Camillo " Chino " Wong Moreno [ 1 ] [ 2 ] born June 20, is an American musician who is best known as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band Deftones. He is also a member of the side-project groups Team Sleep , Crosses , and Palms.
Moreno is known for his dramatic tenor voice [ 3 ] and distinctive screams. Moreno was born in Sacramento, California , the second of five children. His mother is of Mexican and Chinese descent and his father is Mexican. He grew up in the Oak Park area and attended C. Before becoming a professional musician, Moreno had a day job at Tower Records ' shipping department. Circa , Moreno started jamming regularly with his middle-school friends Abe Cunningham and Stephen Carpenter , leading to the formation of Deftones.
Within two years, the group started playing club shows. They were signed to Maverick Records after one of their representatives saw them play in Los Angeles. Their first commercially released album was Adrenaline , produced by Terry Date. While the album wasn't an instant success, extensive touring, word-of-mouth, and Internet promotion built the band a dedicated fan base, as well as helping Adrenaline to sell over , copies without the singles " 7 Words " and " Bored " as well as their music videos receiving any airplay.
For 's Around the Fur , the band expanded its sound, spending more time with Date, and giving more thought to the album's production. White Pony was released in to critical acclaim and unprecedented commercial success.
Frank Delgado had become a full-time band member, adding new elements to the band's music, while Moreno himself contributed guitar lines in addition to vocals. With influences of new wave , dream pop , and trip hop , the album is considered a turning point for the band in terms of experimentation.
