Every once in awhile they do come across a fan, or somebody who relates to a song in a particular way and they can see it in their eyes. They can see that they've touched them in a very special way. Bennington admits that as a songwriter, this is the ultimate goal. In his words, “that's like the big wet dream, to write something that really means, and really matters to somebody.”

Written by JOANNE KIM KRUIZENGA
Monday, 24 January 2011

Lumino caught up with Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington, singers for the rock group Linkin Park, for a two hour teleconference, in anticipation of the band's new A Thousand Sun's tour.

The band will kick off their tour today, January 20 in Sunrise, Florida. When asked what to expect, visually, for this tour, Shinoda answered that it's going to have a lot to do with the look of a thousand suns. Their art team has developed technology specifically for this tour. They will not play the same set list every single night, so the visuals will have to vary. This band loves to improvise, so they want the visuals to ebb and flow along with the music.

This will be Linkin Park's first tour where they are basically, giving a free “souvenirs” away with the price of each ticket. They've been offering mp3 music for awhile, but have now decided to do it for no additional price. There will be a special mix of their music available online for all fans who have attended a show.

Linkin Park is constantly reinventing their music. It has completely evolved from “Hybrid Theory” to “A Thousand Suns.” This is not an accident. They have set out to do this. As they were working on their newest album, they didn't even know if they should bring in a new producer to “muck” it all up. Rick Rubin was brought in, though, and it ended up being a good match. He loved the stuff they were making, and didn't intend to change that. He wanted to try and help to get them there in the best way possible. Have they changed since the beginning? Yes. They have learned new things. They are playing new instruments. They are changing by inspirations, and growing as people.

A Thousand Suns is what can be referred to as a “concept album.” When this was pointed out to Shinoda and Bennington, there was an inquiry on whether or not there is a temptation to play the album in its whole format. They admit there is definitely a temptation to do that, but not at this point.

Linkin Park is a very globally aware band. They started “Download to Donate” a project where supporters can get an album for free and donate to the cause. “Download to Donate” has risen over a quarter of a million dollars and it's an ongoing effort.

I had a chance to ask Shinoda and Bennington how they felt about the impact that they have on the listener's of their music. The younger generation live and breathe Linkin Park's music. Bennington answered that it's definitely something that's hard to see. The band plays, and they go and do their shows for a lot of people, and they meet a lot of people. He admits, though, that it's difficult to see how deeply people react to their music.

Every once in awhile they do come across a fan, or somebody who relates to a song in a particular way and they can see it in their eyes. They can see that they've touched them in a very special way. Bennington admits that as a songwriter, this is the ultimate goal. In his words, “that's like the big wet dream, to write something that really means, and really matters to somebody.”

Shinoda and Bennington are two of the music industry’s biggest icons these days. Yet, they are articulate, polite and down to earth. They were compelling to listen to, and so much makes up these men's lives.

Shinoda knows that there is awe and importance in the show, and how important it is to the fans, but that there are clearly people who would never recognize them if they were walking down the street. That it wouldn't register at all. His point is, in spite of the fact that they are very grateful that the band has been so successful, they are also very grateful that they've been able to retain a certain level of anonymity. That they keep their wits about them, and keep things more understated in their personal lives, to some degree.

Linkin Park is made up of some remarkable musicians, and it was a privilege to sit down, and take part in this interview. Their tour is sure to be mind-blowing at its best. If you don't have tickets, you should see if you can get some. It will be well worth it.