Deftones’ Chino Moreno Celebrates Three Years Sober Ahead of Private Music Album Release

*Deftones perform in concert during day 2 of the Primavera Sound Festival at Parque da Cidade on June 13, 2025, in Porto, Portugal. Paulo Pinho/Redferns*

Chino Moreno sobriety has reached nearly three years, marking a major personal milestone as the Deftones prepare to release their new album Private Music this Friday. The frontman’s commitment to staying sober has not only reshaped his life but also brought a renewed focus and intensity to his performances.

In an interview with Kerrang!, Moreno explained how drinking before shows used to be his way of managing pre-performance anxiety.

“Yes, it does help ease that anxiety, but at the same time, it also makes you too loose sometimes, where you’re not really in control of your voice,” Moreno shared. “You can get sloppy really easily.”

He recalled finishing concerts and thinking the shows went well, only to later hear recordings that didn’t match his memory:

“I’d get offstage and what I remembered of the show would be like, ‘Oh, yeah, it was cool.’ But then I’d hear back takes sometimes like, ‘Oh, that wasn’t as good as I remembered it.’”

Finding Strength and Balance Through Chino Moreno Sobriety

When Moreno decided to stop drinking, he turned to Alice in Chains bassist Mike Inez, who helped guide him through the process.

“It’s been steady in my life since I was a teenager, but you see people around you whose lives get better [without alcohol] and you’re like, ‘Why haven’t I tried this and see if I feel better?’” Moreno said.

Just one month without alcohol made a difference:

“After a month of not drinking, I was like, ‘Wow, this feels pretty good, why don’t you keep going?’ That’s what I’ve done since and now it’s almost three years.”

He added, “It feels great to get to the end of a set now and not feel like I’m gonna fall over.”

Impact on Music and Performance

Bandmate Abe Cunningham has noticed the transformation.

“Chino’s extremely focused right now – the most he’s been, ever,” Cunningham said. “He’s in great shape. He’s very cat-like onstage, and he absolutely killed it on this record.”

With Moreno’s sharpened focus and renewed energy, the Deftones are set to embark on their North American tour, which kicks off Friday in Vancouver.

Content for this summary was derived from original reporting by ABC Audio, as featured on 105.7 The Point