Sergio Vega left Deftones more than two months ago, and his reason for leaving raised the eyebrows of some fans and members of the music community alike.
In a new interview, the former Deftones bassist elaborated more on his feelings towards his shocking departure from the band.
Sergio Vega Left Deftones; Here's The REAL Reason Why
Sergio Vega, who has been a long-time member of the American alternative metal band Deftones since 2009, exited the band last March 2022 - citing some issues with his contract.
Vega initially filled in for then-bassist Chi Cheng in 1999 after the latter has undergone a toe surgery. Sergio then took up the role officially in 2009.
Days before his official announcement, rumors of Vega's exit surfaced as the band uploaded a new profile photo on their Spotify account - now without Vega.
Later on, he clarified the speculations and confirmed his exit in a tell-all Instagram video.
In the video, he revealed that up until that point he is not considered an official member - legality and officially speaking.
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"I had worked with the band for 12 years, and at the start of every album cycle, I asked about becoming an official member, but the contract would be improved instead," he explained.
The Bronx native then pointed out that he was still that the management canceled during the pandemic - questioning his place on the band. Upon further consultation, they offered him the same non-official contract - an indication for Sergio that there would be no opportunity for him to grow anymore.
Vega declined the offer and revealed that he had left the band in early 2021, focusing on his former band "Quicksand," producing and writing for other artists and projects.
Talking to Hatebreed's Jamey Jasta, Sergio compared his time at the band
and felt like he was just "renting a storage space" for the group. A call from the management even likened Vega to actual storage space, noting that they were "hemorrhaging a lot of money" for him and the space.
For Vega, it was not about the money that he would get for being "regularized" or considered official, it was the "sense of belongingness."
"It wasn't me asking for anything during the pandemic. It was the contract being canceled, which is their right. And then I was like ... 'This doesn't work for anybody. We can finally address a total restructure.' But at the end of the day, we weren't able to really come to terms on that. So that's fine," he revealed.
Deftones has not issued any statement yet on Vega's exit. The band is currently on tour in North America, with Marilyn Manson's Fred Sablan taking over the bass.
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