Deftones frontman Chino Moreno turns 44 today, June 20. For nearly three decades, he's been the face, voice and driving force behind the Sacramento alternative metal luminaries. Moreno's contrast-heavy, arresting vocal style, coupled with his lyrical penchant for all things sinister and sensual, catalyzed not only Deftones' rise to fame, but the mainstream's affinity towards nü-metal writ large. And of course, we can't forget his well-established reputation as a sex symbol. (Alas, he's taken.)
In honor of Moreno's birthday, we're taking a trip down Deftones memory lane to revisit one of the vocalist's best onstage moments. Filmed during the Deftones' set at the 1998 Bizarre Festival in Cologne, Germany, Moreno's performances of tracks like "My Own Summer (Shove It)", "Around the Fur" and "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)", are textbook examples of what makes Moreno such a powerful bandleader: his whirling dervish stage presence, halfway between a rock singer and a caged animal; his unparalleled stamina, which allows him to skip, scowl and sing without missing a beat; his affable aura, keeping the rapt crowd in his clutches. Relive the magic below.
