Chi Cheng (musician)

Chi Cheng
Cheng performing with Deftones at Hultsfred Festival in June 2006.
Background information
Birth name	Chi Ling Dai Cheng
Born	(1970-07-15)July 15, 1970 Davis, California, United States
Died	April 13, 2013(2013-04-13) (aged 42) Sacramento, California, United States
Genres	Alternative metal, nu metal, heavy metal, post-metal, experimental rock, spoken word
Occupations	Musician, poet
Instruments	Bass, backing vocals
Years active	1988–2008
Labels	Warner Bros., Maverick
Associated acts	Deftones, Dredg
Website	oneloveforchi.com

Chi Cheng (July 15, 1970 – April 13, 2013) was an American musician, best known as the bassist for the American alternative metal band Deftones. His career came to an abrupt halt in 2008, when he was involved in a serious automobile accident in Santa Clara, California. After the accident, he remained in a semicomatose state for four years before dying of possible heart failure in April 2013.

Biography

Chi Cheng was born in July 1970 in Davis, California. He graduated from Tokay High School , and attended California State University, Sacramento, enrolling in 1989. He worked on campus, wrote poetry, and played with his band Deftones during the course of his education. CSU Sacramento. Cheng was the author of a collection of poetry titled The Bamboo Parachute, released in 2000 as a spoken word album. He was a practicing Buddhist, and maintained an interest in Taoism and Shamanism.

Cheng sponsored a community service group based out of the band's hometown of Sacramento, California. The group aids homeless citizens in developing their musical talents, among other things. Cheng was also a vegetarian. During college, he read No Denial!: A Handbook for Becoming a Socially, Environmentally, and Personally Responsible Citizen of the Planet by Neill S. Cohen and decided to make the switch.

Cheng was seriously injured in an automobile accident in Santa Clara, California, on November 4, 2008. Cheng was traveling with his sister, Mae, when their vehicle flipped three times after hitting another car going 60 mph. Cheng, who was in the passenger seat, was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. Mae sustained minor injuries, as she had been wearing her seat belt. She attended to Cheng, holding his head until two off-duty EMTs, who happened to have their medical equipment, rendered aid. They were able to insert a tube into Cheng's throat to help him breathe until the ambulance arrived, an action that doctors later said helped him survive. The accident left Cheng in a coma.

Deftones vocalist Chino Moreno stated on the Deftones' blog:

It deeply saddens me to inform you all that our brother Chi Cheng was involved in a terrible car accident last night. He is currently in a Northern California Hospital in serious, but stable condition. 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. Please say a prayer for him as well.

In February 2009, Deftones announced that they would perform as scheduled at the Bamboozle Left music festival in April, with their friend Sergio Vega (formerly of Quicksand) filling in for Cheng on stage. Vega has since performed and recorded regularly with Deftones, including on the 2010 album Diamond Eyes and its follow-up Koi No Yokan.

On April 26, 2009, Cheng was readmitted to ICU following a near-fatal septicemia infection; he survived the infection following treatment and was released from ICU about a week later. Following the release, a rumor started to spread in early May that Cheng had awakened fully from his coma but this was denied on oneloveforchi.com, stating that Cheng is in a semi-conscious state. On August 18, Cheng underwent surgery to replace a bone flap in his skull that had been removed after the accident, in order to relieve intracranial pressure.

Oneloveforchi.com was created in March to help raise funds for Cheng and his medical expenses, where fans can donate to help towards an initial target of $20,000 (later raised to $50,000, $100,000 and then again to $500,000 in 2010). It is also a place where fans can read personal blogs and comments from the Cheng family, and record a message that will be played to Cheng to further speed his recovery. In late April, PETA announced that 20% of the income from a "Happy Families, Not Happy Meals" T-shirt designed by Chi would go to the One Love For Chi foundation. There is also a "Get well soon" card at myspace.com/headupchi on MySpace for Cheng that fans from all over the world can sign by posting comments. Fans and some rock celebrities have posted comments, including Sonic Youth, Thursday, The Used, Ill Niño, and Limp Bizkit's Fred Durst.

On April 27, Shepard Fairey put three signed copies of his Obama inauguration posters up for auction on eBay, with the proceeds of the auction going to the One Love For Chi foundation.

Long time friend and fellow bassist Fieldy of Korn has recorded an instrumental song along with other musicians. All proceeds will be donated to Chi's family. The song, titled "A Song for Chi", was released for free via digital download on its official website where donations to Cheng and his family are also accepted. A few months later, in October, Răzvan Rădulescu (aka DJ Hefe) of the Romanian nu metal band Coma, released a compilation album titled From Eastern Europe with Love, featuring bands from Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia, and Serbia - the proceeds from the sale of the album will also go to the One Love For Chi foundation.

Deftones played a two-night benefit show on November 19–20 at Avalon in Hollywood. Proceeds went to the Chi Ling Cheng Special Needs Trust. Guests included Far, Cypress Hill, Rodleen Getsic, Ben Kenney, Greg Puciato, Rick Verret, Tommy Lee, Mike Shinoda, P.O.D., Mark McGrath, Xzibit, Robert Trujillo, Rocky George and Mike Muir (Suicidal Tendencies), Dave Lombardo, Alexi Laiho, Daron Malakian, Shavo Odadjian, John Dolmayan, and Max Cavalera.

In May 2010, Chi Cheng began showing significant signs of improvement, and was able to track individual people with his eyes, occasionally make worded responses, and slightly move his hands. Chino Moreno stated that the Cheng family would be paying a doctor with the International Brain Research Foundation, who is experienced in the field of coma and trauma patients using funds raised through the oneloveforchi website to use an experimental medicine to bring Chi out of his coma-like state. The treatment had an 84% success rate. In May 2011, Cheng began undergoing rehabilitation and additional operations in New Jersey.

On February 7, 2012 it was reported that Cheng was in a partially conscious state, having the ability to move his legs on command; however, he was unable to move independently or speak in sentences. Two days after being released from the hospital, in June 2012, Cheng was diagnosed with pneumonia and rushed to the ICU. On July 4, Cheng was released from the ICU and was undergoing recovery at his home.

Death

On April 13, 2013, website oneloveforchi.com reported that Cheng had died when his heart suddenly stopped after he was rushed to a hospital. According to a statement issued by his mother Jeanne Marie Cheng on both oneloveforchi.com and his official Facebook page the morning of April 14, 2013, the Deftones bassist was taken to the emergency room of an area Sacramento hospital around 3:00 a.m. PST when Jeanne recalls that her son's "heart just suddenly stopped". Whether his condition of pneumonia (first recorded back in June 2012 ) was related to his passing is still unfounded. Shortly upon arrival, Cheng was pronounced dead. Jeanne Cheng addressed her son's fans across the world with an impromptu letter.

"Our dearest Family, (April 14, 2013) This is the hardest thing to write to you. Your love and heart and devotion to Chi was unconditional and amazing. I know that you will always remember him as a giant of a man on stage with a heart for every one of you. He was taken to the emergency room and at 3 am today his heart just suddenly stopped. He left this world with me singing songs he liked in his ear. He fought the good fight.You stood by him sending love daily. He knew that he was very loved and never alone. With great love and “Much Respect!” Mom J (and Chi)."

Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe wrote in reaction

"thanks Chi for being part of my new life and the beginning of my healing. This is what music is to me- the moments we begin to LIVE. This mortal coil has been shed by Chi, but his music & his energy is still very much ALIVE. I don't care if this sounds sappy- this is my truth, & I have no other way to live but by it. God speed on your journey brother, & thanks & love to you once again."

Other rock and metal contemporaries also wrote in condolence; including guitarist Slash of Guns and Roses fame, Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor and Members of the Connecticut hardcore punk outfit Hatebreed.

On April 15, 2013, bandmate and guitarist Stephen Carpenter of Deftones released a statement wherein he expressed his sorrow and sympathy of a lost bandmate and friend.

"There are so many things I can say, and yet at this moment, none of it matters or compares to the loss everyone feels. There will be a hole in our lives where Chi once was. But that will be filled everyday with all of our love and memories we all have in our heart. He will always be here because of love. It’s time we all give our love and best, and do our best to love. Especially ourselves, Chi would want that for everyone. All our healing will begin with love. I love you, Chi. Stephen, for Deftones"

Cheng leaves behind one child, Gabriel Cheng of a previous marriage.

Discography

Solo

• The Bamboo Parachute (2000)

With Deftones

For a more comprehensive list, see Deftones discography.

• Adrenaline (1995)
• Around the Fur (1997)
• White Pony (2000)
• Deftones (2003)
• Saturday Night Wrist (2006)

Guest appearances

• Live at the Fillmore by Dredg (2006)

In popular culture

• Korn has a song titled "Chi" from their second album Life Is Peachy (1996), which is named after Cheng.
• Dredg dedicated their 2009 album The Pariah, the Parrot, the Delusion to Cheng, who had previously been a special guest on Dredg's 2006 live album Live at the Fillmore.
• Far frontman, Jonah Matranga, has stated that the title track "At Night We Live" from their 2010 album, is inspired by a dream he had, shortly following a hospital visit to see Cheng.

External links

• Official website
• Chi Cheng at the Internet Movie Database
• One Love for Chi