Sergio Vega Quits Deftones - Noise11.com
Deftones

Deftones

Sergio Vega Quits Deftones

by Paul Cashmere on March 10, 2022

in News

Deftones bassist Sergio Vega has quit the band.

Vega replaced the late Chi Cheng as bass player in 2009, and after a promo picture of the ‘Minerva’ rockers posted to Spotify didn’t feature Sergio, he has explained his decision to leave.

Sergio suggested there was a dispute with his contract and whether he should be classed as an “official member” of the group.

In a video posted on his Instagram page, he said: “I didn’t want to have to make a video about this, but after the recent band photo posted on Deftones’ Spotify, I feel the need to clear the air. I’m not very good at this. So I wrote out a statement and I will read it to you now.

“To give a brief history about me and my friendship with Deftones. We met in 1995. I filled in for Chi — rest in peace — in 1999 and was asked to work with the band after his tragedy in 2009. Because of the love they have for Quicksand, I was asked to bring the same approach as a songwriter and arranger to them as well.

“I was also told that similarly to Frank [Delgado, Deftones keyboardist] I will be brought in over time to become an official member. I had worked with the band for 12 years, and at the start of every album cycle, I asked about becoming an official member, but the contract would be improved instead.”

Sergio admitted the COVID-19 pandemic brought him to “breaking point” and claimed his original contract had been “cancelled” by the band.

He was then offered a new contract but turned it down as there was no room for “growth”.

He continued: “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 cancelled. 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 LA 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. And then I call the guys immediately to see where the miscommunication was to resolve it. But there was no response.”

Sergio left the band “early last year” and has turned his attention to his band Quicksand and working with other artists.

He added: “A couple of days later, I received an email 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.”

He went on to thank Deftones fans for their support over the years.

Sergio concluded: “I want you to know that I appreciate all the years we spent together: writing, performing, being taken into your worlds. I learned a lot from each one of you, when you brought me in, you created a new sense of passion for music that I will always cherish and carry with me. You truly changed my life.”

Be the first to see NOISE.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE

Noise11.com

Follow Noise11 on Social Media

Noise11 on Instagram

You’ll discover music news first following Noise11 on Twitter

Comment on the news of the day, join Noise11 on Facebook

Related Posts

Miami Horror supplied
Miami Horror, Sneaky Sound System and Bag Raiders to Headline Live at the Gardens 2025 in Melbourne

Melbourne’s Live at the Gardens series will hit euphoric heights this November with a triple-bill of Australian electronic heavyweights. Miami Horror, Sneaky Sound System and Bag Raiders will join forces for a one-night-only dancefloor celebration under the stars at the Royal Botanic Gardens on Saturday, 29 November 2025.

August 27, 2025
Salt N Pepa Facebook profile
Salt-N-Pepa Double Down: “Time to Fight for Our Rights” in Copyright Clash with Universal

Salt-N-Pepa are, taking on Universal Music Group in a battle over copyright ownership that could reshape how legacy artists control their music. Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton launched their lawsuit earlier this year, accusing Universal of unlawfully blocking their attempts to exercise termination rights, provisions in U.S. copyright law that allow artists to reclaim their work 35 years after handing it over in early contracts. Salt-N-Pepa say they followed every legal step, yet Universal refused their claim.

August 26, 2025
Missy Elliott, music news, noise11.com
Missy Elliott Averts Copyright Trial at the Last Minute in Pennsylvania Federal Court

In a dramatic turn, rapper, songwriter, and trailblazing producer Missy Elliott narrowly avoided heading to trial in a long-running copyright dispute, reportedly settling the case mere minutes before a jury was due to be selected in a Pennsylvania federal courtroom.

August 25, 2025
Rai Thistlethwayte The Fabulous Caprettos by Mary Boukouvalas
Sammy Hagar’s New Live Album Features Rai Thistlethwayte of Thirsty Merc

Sammy Hagar has always had a reputation for surrounding himself with powerhouse players, but his upcoming live album, Sammy Hagar & The Best Of All Worlds Band – The Residency (out October 10, 2025 via Big Machine Rock), brings a distinctly Australian twist. On keyboards, vocals and guitar is Rai Thistlethwayte, best known at home for fronting Thirsty Merc and more recently as a member of The Fabulous Caprettos. For Australian fans, the inclusion of Thistlethwayte in Hagar’s latest chapter is a striking reminder of how far the Sydney-born musician’s career has travelled.

August 24, 2025
Ugly Kid Joe Menace To Sobriety
Ugly Kid Joe Celebrate 30 Years of Menace To Sobriety With Deluxe Vinyl Reissue

In 1995, Ugly Kid Joe released Menace To Sobriety, their second full-length album. A heavier, darker, and more muscular outing than their blockbuster debut America’s Least Wanted, Menace was hailed by Kerrang! as “the album of the year.” Yet, in the United States, the record received little to no label support, leaving frontman Whitfield Crane to famously declare that their label was quietly backing away.

August 22, 2025
Five
Five Are Back – Keep On Movin’ 2026 Tour Set to Ignite Australia and NZ

After a 25-year hiatus, one of the UK’s most adored pop-rocket launches—Five—are back in full force. Sean, Ritchie, Scott, Abz and J Brown will reunite for the Keep On Movin’ 2026 Tour, roaring into Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne—and even Auckland—next May.

August 22, 2025
Ed Kuepper and Jim White
Ed Kuepper and Jim White Announce First U.S. Shows With Mick Harvey

Ed Kuepper, twice inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame as a founding member of both The Saints and Laughing Clowns, will finally bring his acclaimed collaboration with Dirty Three drummer Jim White to the United States for the first time this November. The pair will perform in Los Angeles on November 4 and New York on November 17, with support from none other than Mick Harvey of The Birthday Party and The Bad Seeds.

August 21, 2025