Archive for November 26th, 2012

Chi Cheng’s Family Considers Stem Cell Treatment, Offers New Update on His Condition

Gary Livingston, Getty Images Four years have passed since Deftones bassist Chi Cheng was involved in a car accident which left him in a coma. Having only been in a partially conscious state since Feb. 2012, Chi is now able to spend his life out of a hospital despite many return trips due to various infections. In a long post by Chi’s mother, she shares the latest on Chi’s recovery, including a close call concerning oxygen deprivation. Chi Cheng has spent an unfortunate amount of time confined to a hospital bed since the accident, and his family and friends have been fighting to keep him out since his latest release. The bassist is currently recovering in a rented house and is constantly tended to by family and various assistants. Unable to speak although he can move his legs on command, Chi Cheng is on a slow but hopefull path of recovery, with Cheng’s family even considering stem cell therapy to aid the bassist. Chi’s brother Ming tells Revolver, “Once his health gets a little better, we’ll start looking into other options…but they don’t even do it (stem cell therapy) in the U.S. yet. It’s a miracle he’s still with us. He’s alive and kicking and he’s fighting, and I think there’s a reason for it. I’m hoping there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for Chi.” Chi’s mother wanted to let the musician to recover in his childhood home, but sadly, Chi’s father passed away in April, leading to legal complications forcing the Cheng family to sell the home. Here’s the newest update on the condition of Chi Cheng in this latest post from oneloveforchi.com : Hello dear family, Hope your holiday was spent with those you love and was happy. Ours was quiet. Mae, Chris and the kids went to Chris’s family’s for dinner Chi and I were here listening to some tunes and catching up on a few things. Now the Christmas Season is here and the insanity that is shopping. Mae tried to get to the store with Chris last night, took one look at the crowds and said “I’m gonna walk home.” They had gone in to get a really good sale on a TV for the new house and when they fought their way back to that section of the store, it was closed. The TV’s were there and the sale was on but they wouldn’t let anyone in that part of the store. (Yes Sal, it WAS Walmart). So, we have gotten into a routine in the house we are renting. Chi is getting much better care at home and has wonderful assistants (full time for now) as Mae gave birth to a baby boy last month. She still does hours of hands on helping the helpers, as does Chris, but we have someone come nights for now so everyone else gets sleep at night. We had hoped to be able to move Chi into the house that all the kids grew up in. He would have been in the main house with Mae and her family and I would have been in the guest house in back. The yard is so great there with bamboo all ofer and oak and fruit trees and bird songs. Sadly Chi’s Dad passed away at the end of April and things got really complicated legally. I thought it best to just rent a place for he and I when he got back from New Jersey and we ended up having to sell the family home. Now it is sold, Mae and all moved in here and we looked for a house big enough for all of us to live in with more room. We did buy one at a very good price and are having it painted and re-carpeted now. It is not far away and is in a better location. So…one more move and we should be able to settle in. We are so happy at the thought of not moving again! In the new house we will finally put some bookcases up for Chi’s books around him with a few of his own things on the wall. I can’t wait! We will even get a dining room table! So about Chi. He was home for a day when he got back from New Jersey and had to go to the emergency room. He spent (6?weeks) in icu, ccu, icu getting one infection after another. I didn’t think that we would see him get back home. It was scary! I think that is when Gina put out the prayer request 1. for the prayer and 2.ya’ll deserved to know it was critical. When he finally got one blood test that was clear of infection they sent him home. I took pictures of the medic van coming up the road and the 2 gals bringing him in. They wheeled him in the house with their portable oxygen still on him and when we put the finger monitor on him he was hardly getting any oxygen at all to his arms legs etc. The girls said that they couldn’t leave him and went outside to call a fully equipped ambulance. Mae and I decided NO more hospitals and went crazy on poor Chi. I was trying to shake and lift him and he wouldn’t wake or move. Mae grabbed a towel and held it tight over his mouth so that he would have to breathe through his nose (where the oxygen was going in). After a bit his eyes opened wide and he looked at Mae like “REALLY!! You’re gonna snuff me??” She told him to breathe through his nose and he did. His oxygen when the girls came back in the house was a nice (98? or 99?). Something high and he was wide awake. They were baffled but cancelled the ambulance and put him in his bed.It is hard and hard for him but we have decided to deal with things at home. Hospitals are too germy! The last time the Dr recommended taking him in and we told him no, he came out the next day and said that it was the right decision. Again now he is starting into pneumonia in both lungs but we caught it early and he is on day 2 of antibiotics. His Dr and the nurse that come to the house are wonderful and Mae doesn’t miss a thing. She checks him constantly and I never sleep well at night so I peek in on him at night too. All and all, he seems intent on staying around awhile longer. Since you all have been such a huge part of making that possible, we have so much gratitude for your support and prayers! I know this has been said before but again, I feel like you are all our family! Some families don’t get this sort of kindness from their blood relatives. The love and compassion that you give Chi and us makes our world like such a better place. I will post or Gina will post (because she will call every day to check on how he is when he is sick) to let you know when he is well again. I am going to try to send Gina some pictures to post also as we have another addition to Chi’s team. This cat appeared and has adopted me and Dai. She is what Sal calls a “power animal” because of her protective behavior. To donate to Chi Cheng’s recovery fund, visit the OneLoveForChi website to help the family reach their fundraising goal. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/deftones-change-in-the-house-of-flies-top-21st-century-hard-rock-songs/” title=”Deftones – Top 21st Century Hard Rock Songs” align=”center”]

Suicide Silence to Play Benefit Show for Late Singer Mitch Lucker’s Daughter

Mary Ouellette, SheWillShootYou.com The surviving members of Suicide Silence have announced a special benefit show for Mitch Lucker’s family this December, and all of the proceeds from the concert will go toward the education of Lucker’s 5-year-old daughter, Kenadee. The band will perform live, and a different singer will fill in for Lucker for each song. No word yet on who these special vocalists will be, but we’ll keep you posted. The band made the announcement was made this past weekend at the California Metalfest, where the surviving band members took the stage to address the crowd. Watch the fan-filmed footage of the announcement below. The show is set for the Fox Theater in Pomona, Calif., on Dec. 21, and it will be at least the fourth benefit effort since Lucker’s death. Hopefully the funds raised at this gig, along with the other benefits, will help fund Lucker’s surviving family members for the future as they deal with this tragedy. Lucker passed away on Nov. 1 at age 28 after sustaining injuries in a motorcycle crash in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Halloween night. Watch Suicide Silence Announce Benefit Show at California Metalfest [button href=”http://loudwire.com/best-suicide-silence-songs/” title=”Next: Best Suicide Silence Songs” align=”center”]

Guns N’ Roses Joined Onstage by Izzy Stradlin During Final Two Las Vegas Residency Shows

Jason Merritt / Scott Harrison, Getty Images Guns N’ Roses just completed their ‘Appetite for Democracy’ residency in Las Vegas on Nov. 24, and fans who attended the final two shows were gifted with an pleasant surprise. Former GN’R guitarist Izzy Stradlin joined the band onstage for a number of songs throughout the band’s sets, including ’14 Years,’ ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door,’ Used to Love Her’ and ‘Paradise City.’ It’s difficult to gauge the relationship between Stradlin and GN’R singer Axl Rose is in modern times, but there seems to be a mutual admiration for one another. In May 2006, Stradlin joined GN’R onstage in New York City for the first time in 13 years, and earlier this year, Stradlin performed with Guns at London’s O2 Arena. It should be noted that both Rose and Stradlin skipping Guns N’ Roses’ 2012 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Known to be somewhat of a recluse in his personal life, Stradlin thrilled die-hard GN’R fans during the Nov. 23 and Nov. 24 Vegas dates, playing six tracks during one show and five the following day. Check out video footage of ’14 Years’ below. Stradlin has released 11 studio albums since 1992, with his most recent musical contribution being the new single ‘ Baby-Rann .’ Could Stradlin’s increasingly frequent GN’R live cameos lead to something monumental in the future? We’ll be watching for it, so stay tuned as more Guns N’ Roses news continues to break. Guns N’ Roses with Izzy Stradlin Perform ’14 Years’ [button href=”http://loudwire.com/izzy-stradlin-releases-new-single-baby-rann/” title=”Listen to Izzy Stradlin’s New Single ‘Baby-Rann'” align=”center”]

Motionless In White vs. Attack Attack! – Cage Match

Fearless Records / Earshot Media Motionless In White and their track ‘Devil’s Night’ continue to knock down bands left and right in the Cage Match, but will they be able to beat today’s challengers? Attack Attack! enter the matchup with their track ‘The Revolution’ off of their latest album ‘This Means War.’ The band recently performed a set of shows dubbed ‘A Very Scary Night With Attack Attack!’ at the end of October. So will Attack Attack! start a ‘Revolution’ and beat out the reigning champs or will Motionless In White stay on the path to victory? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite track in the poll below. (This Cage Match will run until Wednesday, Nov. 28 at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Listen to Motionless In White, ‘Devil’s Night’ Listen to Attack Attack!, ‘The Revolution’ Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. Email Me When Cage Match Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of the daily winner of the Cage Match, as well as our top stories of the day. Email Rules of Cage Match: Fans can vote once per hour for their favorite song. If a song remains the reigning champ for five straight cage matches, it is retired to the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. With so many great songs out there, we have to give other bands a chance!

DevilDriver Singer Dez Fafara Offers Details on New Album, New Label + More

Liz Ramanand, Loudwire It’s been quite a year for DevilDriver , as they began 2012 as part of the Metal Alliance tour with Arch Enemy and recently finished up a massive U.S. trek with GWAR. During DevilDriver’s stop in Brooklyn, N.Y., we caught up with frontman Dez Fafara , who dished on the band’s new album and expressed his excitement about joining Napalm Records’ roster. He also took a look back on DevilDriver’s 2011 release ‘Beast.’ How would you describe your relationship with GWAR and the rest of the roster on this tour? We’ve been friends with GWAR   for a long time; we toured with them six or seven years ago it was one of the funnest tours we ever did. We know everybody, we know the Cancer Bats really well, we’ve toured with them before – it was my ideas to put the Bats on as well and it ended up happening so it’s been really killer so far. Everyone’s just hanging out and having a great time. No doubt you have toured with numerous bands but is there one band or musician you would love to tour with that you haven’t gotten a chance to tour with yet? We did some shows with Metallica but they were festivals but I would love to do a Metallica tour – every band is going to say that. Other than that, there’s a lot of artists out there that I would still love to work with of course. With all of this touring what is one thing you must bring on tour with you, no electronics? I bring my own blankets because there’s been a million musicians sleeping in those bunks and on those mattresses so I bring my own blankets, my own sheets, my own pillow, my own everything. If you tour like we do and I take the same bunk every time in different buses. Any creepy findings in one of your tour buses? Oh yeah, I got really ill about a year ago on a tour and they couldn’t figure out why was so ill. It was about two weeks into it and I was coughing up black s—t, we finally stripped my bunk down and we turned over the bunk and the whole thing – the bottom was covered in black mold. Somebody had spilled a drink in there or whatever and left it over the course of time and it was just getting me really sick. Other than that I’ve never experienced other creepy crawlies, you’ll see spiders in buses sometimes but we tend to let those guys out and let them live ‘cause they’ve already had a hard road. Congratulations on your new home of Napalm Records – what made your guys decide on this move? They have passion. I think when the whole folding of Roadrunner was happening, they were … letting a bunch of other people go – I had been there a long time, I think they decided, I decided, we all decided that it was just time to part ways. Napalm has a massive amount of passion for heavy metal, they love the band. When we met with the owner, he was like “I love the band.” He knew songs and it was like okay, “This is a guy who’s entrenched in our music so we want him behind it.” We’re also with Roadrunner still overseas in Australia and New Zealand so it’s good to be with them still over there. The United States label itself has changed and I forsee in the next year, it’s just going to fold completely in probably to Warner, I would imagine. With people in the UK that I’ve worked with forever, press people and others – when they lose their job, it’s time to go, start over and I’m not afraid of that. A lot of people are afraid of moving into a new house but it’s awesome to do and decorate it new and make it happen again, make it feel alive so that’s what’s happening with DevilDriver and Napalm right now. We’re excited for the record, they’re excited for the record – I think Napalm needs a flagship in the United States and I think we could be it for them and I think their press people and they think we could be it for them, too. We’re going to go gunnin’ with this next record and see the numbers – I’m predicting both higher sales and a higher chart position than what Roadrunner offered us. So we’ll see. What’s the progress on the next album? Songs are all written – I’m six songs in right now, written, we’ve got two covers that we’re going to be doing. We’re looking at a late fall – sometime between late August and late September, kind of hard to quote me right because we’re just looking for that release space but I believe that’s when the time is going to be. So this is the last time DevilDriver will be in the United Stated at least until September, October of next year. We’re taking a whole year away from the States to just let it marinate and then come on back on the new record. What do you think the vibe will be like for this new album? Every record is different, that being said I thought ‘Pray For Villains’ was kind of an out of the box record for us, I thought ‘Beast’ was a weird out of the box record for us – we’ve kind honed back in to where we are. This new record sounds a lot like the first three records, it’s got an intense groove to it and I’m really happy – the writing is going extremely well. That being said I think we’ve laid back on our laurels right now and be like, “We’re a groove band” the fans started calling us The Groove Machine, The California Groove Machine – everybody needs a title, we’ll take that one and we’re going to give them that on the new record for sure. It’s been well over a year since the release of ‘Beast.’ Looking back on it, what does Dez the music fan love about that album? A weird record for us, I’m not going to lie, when I sat down – the arrangements everything, it was a weird record to write. When it came out we knew it was just an out of the box, aggressive record for us and it got a lot of positive feedback. All of the accolades that it got, I didn’t know if I expected that reaction. Now looking back in hindsight, we needed that, we to just do something apart from ourselves and that’s what has led us now to where we are with the new record which is like, “Let’s really hone in on the songwriting on this one, let’s make sure the arrangements are really tight.” Everyone’s really excited. Looking back on ‘Beast’ we worked really hard, we toured really hard on it and it did what it was supposed to do for us which was put our sound out there in a unique way and make sure that we didn’t follow any kind of course of anybody else and we laid our own path, which we’ve been doing since we started. [button href=”http://loudwire.com/gwar-brooklyn-tour-stop/” title=”Check Out Photos of DevilDriver Performing in New York City” align=”center”]