Mike Shinoda didn't want new Linkin Park era to sound like "a cover band"

28 November 2024, 15:28

Linkin Park's new line-up includes co-vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain. Picture: James Minchin III

The nu-metal band's co-founder explained why he didn't want to replace their late frontman Chester Bennington with someone who sounded too similar.

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Mike Shinoda didn't want Linkin Park's new co-vocalist to sound exactly like their late frontman Chester Bennington.

Earlier this year, the nu-metal rockers announced their return with drummer Colin Brittain and co-vocalist Emily Armstrong joining existing members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson (replaced by on tour by Alex Feder), Dave Phoenix Farrell and Joe Hahn.

Discussing the thought process that went into a new co-vocalist, co-founder Shinoda revealed he didn't want to replace his friend with a singer that felt "uncanny valley".

Speaking to Los Angeles radio station Alt 98.7, he said: "We just want Emily to be Emily. The songs are the songs. Emily is Emily…"

He recalled: "There was a time early on, like 2020-ish, 2019, whatever — like, I remembered I was watching videos… I think a video of a cover band, a Linkin Park cover band, showed up in my feed.

"Fans were loving it. They were all like, ‘Oh my God, this person’s so good. They sound so much like Chester.'"

However, the Numb rocker explained that it had the opposite effect on him because it made him feel like his brain was trying to be tricked into thinking it was real.

He explained that the covers would make him almost hate them,"because your brain can tell that it's trying to be tricked. And nobody's brain likes that."

He went on: "So, when I was watching this YouTube video, or Instagram video, of this cover band, I was like, ‘That’s really cool, but it’s also creepy that it sounds so much like Chester.’

"I don’t like it, it weirds me out. It made me immediately know that it wasn’t the move for us. I don’t like it.

"I like it for [the cover bands], I just don’t like it for us… These bands do a great job, but I wouldn’t put that in our band.”

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Shinoda also previously opened up about how introducing a female member to the band has made them think in new ways.

Shinoda and Armstrong were recently interviewed on the Zach Sang Show, where they discussed the "little nuances" they had to consider when Emily joined Linkin Park.

"Having a woman in the band is a new thing," admitted Shinoda. "There’s little nuances like, ‘Oh we can’t just have everybody from the band getting dressed in the same room… running around in a towel’.

Shinoda - is also co-lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer - went on: “We used to just be like, whatever. We weren’t naked dudes in a room, but it was like locker room, right?

"And it was like, ‘OK, we’ve got to set up our backstage a different way. Em, what’s comfortable for you?’ And how do we do that and also not keep us separated, because we wanna be together ‘cause it’s fun, but we also have to have some private space… Stuff like that.

"You know, It sounds stupid, but to me it keeps this thing that we’ve done for so long... It turns it on its side a little bit and you get to go, ‘Oh, that’s a bit different. That’ll be interesting'."

Watch the full interview below: