Deftones & Terry Date: what's the real deal ?

[Dienekes]

Frank answers your question in this interview.

http://www.bombshellzine.com/newspage/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=5258

[Vesanic]

It was a band decision, we knew that we wanted to try working with someone new. We spent a year or so with Terry (Date, producer) doing the 'Eros' stuff, at our studio and since then roles had changed. There was a definite transition period with Sergio jamming with us and we decided that we needed to try something different. With Nick coming into the picture, Abe had met him a year or so previously, and Chino had met him on a whim, too. He had a good vibe about him, he's about our age, he's a rocker dude and he was a fan of ours. It seemed right, and one of the big differences was that from the conception of the record, when we started with nothing, he was in the jam room. He'd be there in the middle of all five of us, you know, playing air guitar and air drums to the songs while he was recording everything to DAT. He was just capturing everything that happened, so it made for a pretty efficient work ethic. It was just a different time, and he was able to capture it. Sonically, he mixed it and I think it sounds great. Because he'd been there from the beginning and knowing how they were written, and what we were going for, he was able to capture that too in the end product.



Damn.

[IN WAVES]

Nick did a great job on the record. Terry is great, but it's good to diversify a little, and try new things.
I thought Melanie sucked. I wanted to like it a lot, but I just couldn't get into it much. It had some good parts, but as a whole, the song didn't do much for me. I think Chino hit the nail on the head when he said it would have ended their careers. With their last album not selling so well, and a so-so album (Eros) following it, they may have been dropped from the label. Either way, I'm glad things worked out for my favorite band.

[snw9]

Another question: Was terry date ever involved in the writing process of the band throughout their albums or did he just step in during the recording process and alter the songs and produce them? I feel deftones should start working with different producers every time, the end product is simply great.

Terry date did some production on saturday night wrist too right? on the vocals that were later scrapped? Can someone please confirm this?

[slyartwork]

Cool clip about Terry Date's drum sound. Deftones get mentioned.... Man, how I love ATF the WP Drumsouns thanks to this guy!

TERRY DATE DRUMS Expansion Pack for STEVEN SLATE DRUMS and TRIGGER

[nineteen]

Cool clip about Terry Date's drum sound. Deftones get mentioned.... Man, how I love ATF the WP Drumsouns thanks to this guy!

Big time. I find Abe's drums can get a little lost on DE and KNY, especially certain snare hits. On Graphic Nature, Abe does some great fills and they don't seem to have the punch.

[deftoolsys07]

I saw this earlier, as well... I'm gonna have to try this software... I was just with a buddy who also does music production and i was asking how to get some good sounds out of these midi samplers... i got some good tips, but i'm just gonna have to try this, too... I'll let y'all know how it sounds if i get to try it... and please, if anyone else here is an audio engineer, let me know how it flows in the studio...

[SwerveCityUSA]

I've been wondering something, lately. Lots of you know that Terry Date is and will always be the best producer for a sound such as Deftones'. The best records they put out were with him. He's the guy who made the melodies of Around the Fur sound that awesome, and all the other songs he produced for deftones.

If I'm correct, he producer Adrenaline ( except Fist ), Around the Fur, White Pony, Deftones.

I've got several questions now


What happened between the self-titled sessions and the Bob Ezrin sessions ? By that, I mean, why didn't Deftones keep up with Terry Date ? Did something happen in between ? And even when the project with Ezrin collapsed, why Shaun Lopez instead of Terry Date?


We also know that Terry Date was back on board to produce Eros. So, why didn't he produce Diamond Eyes ? It makes no sense, to me.

the only way you can tell the difference between SNW and the previous albums is because there's more ballads and slower songs because of Chino. the record sounds the same as any other. and there new energy surpasses anything they've done in they're career and the production is as pristine or more than ever. I don't care if you don't like the new songs, you'll either come around or be stuck in your own devise.

I love Terry he produced the most amazing guitar tones between Pantera and Deftones and let those bands be who they wanted to be while just guiding them to A PLUS PRODUCTIONS. after you figure it out, wouldn't you want to explore more territory and creativity with other entities? yes, and that's what they are doing, and perfectly.

[pinata89]

Not a knock on their newer stuff (I honestly do like it as much as the next person), but Date-produced records seem to do a better job of harnessing energy, meaning, and honesty in Deftones albums (SNW being the exception...something about that album still sounds fresh to me).  DE and KNY, to me, sound overmixed, bass-heavy, and muddy.  I truly don't like the mix on either of those records--especially gtr and drums.  Great songs, but poor mix.

Maybe this is due to Steph's continuing itch for lower (and lower) tunings, and everything just sounds so much more synthetic to my ears.  I'm very impartial to the mix on S/T...gtr/drums/vox all work so well in harmony--even on an album that consists of a lot of droning gtr and soundscapes.  So when DE dropped, I was a bit disappointed, to be honest.  It's grown on me since, and I've come to terms with the fact that this is what I can expect going forward...and sure enough, the mix on KNY is very similar.

Just venting, disagree if you want.

[SwerveCityUSA]

I never over analyze it. if its good then its good. its not muddy. its more energetic and its just original and classic.

[Northcal]

Terry date please come back and get these guys back on the heavy side!!!

[rainnyx4]

Terry date please come back and get these guys back on the heavy side!!!

I doubt the heaviness of their music has anything to do with the producer and everything to do with who the band members are as people now.  They're old and their style has changed over the years.  The odds of seeing a heavier album than their last one are slim to none.

[DeftonesNZ]

Terry date please come back and get these guys back on the heavy side!!!

I doubt the heaviness of their music has anything to do with the producer and everything to do with who the band members are as people now.  They're old and their style has changed over the years.  The odds of seeing a heavier album than their last one are slim to none.

Exactly I think people think the producer does more than they actually do, they help the band make the music they want to make and if the heavy stuffs not there terry won't bring it back it's not the one writing riffs and stuff.

[SwerveCityUSA]

what's heavy? I don't know what that is.

adrenaline and around the fur were pretty much the heaviest. self titled brought it back a little, but still settled in that mellow groove.

stef's huge sound is melodic and soothing. it blends perfectly with chino's lush, sultry vocals.

so heavy I don't know, its bigger sounding than ever, but also more melodic, which I was always hoping for more of with this group and thank them for bringing that full circle.