Longtime Deftones bassist Sergio Vega has officially parted ways with the group.
Having been part of Deftones since 2009, Vega confirmed his departure with a social media post, after an updated press image of the band appeared on their Spotify profile.
The band is currently preparing to tour North America in April through into June, so Vega found it necessary to offer fans a full rundown on what the current situation is.
As Vega explained, his departure came down to a contract dispute, where the bassist realised ‘there was no opportunity for growth’ for him any further.
“COVID was a breaking point for a lot of people and I started to question my place in the band and the future that I wanted for my career. I really started to need something stable, because, at that point, my contract with them was canceled.” he explained.
“One day I got a call from the guys about an internal band situation, and they asked me if I was solid and that I would have to fly out to L.A. to help work it out right away. I said, of course, I was all in, and ‘we can handle my situation later. But I can’t go back to my old contract.’ Our respective management had a conversation to discuss a new contract and they offered me the same deal. At that point, it was clear there was no opportunity for growth for me, so I declined the offer.”
“I called the guys immediately to see where the miscommunication was to resolve it but there was no response. A couple of days later, I received an e-mail from their lawyer that their offer was withdrawn and that they wished me the best.”
“So I left the band early last year and since then I’ve been focused on my band QUICKSAND as well as working as a producer and writer for other artists and projects. And I’m mentioning this because there was some speculation about me selling my gear and quitting music altogether.”
“Out of respect for the people who have held tickets for this tour the past couple of years and everyone who supports the band, I felt it important to bring some clarity to the situation.”
Watch Vega’s full social media video below:
Deftones are currently up for two Grammy Awards this year: Best Rock Performance for ‘Ohms’ and Best Metal Performance for ‘Genesis’.
