento and later we got together in Los Angeles.

Punk76: How is it to travel with these guys around the world?

Sergio: They're nice guys and it's just cool to travel with them, it's makes it very easy. So for me it's a pleasure to be on tour with them and all the other people who are tavelling with us, they're all awesome people.

Abe: We have a really good time and of course there have been some times where somebody is grumpy but over the years we learned to enjoy our trips and ourselves. So it makes our days so much better and we're in a really comfortable position to do what we do.

Sergio: It's just like life you know, it feels really like travel with a family and that's the point of being on tour. The people get known each other and the foundation gets very strong.

Punk76: Tonight's show is at the FZW here in Dortmund. So it's a smaller location as on a normal Deftones show. What do you think about small venues?

Abe: You know we come from the clubs and so we started in the smallest and nasties places. Later we played huge festivals and everything in between but small clubs are the background of it all. So tonight is promotion, we're here on a little promo tour to do press and stuff like that and so we also play a small show tonight.

Punk76: Let's talk about your new record. What can we expect from 'Diamond Eyes'?

Sergio: From my perspective where this is my first record with the band, it's an expression where the band is now and so it's an honest batch of songs. It's just what it is and so this is where the band's at, a group of people that likes to create music together and put it out for everyone who is interested in it.

Punk76: The first two singles of that record were 'Rocket Skates' and 'Diamond Eyes'. Why did you pick them?

Abe: I think it's just the way of today's activity. I mean in times where eyerybody is online and where the internet is a powerful tool to connect the record company is doing their marketing. So 'Rocket Skates' was the first publication but it was not the first single when you think about a single in a classic way. So it's more like a tactic to get the stuff out in a way where everybody is happy with.

Punk76: So it's a thing of the label?

Abe: We had a choise in it, too. But it's just a different way to market a record because no one is doing it in the traditional manner anymore in times where the internet is such a great opportunety.

Sergio: It gives us a great chance to put our music out by being connected with people, so it's an awesome way to say hello to everbody.

Punk76: Let's talk about the music video for 'Rocket Skates'. After watching it a lot of people were thinking about the video for 'Be quiet and drive' from your second record 'Around the fur'. So is the rumor of the same spot true?

Abe: It's not the same venue, 'Rocket Skates' we shoot in Los Angeles and 'Be quiet and drive' was in New York City.

Stephen: It's funny because I said it's nearly the same spot when we were making it. It was like we had been there before.

Abe: So it's just a rumor but it looks like the same, that's true.

Punk76: What are your favorite songs on the new record?

Abe: I like 'Prince' a lot right now but i also like 'Sex Tape'. So they're all brand new and we like them all.

Stephen: I've heard the album before the whole world and I really like them all.

Sergio: I like them all because they all came togheter so fast so I think about them as one. When I think about one song I think about these other songs because they're all connected. So it's hard for me to pick a part of it.

Punk76: After doing this short tour here in Europe you will be returning this summer for some festivals. Is there a highlight or are you looking forward to all of them?

Abe: I like them all. They're are all different and it's such a great time when we're on festivals. When we came over to Europe for festivals it's like being a warrior because it's just crazy and dirty to play in front of so big crowds with so different interests. Also I like to go around the festival grounds after the shows and there are different bars and stuff like that. So it's a really cool thing.

Punk76: There will be a new album of Korn this summer. What do you think of it?

Stephen: I always keep hearing we have beef with them but I never know where this beef constantly comes from. Someone in the world generates it but we never had beef with them. It seems to fetch every time they've got a new record out or we've got a new record out.

I like Korn and I never had any dislikes to that band at all.

Punk76: I think everybody asks for it but are there any news about Chi?

Abe: Chino and I visited him maybe a month ago and he's at home now which is much better than being in a hospital. So he's at home and his mom and his sister take care of him and he's in what they call a 'minimally conscious' state. He's awake in the day and sleep at night like normal. When he's up he is in his chair and he's not able to communicate. They do a lot of physical therapy with him and he's kind of just there. It's a very very slow progress and nobody really knows how long it will take. In each one of these cases it's different, people been able to conquer these situation years later and so I don't know. He really looks good and he looks like he's twenty. We brought him some cd's and hang out with him like we do right here. I know he's inside there and hopefully he will be able to do his normal life some day.

Stephen: It just sucks when your friend lay out and there is nothing you can do but wait.

Punk76: So we hope that he can join you guys one day!

Sergio: It's beyond the band, he has a family and he has so much in his life. He is a father and he is a son and that's it what really is important.

Stephen: You can push everyone that knows him aside, it's just for him. It's important for his own personal life.

Punk76: Ok, that's true. That was it from my side, thank you for your time. I really enjoyed it and it was a pleasure to meet you guys.

Abe: Thank you too!

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