Deftones’ Chino Moreno on ‘Around The Fur’: “It’s one of my favourites – if not my favourite record – of ours”

Chino Moreno has looked back on Deftones‘ second album ‘Around The Fur’, saying it is possibly his “favourite record” from the band.

The frontman spoke highly of the US metal outfit’s 1997 classic LP during a new interview with Revolver. He remembered how it had been recorded entirely in one location – whereas their latest album, this year’s ‘Private Music’, was made across numerous studios.

• READ MORE: Deftones’ Chino Moreno on longevity, creativity and making music that lives forever

“There’s something special about each thing. With ‘Around The Fur’, that was written and record­ed in Seattle at Studio Litho, which is Stone [Gos­sard] from Pearl Jam’s studio,” Moreno told the outlet.

“We did that really quick. There was something about catching light­ning in a bottle with that record.”

He continued: “Still to this day, it’s one of my favourites – if not my favourite record – of ours. It’s this unbridled energy that we captured in that moment. That record definitely stood the test of time. And I love it for that.

“I think we’re a little spoiled now. We all like to be home, so being in one place for four months would probably not be the most comfortable thing for any of us. At the age we are now, even touring, we try not to tour over a month at a time until we take a break.”

Moreno went on: “But as far as being in different places, I think there’s something neat about that, too. Some of the songs on the new record were literally inspired by a morning swim on Zuma Beach [in Malibu].”

‘Around The Fur’ includes the singles ‘My Own Summer (Shove It)’ and ‘Be Quiet And Drive (Far Away)’. Speaking to NME in 2022, Deftones’ Frank Delgado and Abe Cunningham spoke about the album as it reached its 25th anniversary – calling the project “very special”.

The band had signed a two-firm record deal, meaning they were guaranteed a second album regardless of how their debut performed.

“Making that album was the most amazing time,” Cunningham remembered.

“With that first record, we were able to see a tiny bit of the world and we came back that much more confident and comfortable. There was just this excitement that we got to do it again.

“I can’t listen to our first record, because we just sound like a young band. We still play those songs live and we enjoy them, but ‘Around The Fur’ just sounds so much better. That 25-year-old album is a very special record. I really like it, so I will definitely give it a piece of cake and a cheers but honestly, I’d rather work on some new tunes if we can.”

The album was produced by Terry Date, who also returned to helm Deftones’ 2020 record ‘Ohms’. Date had previously reunited with the group to work on their unreleased 2008 full-length, ‘Eros’.

During an interview with NME this summer, Moreno spoke about how Deftones’ music had always been vulnerable, pointing back to ‘Mascara’ on ‘Around The Fur’ as proof. The frontman also admitted that his confidence to lay himself out in a love song had grown.

“Honestly, I’m no expert in mental health, but speaking for myself, doing therapy and sobriety as well – which has been a big thing for me to achieve in these last few years – obviously it was kind of scary in the beginning,” he told us. “Then once you break that wall down and realise, ‘Oh, I’m probably more creative than I’ve been in the past and a little bit more in tune with what’s going on, with my emotions’. Now I think it’s easier. I used to believe that maybe I had to be in an altered state of mind to have this creative thing.

“Overall, having a bit of clarity and still being able to be creative – it feels more pristine. It’s more polished and it’s more honest, in a weird way.”

In a glowing five-star review of ‘Private Music’, NME wrote: “Rather than just hang off the legacy of the immaculate classics ‘Around The Fur’ and ‘White Pony’, the Sacramento art-metallers have spent the 21st Century boshing out banger after banger as arguably the most reliable band in rock.”

It added: “‘Private Music’ once again finds the band as masters of beauty and brutality rolling over the horizon in one stunning but powerful storm. Batten down those hatches, throw up those horns, and lean in close.”

Deftones are set to head out on a UK and European headline tour early next year. The upcoming run of shows features a performance at The O2 in London, as well as stops in Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Dublin and Cardiff. Find any remaining tickets here.

This summer, Deftones played a huge career-spanning gig at London’s Crystal Palace Park – just one day after pulling out of their Other Stage slot at Glastonbury 2025 at the last minute.

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