MIKE SHINODA: Calling The New Band Lineup Anything But LINKIN PARK Would Be A 'Misrepresentation'

In a new interview with Brian Haddad and Kenzie Roman of Chicago's Q101 radio station, LINKIN PARK's Mike Shinoda spoke about the decision to reform the band with a new lineup, now featuring singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain alongside returning members Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and Joe Hahn.

"In the middle of the process, we were open to, like, maybe the lineup is like a moving lineup, maybe there's multiple vocalists, maybe it's a different name, stuff like that," Mike said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "And then as the music came into focus, we were, like, 'This is as LINKIN PARK an album as we could make. It's so LINKIN PARK that if we call it something else, then we are idiots.' Because it would be like misrepresentation. It'd be silly. And when people hear more of the album, they will understand that."

On Thursday (September 5),LINKIN PARK held a one-hour global livestream of a concert in Los Angeles showcasing the band's new lineup. Guitarist Alex Feder was filling in for Delson for the night and will continue to tour with LINKIN PARK for the foreseeable future instead of Delson.

LINKIN PARK also released a new single, "The Emptiness Machine", and announced an upcoming album "From Zero", which will arrive on November 15 via Warner. It will mark LINKIN PARK's first full-length effort since 2017's "One More Light", which was the last LINKIN PARK album before the death of lead vocalist Chester Bennington.

Regarding the decision to call the album "From Zero", Shinoda told Q101: "Our original band name was XERO back in '99 — '98, '99. And originally it was me and my friend Mark. And then we added Brad and Dave and Joe and XERO turned into HYBRID THEORY, which turned into LINKIN PARK. So the name of the album is a double entendre. It's us starting over, but it's also us kind of being in touch with the things we loved back then. It's an energetic record. It's a lot of guitars. It's gonna be so, so fun to play live. I cannot wait for people to hear these songs live. But yeah, really, that's the reason for that."

Addressing the inevitable comparisons between Armstrong and Bennington, Shinoda said: "Everybody, they kind of have to say things like Emily 'stepping into Chester's shoes' and blah, blah, blah. I don't love that phrasing because I get that she is filling a space in the visual lineup of the band, but I also feel like Chester was one of a kind; he's only Chester. And Emily's also one of a kind; she's only Emily. When I hear her sing, she doesn't sound like him to me; she sounds like her. And that's what I like. What I like about her voice is that it's very unique and it sounds — I don't know how else to explain it. When she sings on the songs, they sound like LINKIN PARK songs. And that's just my gut. That's just how I feel."

LINKIN PARK's global livestream featured performances of "The Emptiness Machine" as well as the LP hits "Somewhere I Belong", "Numb", "Faint", "Bleed It Out", "One Step Closer", "What I've Done" and "In The End".

In an interview with Billboard about LINKIN PARK's comeback, Shinoda explained that drummer Rob Bourdon — who had founded the band with Mike and Brad — had decided to exit LP.

"Rob had said to us at a point, I guess it was a few years ago now, that he wanted to put some distance between himself and the band," Shinoda said. "And we understood that — it was already apparent. He was starting to just show up less, be in less contact, and I know the fans noticed it too. The 'Hybrid Theory' re-release [in 2020] and 'Papercuts' release [this April], he didn't show up for anything. So for me, as a friend, that was sad, but at the same time, I want him to do whatever makes him happy, and obviously everybody wishes him the best."

According to a press release, Shinoda, Delson, Farrell and Hahn "quietly began meeting up again in recent years" and "rather than 'trying to restart the band,'" they worked with numerous musicians and "found a special kinship with Armstong and Brittain."

"The Emptiness Machine" is said to "channel the DNA of LINKIN PARK." Shinoda said the band feels "really empowered with this new lineup and the vibrant and energized new music we've made together," adding that they are "weaving together the sonic touchpoints we've been known for and still exploring new ones."

Photo credit: James Minchin III