Deftones: White Pony 20 Years On – Looking Back To Prepare For The Future
It’s not hard to hear just why White Pony gets the love it gets 20 years down the line. The record is a confident defiance of every musical movement of the time and in doing so became the stand out record of the early 2000s. DEFTONES had made a true masterpiece after two prior releases that had done good work in putting the Sacramento pathfinders on the map thanks in both to viscous and ferocious creativity.
As the 20th anniversary of the album passed over the weekend, we wanted to look into the album after getting the chance to sit in on the band themselves discussing the anniversary itself, as well as the recording, writing, and significance of the record itself. It was a surreal experience hearing the band themselves reminisce about their recording given how DEFTONES have comfortably transcended the realm of ‘band’ and are alike with TOOL almost in the widespread nature of their fanbase as well as the sheer rabid nature of their dedication. Few bands hit this point and fewer bands have done it so against the grain of the time than DEFTONES have, so it makes them a truly impressive entity within the musical realm and White Pony a record carved into the annals of time.
As well as looking backwards into the past of the album that broke the band to a wider audience, we had the chance to hear about what the band have in mind to celebrate this amazing musical feat of 20 years and remaining relevant for all of them. It was an exciting opportunity, and we learnt a lot about White Pony and the impact it had on the band and the music scene.
20 Years on and the record still shines
“Making that record, taking the chances we took, going against the grain, is something that was a little more daring. And then being successful from that gave us confidence to keep going, and keep making records and to try new things. It really broke this mould. When we started the band we didn’t really know what kind of band we were going to be anyway, but with this record particularly it helped us to kind of, go down that road.”
Even Chino Moreno admits to the significance White Pony has to them as a band, let alone to the wide musical world. You only need to look at LOATHE’s latest record to still hear blatant DEFTONES worship, and White Pony specifically. The vibrant ambient noise punctuated with Chino’s exceptional lyrics and vocal works as well as the metallic edge that had made their formative years so exciting and visceral. Everyone remembers the first time they heard Digital Bath and its beautiful atmospheres that flow so effortlessly over you, or the throat shredding Elite, or the brooding Change. It’s a work of art and even the band admit to their lightning in a bottle moment.
The only moment that perhaps sticks out like the tack on it is is the re-imagined version of Pink Maggit titled Back to School. Despite being a catchy and bouncy song, it was done at the behest of external influences and whacked on as the first song in future releases of the album. The re-release the band are planning will be the original line up of tracks, and it should be considering the fact Back to School was never meant to even exist.
Digital Bath was a stand out moment of the recording process
“We were in this beautiful room, high ceilings, and I had these cans made, they were like gun silencer headphones. I would have Terry compress the room mics and you sound like a god. I was just out there jamming, and that sound enabled the space and the beat.”
Hearing Abe Cunningham speak about the iconic moments that precede one of the best songs of not just the noughties, but any decade, instantly brings the beat in question to mind. The fact that it is burned so deep into your memory is testament to the incredible nature of the song itself. The ebb and flow, the snap of the snare, the effortless nature of how it swells and crashes around you. It is a bit good, isn’t it?
Maynard James Keenan looked in his musical toolbox
“He would bring these singing bowls and we get these tones and then we would just jam off of that, and I always thought that was really cool. He brought these things that we could just vibe off”
One of the many other moments that stand out for White Pony is Passenger and it’s vocal surprise. Maynard James Keenan rocks up to add his unique tones to one of the more patient and brooding songs on the album, and it turns out that his involvement went beyond simply singing a few lines. Him playing a show with A PERFECT CIRCLE nearby resulted in the band getting a speeding ticket as they drove to see them, and it was here that DEFTONES popped the question and got him on board.
White Pony allowed room to grow for their band, not just their sound
“For me, it was always a learning process trying to find where I fit. Especially in songs that were already done. I kinda got used to coming from behind and adding things, so by the time White Pony was being written I was much more in the forefront of the ideas.”
Keyboardist and DJ Frank Delgado finally found his role within the band throughout the White Pony writing process, and his sounds made for the fertile ground from which so many of the memorable moments on the record grew. As DEFTONES evolved from their metallic and aggressive birth, their curiosity and adventurous nature eventually led to Frank playing a deeper role in the writing process and giving more ideas for the band to work with.
There will be a re-release, and a part of it is going to have the title Black Stallion
In honour of the anniversary DEFTONES did mention that there will be a re-release to celebrate. On the other side of that re-release will be a remixed version of the album, with the apt title Black Stallion. This duel title was something the band themselves have always wanted to do, and despite the lack of any real details, there have been confirmations that some of the artists that inspired the band during their writing process will play a role in the remixes. This is exciting not just for the fact we get to be excited for a new DEFTONES release all over again. Being able to hear and digest the influences that bled into the albums creative process will be a fascinating time, and it will provide even further depth to a band already nearly subterranean.
Alongside this impending re-release there are further rumours of a brand new record coming from DEFTONES at some point soon. We know that the band are definitely working on one, but Chino has admitted it might not see the light of day this summer. So this anniversary comes at a time when new DEFTONES is needed, but instead we get to look at the immense legacy left behind by the band. Spin White Pony and enjoy one of the finest alternative records ever created.
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