2. DeftonesAround The Fur
Being born in 1988, MTV was such a big part of my childhood. Of course, there were local bands in my town growing up or whatever. But MTV was where I got a lot of music – specifically a lot of American rock music. I remember hearing Deftones for the first time on MTV and just being like, oh my God. It had all of the elements that I really gravitate towards, and still reference when making music years later.
I think it’s important to recognise the impact that this album and this band has had on me as a creative person. As I’ve made music by myself or in a band, drum tone is such a point of discussion, and I always reference Deftones. It has to be punchy; it has to feel close but still have a bit of space around it. Also with my guitar tones. I mean, I can’t play like this, I’ve never written any riffs as good as them. But it definitely influenced what I wanted to achieve with heavier music when I was playing heavier music. It’s so gnarly but also melodic, the way Chino [Moreno] infuses that beautiful sense of melody across tones that are on paper kind of aggressive, like distorted guitar and loud bass and hammering drums.
The more time I spend inside their records, the more I fall in love with them. I love Ohms too, but it grew on me. I liked it the first time I heard it, but then about two years ago it became a soundtrack to a period of time in my life as well. I would ride my motorcycle through the Malibu hills, and I would have Ohms playing. I think that feeling of discovery is such a testament to how they create.
