Linkin Park

[gorast]

Interesting article on Billboard today - there's been talk of LP trying out female vocalists for some sort of future project, the main fire coming from a random Jay Gordon interview where he (unprompted?) said that they already had a female vocalist in place, then had to walk that back while the interview was still going because he realized what he'd said, then spent the rest of the week desperately attempting damage control. I thought there wasn't anything to it, but this article seems to make it clear that they're at least testing the waters in the background on a new tour with a new vocalist in Chester's place. Particularly of note that not even the entire band seems to be on board, but there's no context for that bit of it so who knows what that's about.

I'm kind of casually pessimistic about this - we already know that Linkin Park as we knew it is simply never coming back because Chester is gone. If the rest of them (or three out of five, apparently), want to try a new thing under the same banner, sure, go ahead. I'll certainly give it a listen, but my expectations will be low.

About that smoke...

https://x.com/linkinpark/status/1827388626747191444

The engine is revving back up. Rockville already basically gave up that LP is going to be there (headlining?) by reposting this countdown on their Instagram and taking it down, presumably after receiving a very strong warning from the band's camp. There's a guy on some radio forum who broke the news of the Friendly Fire single's release, confirming that this is a festival circuit announcement with a new singer in place, and that post quickly vanished as well. The countdown also ends on the day Rock am Ring and Rock im Park announce their lineups.

This is clearly a festival run at minimum. What I want to know now is what else is coming - a proper tour? A single? An album, god forbid? Despite still having huge misgivings about the band proceeding without Chester (especially if the note in that Billboard article about Joe Hahn and Rob Bourdon not participating is true), I can't help but feel a lot of anticipation over whatever this is going to be. Please, please do not suck.

[Jackryder2025]

For a new album they would need a new singer. Especially if they go back to the full on rock sound. Its gonna be rough for anyone to ever remotely live up to chester. Now they could go the rout of fear factory.... They got a new singer and if you didnt know any better he sounds just like the original. So im sure its possible. To me the albums i remember the most are the first 2 and the remixes.... A song here and there hit with me in the later albums.. The pop album didnt click with me at all. But whatever they come up with ill give it a listen

[allegate]

Bear with me for a second:

STP lost Scott and they did Talk Show (that was fair to middling) with Dave Coutts and that EP (that was way better than it had any right to be) with Chester. STP lost Scott again and hired Jeff Gutt...

What if they picked Dave or even poached Jeff. lol

EDIT: I just remember Army of Anyone. They could also go that route with Richard Patrick.

[firewlker]

Interesting timing...

[gorast]

If Deryck fucking Whibley is joining Linkin Park this whole thing is DOA. Absolutely not, lol.

[firewlker]

Deryck announced isn't him, moving on everyone...

[richardp]

Half expecting Greg Puciato to be the guy lololol

[richardp]

Countdown came and went with nothing. We're now over 30 minutes past the reveal time with no announcement.

[gorast]

The radio guy I mentioned before said that a single is coming in the second week of September. Also, regarding the countdown, the consensus seems to be that it's pointing to a September 5th reveal date - the count-up apparently glitched out at 9:05, and the snippet of it the official Twitter account posted starts at -0:05 and ends at 0:09.

If that's the case...they should not have made this a potential twelve-day ordeal, lol. The diehards are livid, and I think anyone who was paying attention initially is now going to think "well, I'll just catch whatever it is later." Feels like a big marketing miss - it's not 2010 when your fanbase is poring over every move you make with rabid excitement, this is a band whose lead singer has been dead for 7 years and hasn't made a single move towards reuniting until now. Just make a straightforward announcement and put out a song, guys.

[tony.parente]

This is probably the most disrespectful announcement scenario a band could do to their fans. The GOAL of this countdown was to disappoint and frustrate. Just give us the music announcement and tour dates you clowns.

[richardp]

Incredibly stupid way to build hype for yourselves. As dude above said, the fakeout has pretty much evaporated all interest I had in whatever the fuck it is they are going to announce.

[raptors661]

They've been known to string along fans with little games, but this was bullshit. They had to have known this would piss so many people off.

[Disassociative]

And I thought Billy Corgans 'announcement of an announcement' tendancies were bullshit. Jesus christ guys.

[ickyvicky]

Now there's a rumor the lead singer of Saliva is going to replace Chester?

[Merriweather]

And I just got an email from their fan club to RSVP for some kind of event in LA on 9/5.

[richardp]

Now there's a rumor the lead singer of Saliva is going to replace Chester?

LOFL these replacement rumors are getting really fucking funny.

[thefragile_jake]

This is still one of my favorite videos on the internet. Dude had a YouTube series where he would go to concerts of bands and talk to fans waiting or getting out of the show about how they had bad taste in music ... did one on Linkin Park. Got a bunch of fans to chant that Linkin Park is a roller coaster.

"... because like a roller coaster, Linkin Park may seem dangerous and rebellious, when in fact it's perfectly safe for family fun... as long as you're over the height of 48 inches."

[ryanmcfly]

Mad jealous of anyone that gets to go to the event next Friday.

[leftshoe18]

Well, we now have a time and confirmation that Linkin Park will be streaming/premiering something at 3 pm pacific on September 5th.

[gorast]

They really truly should have just posted this teaser instead of the countdown nonsense. The September 5 information didn't drop from the band until a full day later, so to me it feels like clear damage control after negative press for the stupid countdown gimmick. But, you know what, whatever - a livestream on the 5th is all I need. I'll be there.

[firewlker]

New single called 'The Emptiness Machine' coming tomorrow.

[allegate]

well, at least he put tin foil on his head.

[richardp]

Mike, Joe, and Phoenix are the only OGs. New drummer, new guitarist, and the new singer is someone named Stephanie Armstrong.

The new song sounds like LP for better or worse.

OK I guess Brad is still in the band and the new guitarist is just “filling in”. I’m trying to give the new singer the benefit of the doubt here. She’s got to be ridiculously nervous debuting in a live set. But man her vocals are… not great.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

I dunno, man... I'm not feeling it.

[richardp]

For this being such an important comeback/announcement, they really mixed this stream like a shitty SNL performance. It’s all over the place.

[Self.Destructive.Pattern]

For this being such an important comeback/announcement, they really mixed this stream like a shitty SNL performance. It’s all over the place.

Yea, it felt very flat. Wonder why Rob didn't return with the band. No news on that, but he has been absent from past interviews and media. Seems like he may have left way before this.

[Wretchedest]

I haven't listened to Linkin Park since their second album, but the new singer at least is doing a good job but man this event was so botched. The countdown thing, for one, but the way this is mixed is horrible. They're supposed to be showcasing the new singer and so much of the time you can't hear her over the audience like
.. wow

[firewlker]

I think she's sounds good but it's weird they decided to play the songs in a step/half-step above the original. One Step Closer was sounding like a pop-punk song.

Mike, Joe, and Phoenix are the only OGs. New drummer, new guitarist, and the new singer is someone named Stephanie Armstrong.

The new song sounds like LP for better or worse.

OK I guess Brad is still in the band and the new guitarist is just “filling in”. I’m trying to give the new singer the benefit of the doubt here. She’s got to be ridiculously nervous debuting in a live set. But man her vocals are… not great.

Brad still in the band, there are official photos of the band and he's in.

[richardp]

The new singer started to sound a bit better towards the second half, probably as nerves started wearing off, but fuck man that first few songs in that were ROUGH.

I'm still interested in hearing the new album quite a bit. The studio version of the new songs songs way better than it did live, so that's nice. Really, good for her, she has massive shoes to fill and she'll probably do a damn fine job of it. That stream was botched as hell tho, as @Wretchedest said. I guarantee if they ever officially release that stream, it's going to sound MASSIVELY different than what we got just now.

[allegate]

Nope nope nope:

She sounds solid as a vocalist, but she's very much a Scientologist and was openly supporting Danny Masterson through his court case. Mixed feelings for sure.