Deftones bassist Chi Cheng, who has been in a coma since a tragic accident in Santa Barbara in late 2008, is beginning to emerge from a coma after spending the last three and a half years in an unconscious state, according to reports.

Chi can now move his leg when instructed and vocalize through basic sounds, as well as responding to basic commands.

Iconic US guitar maker Gibson is facing a criminal probe over claims it broke environmental laws while importing wood…On 28 August federal agents raided Gibson’s Nashville and Memphis premises, seizing shipments of Indian rosewood and leaving the venerable guitar maker more than a little off-key.

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There goes the tiny shred of respect I still had for Gibson. Despite what any of the heads of Gibson are saying they knew exactly what they were doing. They knew it was illegal and they knew it was hurting the environment, but they didn’t care. Gibson’s only goal for the past 15 years has been to make as much money as possible however they can, even if that means using illegally harvested wood and charging outlandish prices for mediocre instruments. Oh, and don’t get me started on OAI. The mandolins are still high quality, I’ll give them that, but every guitar that comes out of there lately is overpriced and sounds like something Esteban would be trying to sell on QVC. These pricey guitars are even being over shadowed in fit/finish and tone by a lot of the Pacific-Rim made guitars that are available at a fraction of their cost. No amount of gaudy inlay special edition bullshit will make up for such an unimpressive sound and playability. Gibson is turning into the Ed Hardy of the guitar world. Add that to their immoral and illegal wood acquisition practices and you have a company worthy of an intense and passionate FUCK YOU.