LINKIN PARK Frontman Blasts 'MTV Video Music Awards', Talks Solo Project

According to The Pulse of Radio, LINKIN PARK frontman Chester Bennington blasted the 2008 "MTV Video Music Awards" in an interview with Entertainment Weekly last week. Bennington, who attended the September 7 awards show, was disappointed in the lack of rock acts represented at the event. He said, "Where were FOO FIGHTERS and NICKELBACK? Or even a band like THREE DAYS GRACE, who had a pretty big year? There was no VAMPIRE WEEKEND or DAUGHTRY. It was very one-sided." The singer described the show itself as "raising the bar of confusion and disarray. The 'VMAs' are consistently clusterf***s, and this year set a new standard."

Bennington noted that "you had people who were invited sitting out in the streets. Plus, everybody was texting, no one was watching the show. I got super bummed out."

But the vocalist's main criticism was that the "VMAs" are appealing to less and less people, saying, "I think the 'VMAs' have completely lost touch with a broad scope of music. It was very bubble gum and Disney, which is why bands like FOO FIGHTERS, and everybody else in my group weren't there."

Although Bennington didn't think his band would win anything, LINKIN PARK did in fact nab a "Best Rock Video" prize for "Shadow of the Day".

Bennington also revealed that his long-in-the-works solo project, which had been called DEAD BY SUNRISE, might come out under his own name when it emerges sometime in 2009. He described the album as "very moody, very dark and melodic."

LINKIN PARK has also been working on new material and plans to record and release a new album in 2009. The band will head to China next month, with proceeds from the shows going to help victims of the earthquake that rocked portions of the country earlier this year.