I haven't read all the comments so forgive me if this sound familiar.. Personally I don't feel the band should retire the name... they are 6 talented artists in their own right, that came together to form the amazing L.P... . I'm by no means consider myself to be a hard core fan... but I am a fan, maybe it's my age (45 nearly) but I can honestly say i love every album they have released... yet I may not be in love with every track on each of these albums. I also only discovered them 10 yrs ago.. Knowing that in order to make just 1 album of 14 tracks there had to be at least a dozen tracks that didn't make it on there... so there must be a heap lots of recorded tracks that the guys can draw on... posthumously. (When Bowie passed away there were reports of him having enough material to make 4 new albums.) I will miss the fun and games in the recording studio that Mike posts on Instagram and snap chat those clips allowed us a fans an insight and inclusion into their working lives .. made us part of the L.P. family...... Forgive me if I rambled x
I realized that I wanted them to continue. Mike Shinoda is a genius, and I don't want this unbelievably tragic event to define the band. It just wouldn't be fair.
For 20 years since Xero era, l'll give props to Mike for keeping the band together and that's why LP lasts for so long because Mike Shinoda is "The Glue" of the band. Some bands don't last long and some are always changing their line-ups but for LP, that is not the case and we should be grateful for that. Without Mike, LP would've not exist and without Chester, LP would've never be successful. Whatever might be the future of the band is still up in the air.
I'd prefer the name was retired. Mike was always a vocalist, but you say the name "Linkin Park" to 100 people, and 90 of them would immediately think of Chesters singing. I think they likely will keep it, just because that's their brand and it'd be a huge challenge to try and rebrand even if everyone knew it was literally all the rest of the same guys. I'd likely not be able to separate it from a "Sublime with Rome" style situation. I get it, it's understandable why you did that, but it's just not the same. I wonder what the odds would be of Mike making Fort Minor more of a rock-influenced project as opposed to just pushing forward with a Chester-less LP.
I don't really see the point of releasing Linkin Park styled music under the brand Fort Minor. Fort Minor is a Shinoda-centered solo project and not a band and while new songs without Chester on vocals won't sound like what you'd expect from Linkin Park, it'd certainly fit Fort Minor even less. Xero is also a weird proposal. Obviously I get the Linkin Park - Chester = Xero equation but still, that's so far in the past, I don't think it would feel natural to use that name. So if they actually decide to continue the band at all (which isn't obvious), I think whether or not they continue using the name Linkin Park will depend on whether they're planning to base their set list on old songs or not. There's a good chance they won't find anyone who can sing the old songs well enough.
Counterpoint; FM's over decade long hiatus is precisely because he wanted to make music he thought "wouldn't fit" with the Linkin Park name/style, something he later said wasn't a problem in the years after. If he felt the style eventually changed to the point he didn't need a side project to make that kind of music under, what difference does it make? Barring one single, the project's been essentially dead for well over ten years. Reviving it with him as the main vocalist makes roughly the same sense as going forward under the other band where he was, for the most part, considered the "secondary" vocalist.
Continuing as a band with a different vocalist when you're a 'legendary' band is not unheard of. Queen has continued without Freddie Mercury, and Alice In Chains have gone on without Lanye Staley. Both bands are massive bands, considered influentual, and both had members that people considered irreplaceable and influential. Yes the music doesn't sound completely the same, but it's not supposed to be. They're different "eras", much like LP continuing on with Mike on lead would be the "mike era", or a different vocalist would be the [insert name here] era. Now coming from someone who was inconsolable the day of Chester's passing, and who still is upset: I don't want to even think of a Linkin Park without Chester right now, because it's still impossible to even fathom. But I do know, that Linkin Park isn't just one member, and that all of these guys have contributed great work to the 7 albums they did with Chester. Therefore any Mike only or 'new vocalist' albums I would at least listen to and give a fair shot. It'd hurt because one of the people I always bought LP albums for would no longer be there, but these guys deserve our support in anything they decide. We have no idea how difficult this is for them right now. We lost an idol, but those guys lost a brother, a friend and a collaborator all at once. Worst, they were robbed of a future with Chester when they were excited more than ever as to what lies ahead. This is an awful time for them and we need to understand that a decision likely wont come for a while. When they do make that decision though? They deserve our support regardless, because that will have been the hardest choice they've ever made.
If I could "love" this post, I would. Because I do. I couldn't have worded this any better if I tried.
Well, I remember dismissing them ("that's not Queen"), and I don't see how this situation would be different. Maybe very slightly different, because LP had two lead singers, but let's not kid ourselves: the masses are only interested in the songs that were sung by Chester. They were at the shows for In The End, Numb and Faint, and have no idea that songs like When They Come For Me even exist (just an example of a song that I can see working without Chester). That's why I think that Mike only can't possibly work. Eh, we're fucked either way
I agree with you @Wizardofozil .. after hearing sorry for now & invisible... I've also said on other threads.. the boys must have a ton of recorded but not released material with chester's vocals as not everything makes it on the album..
He is fully capable of being a lead singer of a band, but he is fully incapable of performing Given Up for example. Or Faint. Or Papercut.
In reality of today's technology he does he need to be... For those songs footage of Chester singing can be played... If memory servesother great bands have had more then 1 lead singer in their time and are still touring... Bruce Dickinson left Iron Maiiden... they as still going after 35+ years... just saying
Not to diminish your point but bruce dickinson only left iron maiden for 6 years in the 90s. I saw then in 08, great show. That said, it is fair to acknowledge that chester was the face of the band as far as the general public was concerned. Every person I've talked to has said something along the lines of them breaking up. I dont think they need to break up or change their name at all, but if mike takes over lead vocals from here on out they should be prepared for a loss of fans. Mike has gotten better at singing but his voice is entirely different.
That is I think a fair statement and acknowledge you point if view and insight... It is just still way to early to say and ultimately the decision rests on the remaining 5 members... firstly let them grieve for their friend/brother... then give them the time & space to make their decisions.. x x
These are my raw and honest feelings but I would not support a future LP that would include a new lead singer and remain under the same name. I believe it to be disrespectful in a way because Chester has been the face, heart and soul of the band. Sure, Mike is the genius and the glue that keeps everything together, but without Chester, without that powerful voice that was able to reach millions of people and touch their hearts, the band would not have become the phenomenon they are known as today. Even though this has happened before with Freddie Mercury, etc. doesn't mean that I agree. I know I'll get hate for this opinion, but it's how I feel, and I stand by my feelings at this difficult time.
Actually, I somewhat agree. I feel that way now because, "How dare you replace Chester!" but with time this may change......
Exactly. I'd say most bands don't continue under different names (aside from Lostprophets for obvious reasons...) Faith No More. Killswitch Engage switched vocalists, then a couple of years later, switched back to the original vocalist without a beat. Just recently, Blink 182 moved on without Tom Delonge. Chester himself was in Stone Temple Pilots.
Whatever the path of LP in the future, I'm positive they're more stronger and brave enough to face their new chapter as quintet. I hope Brad will contribute more on vocals. What would be unique for the band is to focus more on "harmonising" (e.g. Eagles, Chicago, etc) though some songs have harmonising but it's too subtle and inaudible.