Mike Shinoda Discusses New Linkin Park Album 'One More Light' in Interviews - Media Roundup & Recaps

Today is officially Linkin Park day and Mike is doing a full press tour to promote Heavy and One More Light. This thread will catalogue and roundup all interview highlights.

THE ZACH SANG SHOW​

Mike recently appeared on The Zach Sang show to discuss all sorts of topics including the new album and single 'HEAVY' feat. Kiiara. Confirms the album will be titled 'One More Light' and the "acoustic, stripped down and beautiful" track on the album it's named after. The album is confirmed to be releasing May 19th, 2017. Watch the full 30+ minute interview below.

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- Mike talks about how the Kiiara collaboration came about
- HEAVY was already written before Kiiara came in
- This is the first album where they brought in external writers (Justin Tranter, Julia Michaels etc)
- They approached the studio with "what do I want to write about today, what's on my mind"
- The collaborations had to feel like "being in the room with friends", sometimes things didn't click
- They met with 30 or 40 artists in total
- Mike talks about working with other artists with different writing styles
- They chose HEAVY because it was a core song that sounds like the album "the album sounds like that song"
- HEAVY is described as "timely" and it's about "when it rains it pours", a situation where everything is going wrong, whether it be a death in the family, what's happening in the news.
- Mike tells a story about his son flooding his home.
- Explains the line "I keep dragging around what's bringing me down if I just leg go I'd be set free"
- Mike describes his vice as being productive and not getting enough sleep
- Talks about how he would drink when he was younger but now he focuses on family time
- Talks about what they did differently on the new album than the past albums
- They wanted the common thread of the album to be them so they produced it themselves
- Sometimes they don't know how to play their own song even when it's done
- Story first. Hook second. Then everything else including sounds.
- Mike says he's going to stick with this style of working because it was awesome
- Says that this style of working doesn't always have to result in how this album sounds
- Mike talks about collaborating on other artist's work
- New Album Titled 'One More Light' Releasing May 19th
- One More Light is named after a song on the album also titled 'One More Light'
- Mike tells the story about what inspired 'One More Light', inspired about a friend's death and showing you care
- 'One More Light' had to be more than just a song, so they made it the album title as it's an important song for the band
- Mike talks about playing the song at an event and people were weeping
- The song 'One More Light' is very stripped, acoustic with loops of piano and guitar, no percussion. The only song like that on the album
- Mike says he raps less but sings more on this album
- Mike says Chester is the best vocal coach to have as he's the best
- Mike says Chester's vocals will blow your mind on this album
- Mike says there are still some surprises up their sleeve for the new album, and he will talk about them after they have heard the album

KROQ KEVIN & BEAN

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10154359783033424

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- Mike says this album is almost the opposite of The Hunting Party
- Mike says this record is more accessible
- Mike says they'll be playing venues that aren't full live shows for the new tour

BEATS 1 WITH ZANE LOWE


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- Mike says that this is a very diverse record with tons of genres on it
- No super heavy guitars
- No screaming on the album

ON AIR WITH RYAN SEACREST​

LISTEN HERE​

- Mike says the album art was chosen because of the family aspect as the album has a lot to do with that

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Source: Zach Sang Show via Dryft

 

Cue fanbase bitching because "HEAVY" is poppier and the 'album sounds like that' in 3...2...1....

 

It's actually not that long. I thought the same thing about the release date at first, and then I realized that GATS was released in March for a June album. Same amount of time basically, and that flew by quick.