I've watched you guys pretty closely from a fan's perspective for a pretty long time now, since LPU2.0. I've loved that your music has evolved along with your tastes, and you weren't afraid to make the music *you* like making. I knew and continue to know that before every new release, I will respect the time and effort you all have put into it. Since Meteora, I've been fairly accurately predicting your movements in sound. I noticed you guys had good taste, and couldn't pigeon hole yourselves for long. I knew the importance of a strong sophomore release meant a lot, as it would provide the fiscal/business stability with Warner Bros to move on to far riskier and experimental projects, and so I imagined the next album (turning out to be M2M) to be not a dramatic but gradual shift towards that goal, and I was right. SO. You've made the leap from potentially being stuck in a genre to making a completely experimental album with ATS, and you've come back to "use all of the tools in our toolbox" - as you've put it - with Living Things. It sounds really great, and will prove to be a template of true experimentation with a band's sound for years to come, of that I'm sure. But what's next? This is difficult to predict, as not many bands have done what you have done. Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, they've done it and done it well, and yeah, I'd put you guys in the same group of talent. So here's the kicker. You guys strive to do something new and exciting with your music, with every release. From very early on, probably from the beginning of Xero, there's been one thing that's stayed the same, and that's 100% group participation on each and every song. This is a pristine opportunity to try something new, and the following is my proposal: The band splits into three groups of two (or two groups of three, but I like the diversity of three/two). For the sake of argument, we'll say Mike teams up with Joe, Chester with Brad, and Rob with Phoenix. Each group gets complete ownership of 3 to 5 completely new songs. Writing, producing, the whole process. The groups work in parallel, and if one group needs the talent of, say, Chester's screaming vocals, he's there to provide it almost entirely without question. Yeah, if he needs context for the lyrics he's singing, that's fine, but he's at the beck and call of the two other bandmates. The same goes for any other member of the group. You've worked with each other for years, well over a decade - you all share the level of trust required to make an experiment like this work, it would be (I imagine) enormously fun, challenging, and best of all - different. At the end of the experiment, finishing touches are put on each groups tracks, and a 3CD set is mastered. Each CD comprising of between 3 to 5 tracks, each group taking control of the artwork for their CD label, and name of their particular CD. Then, as one last decision, you all come together to decide on the album artwork, and the album name. Typing this all out makes it sound like I spent a long time thinking about this, but really it only took about 5 or so minutes to flesh out. It just seemed so obvious that this should be your "next thing". I hope that when you likely ignore this post, it at least inspires you to really reach for the stars on the next album, which no doubt you all are thinking about already. Regards, A. Fan
Someone needs to lock Mike in a closet away from the laptop and make the 5 other members actually come up with music.
Well, that was rather, interesting to read. I've been posting regularly for a few months now and I only had seen people asking for/giving an opinion on how this or that album should sound, but this is probably the 1st time I read someone trying to actually tell them how to do things. Welcome to the LPA, and I hope you stick around but honestly, I don't think that would work in any way
So...instead of recording a Linkin Park album, they should record 3 side project EPs, box them together, and slap the Linkin Park name on it?
I kinda lol'ed at the part where he portrays Chester almost as if he was an object, like get over here, do these vocals, don't ask, here's some context for you and when you're done, there's the door. That approach to me looks, so unproductive I don't even know where to start to point its flaws.
I mean, I understand what he says and I think it's a good idea, but in the end the whole "lending" stuff is just the band being the band. What they need to do is, as Blackee said, crush Mike's fucking laptop and have the other guys start dropping demos. Brad's had a lot of the lately stuff (UIB's Chester's/Brad's part, HHH, bringing the tape of early music) but the guys should have a bigger say in the band; not just be lead by Mike and rally behind him. Go bonkers again, but go in a non-Mike centered bonkers approach. Do whatever they feel like. THIS would be a good change for the band. Breaking down self-imposed band limits. Have everyone do whatever they want. If they want to rap in a song, then do it. If they want to scream, do it. I don't want more LITEs, I don't want more I'll Be Gones. I want crazy ass shit that goes everywhere. For it to be boundless.
I understand what he is trying to tell and actually I thing it is a good idea. But I don't think that should be so serious and they put all the diffrent songs on only one album. They could do that just for fun when they are bored or so
This was a nice read, but, dude, they're not going to listen to you. Even if they read this, because, you may not know this is not a site by Linkin Park, just a fansite. Welcome to the LPA.
Linkin Park: "6th Album" Produced by: Linkin Park [I want all the 6 members to share and be a part of the entire process.] [I think its enough already for Mike & Rubin.]
Nice idea, but no. *Almost* all the lyrics come from Chester and Mike. And Mike does 70% of the work, so if we separate them, it's not gonna work. All I want to see on the next record is Brad singing again, and different stuff.
One of the pre Living Things videos actually had Joe, and only Joe, being the one pushing for more "traditional" based rock songs on the album.
Mike's rap verses are already pretty "meh", but imagining a duo trying to write his lyrics for him WITHOUT his assistance makes me cringe like Meteora.
Welcome to the LPA, Nostradamus. As for what you've predicted, or dreamed up, none of us can tell what their writing process is going to look like for album 6. It's too early in the game.