Transcript: LPU Chat with Chester

After having to reschedule his chat session with the LPU, Chester got a chance to talk with LPU Members today about a variety of things, including the new album, live shows, the writing of A Thousand Suns and his musical career. We here at the LPA managed to get into the chat and put together an abridged transcript, in which Chester answers a lot of interesting questions! Take a look below!

Q: What is the new album going to sound like?

It’s going to be different. Too early to say what it’s going to sound like, we have no idea. But, we’re working with Rick, and we’re in the process of writing some songs.

Q: What was the hardest obstacle to over come while making A Thousand Suns?

I would say that just kind of getting out of a comfort zone when we write. Once you know how to do something, you kind of want to keep repeating that and that gets really easy, but I think that overcoming the safe route is probably the hardest part because it’s easy to do the same thing. It’s harder to take a chance and make music that sounds different than the stuff than the stuff that was successful in the past.

Q: Will you make another Dead By Sunrise record?

Maybe. I don’t know. I think I’ll probably make another one. But I think that Dead By Sunrise is something that’s gonna have to happen when I’m not busy with Linkin Park, and that could be in a long time. So I don’t know when the next one will come out.


Continue reading the Full Transcript here!



Source : LPAssociation

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Interview with Chester in Kerrang

Yahoo has excerpts of an interview with Chester in this week’s issue of Kerrang magazine. MSC has the scans here. Also, the LPUX merch packages have started shipping, you’ll receive a shipping confirmation email, and your receipt will also be updated to say SHIPPED.

Chester Bennington cringes when recalling the earlier days of Linkin Park as he was “such a nightmare”.
The 35-year-old rocker is frontman of the nu-metal group, and has spoken in the past about his battles with alcohol when the band were at the height of their fame.
Chester, who says by 2006 he was “a full-blown, raging alcoholic”, regrets being argumentative back in those days.
“People didn’t want to talk to me about things that might cause a confrontation because I would be irate. I had no idea I was such a nightmare,” he confessed in an interview with Kerrang! magazine.
Chester feels he is in a much better place nowadays, and is happy to say he no longer consumes alcohol. He feels confident he will never return to his alcoholic ways.
“I don’t drink, and that’s the most important thing right there,” he enthused.
“I choose to be sober now, I choose not to drink. I have drunk over the last six years since I started my journey and thankfully it’s not turned into anything bad.
“But what it comes down to is that I just don’t want to be that person anymore. I don’t have all the emotional stuff and all the turmoil going on all the time anymore. I’ve gotten comfortable with being out of all that stuff.”
The rocker also took the time to consider the next Linkin Park album, which is in the process of being made. He argues that it should be very different to their 2010 offering A Thousand Suns.
“We want it to be different than A Thousand Suns. I don’t want to explain how because I don’t want to put an idea into people’s heads. The music is great and well ahead of where we were expecting to be,” he enthused.
“It will probably get a very polarised reaction, which pleases me. As an artist, I want a reaction.”

Source : LPTimes

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Linkin Park Call Red Square 'Transformers' Performance A 'Privilege'

LP perform 'Iridescent' from the 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' premiere in Moscow.

Linkin Park have taken their expansive rock show to seemingly every corner of the globe, but they've never played Moscow's Red Square (to be fair, very few acts ever have). But now, thanks to the power of Michael Bay and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," they can finally cross it off their list.

Tags: Movie Trailers, Movies Blog

On Friday, their performance of "Iridescent" — a song from their A Thousand Suns that's since been tapped as the first single off the new "Transformers" soundtrack — was broadcast across MTV's platform of networks. It was part of the blockbuster's world premiere at the Moscow International Film Fest, but to hear Linkin Park tell it, it was also a moment they'll remember for the rest of their lives.
"To do a movie premiere is pretty cool — we've done some of them before — but to do a premiere in Moscow, and then perform in Red Square ... We were saying earlier, it's kind of one of those things where you think, 'How did they pull that off?' " LP's Chester Bennington told MTV News. "I mean, Red Square is not exactly a place they throw concerts every day. Not many bands have performed there, so ... this is really a very special and exceptional moment for us. We've had the privilege of playing a few other landmark locations that are very special, and this definitely tops that."
Of course, it was a moment that couldn't have happened without the considerable clout of "Transformers" director Michael Bay ("There's, like, nothing he can't do," Bennington joked. "He may have actually shot the [film's] moon footage on the moon"), but when Linkin Park first joined forces with the franchise back in 2007, they never dreamed the collaboration would eventually lead them to Red Square. Basically, back then, they just signed on because they were huge fans of the toys. And needless to say, things have worked out pretty well ever since.
"I have a special place in my heart for Soundwave and Starscream," Mike Shinoda laughed.
"We loved playing with the toys as kids and conceptually, the idea of Transformers — these machines that are alive — it's always been a great story," Bennington added. "But realistically, the toys were amazing. They're still the coolest toys ever."

 Source : MTV

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Transformers 3 soundtrack review

Artist Direct has a review of Transformer: Dark of The Moon soundtrack album. CD is out on Tuesday, pre-order here

From A Thousand Suns, Linkin Park’s “Iridescent” finds solace in an airy electronic bliss before morphing into one of the most powerful refrains of the band’s career. Chester Bennington’s voice borders on heavenly as it rises along with the deep, dark orchestra of synths, keyboards, guitar, bass, and drums. Mike Shinoda spills his heart on the verse, matching Radiohead with a Thom Yorke-style expulsion of emotion. The song sees Linkin reaching another level of genius, and it’s the perfect kick-off to the album. The final crescendo would make Michael Bay proud in terms of how epic it is.

Source : LPTimes

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Chester at MusiCares Benefit reports and videos

Chester played an acoustic version of 'The Messenger' at the 7th Annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert on Friday. Artisan News has a video report here, fan filmed video of Chester performance here. Also added more performance pics and another red carpet photo.

Linkin Park's Bennington performed a song called "The Messenger," a song he wrote for his son, noting, "I think the lyrics of this song can also be applied to recovery." -- Examiner Chester Bennington of Linkin Park played one quick acoustic song which he sang with touching beauty called “The Messenger.” He said he was a virgin when it came to playing guitar in front of people. He wrote “The Messenger” for his children who are growing up faster than he can keep track of, but the sentiments also apply to the recovery process. He lauded Ozomatli’s performance, “Ozomatli was the best fun ever. I got in a month’s worth of party while they were on.” -- LA Examiner
Following Jane's, Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, a longtime Depeche fan, took the stage for an impressive acoustic version of 'The Messenger,' a song he said was about his oldest child, now 15, nearing the point of going off on their own, but one he thought could also apply to recovery, the theme of the night. -- Spinner

©  LPTimes.com

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Between Hard Rock and a New Place: Appreciating Linkin Park

Just when you think you know what to expect from Linkin Park, they change it up. ROB O'CONNOR follows the band's  evolution, but will nu-metal fans go along for the art-rock ride?



W ith the exception of Led Zeppelin, who were an island unto themselves, hard rock bands have a tough time with appearing soft. It goes against their very definition: hard rock.

Agoura Hills, California’s Linkin Park have been gradually making that transition from your average mosh-pit variety nu-metal, rap rock band into an art rock band capable of U2-type seriousness and Pink Floyd-like conceptual heft.

Where tunes such as Hybrid Theory’s “In the End” and Meteora’s “Easier to Run” were the exceptions to their initial aggressive attack, years of mentoring under the production auspices of Rick Rubin have turned the group into a much more contemplative unit.

With that, critical respect for the band is ever so subtly changing. Where once the group was openly disparaged, according to Rolling Stone,  as “must have (being) designed in a laboratory as the consummate rap-metal band,” they have since begun receiving positive notices in The New York Times.

Linkin Park certainly know that all forms of hard rock have been ostracized upon initial impact. From Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath through Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and Motörhead, it takes a ridiculous amount of persistence or patience for bands on the louder end of the spectrum to get any respect. If you’re Marillion or Black Oak Arkansas, you’re likely waiting for eternity.

The band’s latest studio release, 2010’s A Thousand Suns, solidifies the shift toward varied tunes and tones. The album emphasizes atmospheric shades, apocalyptic concepts and electronica interests just south of Radiohead. Linkin Park are steadily marshalling the troops towards the epicenter of “artistic respectability.” Do they need to?

Fact is, LP were doing just fine on their own. Their debut album, 2000’s Hybrid Theory, got called plenty of names resembling “derivative,” but the sales and audience reaction justified the existence of a band that had received multiple rejections from major labels before finally signing a deal.

The kids will always know what the adults never understand. Hybrid Theory wasn’t just an explanation of the group’s sound – a hybrid of metal and hip-hop exemplified by the melodic singing of Chester Bennington and the rapping of Mike Shinoda – but an accurate description of the band’s bi-polar emotional outbursts. Bennington ached to be loved and expressed deep insecurities while Shinoda launched to the front of the stage to fend off all doubters with his raps of defiance.

The band appeared to have a pinky swear with its audience to understand their grievances with growing up and the band’s second album, Meteora, further earned their audience’s trust with tunes like “Somewhere I Belong,” “Nobody’s Listening” and their concert fave “Numb.”

While the band spoke the language of youth in their lyrics, they also knew there were changes in the music world, subtle shifts that demanded remix albums and strategic alliances with others in neighboring genres. Their 2004 mash-up with Jay-Z for Collision Course, where Jay-Z’s raps are set to LP’s music, led to a hit and a Grammy Award for the track “Numb/ Encore.”  

A Thousand Suns, like its predecessor Minutes to Midnight, was produced by Rick Rubin, the man who gives new life to aging legends and a critical pedigree to everyone he meets. The resulting album plays as intended, as one long concept album concerning that most joyous of topics, human extinction, where songs segue from one another and sampled speeches give the album a feeling of, gulp, elegant power.  (Can fans forgive them for the piano ballad, “Iridescent”? Can critics get past the usual “extinction” clichés?)

The extra percussion and further reliance on keyboards suggest Linkin Park will continue to evolve. Sure, “Blackout” screams with the disgusted rage of yore, but even then it’s to increasingly computer-derived sound blocks that are far more futuristic than another guitar solo. That’s something you can’t say for many hard rock bands that believe mining the same territory, repeatedly, is the only way to get the job done.



LP’s audience may appreciate the doomsday scenario of “The Catalyst,” but can its Euro-disco aura really be any substitute for the tough gnarl of fan-favorite oldies such as “ Papercut,” “Points of Authority” and “Don’t Stay”?

Large audiences, though, have a way of surprising us often more than the bands they love. LP have always had serious musical undercurrents guiding their travels. Together, perhaps, they’ll discover a new musical planet. To hell with the nay-sayers.  

Source : Fuse.tv

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Vegas is on; see you there.

I just got an email from management saying that the Las Vegas show is definitely on. Happy to hear Chester is feeling better–we’ll see you all at the concert.

Side notes: Dallas and Houston have been rescheduled. Dallas at the American Airlines Center is now on Wednesday March 2nd. Houston at the Toyota Center is now on Thursday March 3rd. Info for people attending the rescheduled shows is HERE.

Also: our Madison Square Garden show will be airing on the FUSE network this week (tomorrow, Friday Feb 18th, at 9:30pm / 8:30 central). Here’s a taste:

http://fuse.tv/ontv/shows/linkin-park/what-ive-done.html
---
PRESS RELEASE:

After having to cancel and postpone several shows due to illness of co-lead singer Chester Bennington, LINKIN PARK will resume its A Thousand Suns world tour at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas Saturday February 19th. Bennington was hospitalized last week with a viral infection and complications from treatment but has been cleared by his physicians to return to the stage.

“I’d like to thank our fans for all the kind wishes I’ve received,” says Chester Bennington. “I’m looking forward to being back on stage, which is a lot more fun than being in a hospital. I also want to apologize to our fans in the cities affected by the cancelations and postponements and let them know we’ll be back as soon as we can.”

Linkin Park’s live show is a transformative multi-media experience, with visual technology that befits the power of their music. MTV.com praised the tour as “a hit-packed pummeling set” while Artist Direct observed that “rock in the 21st century was defined by Linkin Park tonight.”Joining Linkin Park from February 19th through 26th will be UK legends, The Prodigy.

Source : Linkin Park

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SHOW IN HOUSTON CANCELLATION

Linkin Park has been forced to cancel their February 15th show in Houston, TX at the Toyota Center. Chester is still under doctor's orders to refrain from performing. The band sincerely regrets this unavoidable cancellation and apologizes to fans for any disappointment caused. Please hold on to your tickets. Updates to follow later this week.

If you purchased your tickets through linkinpark.com, check your email over the next few days for details. Also, we know it's not the same, but we'll send you a free audio download of any show from this tour.

Source : Linkin Park

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UNCASVILLE, CT 2/11 CANCELLATION

Hi guys,

We are deeply disappointed that we’ve had to cancel our second show in a row. It’s been a long time since we’ve played in your town, and were excited for you to hear the new music and see the new production. As you know, it’s not often that we have to cancel a gig–Chester appreciates all the love you all have sent on the website, and we know that it will help him to bounce back soon.

If you purchased your tickets through linkinpark.com, check your email over the next few days for details on how you will receive your refund. Also, we know it's not the same, but we'll send you a free audio download of any show from this tour.

Sincerely,

Mike and LP

Source : Linkin Park

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SHOW IN WASHINGTON DC CANCELLATION

Linkin Park has been forced to cancel their February 10th show in Washington DC at the Verizon Center. Lead vocalist Chester Bennington is ill and under doctor's orders to refrain from performing. The band sincerely regrets this unavoidable cancellation and apologizes to fans for any disappointment caused. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase beginning February 11th.

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A THOUSAND SUNS TOUR UPDATE

Finally got a moment to sit down and give you guys an update. First of all, being a native Californian, I don’t know why you East Coasters complain about this weather. Single digit temperatures and record-breaking snowfall? No problem!

Actually, we’ve had to make some adjustments to our touring plans as we’ve gone. Weather has made certain flights and trips difficult, and we’re actually looking at options on plane, train, and bus for the trip from Boston to New York tonight after the show. (If all else fails, I have a dogsled lined up for me, Chester, and Phoenix). Luckily, all the shows have gone on without any major complications so far.

We’ll be doing a bunch of interviews and a performance on SNL this week, so look for us on TV and the world wide interwebz.

Check out this rave review of our show on Technorati:
http://technorati.com/entertainment/music/article/concert-review-a-...

 Source : Linkin Park

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