Chino Moreno Of The Deftones: ‘Depeche Mode Changed My Life’

September 5, 2012

During an exclusive interview with Noisecreep.com, Deftones frontman Chino Moreno discussed how electronic music legends Depeche Mode changed his life when he caught them on tour back in the early ‘90s.

“Lucky enough for me, my first concert was probably my favorite band to this day, Depeche Mode, on the Violator tour,” Moreno remembered when asked if a particular band or show had a major impact during his younger years. “It was at huge amphitheater so it was a really big show. I worked my way up to the front. It was loud, the lights, my favorite band – it was just larger than life.

“At the time, we hadn’t really started the band yet, but it was in my mind then,” Moreno continued. “But the theatrics and power of it really influenced. To me, the sound from their earliest records has always been special. They didn’t use typical sounds, they’d sample some strange percussion, unconventional instrumentation. I liked early hip-hop, but to me, this was so much more – the instrumentation, the dark lyrics – and all those things still make Depeche Mode my favorite band, even today.”

The Deftones have paid homage to that influence by covering Depeche Mode on more than one occasion. They’ve recorded versions of the songs “To Have And To Hold” (which features a raunchy and decidedly NSFW music video) and “The Sweetest Perfection.” They’ve also taken on early DM ballad “Somebody” during live shows.

The Deftones recently announced a November 13 release date for their new album, Koi No Yokan, followed by a string of U.S. shows that kick off on September 22 at the Epicenter Festival in Irvine, CA, with Stone Temple Pilots, Bush and more.

Source–Scott T. Sterling, CBS Local Chino Moreno Of The Deftones: ‘Depeche Mode Changed My Life’ « The World Famous KROQ – Alt Rock Music News, Photos, Videos, Concerts