Is it over with Linkin Park?

[Geki]

I honestly don't care what Linkin Park does now. They can do whatever they want to do, it's their call, they have to do what feels right to them, I guess. I haven't really liked Linkin Park's music since the end of 2008 when Minutes To Midnight ended, because to me, Minutes To Midnight was their last good album and also the last good touring cycle, and it went out with a BANG with Projekt Revolution 2008 with Chris Cornell, etc.

 

They really have three options. They can continue on as a 5 piece band with Mike providing lead vocals, they can replace Chester with a new singer and continue making music like they were, or they can call it quits. I support any of those, however, I support replacing Chester the least, but it might be inevitable. Mike can't sing all the stuff that Chester did, and they'd have to completely change the live show to style Mike as the lead singer, which they could do if they write an entire album with Mike singing each song, they could play that album, plus a few older ones like Invisible, etc.

[Soeffingnaive92]

I honestly don't care what Linkin Park does now. They can do whatever they want to do, it's their call, they have to do what feels right to them, I guess. I haven't really liked Linkin Park's music since the end of 2008 when Minutes To Midnight ended, because to me, Minutes To Midnight was their last good album and also the last good touring cycle, and it went out with a BANG with Projekt Revolution 2008 with Chris Cornell, etc.

 

They really have three options. They can continue on as a 5 piece band with Mike providing lead vocals, they can replace Chester with a new singer and continue making music like they were, or they can call it quits. I support any of those, however, I support replacing Chester the least, but it might be inevitable. Mike can't sing all the stuff that Chester did, and they'd have to completely change the live show to style Mike as the lead singer, which they could do if they write an entire album with Mike singing each song, they could play that album, plus a few older ones like Invisible, etc.

Totally agree on this, quitting would be painful for us but i d understand, then as I posted a setlist with Mike oriented songs plus new album songs would be possible. Replacing Chester... Super Meh option to me but we will see

[AParallelogramInTheSand]

I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone mention Alex MacMillan/Razor Red Noise guy. As it's been said, nobody can replace Chester, but he does well with Heavy other than the highest notes. https://youtu.be/WAZPoGf8mzk

 

On another argument - whether for a tribute tour or whatever they decide - what about Ryan Shuck/Julien-K? Close friends, guy's got an objectively great voice, and he would bring his A game and heart every song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bau-EZVOyPg

[JZLP-Benningstrong]

I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone mention Alex MacMillan/Razor Red Noise guy. As it's been said, nobody can replace Chester, but he does well with Heavy other than the highest notes. https://youtu.be/WAZPoGf8mzk

 

On another argument - whether for a tribute tour or whatever they decide - what about Ryan Shuck/Julien-K? Close friends, guy's got an objectively great voice, and he would bring his A game and heart every song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bau-EZVOyPg

 

1) Alex has a cool voice I don't think that he can make it into the big leagues seems like he doesn't have the pipes to do that.

they need someone with experience it would be way too risky to get a non professional singer.

 

2) I love Ryan's but his voice wouldn't mix well with LP.. seems like the guy that only sounds good in a special setting and with LP you have to be very versatile also.. I don't think that he can scream.

Edited August 1, 2017 by JZE

[Justin]

I'm not saying it's impossible, but it would be extremely hard to find someone with Chester's range. Someone who can go back and forth between extremely soft singing, belting it out, singing aggressively and screaming, every time the set calls for it night after night.

 

I know that we (hardcore fans) and the band have always appreciated Chester's range, but in my opinion he was definitely underrated by the general public as far as what he was able to do.

 

 

Side note to Legend: I don't know about joining LP, that's another conversation entirely, but that dude from Seraphim has an amazing voice!!

[hahninator]

Literally impossible to replace Chester in my opinion.

 

For what it's worth, Japan isn't canceled as of right now.

[crazygolfer]

Just please continue as a 5 piece...We don't need a new singer. Fucking devastating.

[hahninator]

Just please continue as a 5 piece...We don't need a new singer. Fucking devastating.

 

I agree. I think that's why they'll do it as 5. It'd really be an odd band dynamic with a new singer, and fans would be...I guess "upset" isn't the exact right word but you know what I mean.

[Legend]

Side note to Legend: I don't know about joining LP, that's another conversation entirely, but that dude from Seraphim has an amazing voice!!

 

Yes! Thank you for listening! His voice is fucking gorgeous!!!

[linkinepi]

How to play all your hits when your other half is gone and all the songs need him? Even the ones where Mike raps a lot by himself need Chester. It's simply impossible without bringing a singer capable of screaming. To even begin to fathom the idea for the guys will take a shitload of time. Mike simply cannot handle the stress of singing entire sets by himself in a long tour.

[Rockdudesurfing]

LP said in their statement that making music is inextinguishable to them. To me this means they intend to continue but on what path? Their name is a brand. I can't see them changing it. Mike recently endorsed the five arms logo with the ghostly arm of Chester so continuing in his name seems highly likely. So what about singers? I think it would be too much for another male to take Chester's place so how about female? Kiiara in my opinion is the answer. She's young and would inject new ideas into the band but also new energy to compete with Chester's unstoppable force. Maybe she was already going to join. Chester had offered her a place in the band in her recent tweet so maybe the next album was always going to include her on it possibly. LP's motto is not to look back on songs recorded but there must be a wealth of unheard Chester recordings that they could, with Chester's families backing either release through underground CD's or as whole future albums. They could also incorporate Kiiara on top of it or mix it up so albums with some Chester, Mike and Kiiara and all together would ease her in and get fans used to the new dynamic. This is potentially exciting considering the sadness of Chester's passing. Also Chester could live on, especially that 'scream' through Mr. Hahn. This is all speculation and they might just go for album 8 and start over. I read a lot of comments about competing with range and screaming but a new singer like Kiiara would not have to compete. She is more than capable of singing old Linkin Park material and Linking Park is not about screams anymore. They stressed they are older and the screams were their youthful sound. They could set out to complete the 'One more light' tour or abandon it for a break or trip back into the studio. Whatever road they go, Chester's memory will never die and I think the band are still destined for huge things.

Edited August 1, 2017 by Rockdudesurfing

[MichelleHaddaway]

Honestly I feel that the mixture of Chester's playback as well as Mike taking over would be best

[Jlumber]

I think the best option for them to continue as Linkin Park would be to get a new singer. I understand the sentiment of wanting a hologram, but that's completely ridiculous, and the sentiment of wanting his voice on a backing track, which is less ridiculous, and would be really nice for a while, but would eventually wear down the live performance. I know a new singer would be a very difficult transition, but it really would make the most sense.

[Astat]

Another thing that popped into my head, should they end up deciding to go with a new singer - following the plane crash that killed a couple band members including their singer in 1977, once Lynyrd Skynyrd started performing live again a few years later, they always performed Free Bird as an instrumental with a spotlight on an empty microphone stand. They played everything else "normally," but they made it a point to have that tribute as a regular part of the show for the next decade. I think part of what turns people off from the idea of a new singer is that it may seem like they're carrying on in a "business as usual" manner without really acknowledging Chester. I think if they made it a point to incorporate a tribute to him like that as a regular part of their performances going forward, it may go over a lot better.

[Justin]

Prophets of Rage did that a few times with Like A Stone. Played as an instrumental with a spotlight on the empty mic. It could work with LP and would guarantee that Chester is acknowledged at every show.

[NimaLP]

Yeah. Like playing One More Light instrumental with a spotlight on the empty mic and the crowd singing the song it would be the most beautiful thing ever.

[KeysToTheLinkinPark]

After the show yesterday, I wanted to revive this thread to discuss further ideas, now that we have an idea how a 5 piece LP could look like.

 

Personally I don't know. It felt like they needed the show yesterday, but you could also see that they are still in pain. Especially in certain parts (ITE, Papercut etc.) everybody looks stunned, shockend and full of pain.

 

I guess that if we want them to continue, we have to continue showin massiv support.

[Geki]

After the show yesterday, I wanted to revive this thread to discuss further ideas, now that we have an idea how a 5 piece LP could look like.

 

Personally I don't know. It felt like they needed the show yesterday, but you could also see that they are still in pain. Especially in certain parts (ITE, Papercut etc.) everybody looks stunned, shockend and full of pain.

 

I guess that if we want them to continue, we have to continue showin massiv support.

 

After last night, I can almost guarantee that if the band continues, it will be as a 5 piece, with Mike being the sole vocalist, obviously. Which I am OK with if they decide to carry on in the future. It's never going to be the same as when Chester was alive, they aren't going to do crazy world tours every year all year long, and we can't expect that. We as fans need to take it slow and give them as much time and support as they need.

[KeysToTheLinkinPark]

 

After last night, I can almost guarantee that if the band continues, it will be as a 5 piece, with Mike being the sole vocalist, obviously. Which I am OK with if they decide to carry on in the future. It's never going to be the same as when Chester was alive, they aren't going to do crazy world tours every year all year long, and we can't expect that. We as fans need to take it slow and give them as much time and support as they need.

I already thought about how they'll approach a new tour. I guess that they would start with small Shows (O2 Academy Brixton) across the US.

[Geki]

I already thought about how they'll approach a new tour. I guess that they would start with small Shows (O2 Academy Brixton) across the US.

 

The songs that Mike sang last night, all of them, sounded good, and I could easily picture a show like that. Maybe a 16 song set or something like the band played in early 2003, early 2007, etc. They could make a really cool set and people would love it. Smaller shows would be cool to start. People will love it. But I'm not sure if now is the right time to predict it. I think it will easily be 2018 or maybe even 2019 before they start full scale doing it, if they are going to. I can see them writing a new record and stuff before hand. The band is obviously still very torn up about Chester's death and I don't think they really even wanted to play the show last night, but they did and now they feel better, hopefully. I think they did it solely for the fans, which is amazing of the band. I mean they knew Chester since like 1999 and spent a lot of time with him all the time, since then, and he only passed like 3 months or so ago, so it will take a long time for them to heal even a little, I would say.

[KeysToTheLinkinPark]

True. All of them looked shocked, painful and quiet abstracted from the show, because of the difficulty to play this night, As I wrote earlier, especially in famous songs with great parts from Chester, the 3 (Brad, Mike and Phoenix --- Joe and Rob stay where they are) feel lost in the front.

Chester had such a stage presence, which the other 3 in the front cannot equalize.

 

But I agree, they didn't look comfortable yesterday.

[Geki]

True. All of them looked shocked, painful and quiet abstracted from the show, because of the difficulty to play this night, As I wrote earlier, especially in famous songs with great parts from Chester, the 3 (Brad, Mike and Phoenix --- Joe and Rob stay where they are) feel lost in the front.

Chester had such a stage presence, which the other 3 in the front cannot equalize.

 

But I agree, they didn't look comfortable yesterday.

 

They didn't look comfortable because they're all in so much pain still. It's 100% understandable. They were a family, not just a band who made music together, it was stronger than that. But yeah, you'll never replace what Chester Bennington did. Nobody ever will come close to it, and Mike and the band know that. It goes beyond his voice, it's his whole stage presence that he had, everything. Remember when Rob said in 2014 that Chester was the missing piece of the puzzle that they needed? He was so correct, he was the thing that made Linkin Park work. Now, Linkin Park has always been Mike's baby, don't get me wrong. And if they continue on as a 5 piece, I will fully support it and I think they would be just fine doing so. But I think last night was a very good example as to why they shouldn't replace Chester, and I don't think they ever even thought about it. I think if they continue, a 5 piece would do fine. All fans would accept it and I think it would come naturally for the band, which is the most important part. But yeah, I wouldn't except them to be 100% ready to go. Chester just passed in July, it's only October. They need much longer to heal even a little bit and that's understandable to me.

[auburntiger]

 

Chester just passed in July, it's only October. They need much longer to heal even a little bit and that's understandable to me.

 

It'll be a long time, I think. You're talking about a 20-year friendship amongst all of these guys. I'm confident that they'll continue onward, and could even go back and forth, in being a five- or six-person group. Folks just need to be patient (not directed at you, Geki).

 

I remember when Glenn Frey died last year; initially, the Eagles thought about continuing briefly. Then after the Grammys, they called it quits (well, really, it was more or less Don Henley). A year or so down the road, and they're performing together again, with Frey's son as his dad's replacement, at a handful of shows.