Einer mehr im Bassistenhimmel – Chi Cheng ist tot.

Chi Cheng, der frühere Bassist der US-amerikanischen Alternative Rockband Deftones, ist gestern um 3 Uhr morgens verstorben. Cheng befand sich nach einem Autounfall im Jahre 2008 in einem semi-komatösen Zustand. 2012 erlangte er kurzzeitig das Bewusstsein wieder, wurde aber erneut auf die Intensivstation verlegt, bevor er in die Obhut seiner Familie entlassen wurde. Seinerzeit war Cheng teilweise bei Bewusstsein, konnte zwar nicht sprechen, jedoch seine Beine nach Aufforderung bewegen. Auch über die Möglichkeit einer Stammzellentherapie wurde seitens seine Familie nachgedacht.

Als sich der Unfall ereignete, befand sich Chi Cheng mit den Deftones gerade mitten in den Aufnahmen zum geplanten sechsten Album „Eros“, welche folglich jedoch nie beendet wurden. Stattdessen nahm Ex-Quicksand-Bassist Sergio Vega den Platz von Cheng ein, und spielte mit den Deftones bisher die Alben „Diamond Eyes“ (2010) und „Koi No Yokan“ (2012) ein.

 

Chi Chengs Familie postete folgendes Statement auf der eigens für den ehemaligen Musiker eingerichteten (Spenden)Seite oneloveforchi.com:

„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 emegency 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. I will write more later. I will be going through the oneloveforchi and any other information may not be reliable. If you have any stories or messages to share please send them to the onelove site. Please hold Mae and Ming and the siblings and especially Chi’s son, Gabriel in your prayers. It is so hard to let go.“

Weiterhin heißt es auf der Seite:

„Over the course of the past couple of years, Cheng emerged from his coma for brief intervals. He was able to open his eyes and apparently could see and hear things going on around him, but could not respond verbally.

Deftones have held several benefit concerts and continued to donate money from the band’s tours. Singer Chino Moreno said that the group’s fans have continued to help as well. „Whatever people can do, it’s all appreciated, and it’s all just in the hopes that there will be one day where he can talk back and have a conversation and see his kids and, you know, continue on living, you know,“ he said. „That’s what we pray and hope for, you know what I mean, that’s all we can do.“
 

Chi Cheng wurde 42 Jahre alt.

 
 

Hier kann man sich beide Teile einer 2011 veröffentlichten 30-minütigen Dokumentation über den Musiker ansehen, bei der auch Freunde, Musikerkollegen und Familienangehörige zu Wort kommen…

 

…sowie das Musikvideo zum Song „Digital Bath“, welches vom wohl bislang besten, 2000 erschienenen Deftones-Album „White Pony“ stammt:

 

Deftones-Frontmann Chino Moreno kondolierte über seinen Facebook-Account: „Rest in peace Chi Cheng“.

 

Rock and Roll.

Die Dämonen, die er rief… – Jason Molina ist tot.

Durch die Kraft seiner Songs machte er nicht wenigen Menschen Mut, gab ihnen, den düsteren Zeilen zum Trotz, Hoffnung auf einen nahenden Silberstreifen irgendwo am Horizont. Doch obwohl ihm seine Fans ihre Dankbarkeit – auch in barer Münze – heimzahlten, verlor Jason Molina, die Stimme hinter Kollektiven wie Songs: Ohia oder Magnolia Electric Co. am 16. März 2013 den jahrelangen Kampf gegen die eigenen inneren Dämonen. Er wurde 39 Jahre alt.

Und da ich stets lediglich Hörer – und nie Fan – war, lasse ich an dieser Stelle besser andere Quellen zu Wort kommen…

 

Hier der Nachruf seines Labels Secretly Canadian:

„We are deeply saddened to announce that Jason Andrew Molina passed away in his home in Indianapolis this past Saturday, March 16th of natural causes at age 39. Jason was a world class musician, songwriter & recording artist. He was also a beloved friend. He first caught international attention in 1996 when he began releasing albums under the name Songs: Ohia. In 2003 he started the band Magnolia Electric Co. Between those two bands he released over a dozen critically-acclaimed albums and, starting in 1997, he toured the world every year until he had to stop in 2009 to deal with severe alcoholism. Jason was incredibly humbled by his fans’ support through the years and said that the two most important words he could ever say are ‚Thank you.‘

This is especially hard for us to share. Jason is the cornerstone of Secretly Canadian. Without him there would be no us – plain and simple. His singular, stirring body of work is the foundation upon which all else has been constructed. After hearing and falling in love with the mysterious voice on his debut single ‚Soul‚ in early 1996, we approached him about releasing a single on our newly formed label. For some reason he said yes. We drove from Indiana to New York to meet him in person, and he handed us what would become the first of many JMo master tapes. And with the Songs: Ohia One Pronunciation of Glory 7″ we were given a voice as a label. The subsequent self-titled debut was often referred to by fans as The Black Album. Each Songs: Ohia album to follow proved a new, haunting thesis statement from a prodigal songwriter whose voice and soul burned far beyond that of the average twenty-something. There was organ-laced, sepia-toned econimica (1998′s Impala) and charred-hearted, free form balladry (1999′s Axxess and Ace). There were the dark glacial make-out epics of 2000′s The Lioness and the jungle incantations of 2000′s Ghost Tropic. There was the career-defining agnostic’s gospel of 2002′s Didn’t It Rain, an album about setting roots that also seemed to offer solace to a world that had recently seen its bar on terror raised. It was followed in 2003 by a thrilling about-face, the instant classic Magnolia Electric Co., which took Jason’s songwriting to ’70s classic rock heights. The move was such a powerful moment for Molina that Magnolia Electric Co. became the new moniker under which he would perform until 2009. With Magnolia Electric Co., Jason found a brotherhood in his bandmates, with whom he built an incredible live experience and made a truly classic album in Josephine (2009).

We’re going to miss Jason. He was generous. He was a one of a kind. And he had a voice unlike any other.

Fans can contribute to Jason’s medical fund as a memorial gift by sending money via PayPal.“

 

Außerdem findet ihr hier den Nachruf der deutschen Ausgabe des Rolling Stone, und hier einen sehr persönlichen – einen Nachruf, wie ihn wohl nur ein wahrer Fan schreiben kann…

Mach’s gut, Jason.

 

 

Rock and Roll.