Several times already I read people here basicallly saying LP cares so much about their music because otherwise all the interviews, behind the scenes and all the stuff that illustrates the process of them making music woudn't make sense. But I don't think this conclusion is right. All the behind the scenes and interviews have also a promotional function. Actually they don't get tired of emphasizing how great the stuff is, they came up with in the end, esspecially before an album is released (Of course this time they also emphasizd how different ATS would be in comparison to previous albums). So they do a lot of stuff around their music: behind the scenes, LP TV, interviews, signatures, a lot of concerts, LPU stuff, so many things. So many things I can't help to get the impression the music is not first priority that often. Why do they put so much energy to feed the fan community? Without the fans they would have been no success, no question, but the fans were not pushed to support. They have no right to get something in return accept the products/events they willingly paid for. LP could just focus on their music, giving a few signatures at concerts, have a decent homepage and maybe releasing demos from time to time. Also less concerts would give them more time in the studio. Why care about a fan who is not perfectly satisfied with just music?
Just because somebody says "fuck my fans" while they're making an album doesn't mean they won't reach out to them once everything is finalized. LP still wants to embrace the people that like them for what they are.
What you're talking about is something very generic that exists in the lives of every musician and not unique to LP in any shape or form. They make music for a living just like any other professional artist out there. Having a website, touring .e.t.c. I think you're confusing promotion of self/interacting with fans with musical integrity for the most part though. Then again, your post is pretty confusing.
Stop being so distant! Stop being so media-savvy! Stop being so mean! Stop being so nice! Stop making music like Hybrid Theory! Stop making music not like Hybrid Theory! /Linkin Park's unpleasable fanbase
In the end, why releasing music at the first place? Why don't they just keep the songs to themselves in their hard drives? They clearly got enough money to live for maybe the rest of their lives. They don't need to care about their fans anymore. Screw the summits, why holding them at all? No offense, but if this is basically what you mean, ouch.
I don't really understand your post - well maybe.....does it mean 'stop talking about the music and spend more time making it?' If so I would direct you towards Chinese Democracy and Axl Rose - very few press releases, holed up under a rock for years re-recording the same bits of guitar, over engineering everything and going slightly mad whilst the rest of the world is moving on and music is evolving. I prefer the Linkin Park way to this. Also, all the behind the scenes stuff documents the creative process which is clearly important to the band - this process would still be pretty much the same, whether there's a camera on it or not. I think LP care about the people who put them where they are, its good of them not to go Axl on us!
Well put, Dean. Well put. I agree with this post 112%. Now where's my frying pan? I gotta go bash my skull in for looking at this thread...
Linkin Park are really a group of nice people. They want to do special stuff for their fans and that's a good thing. When it comes to making their music though, I hope they never put fan expectations in their mind, or do it as little as possible.
Picasso never went and asked people what he should paint. He painted what came to his mind and that's what artists do/should do. It keeps the process pure.
If they were all about just feeding the fan community, we would be on Hybrid Theory Part 4. Just putting that out there.
For Linkin Park, the process of making music is just as important as the end result so it's important to them that they can share some of the stuff that goes on during the making of an album.