hahninator Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 There comes a time in life where one must move on, and we regret to inform fans that Linkin Park's front of house engineer Pooch has moved on from Linkin Park to work with other artists. Ken "Pooch" Van Druten was in charge of LP's live sound since 2007 which was the start of the Minutes To Midnight touring cycle. During this period the band undeniably had one of the best live sounds in the touring world and that sound was due to Pooch and his team. He mixed bands from Linkin Park to Guns N' Roses, Smashing Pumpkins, Slash, System Of A Down, Rob Zombie, Limp Bizkit, Jane's Addiction, Eminem, Justin Bieber, and more. We conducted a very detailed interview with Pooch in 2008, in the middle of the Minutes To Midnight touring cycle, which can be viewed here. Pooch is well-renowned in the live music industry. He contributed to three Grammy nominations and won the Top Dog FOH Engineer of the Year award six times and the Parnelli FOH Engineer of the Year award twice, which reflects quite well on his status in the industry. To us, he's one of the best in the world and that's hard to dispute. From 2007 to 2012, Linkin Park sold their performances online in the "live CD" (then "Digital Souvenir Package") program. 229 shows were released in this program (master list here). If you bought a show during this period, Pooch mixed the release. Countless other releases were mixed by Pooch, including LP's Road To Revolution CD/DVD in 2008 from Milton Keynes, England. Many fans know Pooch because of his outgoing attitude before and after shows, often taking time to talk with fans about Linkin Park, their shows, and to pose for pictures. It's uncommon in live music for a crew member to have such a notable relationship with fans of a band across the world, but during every tour we'd see pictures of fans with Pooch across social media or posts tagging him saying, "thank you for the show setlist" (or guitar pick, or any other concert souvenir). He did interviews with LP fansites, guested on fansite podcasts, and more. From his interview with us... "Every LP fan has been really cool. I have worked for other bands where people can be a bit annoying (too much alcohol and such), but for the most part before and after the show I enjoy speaking with fans. Especially if they are interested in the gear." Pooch's contributions to the Linkin Park world go beyond mixing the band, mixing their live releases, and having a great rapport with fans. LPLive is more than 10 years old. Throughout this period Pooch made countless contributions to our live history of Linkin Park. Exact performance dates were confirmed, setlists for private shows revealed, and more. He is singlehandedly one of the best and most reliable contributors to our live guide. LPLive would have gaps in history if it weren't for Pooch.Here are a few stats...- Pooch professionally mixed 432 live Linkin Park performances, plus countless hours/days/weeks of rehearsals for these live shows. LP has performed 876 shows in their entire career - Pooch has mixed 6 shy of exactly HALF of the amount of shows Linkin Park has ever played.- He was a part of Linkin Park's first visits to 20 different countries across the globe: Sweden, Russia, Poland, Taiwan, China, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Greece, Turkey, Macau, Argentina, Chile, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Norway, Romania, Ukraine, South Africa, and Belarus. And of course, a part of huge returns to Brazil, Belgium, Mexico, Philippines, Malaysia, etc.- He was involved in 4 Linkin Park album touring cycles (Minutes To Midnight, A Thousand Suns, Living Things, and The Hunting Party), but he also worked with Dead By Sunrise and Stone Temple Pilots. Remember the time he was Chester's security guard for DBS in Hamburg?- He helped debut 35~ different Linkin Park songs live. (yes, this took a full Skype chat of "what is an actual live LP song versus an interlude, etc" debate...) Here are few highlights of releases in Linkin Park's career we thought fans might look back on, mixed by Pooch:- Bristow, VA 2012 - In My Remains live debut- Milton Keynes, ENG 2008 - From The Inside from the Road to Revolution CD/DVD- Auburn, WA 2007 - part the first live "DSP" the band ever released- Toronto, ON 2007 - No More Sorrow from the LP Underground 7.0 album- Burgettstown, PA 2008 - LPU's online release of Crawling (feat. Chris Cornell)- LPTV Europe Winter 2014 - LPTV using Pooch's mixes, check out Wastelands So on behalf of all of us, #ThankYouPooch, and good luck on your next endeavor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxHybridXeroxx Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Sucks that "pooch" is leaving! his mixes where amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geki Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 I met Pooch a few times over the years, once in 2012 and again in 2014. He was a very nice guy. Sucks he is moving on, but I wish him all the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hahninator Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 What a comment on FB. "Honestly this is a pretty big blow for the band. Pooch is THE best in the business and he is a huge factor in what makes LP sound so great and "sonic" live. I hope his replacement will be able to do just as fine if not a better job." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxHybridXeroxx Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 One fan said on FB that he's leaving because of the new sound. I don't think so, He's worked with JB. So I don't think it's that. And I wasn't about to get into a fight about the new song either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
felipeintheend Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 We will really really miss him!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaButtseeka Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 One fan said on FB that he's leaving because of the new sound. I don't think so, He's worked with JB. So I don't think it's that. And I wasn't about to get into a fight about the new song either Yea I know, was just kidding. Tho I'm really interested in knowing why he left. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesper Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Hè is such a Nice Guy, met him in 2014. Too bad hè moved on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marzo23 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 That's terrible!! He is THE MAN! I always talked with after the show and in Hamburg 2011 we met him in front of the LP hotel. He talked about his dog and his family. He is so open minded and funny guy I will miss him ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coizu Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 That's so weird. This news hits me more than any other LP related news we got in the last couple of weeks. I guess a lot of that comes from the fact of how awesome my times at Linkin Park concerts have been and somehow they are connected to the sound Pooch helped to make possible. My first real rock show was LP 2009 in Stuttgart, where I have met Hahninator, Andone and a hell lot of other people. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have gone to the show at all and I guess I wouldn't have gone to any other LP show afterwards. Sadly I barely stayed in touch with most of the people I've met at LP shows since I don't keep in touch with people I only saw once in general, but I think I've met Andone at every LP concert I've been to (correct me if I am wrong, but I can't remember one), and I always had an awesome time with him. At every single concert I've met awesome people which are probably around in the forums here (at least for some people I am pretty sure, and I guess most of you have no idea who I am) and I always had a freaking amazing time. I guess this post is pretty random but for me it feels kinda like an era comes to an end, and for me Pooch really took a part in it, so I it makes me pretty sad to see him leave. Nevertheless I still wish him the best and I hope he keeps on doing what he loves! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourpooch Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Thank you guys for all the memories. LP FANS ARE THE BEST FANS IN THE WORLD. Thank you for having me along for the ride. Much love and respect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xxHybridXeroxx Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Thank you guys for all the memories. LP FANS ARE THE BEST FANS IN THE WORLD. Thank you for having me along for the ride. Much love and respect. Didn't know you where a member pooch! Thanks for everything! The DSPs, The awesome Live mixes, Meeting with fans... You've done so much! Much respect to you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogueSoul Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 Thank you guys for all the memories. LP FANS ARE THE BEST FANS IN THE WORLD. Thank you for having me along for the ride. Much love and respect. Thank YOU for all the great work you've done. You've set a standard not just for the band, but for all rock bands out there. You're the reason that a Linkin Park show is one of the best shows out there. Good luck with all your future endeavors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelbeats Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickLPL Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 I also saw him there during the LPU summit. I never talked to him though. I wish him all the best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lpplus Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Thank you pooch for everything and good luck in the future.we will miss you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelbeats Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 I also saw him there during the LPU summit. I never talked to him though. I wish him all the best I went right after the band went of stage. Everyone was clapping, and i thought, wait a minute, Pooch deserves some credit for the amazing sound, so i went to him, despite him being busy he still took some time out to have a lil chat and take a picture with me. He's such an awesome dude! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickLPL Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 I went right after the band went of stage. Everyone was clapping, and i thought, wait a minute, Pooch deserves some credit for the amazing sound, so i went to him, despite him being busy he still took some time out to have a lil chat and take a picture with me. He's such an awesome dude! that's very nice of you, he truly deserves that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedamian58c Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Is Pooch also responsible for studio performances? If he is did he mix LP at that FB studio performance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelbeats Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 Is Pooch also responsible for studio performances? If he is did he mix LP at that FB studio performance? Pooch only handles the live stuff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HH9s07CIopQ&list=PLb6wi4rVuh58acG99P5-QUfJ8PMM_8zP1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedamian58c Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 So when was his last mixing with LP, was it at that Mercedes show in China, with only Chester and Joe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hahninator Posted February 22, 2017 Author Share Posted February 22, 2017 So when was his last mixing with LP, was it at that Mercedes show in China, with only Chester and Joe? No, it was the last show of 2015. http://lplive.net/shows/db/2015/20151114 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted February 22, 2017 Share Posted February 22, 2017 No, it was the last show of 2015. http://lplive.net/shows/db/2015/20151114 That might be a good addition to the 'other notes' section of the show page for future reference. Something like "This was the last Linkin Park live show to be mixed by long time LP sound engineer Ken "Pooch" Van Druten." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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