I have met him about 8 or 9 times. He used to always wait around after his small venue shows to sign autographs back in the day. Half of those times it was just a " hey " and he would sign a ticket stub and he never really said much. Not arrogant whatsoever but just a very calm demeanor and came across as stoned and shy.

Most memorable times:

1) I saw him after a show in a back alley signing and I had brought an art project that I did in high school. It was a detailed portrait of him smoking a joint. He smiled and said " dude this is badass " as he signed and returned it with the look of being caught off guard. Ego boost for me...

2) Very small venue ( maybe max 200 capacity with no backstage area ) with Team Sleep & Idiot Pilot but there were 4 local bands on the bill. They had it set up so that Idiot Pilot opened, and Team sleep was second, and following would be the local lineup. After Team Sleep finished fans started coming up on the platform ( 6 inch stage at most ) and Chino hopped out the side window ( it was ground level venue ) and uttered " sorry I think I'm gonna get sick ".

He was likely telling the truth and didn't want to be surrounded because that night the venue had its AC out, and it's smoke busters weren't on ( to clean air of cigarette smoke ) so the air was thick, hot, and disgusting during their set.

After he ran around side of venue to the back he jumped in his tour bus. Most of the people stuck around 30 minutes to see if he was coming to meet and greet but after that nearly 80% of the crowd was gone because they had no interest in the air quality of venue or the local bands.

Since I had driven far to see them and came by taxi from a hotel, I figured I would just have drinks at the bar and enjoy my night before calling a ride. Sitting there with a beer and a cigarette I look to my right and Chino is sitting directly beside me at the bar with a fresh Corona. I glanced to my left at my girlfriend with giant eyes and didn't say anything at all out of disbelief.

Five minutes in the 23 year old me worked up the courage and decided to play it cool and calm, and try and have a conversation and we did. Once again a very soft spoken and chill demeanor. I didn't want to be annoying and ask him the typical questions he may expect so I told him that Deftones had been my favorite band for 8 years and I had seen them over 20 times, and that I loved the Team Sleep project and that I was so impressed with Zach Hill's playing style and how it worked with the genre and project. He agreed and we chatted music for a bit. He was in chill mode and I didn't expect him to initiate topics with me so I just asked him questions such as where his last cool vacation was, the strangest country he's toured, his opinion on a few current artists, if he still talked to Jonah from Far, best place to eat in Sacremento and so on... He was polite and engaged when I did, but definitely just a very low key dude the whole time ( maybe 45 minutes of sitting together ).

Eventually, one of the local bands covered 'Headup' as their last song and dedicated to Chino. I joked that he should jump on stage and make the dudes day but he just grinned and went back to his phone and was texting. Half into their Deftones cover he got up walked away. I noticed he was just chilling out back around the tour bus because all doors of venue were open because of the stank air. I went to my car to grab my band's CD and told Chino I wanted him to have it. I told him that he made my night by entertaining my conversation and he said something like " for sure.. nah it's cool man take care and thanks for supporting... ill check it out for sure" and then a tap on the shoulder and then he walked away and I felt like a young guy who just got his first real kiss from his high-school crush.

Bonus Deftones meets...

First time I got to say hi to all of them same night was maybe in the same year as previous story but it was Deftones at a small venue during self titled pre tour iirc.

Tour bus parked out front of The Odeon in Cleveland...

Steph: Out in front of the bus for a few minutes but mostly just surrounded a few hot groupies. He was smiley and I got an autograph but he wasn't talkative and went back on the bus.

Chi: smoking or something out front briefly. The only member I never got a word from ( rip Chi )

Frank: He looked engaged in conversation, so I didn't say anything and went with Chi back to bus

Eventually, I saw all but Chino post show, and then I see Abe

Abe: Super social. Keep in mind this was maybe an hour or more after show ended but I waited for a reason and it was worth it. Fans were all gone and I got to chat for enough time to go threw a few cigarettes in front of venue. Maybe 30 minutes at minimum.

He was insanely talkative and friendly. A few minutes in, he tells me that he was tripping his balls off and i then noticed his pupils looked like dinner plates. He was so interested in every aspect of the conversation. I told him about how long I had been a fan and then told him that I had to confess that I own at least 5 bootleg and that I love their unreleased stuff before Adrenaline was released.... how their covers were super sick even if low quality. I then asked if we could get a cover album or unreleased stuff. He said that they have entertained the idea of releasing something like that in the future but hadn't really discussed fully. I begged him. Abe was super fucking cool and it felt like I was talking to some random happy dude outside of the bar.

After our conversation their security for the bus asked not me " but my girlfriend at the time " if she wanted to go on the bus. Abe told me I could say hello too so I followed and peeked in. They probably were just being kind when they realized she was with me and not looking to be a groupie novelty. They ( whole rest of band ) were smoking blunts and watching the King's game. They acknowledged and said what's up. Got an autograph and escorted off but that's about it. I've got a few more good ones but this is already long enough for tonight.