Chester and Phoenix interviewed by Kerrang! Magazine

Saw it on Machineshopspot

http://www.machineshopspot.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2443

 

The magazine scan was hard to read... so i typed it up (Yea i was bored as hell) save you guys a few minutes of squinting

 

“This is a whole new animal…”

Linkin Park put the finishing touches to their much-anticipated third album

 

After more than a year of working on their long-awaited follow-up to 2003’s “Meteora”, Linkin Park are preparing to make a comeback with their third album. The band, which features vocalist Chester Bennington, MC Mike Shinoda, guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave “Phoenix” Farrell, turtablist Joseph Hahn and drummer Rob Bourdon, have been recording with producer Rick Rubin, who’s worked with the likes of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Slayer and System of a Down, in Personal Studio, in Los Angeles. After taking nearly a two-year break, the sextet have spent the last 12 months writing and working on over 100 songs.

“That break was necessary and mandatory.” Farrell admits to Kerrang!. “We had done a ton of work for our first two albums and, in between them, we had been remixing, writing new material and touring constantly. Those tour years were brutal and exhausting. Being at home for awhile allowed us to get excited about doing this again.”

Although no title has been confirmed for the new album, which is due for release in spring, rumours suggest that it may be called “Trials and Tribulations”. The band, however, are remaining tight-lipped about their ideas for now.

“We’re horrible at naming things!” laughs the bassist. “At the moment each of us has their own idea, so we have about six different titles, which will all probably change.”

Here, then, frontman Chester Bennington and Phoenix Farrell reveal all about Linkin Park’s forthcoming album…

 

HOW DOES IT FEEL TO HAVE THE ALBUM NEARLY FINISHED?

Chester Bennington: “It’s exciting. We’ve been working on this for a year. I’m very, very proud of this.”

Phoenix Farrell: “I hope people can listen to it with an open mind because this is a whole new animal.”

 

WHY HAS IT TAKEN SO LONG?

Chester Bennington: “On the last two albums we came into the studio with about 30 songs that were pretty much ready. This time, though, we had about 130 songs. The philosophy was, “Don’t rush art”. We decided to just take it where it wasn’t and our plan was to keep writing if the songs kept coming. If anything sounded to much like the last two records then we forgot about it.”

Phoenix: We got a lot of good ideas down, but it was a challenge to do things differently and that made the process go on for a lot longer than we expected. We threw away any of our preconceptions about what Linkin Park are supposed to sound like. It meant that we came up with a lot of different sounds. It also made for a much more organic record and that was very rewarding for all of us.”

 

SO WE CAN EXPECT SOMETHING RADICALLY DIFFERENT, THEN?

Chester: “Yes, I played a few tracks to a couple of my friends and they all said the same thing. They said, ‘This is totally different, you’re taking this to another place.’ We’ve ventured into different musical territory. There aren’t a lot of big, heavy, banging guitars. We’ve been focusing more on musical layers and textures.”

Phoenix: “There’s more soul behind what we’re doing now. This music has more heart and a much deeper feel to it.”

 

WILL PEOPLE STILL THINK OF YOU AS A NU-METAL BAND?

Chester: “We wanted to get rid of anything that sounded like nu-metal. We really don’t like being branded as a nu-metal band. We enjoy growing as musicians. We’re trying to find new ways of presenting ourselves. When we wrote “Hybrid Theory”, we were kids. We had a different outlook on things, it was a different time. But we’ve kept the elements of the band that have worked, that define who we are, but at the same time, there’s a lot of beautiful music on this record.”

Phoenix: “I’m not sure if anyone knows what nu-metal means anyway. We’re our own thing.”

 

WHAT SORT OF THINGS ARE YOU DEALING WITH IN THE LYRICS?

Chester: “The songs are about things we’re experiencing. We’re a little older and more mature now and we’ve gone through a lot of changes in the past couple of years.”

 

WHAT CHANGES?

Chester: “In the last few years I got divorced, remarried and had another baby. I love all my money in the divorce and I’m only just starting to get back on my feet. It’s been like a rollercoaster, one day you’re married, the next day you’re not. One day you’re rich, the next day you’re not. I’m happy now, but at times it has felt like being hung, drawn and quartered. I’ve been pulled in every direction.”

 

HAS IT BEEN CATHARTIC TO RELEAST THOSE FEELINGS ON THIS RECORD?

Chester: “It’s been difficult. I want to be able to write about things that I’ve experienced. The interesting difference between Mike and me is that Mike writes very poetic lyrics. His words are beautiful. So we write separately, then we come together and start changing things around. There’s more vulnerability and color in the way I’m singing now.”

 

YOU HAVE SOLD 37 MILLION ALBUMS WORLDWIDE, ARE YOU FEELING A LOT OF PRESSURE WITH THIS NEW ONE?

Chester: “If this record only sells one or two million copies, that’s a huge failure. We really wouldn’t be happy if that happened. I would be upset because I take a lot of pride in what I do. I know the rest of the band does too. I’d think, ‘People just don’t fucking get it!’. But I wouldn’t start second-guessing the work we’ve done. People will understand that this is a great record. They may need time to absorb it. At the same time, we’re really just trying to make the best music we can make.”

Phoenix: “I think each band member would give you a different answer to that! I think there’s a ton of pressure. There’re expectations from fans, from ourselves and from the record label. But we don’t tend to do well unless there is that pressure. We need it to motivate and challenge us into making our best work.”

Well they didn't say anything in the interview I didn't know personal things a side. I think they do make some good points about feeling a lot of pressure. When bands change from one style to another they're always taking a huge gamble. I mean this album could be great or it could be terrible in the minds of fans. I think they're really trying to drive home the fact that this isn't going to sound like any of their previous albums whether or not that's a good thing I guess we'll have to wait and see. One thing I am sure of is that this will probably cause a divide in their fanbase. Fans who like the old albums and bash the new album and fans who like the new album and start bashing the old albums. I know when their new album comes out and people start listening to it the Linkin Park fanbase is going to turn into Armageddon.

it sounds boring. But LP never fails to impress.

i agree that theres gonna be a conflict of interest with the fans and the new album if it is THAT different. but as they say, dont knock it till you've tried it.

DAMNIT WHY IS TIME SO SLOW. i want the album.

i dont know if i like the name Trials and Tribulations...

lets hope they dont go with it

I just hope that it's not very different from the last albums.

i dont know if i like the name Trials and Tribulations...

lets hope they dont go with it

rofl neither do i but i dont think they will go with it.

it sounds like a heavy metal name.

 

I just hope that it's not very different from the last albums.

it will be very different

"SO WE CAN EXPECT SOMETHING RADICALLY DIFFERENT, THEN?

Chester: “Yes, I played a few tracks to a couple of my friends and they all said the same thing. They said, ‘This is totally different, you’re taking this to another place.’ We’ve ventured into different musical territory."

 

there you go. but im sure you will like it.. i mean mike will always give a rap/hip hop vibe to the band so you will know its LP but it wont be rap/rock or nu-metal

Nice interview Though there still isn't a date yet.

I don't know if they go with Trials and Tribulations, just have to wait.

I think the new album will be great, it's different, but it is LP

it sounds like a heavy metal name.

Works for me.

 

 

it will be very different

"SO WE CAN EXPECT SOMETHING RADICALLY DIFFERENT, THEN?

Chester: “Yes, I played a few tracks to a couple of my friends and they all said the same thing. They said, ‘This is totally different, you’re taking this to another place.’ We’ve ventured into different musical territory."

 

there you go. but im sure you will like it.. i mean mike will always give a rap/hip hop vibe to the band so you will know its LP but it wont be rap/rock or nu-metal

I don't really get why people still think they're going to like it because it's the same band. A lot of you are going disappointed to say the least really and I'm not trying to be pessimistic here I'm trying to get people realize when bands change their style dramatically like this fans get upset. I know bands who have done the same thing and I ended up not liking it very much or not as much as their old albums. There will be people who likes then those who like well enough but prefered their old stuff. I think the common phrase around here will be, "I still like Linkin Park's new album, but not as much as their old stuff." Or the disgruntled fans raving about how this album is terrible and they should go back to their old sound. When bands change their style hold your breath and expect disappointment. That's what I do. It prevents me from getting my hopes up.

Works for me.

 

 

 

I don't really get why people still think they're going to like it because it's the same band. A lot of you are going disappointed to say the least really and I'm not trying to be pessimistic here I'm trying to get people realize when bands change their style dramatically like this fans get upset. I know bands who have done the same thing and I ended up not liking it very much or not as much as their old albums. There will be people who likes then those who like well enough but prefered their old stuff. I think the common phrase around here will be, "I still like Linkin Park's new album, but not as much as their old stuff." Or the disgruntled fans raving about how this album is terrible and they should go back to their old sound. When bands change their style hold your breath and expect disappointment. That's what I do. It prevents me from getting my hopes up.

 

i disagree in some ways

yes EVERY album ANY band makes some fans will say its shit... thats life...

but i dont think the lp album will be a disappointment not at all... ya sure some will leave lp sayin its shit but much more will come and i tell u its gonne be awesome. i got high hopes and i know lp wont dissappoint! they never do.

i disagree in some ways

yes EVERY album ANY band makes some fans will say its shit... thats life...

but i dont think the lp album will be a disappointment not at all... ya sure some will leave lp sayin its shit but much more will come and i tell u its gonne be awesome. i got high hopes and i know lp wont dissappoint! they never do.

Well my thing is people are going to be like this album is different from their old stuff and not like them anymore. I'm not saying people will say it's shit. Also when I say disappointing I mean different not bad. I think your being naive but whatever. We'll see when the album comes out.

ya we will... then u will thank me

ya we will... then u will thank me

For what? O.o

I hope the new album will have a song

by joe

well i believe that for every fan they lose on the new album, they will gain a few more

Well since they said that they're dropping everything of what LP was supposed to sound like, i guess Melancholia was right But what the heck...

 

Just release the damn album already!!! ><

Nice interview...

 

I want to be one of those people who Chester played some songs to...lol

 

I guess everyone want's to....

Nice interview. Does that mean that chester wont be screaming in the new album? correct me if i am wrong ;/

Chester not screaming... that's like...

 

Horrifying

Nice interview. Does that mean that chester wont be screaming in the new album? correct me if i am wrong ;/

 

Wtf i really hope not!I remember something that chester said a long time ago that he had to rest from screaming in the studio, but i just hope there will be lot's of screaming, linkin park without chester's scream..no

Hmmm....kinda interesting...I don't think interview is good news it sounds as if they are forcing new music, which is not good.

Sweet! Thanks for posting!

awesome,thanks fo the post!

 

well nothing new,but at least the album is basically now on its last legs before raching us!

 

id give it a month for the guys to mix/do their art thingys/record an mv and then let the alb hit the stores. hopefully with a making of dvd or something. somethign with interviews with each band individually as well as interviews with mike and co. about things between meteora and now. should keep us entertained for quiote sometime ^^

It will be longer than 2 months before albums is released, we will be lucky if we get it in 3 months.

That isn't going to happen. I'm pretty sure that the changes DO NOT involve Chester not screaming. He showed it by still screaming in QWERTY (which I believe he screamed the most out of any song). If that's the path they are taking, there will definitely be screaming.

 

I wonder if Mike screams O.o? lol