LINKIN PARK Discusses The Absence Of Longtime Drummer ROB BOURDON, New Vocalist & The Decision To Come Back

Until you’ve got been residing underneath a rock for the previous 24 hours, then Linkin Park is again. Linkin Park recruited Lifeless Sara vocalist Emily Armstrong to entrance the brand new iteration of the band, who will release their new record From Zero on November 15.

So how did Linkin Park come again after the loss of life of iconic vocalist Chester Bennington? In a prolonged interview with Billboard, Linkin Park bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell stated it took a while for issues to really feel proper for him once more. Farrell famous that Armstrong and new drummer Colin Brittain make Linkin Park entire once more and that he feels energized by their newfound bandhood.

“It is so enjoyable to have a look at it from this vantage level now, however within the midst of it, we did not know the place it was going. I sincerely did not know if it was going to be one thing fully completely different than Linkin Park or a brand new model of it. In my head, I might shut down after I began asking myself, ‘OK, properly, if that is new stuff, then how do you play previous stuff?’

“Mike [Shinoda] was speaking earlier about him doing music [after Bennington‘s death] — I used to be the other. For a very long time, I used to be like, ‘I do not need to do any music. That hurts. I need to keep away from that.’ It took some time to get to a stage the place I began feeling like that is really energizing. And that was the shift for me, the place it went from like, ‘Is it Linkin Park? Is it one thing else?’ Emily looks like Linkin Park, Colin looks like Linkin Park. The six of us working collectively, figuring stuff out — that is energizing, and I need to preserve doing it. It was like filling a battery as a substitute of draining it.”

Shinoda later elaborated on the choice to proceed as Linkin Park and the way From Zero got here collectively. Shinoda additionally added that he initially wished Linkin Park to do some exhibits with a bunch of various vocalists, however Farrell argued towards the thought as being a half-assed approach of the band coming again.

“Because the songs got here into focus, the band’s DNA was actually thick with this physique of labor. To name it the rest could be unusual and deceptive. We educate our youngsters that while you fall down, you must get again up and you must go strive once more, proper? The concept of us doing another factor, with this group of individuals and the sound of this music, looks like it might have been a resignation, in a approach. I hate to say ‘cowardly,’ however it might really feel like hedging a guess.

“Actually early on, I feel I used to be simply spitballing out loud, and I used to be like, ‘If we do some exhibits or one thing, perhaps there will be just a few folks doing vocals.’ As a result of we weren’t totally dedicated [to a new lineup] but, and at that time, I did not need to put expectations tremendous excessive on Emily. But it surely was an actual thought: ‘Possibly it is a bunch of individuals onstage.’

“After which Dave was one of many first individuals who was like, ‘I do not need to half-ass something. If we will do one thing, let’s do it daring. If folks do not prefer it, so what? So long as we prefer it, and we’re assured, then let’s be daring with it!’ So that is what we have performed, and that is a part of why I felt so empowered once we had been making the document — to be like, ‘This can be a Linkin Park track.’

Shinoda additionally mentioned the absence of drummer Rob Bourdon, who performed for Linkin Park by means of their profession and even earlier than it once they had been nonetheless known as Xero. Bourdon merely wished to place far between himself and Linkin Park, and in the end bowed out of all the pieces to do with the band.

“Rob had stated to us at some extent, I suppose it was just a few years in the past now, that he wished to place far between himself and the band. And we understood that — it was already obvious. He was beginning to simply present up much less, be in much less contact, and I do know the followers observed it too. The Hybrid Principle rerelease and Papercuts launch, he did not present up for something. So for me, as a buddy, that was unhappy, however on the identical time, I need him to do no matter makes him completely satisfied, and clearly all people needs him the most effective.

“I had performed periods with Colin — I met him round 2021, after I acquired an invitation to a session with a few completely different writers, and Colin was one of many guys within the room, and I instantly clicked with him. He is enjoying drums within the dwell present, and drums are his first instrument, however he performs guitar and bass and keyboard, and he produces and mixes. We’ve got an identical approach of taking a look at music, of ranging from scratch, and I actually loved working with him and bouncing concepts back-and-forth.

“I do not know if any of those songs are going to be launched, however we had performed one thing with grandson, Bea Miller, Sueco — simply getting within the room collectively to make stuff. After which when Linkin Park began making stuff, for no matter we had been going to do, it was similar to, ‘Oh, Colin. We’re making stuff. You must come over.'”

Read the full interview here.