Theres something special about the Deftones. Something that sets their sound apart from every other sound I've heard. They are harsh yet sweet, abrasive yet soothing; a delicate rose sprouting from a threatening, thorny stem.

Growing up in Sacramento, I was bound to hear the Deftones sooner or later. In my early high school years, there was a tape floating around my group of friends called "Adrenaline." When the walkman got passed around to me I was hooked. That album became my soundtrack to life, every part of it seemed to speak directly to me.

Since then I've followed the band closely, falling in love with everything they put out, from their 1997 album "Around the Fur" to the b-sides and demos that they have probably long forgotten.

I see the band around Sacramento now and then; earlier this year I saw Chino walking around downtown, and I hurried over to tell him what big a fan I was of the Deftones. In talking to him, I realized that Chino is one of the most down-to-earth people I've met, despite his "rock star" status and world-wide popularity. He talked to me as if I was an old homie, and when I mentioned that I ran a Deftones website, he actually offered to do this interview. Of course I accepted, totally stoked.

We did the interview over the phone while he was working on recording their latest album, "White Pony" with fellow bandmates Abe Cunningham, Chi Cheng, Stephen Carpenter, and DJ Frank Delgado. Nearly three years since their Around the Fur's release, White Pony easily became one of the most anticipated albums of 2000. Guest appearances include B-Real of Cypress Hill and Maynard of Tool / A Perfect Circle.

This whole interview was pretty surreal, so I had to sort of stick to my script, for fear blurting out some jumbled proclamation of Deftones admiration. I still haven't gotten over the fact that I was lucky enough to interview my favorite band. Listening to their new music, I know that Deftones will remain my favorite band, and that White Pony will be the sickest album of the millenium, nothing short of revolutionary.