White Pony

White Pony
Studio album by Deftones
Released	June 20, 2000
Recorded	August–December 1999, The Plant Studios, Sausalito, California
Genre	Alternative metal, nu metal, experimental rock
Length	48:57
Label	Maverick (9362-47667-2)
Producer	Terry Date and Deftones
Deftones chronology
Around the Fur (1997) White Pony (2000) Deftones (2003)
Alternative covers
Re-release cover
Limited edition cover
Limited edition cover
Singles from White Pony
"Change (In the House of Flies)" Released: June 27, 2000 "Back to School (Mini Maggit)" Released: March 12, 2001 "Digital Bath" Released: 2001

White Pony is the third studio album by American alternative metal band Deftones. Released in 2000, it marks a significant growth in the band's sound, incorporating New Wave and shoegaze influences with the alternative metal edge the group had become known for. To this end, it is generally regarded by fans and critics alike as their most mature outing and is also their highest-selling album to date.

The album features three successful singles as well as the 2001 Grammy Award-winning track for Best Metal Performance, "Elite."

Background and recording

After a break from touring, the band spent four months in the studio writing and recording White Pony, the longest amount of time they had dedicated to an album thus far. Moreno explained that the majority of this time was spent trying to write songs, and that the writing of "Change (In the House of Flies)" was the turning point where the band began working as a group.

Despite being pressured to release the album sooner, the band decided to take their time making the album. Cheng explained that "We didn't feel like we had anything to lose, so we made the record we wanted to make." Moreno did not have a common theme in mind lyrically, but made a conscious decision to bring an element of fantasy into his lyrics, explaining that "I basically didn’t sing about myself on this record. I made up a lot of story lines and some dialogue, even. I took myself completely out of it and wrote about other things. Once I did that I was able to sing about anything I wanted to, I could be a lot more general. There’s a lot of stuff on this record that people are going to question me about, and I can just remove myself from it. It’s not me. I’m writing a story here."

Althought the band initially wasn't intended to include guest musicians in the record, the album features aditional vocals by Maynard James Keenan on "Passenger", Scott Weiland on "Rx Queen", and Rodleen Getsic on "Knife Party".

Album name and cover

White Pony is street slang for cocaine. However, there are more likely meanings for the album name, including an obvious sexual reference:

"There's a lot of different references for White Pony. One of them is a cocaine reference and there's a lot of stuff... have you ever heard stuff like in dream books that if you dream about a white pony then you're having a sexual dream? There's a lot of stuff that kinda goes around it. And there's an old song (that goes) 'ride the white horse.' That's obviously a drug reference song." Crystal methamphetamine use is commonly referred to as "riding the white pony."

The original gray cover for White Pony is rumored to have been inspired by the album cover for the Hum album, You'd Prefer an Astronaut., of which Chino stated in an interview "...it's where Deftones get a big part of our influence from, tone-wise." and "Deftones were definitely influenced by it." The art mimics the mostly empty one color cover, with Hum's zebra in the lower left corner being replaced by a stallion in the lower right of the Deftones album.

Release and variations

Four different editions of the album exist. On its release date, limited edition copies were released with solid red and black jewel cases. The two differently-colored cases also featured different booklet inserts. Both limited edition versions include "The Boy's Republic" but do not include "Back to School (Mini Maggit)."

The first edition with a gray cover was supposed to be released as the non-limited version of the album. In addition, this version did not feature the track "Back to School (Mini Maggit)." This is the proper^{[citation needed]} version of the album (which was also pressed on clear red vinyl for a promotional run of about 1000 copies), and "Back to School" was only added as a marketing strategy; vocalist and contributing guitarist Chino Moreno has stated that he was not happy about it.

Musical and lyrical composition

The original opener for the album, the song Feiticeira lacks a real song structure and builds over a background of scorching guitars and heavy bass. Chino Moreno about the lyrics to the song: "The name Feiticeira is some Portuguese name that I read in a magazine and just liked. It's based on the scenario of being taken captive. It's completely fictional. I want that people who listen to it feel like they are the ones in the situation. Because of that I sing it in first person. It's up to people to figure out if i'm having fun (with them) or not, even though it sounds a bit eerie".
The second song on the record: Digital Bath features a trip hop drumbeat with Chino's vocal lines over heavy two-guitar trade-offs and a more atmospheric texture from Delgado. Is said that the song tells the story of someone who kills a girl as she bathes by way of electrocution.
Following Digital Bath comes Elite ,its really straight forward and lacks typical deftones dynamics. Chino have said that the song "is laughing at everybody trying to become what they already are. if you want to be one of the elite, you are."
The fourth track is Rx Queen which contains heavy percussive effects and stuttering bass. It features guest vocals by Scott Weiland (from stone temple pilots) on the vocals for the bridge. Chino considers it "the most futuristic song in the album". The song is said to tell the story of a man's affection for a girl despite her severe illness (Rx stands for "medical prescription").
Street Carp comes later with a brief guitar intro before the band crashes in full force. "It's a classic deftones song, with a rolling riff and some really interesting chords in the chorus. the vocals are kinda crazy - I'm singing out loud over the top of the music, like (the smiths front man) Morrissey or something, a cool contrast" - Chino. Although the song was not released as a single, a promo video was made for it.
The sixth song: Teenager consists of an acoustic riff and a scratching line with a trip-hop beat that create atmosphere and texture. The song deals with a youthful romance coming to an end. Chino has stated that he wrote the lyrics when he was 15 after a first date and that it was originally a Team Sleep song.
The opening chords for the next song: Knife Prty leads into a pounding distorted introduction with a moving bass line and an uncommon vocal bridge sung by Rodleen Getsic in Spanish-Arabic style.. "Its a seductive song with a lot of violent imagery. people don't tend to like sex mixed with violence. The mid section has amazing vocals from a girl called Rodleen who worked next door tour studio" - Chino.
Korea, an atmospheric song with a bleak guitar line and a bridge featuring a "scratch" solo by the band's DJ: Frank Delgado, is considered one of the album's highlights. "This was the first song we wrote for the record. It's a little heavy. It talks about the white pony, strippers, and drugs." - Chino.
Passenger is the ninth song, featuring a dexterous guitar intro, vocal interplay between Maynard (Tool, A Perfect Circle) and Chino alongside piano and keyboard lines that leads to heavy guitar havocs that introduces the choruses, critics often considers it the definitive highlight of the album. Chino on Maynard's colaboration in the record:

"We didn't plan on having any guest on the record. Honestly, when he first started working with us, he wasn't supposed to sing with us. He was just working on the arrangements, riff structures, time signatures, and things like that. It was good to have someone else who has different ways of writing songs, 'cause everyone has a different way of doing it. He came in and we started working on this one song in particular, and he just grabbed the microphone and started singing along to it. All of a sudden our band sounded like Tool; it was just crazy. Then, probably two months later, we went in to record the album, and I just kept hearing this re-occurring melody with his voice coming over it. So I called him and asked him if he wanted to come down and sing on the record, and he had no problem with it. Once he came in, I gave him sort of what I wanted the song to be about, and he wrote a couple of ideas down, and the next day he came in with all the lyrics written all out with blank spaces where my lyrics were supposed to be. He's very professional like that. He wants everything set perfectly, which is the complete opposite to the way that I write. And then I went in and did my vocals over it, and it just seemed that our voices blended together pretty good. Yeah, it came out pretty good, so we decided to put it on the record."

After passenger follows Change (In the House of Flies) which was the lead single of the album, and wold became a radio hit. Chino compares it with Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away) and considers it "a beautiful metamorphis"
The closer for the original album: Pink Maggit It's a bleak and moody song with guitar lines and a whispered melody from Chino before the band crashes in and allows the album to finish itself with a final explosion. "The title comes from a Kool Keith song. We just thought it was some funny stuff. The song is meant to be triumphant. I'm trying to spread a little confidence. Lots of artists try to make songs for the kids who are tormented in school, telling them it's okay to be tormented. But it's not okay. Don't be ridiculed. Become the leader of your surroundings. Confidence is one of the most important things in life. If you are confident, you can do whatever you want." - Chino.
Back to School (Mini Maggit) is the intro for the re-issued version of the album, an offset interpretation of the album's closer with rap influences. Chino Moreno have declared regreting the creation and release of the song.
The Boy's Republic is a song exclusive of the limited edition releases of the album, with lyrics about someone desperately seeking redemption. this track comes after "Pink Maggit," making it the last track.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone
Spin magazine	(8.0/10)
Sputnikmusic
Checkout.com	(9.0/10)
Sonicnet
BBC Music	(Favourable)
Q magazine
Billboard
Select magazine	(Unfavourable)

White Pony was well received by critics, garnering an aggregate rating of 72 on Metacritic. Several reviewers praised Moreno's increasing lyrical sophistication and the group's sonic experimentation. With Spin magazine stating: Far and away Deftones' most daring and impassioned work to date.

Other positive review came from Checkout.com concluding that White Pony is "A complex, heavily textured album that aims for the stars" Billboard gave it four out of five stars, but stated that the band's continious inclination toward a bludgeoning experimental sonic attack and Moreno's violent, impressionistic lyrics makes the album a tough pill to swallow for most listeners. Publications such Rolling Stone and Q magazine were less enthusiastic, with the last wondering if White Pony is "Their most adventurous and assured album to date?". A rather unfavourable review came from Select magazine, saying that "Maybe when they abandon their arrested development and stop convincing themselves the world is aligned specifically for their personal displeasure, they'll arrive with something listenable."

Awards and accolades

Alternative Press ranked White Pony as the second best album of the year in 2000 and, subsequently, in their September 2010 issue placed it in their list of the “Top 10 Most Influential Albums of 2000.” UK rock magazine Kerrang! named White Pony their third best album of the year behind Queens of the Stone Age’s Rated R and At the Drive-In’s Relationship of Command. In 2011, Complex Media Network's music website, Consequence of Sound, honored White Pony on a List 'Em Carefully installment dedicated to writer David Buchanan's top thirteen metal records released between 2000 and 2010, citing how Deftones was one of several acts who "helped usher the popularity of complex structure meets MTV audience".

The track "Elite" won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2001. About the awards' night, Deftones drummer Abe Cunningham comments: "All the people were on the ground, on the floor, and we were up sort of in the balcony, we were like, 'We're not gonna win. Look where we're sitting.' Everybody else who was winning, they'd get up there quick and get back. So we were just watching it and the whole thing was rad, just seeing the (stuff) go down. And all of a sudden they called our name. We just jumped over this balcony down onto the floor and ran up there. It was pretty cool, man."

Read more: Deftones hit the clubs, break out old favorites

White Pony is rated  G  in New Zealand.

Track listing

All songs by Deftones, except "Passenger" by Deftones and Maynard James Keenan.

Original Edition (Gray cover)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Feiticeira"	3:09
2.	"Digital Bath"	4:15
3.	"Elite"	4:01
4.	"RX Queen" (feat. Scott Weiland)	4:27
5.	"Street Carp"	2:41
6.	"Teenager"	3:20
7.	"Knife Party" (feat. Rodleen Getsic)	4:49
8.	"Korea"	3:23
9.	"Passenger" (feat. Maynard James Keenan)	6:07
10.	"Change (In the House of Flies)"	5:00
11.	"Pink Maggit"	7:32

Original Limited Edition (Red and Black covers)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Feiticeira"	3:09
2.	"Digital Bath"	4:15
3.	"Elite"	4:01
4.	"Rx Queen" (feat. Scott Weiland)	4:27
5.	"Street Carp"	2:41
6.	"Teenager"	3:20
7.	"Knife Party" (feat. Rodleen Getsic)	4:49
8.	"Korea"	3:23
9.	"Passenger" (feat. Maynard James Keenan)	6:07
10.	"Change (In the House of Flies)"	5:00
11.	"Pink Maggit"	7:32
12.	"The Boy's Republic"	4:37

Re-release edition (White cover)

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Back to School (Mini Maggit)"	3:57
2.	"Feiticeira"	3:09
3.	"Digital Bath"	4:15
4.	"Elite"	4:01
5.	"Rx Queen" (feat. Scott Weiland)	4:27
6.	"Street Carp"	2:41
7.	"Teenager"	3:20
8.	"Knife Party" (feat. Rodleen Getsic)	4:49
9.	"Korea"	3:23
10.	"Passenger" (feat. Maynard James Keenan)	6:07
11.	"Change (In the House of Flies)"	5:00
12.	"Pink Maggit"	7:32

Personnel

Band members

• Stephen Carpenter – guitars
• Chi Cheng – bass guitar
• Abe Cunningham – drums
• Frank Delgado – sampling, electronics
• Chino Moreno – vocals, guitar

Other personnel

• Kim Biggs – creative director
• Robert Daniels – assistant engineer
• Terry Date – production, mixing
• DJ Crook – programming
• Michelle Forbes – assistant engineer
• Scott Weiland - additional vocals (on "Rx Queen")
• Rodleen Getsic – additional vocals (on "Knife Prty")
• Maynard James Keenan – additional vocals (on "Passenger")
• Frank Maddocks – art direction, album design
• James Minchin III – photography
• Scott Olsen – Pro Tools engineer, additional engineering
• Ted Regier – assistant engineer
• Jason Schweitzer – assistant engineer
• Howie Weinberg – mastering
• Ulrich Wild – additional engineering

Chart positions

Album

Chart (2000)	Peak position
Australian Albums Chart	2
Austria Albums Chart	39
Belgium Album Chart (Flanders)	27
Canadian Albums Chart	8
Dutch Albums Chart	27
Finnish Albums Chart	13
French Albums Chart	6
German Album Charts	11
Irish Albums Chart	21
New Zealand Albums Chart	14
Norwegian Albums Chart	19
Swedish Albums Chart	35
Swiss Albums Chart	68
UK Albums Chart	13
The Billboard 200	3

Singles

Year	Song	Peak position
		US Alt.	US Main.	UK
2000	"Change (In the House of Flies)"	3	9	15
	"Back to School (Mini Maggit)"	18	25	25
2001	"Digital Bath"	3	11	26

Certifications

Country	Certification
Australia	Gold
Canada	Gold
United Kingdom	Gold
United States	Platinum

External links

• In-depth article on White Pony