Deftones' Bassist Chi Cheng's Condition Improving and Fundraiser Website Launched
Band Photo: Deftones (?)
Chi Cheng's mother has written a personal letter directly to her son's friends, fans and supporters. This will serve as a press release as it does offer news and updates on his condition. It also announces recent fundraising efforts launched to help aid in Chi Cheng's medical expenses and much needed therapy:
"This has been a difficult time since Chi was injured four months ago. He remains in a coma and is slowly waking up. The entire Cheng family would like to take this opportunity to extend our tremendous gratitude for the worldwide outpouring of prayers, love and support. You have opened your hearts and have been the blessings that have made our situation bearable. Your kind words, shared stories, doing the 'good deed of the day' (which I would love to start again), and most of all your prayers for Chi have kept us from feeling alone or helpless. There have been so many faces and names that would always show up when I could get to a computer. It was like going home to see you sharing and caring.
"There are so many special people to thank for so many kindnesses. Jeff Irwin from WillHaven asked me about doing some benefit shows. He and his wife, Alice, along with many great bands shared their time, energy and talent. In response to the questions of why a rock star would need benefit show money, let me say that not all successful people are rich and even rich doesn't always last forever. When Chi is fully awake, we hope that he won't care that his dream home went back to the bank, his dog got given away, his health insurance quit paying for hospital care after a month and a half and life might take much more effort and some relearning. We in his family think that he will have some challenges and a lot of new insight and stories to share.
"It is pretty clear that he goes in and out of his coma. Many days he seems just tired or maybe sad. Other days he will open his eyes, looking around startled, seeming not to know where he is, then finally after we talk to him , he relaxes and goes back to sleep or just looks at us. He has said "mom" to me several times. That is a huge thing. It means that he can see and recognize me, he remembers, he can think of the word that matches the image, and can verbalize it properly. It actually takes so many steps for the brain to do that simple thing.
"I owe an apology to everyone who asked for an update and didn't get one. Other than the obvious time spent with Chi, which usually meant no computer access, there were other situations to deal with. There has been relocating, which I need to do again this month. There has been insurance to fight with. There has been a rude legal battle to win the right to make medical and care decisions for Chi until he is fully awake. Thankfully, other than another move, all of my energy can go where it should again..
"Many of you, in and out of the U.S. have made offers of help. It is very appreciated! And then there's Gina Blackmore. When she heard about the (roughly $750,000.) unpaid medical expenses, she just jumped on in and set up the OneLoveForChi.com and asked us to look at it. It is a great place for us to blog, people to share ideas and she set it up to assist us with whatever the need is. I mention this because I want there to be no misunderstanding about funds that are coming in. The money will go directly into a separate account set up for where the money most needs to go. That may be for part of his hospital room or for his extra physical therapy, but wherever it is distributed, I will be accountable to you. You can all know where it is spent. And be assured that is will be used with care and respect for the fact that all of it is someones hard earned income and shared with trust. Thank you to those who have contributed and, in advance, to anyone who feels inclined to. It amazes me how many people Chi has touched. You are all family to me and I love how you love my son! I will get back to updating on a regular basis. Look for updates on OneLoveForChi.com or the “Get Well Chi Cheng Card” on MySpace.
"With Much Respect and ONE LOVE,
Chi and Jeanne and the Cheng Gang"
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15 Comments on "Chi Cheng's Condition Improving, Fundraiser Launch"
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Contributor
Jamez, if you read the article, they actually anticipated and answered you question already.
"In response to the questions of why a rock star would need benefit show money, let me say that not all successful people are rich and even rich doesn't always last forever."
I am so happy to hear Chi is slowly but surely waking up! I have been a long time fan of the Deftones ever since I moved to the Sacramento area, right around the same time they were really breaking out as a band. To me, the Deftones have been a soundtrack to my life ever since 1993 when I saw my first Deftones show at the Crest theatre in Downtown Sacramento, only 3 weeks afterI had moved here. To me Chi Cheng is one of the best musicians out there, and The Deftones are the best to ever take the stage!
I will keep praying and lighting candles for Chi at my church and I will be making a donation to the Chi Cheng Benifit of $200.00 Dollars right after the 1st of the month. I wish I could give his family that money right now but Ive already paid all my bills and the end of the month is always tight.
One Love & Positive Energy To Chi Cheng & His Family
Sincerely,
Jason
Member
F_A_N, I did read the article, but I guess I was kinda thinking out loud... I mean, would I be totally off the mark if I said Deftones has sold around 10million albums worldwide? Millions anyway, so how is it possible that this entity known as Deftones (and all the machinery behind them, management, agents) cannot cover 750Gs? They must have signed on pretty sh**ty terms or perhaps their management just doesnt give a f*** about them. Just saying...
Writer/Reviewer
American healthcare is incredibly advanced, and responsive but it is also VERY expensive.
I did some time as an ER tech/secretary for a couple years and there were people who came in with week old gun shot wounds because they knew they couldn't foot the bill.
Until America can come up with some clever medium between Western Europe/Canadian healthcare and what we have now--those bills will continue to be massive.
The Deftones are a very visible cult band with one big hit and a few minors, we're not talking about Metallica.
Times are really tough for a lot of people right now, but if any fans around MU (I chipped in some) can give I'm sure it would mean a lot to Chi and his family.
Now Playing: Deftones - "Headup"
To all of you that can't understand how a "rockstar" like Chi is having problems paying a "mere" little $750K hospital bill , you obviously know nothing about the music business. For far too long people have assumed that having musical notoriety is synonymous with wealth. This is FAR from the case.
Yes , they have sold more than 10 million records , but these days record sales represent one of the smaller fractions of a musicians income. In Chi's case , he is one fifth of the writing element of the Deftones , so he collects that portion of the publishing/record sales. After all of the pieces of the machine (nice term Jamez) take their cut , which comes BEFORE the band gets theirs , he is not left with nearly as much as the public assumes.
Touring is where bands like the Deftones stand to make their biggest profit. The math involved in that equation has FAR less people involved and taking cuts than the record sales side of things , and the Deftones can generate $30K a night on average in the US , and that's WITHOUT a "hit" single on the radio at the time.
While I AM trying to address the huge misconceptions about musicians' income , I by no means am saying that the band is not capable of generating the necessary funds. Sure , fans donating money will help , and I will be headed over to the donation site after I'm done writing this , but seriously , THE DEFTONES NEED TO GET A SUBSTITUTE BASS PLAYER , AND HIT THE ROAD AND START GETTING THIS CASH!!!!!
No f****ng joke , I'm sure there are tons of high profile bands that would also lend their support to playing a Chi benefit tour. Incubus , System of a Down would get back together in a heartbeat , Linkin Park (not a fan , but they'd draw a HUGE crowd) , and... well seriously , name a band that WOULDN'T throw down to help.
All I'm saying is that no matter how much money us fans manage to contribute , it wouldn't compare at ALL to the money that the Deftones (with a fill-in bass) and a couple other high-profile acts could generate in even one night.
What's the hold up??? Seriously ?? It sounds like a perfect idea to me. And screw all the scheduling conflicts or whatever other excuses that may arise. Chi's life and well-being are at stake here and the people he loves the most that also have the power to DO the most need to stop going on love-line , playing poker , watching LOST , and just BULL-sh****NG in general , and step up to the plate . I have loved the DEFTONES for so long , and they have meant so much to me over the years. I know they will throw down and handle this. I know they will.
-Bobby Coma
To Bobby;
Hi,
This is Gina Blackmore. As you may or may not know... I put up the www.oneloveforchi.com website on my own. The Cheng's did not ask me to do it in any way shape or form. Once I put it up they supported my efforts and are extremely gracious. I did this because although high profile bands like the Deftones CAN generate more than us little ole' fans can on the Internet in one night flat.. There are many fans that WANT to do something for Chi. They want a way to give back to someone who has given them everything he has in him thru music. I for one didn't want to sit helpless and do nothing and wait for the big boys to step in. I wanted to get proactive and do something for my brother Chi! And.. I am not alone in feeling this way. Also, for months there was just extreme lack of communications and updates on Chi's condition. Sure I could pick up the phone and call Chi's sister and hear of his progress... But the Internet community.. They didn't have this liberty... And we weren't getting any updates anywhere. With the great progress Chi has been making lately I wanted to create a way I could share this news with you all.
As far as your other comment "Chi's life and well-being are at stake here and the people he loves the most that also have the power to DO the most need to stop going on love-line , playing poker , watching LOST , and just BULL-sh****NG in general , and step up to the plate" I could not agree more. And I know his mother Jeanne would also agree 1000%. We hope they do organize a benefit/fundraiser. But until that happens - we are not going to sit back and wait. Jeff from WillHaven has held 3 events and I believe he is working on a 4th one. I have had emails coming in from people all over wanting to have benefits. I am working with Chi's mom now to set up a duplicatable system to organize these events. I heard from the bass player of Skinlab.. He wants to get involved. He already did one of Jeff's benefits in San Fran and wants to do one in Sacramento. I know Fieldy from Korn keeps in touch with Jeanne often and I believe he mentioned doing something.
Us little guys are going to do more tho. I have a t-shirt contest we are going to launch shortly, we are going to get flyers up, organizing local benefits and more.
I heard from the original promotion guy from Deftones first album.. He has offered his services for free to help me in promoting the website. That will help a ton.
This is all I know for now. But ya... You are so right. If you want to stay in the loop with what us little guys are doing to help Chi I just added a newsletter on the www.oneloveforchi.com website.
One Love For Chi,
Gina
Member
Oh, so now I know "nothing about the music business"? Thank you "Boby Coma". I'll take that under consideration. Anyway, once again, the point I am trying to make here Is: howcome a band, an entity with +10mil sales, a band on this level such as Deftones and their loving family (once again, the agents, management, lawyers) cannot come up with 750Gs? Isn't their organization even interested in taking a loan in this case? It's not like he needs money to cover up drug or gambling debts. What a lovely industry. And now, I've had my say.
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Writer
That's so cool to hear that he IS getting better... after months with no word I kinda assumed he was going to be vegetative for whatever was left of his life. Here's hoping he makes a full recovery and can rock out again.