Linkin Park Interview with The Guardian

[LPLStaff]

The Guardian has posted a new interview with Linkin Park, featuring commentary from Mike and Emily. The article is a bit messy with factual information at times, but there are a few highlights:

 

-Mike, on the current success: "This tour and this album are one of our most successful of all time. That, for me, is insane. That is way beyond my hopes and dreams for what this whole thing could be.”

 

-Emily on fans singing songs like Crawling during the shows: "There’s so many fans that have been wanting to see Linkin Park for so long, you know? So I look at it as: this is your moment to sing. And you sing it better than I do at this point!"

 

-On the Post Traumatic era:

 

Shinoda partly “wanted to make Post Traumatic as a diary of how I felt for myself”, but also had the urge to play live “to provide an area for fans to commune and go: ‘Oh, Mike is still here. We didn’t lose everybody.’”

 

The Post Traumatic tour was cathartic “in the beginning”, he says. “And then towards the end it was exhausting. I had started to … I don’t want to say move on. ‘Move on’ to some people means not looking back and forgetting – that’s completely not how I felt. I felt like I was coping well and I was able to get up in the morning and not think about it, and I was evolving from the terrible stuff that had happened. Then I would go to the show and spend 90 minutes with half the crowd crying. And I’m like, this is fucking exhausting. You know how therapists see patients all day and help them, but then they need therapy themselves? That’s how I felt.”

 

-On "Let You Fade": Many interpreted Let You Fade, a bonus track on From Zero’s deluxe edition, as a tribute to the singer, but “it wasn’t written that way,” says Shinoda. “People even pulled out the fact that there’s numbers in the song [that align with] Chester’s birthday. I was like: whoops. That’s not intentional.”

 

-On "One More Light" being played live: Mike: "I think we all wanted our show to be really good vibes. I want you walking away feeling like, this was such a wonderful, special, fun night.” Inevitably, this means certain songs are off the setlist. There are a couple that Shinoda would “feel weird playing”, including One More Light, the title track of the band’s last album with Bennington. It was originally written “for a woman at the label that we worked with who passed away. Then after Chester passed, the world decided that it was about him. And so that’s just too sad to play.”

[bloodbath]

Very interesting takes:

 

The Post Traumatic tour was pretty sad, TBH, Mike and his band were pretty great, don't get me wrong,but having 50 shows or so with bleak lyrics, stories about Chester and that feeling of "we'll never get to hear certain songs again", when they played LP covers... If was a necessary step, but it was fucking hard.

 

For that same reason I completely understand that they don't wanna to play OML and other songs from that era. After so many years of grieving, nobody wants to drag out this great moment we're living. 

[Shubho-Lp]

I felt PT era had its moments and it was the right thing at that point of time, but there had to be a fullstop to it. It couldn't have gone forever like that. That album is still one of the GOATest of Mike's creation, it still serves me as something on which I can bounce back to recover from a hard time, but you cannot live in that forever (as much as the mind would want to). As for OML, the way some of the so-called fans treated the band, Chester and the album during that time; and since it reminds more of the negativity than positivity from that phase, I'd be completely ok if they don't play any songs from that album despite containing one of my all-time hits (NCSM, OML, HR, SE, TTM).

[bloodbath]

1 hour ago, Shubho-Lp said:

I felt PT era had its moments and it was the right thing at that point of time, but there had to be a fullstop to it. It couldn't have gone forever like that. That album is still one of the GOATest of Mike's creation, it still serves me as something on which I can bounce back to recover from a hard time, but you cannot live in that forever (as much as the mind would want to). As for OML, the way some of the so-called fans treated the band, Chester and the album during that time; and since it reminds more of the negativity than positivity from that phase, I'd be completely ok if they don't play any songs from that album despite containing one of my all-time hits (NCSM, OML, HR, SE, TTM).

That era is gonna be stained forever. I think it's unfortunate for those of you who enjoyed the record but it is what it is

[Soeffingnaive92]

Mike always pointing out tha something is not dedicated/related to Chester feels a bit weird to me. Nothing against it, I have a lot of respect for Mike and the band and what they did to celebrate Chester, classy and well thought... But this urgency to push back any connection to Chester is a bit strange IMO. By the way, totally agree/understand about not playing OML now 

Edited July 21 by Soeffingnaive92

[Trumtram]

3 minutes ago, Soeffingnaive92 said:

Mike always pointing out tha something is not dedicated/related to Chester feels a bit weird to me. Nothing against it, I have a lot of respect for Mike and the band and what they did to celebrate Chester, classy and well thought... But this urgency to push back any connection to Chester is a bit strange IMO. By the way, totally agree/understand about not playing OML now 

I have always felt the same. Glad I'm not the only one.

But it's ok, it's just the way he is.

 

It's a shame, though, that we never got a tribute song to Chester from the band. I understand why they didn't do it. But personally, I craved something like this since 2017. LYF would've been exactly that, but it wasn't meant to be. I know I'm in the minority on here concerning this. But it is what it is.

[Stranger]

15 minutes ago, Soeffingnaive92 said:

Mike always pointing out tha something is not dedicated/related to Chester feels a bit weird to me. Nothing against it, I have a lot of respect for Mike and the band and what they did to celebrate Chester, classy and well thought... But this urgency to push back any connection to Chester is a bit strange IMO. By the way, totally agree/understand about not playing OML now 

 

8 minutes ago, Trumtram said:

I have always felt the same. Glad I'm not the only one.

But it's ok, it's just the way he is.

 

It's a shame, though, that we never got a tribute song to Chester from the band. I understand why they didn't do it. But personally, I craved something like this since 2017. LYF would've been exactly that, but it wasn't meant to be. I know I'm in the minority on here concerning this. But it is what it is.

 

whatever he did, we're not in his shoes. we dont know why he always pointing out like that. im sure there's a reason but eventhough he will explaned it one day, surely it wont pleased people out there who keep trashing/hating the band moving on w/out Chester or whatsoever. eg: if Mike mentioned LYF is about Chester, im sure there will be fans out there "ohhh, Mike just milking Chester name by making a song bout him and let the scientology girl sing it. disgusting!" 

 

I'm so glad Mike and the band not riding on Chester name on their new music. unlike those imposter so-called tribute band and also the other band who touring with the imposter band. plus, we dont know if the band are allowed to mentioned Chester name in their new music, they're possible to get a lawsuit from the Chester's ex-wife, family, etc.

Edited July 21 by Stranger

[Trumtram]

5 minutes ago, Stranger said:

I'm so glad Mike and the band not riding on Chester name on their new music. unlike those imposter so-called tribute band and also the other band who touring with the imposter band. plus, we dont know if the band are allowed to mentioned Chester name in their new music, they're possible to get a lawsuit from the Chester's ex-wife, family, etc.

Just to be clear: I don't want the band to "ride" on Chester's name or anything. Absolutely not. I think they did it brilliantly with FZ and how they handled their return. Plus he was "part" of HT20 and M20 in a way, which was really cool.

That being said: A kind of tribute song to him is nothing that would be viable for a lawsuit. They don't even have to name him or anything. That's why LYF felt so perfect in that regard because it worked well as a nod and would've been more than enough to me.

[Shubho-Lp]

1 hour ago, Stranger said:

 

 

whatever he did, we're not in his shoes. we dont know why he always pointing out like that. im sure there's a reason but eventhough he will explaned it one day, surely it wont pleased people out there who keep trashing/hating the band moving on w/out Chester or whatsoever. eg: if Mike mentioned LYF is about Chester, im sure there will be fans out there "ohhh, Mike just milking Chester name by making a song bout him and let the scientology girl sing it. disgusting!" 

 

I'm so glad Mike and the band not riding on Chester name on their new music. unlike those imposter so-called tribute band and also the other band who touring with the imposter band. plus, we dont know if the band are allowed to mentioned Chester name in their new music, they're possible to get a lawsuit from the Chester's ex-wife, family, etc.

 

As a lawyer, I think that could be one of the reasons why publicly they are trying to avoid that area cause even though Talinda must've given a green signal, there are others who clearly had issues. Any public admission of such a statement could expose them to some sort of news/media content, even though it may not lead to legal issues. Moreover, it is pretty clear by now that there are 'fans' who can bring up anything and everything to say something negative. So the fact them not mentioning about Chaz has rising comments that they aren't respecting him, and if they would've, the comments on milking him would've clearly come up. It's about time we recognize them as human beings, and each of them is dealing with it in their own way.

 

[Soeffingnaive92]

As a lawyer myself too, I get that there could be legal issues about mentioning him on a song or using his name or his vocals on new stuff, but it feels kinda weird that they push back every single reference about him. And I totally get that even if it was legally possible they wouldn't want to put on a new record like FZ a song like LFAA, totally understandable, but Mike responding something like "LYF is about not letting our loved ones fade away and keeping them always with us, it's dedicated to the memory of all our loved ones that are not here anymore" would have been more kind.     

[LPLStaff]

3 hours ago, bloodbath said:

That era is gonna be stained forever. I think it's unfortunate for those of you who enjoyed the record but it is what it is

 

Don't really feel that way. Mike bouncing back was good to see, and the shows were amazing. The setlists having so many deep cuts and changing so much were a total blast to follow.

 

3 hours ago, Soeffingnaive92 said:

Mike always pointing out tha something is not dedicated/related to Chester feels a bit weird to me. Nothing against it, I have a lot of respect for Mike and the band and what they did to celebrate Chester, classy and well thought... But this urgency to push back any connection to Chester is a bit strange IMO. By the way, totally agree/understand about not playing OML now 

 

Well in his shoes if every single press interview wants to ask you 100 questions about Chester and the whole world is assuming songs you write are about him, but they aren't, you wouldn't feel slightly defensive about it?

 

3 hours ago, Trumtram said:

It's a shame, though, that we never got a tribute song to Chester from the band. I understand why they didn't do it. But personally, I craved something like this since 2017. LYF would've been exactly that, but it wasn't meant to be. I know I'm in the minority on here concerning this. But it is what it is.

 

That's what Looking For An Answer is, from the Hollywood Bowl. And they originally intended to finish and release it, but it just didn't happen.

[Soeffingnaive92]

4 minutes ago, LPLStaff said:

 

Well in his shoes if every single press interview wants to ask you 100 questions about Chester and the whole world is assuming songs you write are about him, but they aren't, you wouldn't feel slightly defensive about it?

 

Doesn't need to be like that, nobody would ask about stuff off FZ since there's clearly no nod to Chester and that's super fine, starting over and not get stuck in the past grief after 7/8 years, but we are talking about letting the door open to an interpretation about just 1 song.  

[Trumtram]

36 minutes ago, LPLStaff said:

That's what Looking For An Answer is, from the Hollywood Bowl. And they originally intended to finish and release it, but it just didn't happen.

I disagree. The song is more or less the same kind of thing that PT became: Mike coping with the situation. It references what happened, but I wouldn't call that a tribute song. LYF would have been pretty much perfect. Not too sentimental and acknowledging. It is what it is and that is ok.

[Shubho-Lp]

40 minutes ago, LPLStaff said:

Well in his shoes if every single press interview wants to ask you 100 questions about Chester and the whole world is assuming songs you write are about him, but they aren't, you wouldn't feel slightly defensive about it?

This needs to be said out loud! I mean, almost every interview kept on revolving around questions about Chester - especially bothering when it was subtly hinted at and not directly asked.  

[javignacio]

I used to think the band (or Mike) should have Chester more present on the tour (even in FZ's booklet), but if it's too hard for me I can't imagine for them. Mike did the PT tour, they did the Hollywood Bowl show, released Friendly Fire, and besides Chester's family the guys are probably the ones that suffer the most.

I was watching the hollywood bowl show yesterday and it's impossible not to cry, specially OML, which is pretty obvious they won't play for a long long time. Maybe a couple of songs from the record could be played eventually, but I just can't imagine how hard it must be.

[Soeffingnaive92]

23 minutes ago, Shubho-Lp said:

This needs to be said out loud! I mean, almost every interview kept on revolving around questions about Chester - especially bothering when it was subtly hinted at and not directly asked.  

I mean if your iconic singer for 20+ years dies by suicide it's kind of expected. I get the feeling he expressed on stuff like About You and other songs but it's kinda weird that Chester almost became a taboo. I repeat that, I didn't expect or even want a song about him on a new LP record, but if a song COULD be a sort of homage to him without being too direct why not? Why going "no it's not and the numbers on the song are not connected to his birthday", it's not disrespectful, I'd never say that, just bizarre  

[Cesar656]

You guys want a song when they did a whole ass 3hour show about him, livestreamed it, and keep it available on youtube.

Like, come on

[xxHybridXeroxx]

11 minutes ago, Cesar656 said:

You guys want a song when they did a whole ass 3hour show about him, livestreamed it, and keep it available on youtube.

Like, come on

I actually kind of agree with this. We’ve actually had A LOT of Chester tributes. I count Looking For An Answer as the one about Chester. On the Post Traumatic tour Mike talked about him every night. Then we got HT / M20 and THEN Friendly Fire? I’ve literally had it with all the entitled ‘fans’ complaining about everything when the band didn’t have to do anything at all. Would people just rather have had the band stay “dead”? I’m seriously tired of seeing so much complaining, not so much here as much, (there are people here who are guilty, not naming names) but on LP socials and every post about LP somewhere you have people whining about whatever they dislike about the new lineup. IF YOU DISLIKE IT SO MUCH WHY ARE YOU STILL COMPLAINING?! MOVE ON ALREADY JESUS CHRIST. I’m sorry to rant, but would it kill people to be a little more appreciative / grateful? Especially after everything that has happened. 

Edited July 21 by xxHybridXeroxx

[thor3]

the best tribute to Chester is them singing/performing his music and keeping it alive. That's it. I honestly wouldn't want it any other way. 

[YRQRM0]

5 hours ago, Soeffingnaive92 said:

Doesn't need to be like that, nobody would ask about stuff off FZ since there's clearly no nod to Chester and that's super fine, starting over and not get stuck in the past grief after 7/8 years, but we are talking about letting the door open to an interpretation about just 1 song.  

 

Mike doesn't want to seem stuck in the past and he has a very mature way of looking at music. He wants fans to gain that maturity, you can see it all the way back in LT interviews when he talks about incorporating folk influences and hoping fans can embrace the variety, or when feeling proud of the double meaning behind UIG

They're asking him if it's about Chester and he's saying no, I don't really see what else he'd say besides "I don't wanna say" which is basically the same 

[LinkinMark]

Nice that Emily is being featured in more interviews. 

Edited July 21 by LinkinMark
Reflection

[Cesar656]

This conversation is honestly pretty selfish. Mike was the friend, the one that knew him, and then one that was given the responsability he never asked for to honour and celebrate him. So he did, with a 3 hour wonderful show. With a heavy tour emotionally such as the PT tour, and now he is restarting from zero, and you guys expect him to go again through all the emotions. Im sure he honors Chester in private, is in touch with Talinda and the kids. For us to want him to do it for us like if he owed it us is ridiculous, and selfish.

 

[bkdistorted]

Mike has talked about chester in almost every single interview for almost six years. The PT tour had fans grieving in front of his eyes, all amidst his own journey through everything that has happened. Tribute show, the live streams... 

 

Even though my fan heart really would love to have a little more Chester shining through all of this, with him being mentioned a little more often, whatever... I totally understand that, at least for a while, Mike wants to focus on the future and the present, the new line up and everything in front of them. To talk about what is happening right now and not having to connect everything to probably one of the hardest times in his life.

 

Even if he wrote LYF for Chester or with him in mind...maybe he just doesn't want to open up this conversation again right now. 

[Fleur de Lys]

I think there is an interesting shift that happened between the livestream plus the first arena LA show, and everything coming after it. Mike said the “in the role of Chester Bennington, all of you”-line at both shows and reacted to a drawing of Chester in the crowd.

 

But then Chester’s toxic family members were going insane all over the news and I think it soured all public Chester-acknowledgment for Mike and he probably figured he would just stay clear entirely.

 

The great tragedy here is one that I also feel as a fan - seeing the countless Chester fans spewing the most unjustified and hateful shit makes me sometimes lose sight of what Chester himself was: an amazing man who would have 100% loved seeing LP 2.0 flourish.

 

The result with the total radio silence on Chester is just a bit weird and cold. I don’t judge them, but one little mention or song tribute per show would be such a warm relief for fans.

 

I get that the public discourse has left a bad taste in the band’s mouths, but honestly they should not let anyone make their memory of their friend taboo. They actually deserve to keep the memory of their friend, and own it for themselves, no matter what the rest of the world is saying.

But of course, it’s all up to them and I support their right to decide for themselves.

[xxHybridXeroxx]

21 minutes ago, Fleur de Lys said:

I think there is an interesting shift that happened between the livestream plus the first arena LA show, and everything coming after it. Mike said the “in the role of Chester Bennington, all of you”-line at both shows and reacted to a drawing of Chester in the crowd.

 

But then Chester’s toxic family members were going insane all over the news and I think it soured all public Chester-acknowledgment for Mike and he probably figured he would just stay clear entirely.

 

The great tragedy here is one that I also feel as a fan - seeing the countless Chester fans spewing the most unjustified and hateful shit makes me sometimes lose sight of what Chester himself was: an amazing man who would have 100% loved seeing LP 2.0 flourish.

 

The result with the total radio silence on Chester is just a bit weird and cold. I don’t judge them, but one little mention or song tribute per show would be such a warm relief for fans.

 

I get that the public discourse has left a bad taste in the band’s mouths, but honestly they should not let anyone make their memory of their friend taboo. They actually deserve to keep the memory of their friend, and own it for themselves, no matter what the rest of the world is saying.

But of course, it’s all up to them and I support their right to decide for themselves.

Well said. This is honestly probably the reason