A limited-edition album featuring a 2001 spoken word performance by late Deftones bassist Chi Cheng will arrive in late January. The release, dubbed The Head Up Project, contains 24 tracks, all captured during the musician’s set at the Cafe Paris in the band’s hometown of Sacramento, California.
Cheng sadly died in 2013 at the age of 42 after a 2008 car crash left him in a years-long coma. The spoken word album is being released via Qumran Records and Buckle Up For Chi, a nonprofit founded in the bassist’s honor that encourages seatbelt use.
The Head Up Project is subtitled A Night of Poetry, Belly Dancing, Music, Insults, Alcohol and Other Forms of Flattery. Only 200 copies of the album were made available for pre-order on CD, and according to the purchase link, it’s already out of stock after going on sale over the weekend. There’s no word yet on a digital release.
Cheng appeared on Deftones’ first five albums, including the fan favorites Around the Fur and White Pony. On Friday, Deftones unveiled a 20th anniversary edition of White Pony that contains a bonus remix album called Black Stallion. The White Pony x Black Stallion release can be ordered at this location and streamed here.
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Prior to Cheng’s car accident, Deftones had been working on a new album titled Eros. The project was shelved when Cheng became hospitalized, but the band has discussed releasing the music in some form. Earlier this year, drummer Abe Cunningham said that an EP version of Eros is a possibility.
See the cover artwork and tracklist (via the CD’s back cover) of the Chi Cheng spoken word album below.
The Head Up Project Cover Artwork:
<img data-attachment-id="1092077" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/12/late-deftones-bassist-chi-cheng-spoken-word-album/chi-cheng-spoken-word-front-cover/" data-orig-file="https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80" data-orig-size="806,806" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Chi Cheng spoken word front cover" data-image-description="
Chi Cheng spoken word front cover
” data-medium-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=300″ data-large-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=806″ loading=”lazy” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1092077″ src=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80″ alt=”Chi Cheng spoken word front cover” width=”806″ height=”806″ srcset=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg 806w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=800,800 800w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=350,350 350w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=123,123 123w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=210,210 210w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=250,250 250w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=189,189 189w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=80,80 80w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=380,380 380w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=398,398 398w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=550,550 550w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=470,470 470w” sizes=”(max-width: 806px) 100vw, 806px”><img data-attachment-id="1092077" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/12/late-deftones-bassist-chi-cheng-spoken-word-album/chi-cheng-spoken-word-front-cover/" data-orig-file="https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80" data-orig-size="806,806" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Chi Cheng spoken word front cover" data-image-description="
Chi Cheng spoken word front cover
” data-medium-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=300″ data-large-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=806″ loading=”lazy” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1092077″ src=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?quality=80″ alt=”Chi Cheng spoken word front cover” width=”806″ height=”806″ data-lazy-srcset=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg 806w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=800,800 800w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=350,350 350w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=123,123 123w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=210,210 210w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=250,250 250w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=189,189 189w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=80,80 80w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=380,380 380w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=398,398 398w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=550,550 550w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=470,470 470w” data-lazy-sizes=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg 806w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=800,800 800w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=300,300 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=768,768 768w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=350,350 350w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=123,123 123w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=150,150 150w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=210,210 210w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=250,250 250w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=189,189 189w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=100,100 100w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=50,50 50w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=80,80 80w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=380,380 380w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=398,398 398w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=400,400 400w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=550,550 550w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-front-cover.jpg?resize=470,470 470w”>
The Head Up Project Back Cover and Tracklist:
<img data-attachment-id="1092079" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/12/late-deftones-bassist-chi-cheng-spoken-word-album/chi-cheng-spoken-word-back-cover/" data-orig-file="https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80" data-orig-size="806,747" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Chi Cheng spoken word back cover" data-image-description="
Chi Cheng spoken word back cover
” data-medium-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=300″ data-large-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=806″ loading=”lazy” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1092079″ src=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80″ alt=”Chi Cheng spoken word back cover” width=”806″ height=”747″ srcset=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg 806w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?resize=300,278 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?resize=768,712 768w” sizes=”(max-width: 806px) 100vw, 806px”><img data-attachment-id="1092079" data-permalink="https://consequenceofsound.net/2020/12/late-deftones-bassist-chi-cheng-spoken-word-album/chi-cheng-spoken-word-back-cover/" data-orig-file="https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80" data-orig-size="806,747" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="Chi Cheng spoken word back cover" data-image-description="
Chi Cheng spoken word back cover
” data-medium-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=300″ data-large-file=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80&w=806″ loading=”lazy” class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-1092079″ src=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?quality=80″ alt=”Chi Cheng spoken word back cover” width=”806″ height=”747″ data-lazy-srcset=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg 806w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?resize=300,278 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?resize=768,712 768w” data-lazy-sizes=”https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg 806w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?resize=300,278 300w, https://consequenceofsound.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Chi-Cheng-spoken-word-back-cover.jpg?resize=768,712 768w”>
The presale is now live everyone! https://t.co/b2auoqCKMD #buckleupforchi #seatbeltawareness #chicheng #oneloveforchi #deftones #traumaticbraininjury #ripchi #ripchicheng #daitheflu #headupproject pic.twitter.com/Z1nubj5eor
— Buckle Up For Chi (@Buckleupforchi) December 12, 2020
