LINKIN PARK's MIKE SHINODA Shares More Memories Of CHESTER BENNINGTON

According to The Pulse Of Radio, LINKIN PARK co-vocalist Mike Shinoda has shared more memories of late lead singer Chester Bennington in an interview with Kerrang!, going as far as to compare Bennington to legendary frontmen like QUEEN's Freddie Mercury, METALLICA's James Hetfield and DEPECHE MODE's Dave Gahan.

Shinoda explained: "He was inspired by a wide range of singers at different points in his life, people like Dave Gahan, James Hetfield and Freddie Mercury. I would occasionally remind him that he was in that category, but he never agreed with me. He never acknowledged that he was, but in the past few months, dozens of artists have reached out publicly and privately to let us know what an inspiration Chester and the band have been. We're just so very grateful."

Shinoda added that Bennington was humble about his own talent, saying: "It was funny, because he was the kind of guy that when you would compliment his voice, especially early on, he would look away. He would deny it, or he would make a self-deprecating comment."

Shinoda also recalled a moment when the band was recording its debut album, 2000's "Hybrid Theory", and a record label exec suggested privately to Bennington that he take over the band and fire Shinoda. Bennington informed the rest of the group after the meeting that he told the exec to "go fuck himself."

Shinoda continued: "A lot of people would have been tempted. We had nothing. We had a record deal that hinged entirely on whether or not our A&R liked the album we were making, and he just told the guy to go fuck himself."

LINKIN PARK has not officially announced whether the band will carry on without Bennington, who took his own life on July 20.