Linkin Park is one of my favorite bands. Here you'll find information about the band, and their music.
I've split the page into different groups:
Linkin Park is a six-piece California nu metal band. It all started in a small bedroom studio of Mike Shinoda (emcee/vocalist), where he and Brad Delson (guitarist) recorded the band's first recordings in 1996. The two went to high school together and met Rob Bourdon (drummer). Shinoda met Joseph Hahn (D.J.) while studying illustration at Art Center College in Pasadena. While studying at UCLA, Delson shared an apartment with Phoenix (bassist) who left the band after college, but rejoined a year later. At this point, the band was called Xero and recorded several demo tracks. They never got signed and the project floundered. Finally, Shinoda decided to put an ad out for a new vocalist. What they got was Chester Bennington (vocalist) who started making records when he was 16. The band called themselves Hybrid Theory which Chester suggested (the idea that they were a hybrid between rock and hip-hop), however, due to trademark issues, they were forced to change their name. Some discarded ideas were: Clear, which was the bands favorite, Probing Lagers, which they thought was the lamest, Ten PM Stockers, because they would record every night at 10 pm at a place on Stocker Street, and Platinum Lotus Foundation, but the group finally settled on Lincoln Park, suggested by Bennington, because after prcatice, they had to drive past there to get home. However, the domain name "lincolnpark.com" was more than the band could afford, so they settled on Linkin Park. Working with an independent label, the band recorded they album, Hybrid Theory EP, in 1999. In 1999, they were signed to Warner Brothers, and released Hybrid Theory in 2000. In 2002 they released Reanimation, which were remixes of Hybrid Theory and Hybrid Theory EP. In 2003, they released a new album called Meteora. In 2003 they released a DVD/CD Live in Texas which features a DVD with 2 recorded shows that they did in Texas. In 2004, the released Collision Course which is Jay-Z lyrics mixed with Linkin Park Music and Jay-Z music mixed with Linkin Park lyrics.
Mike Shinoda (vocalist/emcee) - He was born in Agoura, California, to a Japanese father and Russian mother. He graduated from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California with a major in illustration. He also studied graphic design. He designed the street soldier figure on the cover of Hybrid Theory. After his first concert experience, he was inspired to become a musician. He learned to play piano, starting with Classical music, to Jazz and than Hip-hop. He plays the guitar more, which is noticeable on Meteora.
Chester Bennington (vocalist) - Was born in Phoenix Arizona. He is noted for doing very high pitched vocals, and most Linkin Park songs feature him screaming. He wears black rimmed glasses on ocasion, and is lanky in appearance. His hair style has changed a lot. He had a pink mohawk, shaved his head, bleached hair, spiked hair, and other hair styles. His hair is actually black. He was addicted to cocaine. He struggled to quit, and is now free of the addiction. His co-writer, Mike Shinoda, wrote a song about Chester's addiction, which the band could not perform live because it brought Chester to tears. The song is called "Breaking the Habit." He has several tatoos. He seems to have bad luck with getting sick on tour. On 8/8/01 during Ozzfest he was bitten by a recluse spider at a hotel in the Boston area. A portion of Bennington's arm swelled and he ran a fever, but he finished the whole tour. Most people require hospitalization after a recluse spider bite. Bennington continues to struggle with a hiatal hernia, an ailment that forced LP to cancel their show in Evansville, Indiana. (April 11, 2003). In 2003, LP was forced to cancel their European tour in June due to a viral infection Chester developed. He was sent to intensive care at LA's Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre when he lost feeling in his body and collapsed. Chester used to be part of the band "Grey Daze"
Joe Hahn (turntables) - Was born in Glendale, California March 15, 1977. He is Karean American. He attended Pasadena Art College of Design with fellow Linkin Park emcee Mike Shinoda, but didn't graduate from there. People thought that he had a slip personality, but that was just an in-joke from the band.
Bradford Phillip Delson (guitarist) - He was born in Los Angeles, California, on, December 1, 1977. Brad is Jewish. He is known for wearing large headphones onstage. In 1996, he went to college at UCLA and graduated in 2000, with a degree in communications. Brad and fellow bandmate bass guitarist Dave Farrell (aka Phoenix) were room-mates in college so they would go to practice together. He calls himself 'Big Bad Brad' and he signs his name 'BBB'. Before Xero, he used to be in a band called Relative Degree with fellow Linkin Park bandmate drummer Rob Bourdon. Relative Degree fell apart after just one show.
Rob Bourdon (Drummer) - Rob was born in Calabasas, California, and now lives in Los Angeles. Rob started to play the drums in the third or fourth grade after seeing an Aerosmith concert. Rob also plays the piano. When he was around thirteen, Bourdon played in bands with his friends. It was around that time he met Brad Delson, now the guitarist for Linkin Park, and they played together for about a year in a band called Relative Degree.
David Michael Farrell (aka Phoenix) (Bassest) - He was born on 8 February, 1977, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. He graduated from UCLA. He was raised Catholic until the 2nd grade, when he went to a Protestant church. He was a member of Linkin Park before under the name Xero. When they were starting out, Phoenix and fellow bandmate Brad Delson were room-mates so they would go to practice together. He then toured with a Christian punk band called 'Tasty Snax' which later changed their name to just 'The Snax'. He played guitar in this band and then only he changed to bass guitar and stuck with that ever since. He then later rejoined Linkin Park in 2001 after they had released their debut album Hybrid Theory. He plays cello and violin on Linkin Park's Reanimation album.
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LP Underground
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