Brad Delson
Mike Shinoda
Rob Bourdon
Joseph Hahn
Chester Bennington
1996 was a dull year for many thousands of people.
It was before Linkin Park came around that the vivid fusion of rap/rock and techno was to be a part of history.
Linkin park’s roots date way back when drummer Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda formed a close friendship while still in a Californian high school.
Shortly after graduation, Mike met art student and DJ, Joseph Hahn in Pasadena and seemed to bond well with his astonishing talents and abilities.
He was soon hooked up with bassist Dave \"Phoenix\" Farrell and Shinoda to create a band known as Xero.
There was a lot of hassle between permanent and temporary members, as the band hadn’t settled too well at this time. Even though the band was constantly unstable, it didn’t stop them continuing their song writing, guitar skills and other musical abilities. After a lot of musical influences and numerous practises, the band was interrupted with a distinct hole in their musical relationship.
Even though their music as Xero still had unique and unusual qualities, they were still lacking something to complete the band. Xero finally realised their missing puzzle piece when their additional member Chester Bennington was introduced in 1999.
Years of singing, and developing scar tissue were to really make him stand out above the rest of similar aggressive vocalists. His aggressive, yet soothing vocals made the perfect fusion for a unique and effective force. No one could reach such the high pitch he could achieve. With such a wide variety of tones and dynamics, the group had everything it needed to get started.
With a new member in a permanent position the band were finally ready to move on.
After making a few practise demos to figure out all the many qualities they could include, the band changed their name to Linkin Park (A main influence by Chester) and didn’t take long for the band to eventually get settled and get started on an album that would start a new revolution.
This unusual band name would be a unique way to define the music, rather than the name it’s self.
Linkin Park started work on their first EP ‘Hybrid Theory’ that consisted of the six tracks: ‘Carousel’, ‘Technique’, ‘And One’, ‘Step Up’, ‘High Voltage’, and ‘Part of Me’. These tracks were to be an introductory of Linkin Park’s true qualities and abilities that weren’t to disappoint.
Finally, after all the hassle about temporary members and additional members, Phoenix re-joined the band to become a permanent member when his former band ‘The Snax’ had finished touring.
Linkin park worked long and hard to get recognition from their six-track EP, but after numerous shows and local gigs, there was one stage that would completely turn their lives upside down.
Their first gig at ‘The Whiskey ‘ a club centred around Los Angeles, was a huge relief after all their efforts had paid off. It was these gigs that caught the attention of one of today’s most well known record companies although they had been turned down many times before. Warner Bros. Records signed Linkin Park immediately after they heard their unbelievable talent and qualities on a disc. Their close bond and understanding with Warner Bro.s lead on to their next major album.
The release of ‘Hybrid Theory’ proved a success when the unforgettable anthems ‘Crawling’, ‘Points of Authority’, ‘In The End’, ‘Papercut’ and ‘One Step Closer’ pushed the album to go platinum.
Linkin Park were quickly noticed throughout the globe, and had picked up thousands of fans for the future journey. They toured with influential bands like P.O.D., System Of A Down, 3 Doors Down, Adema, Puddle of Mudd, and so many more.
‘Hybrid Theory’ displayed their other musical influences like Deftones, NIN and Pearl Jam as well as their own individual features. The band also had help from other dominant bands suck as KoRn, as their very own Jon Davis as helped with additional vocals in the chorus of ‘One Step Closer’.
These tracks were popular favourites among the crowd of TRL and MTV as well as triumphant radio hits.
Linkin park were proposed to many joint tours including the Family Values Tour where they headlined with Cypress Hill playing over 324 lives shows in 2001. Their dream of being able to show their true energetic spirits, along with their technical enhancements of drum samplers and turntables had come to life.
It was in July 2002 that Linkin Park had the interesting idea to enhance ‘Hybrid Theory’.
Linkin Park introduced ‘Reanimation’, a unique alteration of the original tracks including special guest rappers such as “Black Thought”. ‘Reanimation’s finishing touches to this amazing 20 track album was to display their other musical qualities to prove their true worth to the world.
They are not the stereotypical rock band some may claim them to be. Linkin Park later received more praise and pride when they won many awards for their accomplishments at the VMS’s. They were now recognised worldwide for their unbeatable efforts to combine so many elements of music.
They were one of the world’s most significant band’s of the century, not just for their clean lyrics, or their cunning skills with samplers and turntables, but for their exclusive hybrid of true musical power.
In January 2002, ‘Hybrid Theory’ received three Grammy nominations for \"Best Rock Album\" and \"Best New Artist.\" A month later, Linkin Park walked away with an award for \"Best Hard Rock Performance\" for ‘Crawling’.
Their second annual tour, ‘Project Revolution’, got underway in spring 2003 with Linkin park joining forces with Xzibit, Mudvayne and Blindside; “Summer Sanitarium” dates with Mudvayne, Limp Bizkit and the Deftones whom followed in July and August.
They spent the remainder of the year working on a future album for presentation.
Working long and tiring days and nights, which gradually ventured into months, Linkin Park had finished another masterpiece.
With nothing much to do, Linkin Park started writing new material on their tour bus in late 2002.
In March of 2003, LP released their dominant album, ‘Meteora’. This album includes the significant ‘Somewhere I Belong’, the catchy ‘Faint’ and the melodic, ‘Numb’. Their newest single ‘Breaking The Habit’ was a true display of Mr Hahn’s incredible art skills; an impressive way of expressive art that helped the song portray it’s hidden meaning.
A bonus feature that included videos and other extras you could view on your PC also accompanied the album.
The band wanted the fans to see the process and the ‘Blood, Sweat, and Tears’ Linkin Park put into making the record with the final result.
Even through all these years, Linkin Park are still with us, still achieving goals and still presenting the world with unforgettable anthems unlike anyone has ever heard before.
Bio written by: hellz_hunny |
|
Add to Profile
