The End of LP

This just comes from getting nervous over the small touring cycle the band is doing for this album. That and Mike talking about wanting to do other projects and what not. It's made me have to think about the eventual end of the band, and when and why it will come. What do you guys think? How much longer do you think LP will keep releasing new music and touring? What reasons do you think they'd have to stop?

 

I think Linkin Park will keep putting music out for at least another 10 years. When it comes to touring, I would guess the shows are going to decrease in number primarily because age sets in and they have other obligations, like being home with their families. Also, people shouldn't compare Linkin Park's touring records now to back in the early 2000's when they were playing almost a show every night of the year. Relatively speaking, they toured quite a bit. My guess as to why they didn't visit some usual locations in the US was that they had to match with Incubus (another headlining band)'s schedule. That being said, it's no wonder less shows were played.

As for doing projects outside of LP, it's not necessarily anything new for them. Between Mike, Chester, and Joe, they always seem to be working on other aspirations like art, music, movies, businesses, and charity work. If anything, the only effect all the extra endeavors will have is delaying a new Linkin Park album.

 

Let me just preface this post by saying that some of it is pretty presumptuous and I could very well be 100% wrong.

I've been thinking about this too lately. To be honest, I've been wondering if the bands' hearts are still in it. They pumped out an album really quickly last year that was really just your basic pop/electronic rock album, as far as the writing goes. An album they've essentially written 3 other times. I'm not sure if the quick release of Living Things means "hey we're really into what we're doing" or "we need to put something out so let's just quickly do that thing we know how to do really well."

Also, the touring. The live show is still really fun to be at, as I found out in August, but one U.S. tour? No European tour? We're coming close to the one year anniversary of Burn It Down being released, and they've still only played less than half the entire album live (and I'm sorry, but playing Tinfoil over the arena sound system does not count as a live performance in my book).

The cross promotions. I know all the money goes to charity, but Jesus. Linkin Park men's footwear. I feel weird even typing that. Putting a bunch of samples into music production software that I can hardly get to function on my girlfriend's custom built shit-ton-of-space PC. Bad movie tie-ins. It just all seems kind of like...fuck it, slap the Linkin Park name on something.

I dunno. I could be misinterpreting all of this. But I've definitely been thinking about it.

 

Those have been my exact thoughts.

 

Honestly, I don't mind the band being in the Transformers movies, but it does cast an unhealthy label on them because those movies are guilty pleasures at best. And 3 had the potential to be genuinely awesome.

Speaking of labels, I wonder if this is all a case of forced selling-out?

 

Agreed, exactly my thoughts on these things ever since Transformers 3.

I think it's best that they go on hiatus for a while or even quit, they're tired and going through the motions.



If they take the blue pill, we will get a slightly worse album every 2-4 years until Chester is unable to carry on for whatever reason, LP will be the go-to band for promoting anything that appeals to young teenagers and will eventually be even less cool than what this video portrays:
[video=youtube;JYNRhzX6gw8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYNRhzX6gw8[/video]

Or they can take the red pill and quit with the goddamn Transformers bullshit, get their balls out and release something as daring as Minutes To Midnight.
15 tracks of real rock goodness, proving to everyone that their creative energy is as fresh as ever.
LP will then ride into the sunset, only to return with the best concept album of all time, after a lengthy break from all things music for some years, as Mike produces for other people in the meantime and Chester joins a supergroup.

 

I believe I mentioned in a thread last month or so about being concerned with Chester. With his very rough childhood, rampant drug and alcohol abuse, constant hospital visits, and the emotional and physically draining world of rock stardom in general, I don't think he's gonna live as long as your average person. People with similar histories to him don't last that long. I don't see a LP 50th year anniversary.

Though I'm losing interest in the band much faster than that. I won't write them off for writing Living Things just yet, because that's one album rather than a trend. MTM and ATS followed Meteora, and Meteora is pretty much the exact same as LT in philosophy. They're just........ not as interesting as they used to be. The things they put their name on don't add any benefit to Linkin Parkdom outside of getting us to buy stuff, or lament when we don't have iOS or men's feet. They've lost their sense of humor. They've become soulless like a business, never saying anything that would offend anyone. They've dismantled their fan club. I've moved on to other fandoms.

 

I don't know, I disagree about Linkin Park falling off with their fan-base, etc. If anything, I would argue that it's increased between video chats and three Summits in the past 6 months, which shows some dedication. Also, comparing Living Things to Minutes To Midnight and A Thousand Suns is fair, but you need to look at all the factors. The later two both took about three years to complete, while Living Things was about a year and a half. With six members in one band, time will undeniably effect quality. They were often being pressured into releasing albums quicker to stay relevant, and this was the result. I'm all for the band taking the necessary time to create new and innovative music, even if it means they lose some unnecessary support.

Note: typed on my phone, not sure how fluid this post is.

 

Yeah these days don't seem as "fun". If that makes sense

 

This is depressing to even think about the end of LP. But these guys are getting old in the last 12 years they have released only 5 albums
Their fan base is shattered and divided more than any other rock band. They dont have the hype like they use to they have become way overrated.
I say LP has another 3 or 4 more albums left in them b 4 they call it quits, there is no way LP will make 10 studio albums
i just cant see that happening with the way Chester's voice is going. But the day LP calls it quits will be a very sad and depressing day.

 

You have summed up my thoughts from the past month, Linkin Park is no longer a rock band, just a franchise.

I have steadily lost a lot respect for the band since 2010, and i'm afraid that this may be the final nail in the coffin, it's all very well going "back to their roots" but it's just fake, it's a fake version of LP's old sound.

[video=youtube;WlxhYIyf5_w]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlxhYIyf5_w[/video][video=youtube;auVtRNrxdO0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auVtRNrxdO0[/video]

It's almost as if they're acting, PARODYING the old Linkin Park, and it's pissed me off, I can't go on pretending that Linkin Park are an evolution on what I once liked, they have stepped back and they're going through a senile, greedy mid-life crisis as a band.
A Linkin Park album used to be an event, but this time it felt like routine, there were no special performances that showcased the album, and production-wise I am actually very upset by Mike Shinoda's effort, mainly due to the reason that I once called him my inspiration.

I find it difficult to believe that the Mike Shinoda who meticulously put together Reanimation and Meteora.. produced Living Things.
.. and don't give me "Oh look another nu-metal fan" Fuck you, I liked Minutes To Midnight and A Thousand Suns was alright.
It took me one or two listens on Living Things to realise that the mixing/production was terrible, I felt ripped off having bought the CD on release day (something i've done since Collision Course) It was pretty much like "Holy fuck, this is it? I paid for this?! I have to wait 2-3 more years for a chance to hear two good songs?!"
The album is mixed for MP3, it is not mixed for good systems, it's produced for fucking iPhones and all the other iShit that LP have been ramming down our throats for the last couple of years to make more money from: games, apps, software, clothes, shitty previously unreleased demos for cash; Linkin Park are a franchise.

Linkin Park WILL NOT go down as the band who constantly changed and surprised people, they fucked those chances up with Living Things, they are the ultimate trolls of the music industry.

Mike: "Oh so you guys like that sound?"
*Destroys sound and calls it shit*
"Fuck you all!"

Look at the years they've wasted trying to find their identity, won't realise their potential until it's all gone, Mike has put a lot of attention into alienating fans, and now i'm another one of them.

Chester's energy dictated the band between 1996 and 2006 before he mellowed due to drug abuse and (not getting too personal) possible anti-depressant usage.
No longer the behemoth of energy that supercharges the band around him, Linkin Park has damaged Chester by overusing him, it's like a football team relying on a star player every match, that player will take the full force and become weak later in his career, while his team mates profit.

 

PREACH!!!!!!!!!!!! AFUCKINGMEN

 

I think what makes the Living Things cycle feel especially stale is that, in addition to all the marketing and product pushing Linkin Park has been doing, the music followed suit. Say what you will about A Thousand Suns, but that album was the opposite of pandering. So at least then, when the band was doing the Apple stuff and the Transformers stuff, you could put all that aside and know that the band was doing something artistic with the music. All that promo stuff didn't matter, there was something creative going on.

Living Things sometimes feels like the musical version of the marketing. Catchy singles. Buy this album. And don't get me wrong, I enjoy Living Things quite a bit. It's my second favorite Linkin Park album depending on my mood. But all that catchy radio flavor mixed in with all the product placement is just...bleh. I feel like I'm constantly being advertised to, and there isn't something challenging to focus on.

It's almost like classical conditioning. I'm so used to hearing this music being played over NBA commercials, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter, Stagelight, Medal of Honor, etc. that I'm starting to associate it with products.

 

I sort of agree with you for 2010-2011. In 2012+ they haven't been as active. They're doing way less video chats than they used to. The summits, while really really cool, only benefit a small number of people willing to shell out to go and join LPU and also happen to live in a place where one is likely to happen. LPU used to be really cool. ATS was a great album, enough for me for me to ignore and forgive what happened when LPUX came around, but now that this album cycle hadn't really delivered, those other things that hold my interest in dry spells start mattering more. The other fans I built relationships with have mostly moved on. I'm sticking around on account that this is just one bad cycle and hoping that there's a rebound.

Also I don't think how much time they had to make music matters. What matters is the end product. They know this. The entire business knows this. Its not an excuse. I listen to some indie artists who crank out album after album and make better quality songs than LP's demos, which I will listen to more than Living Things.

 

That's fair, all your points are legitimate, especially when it comes to not having an excuse on the finished quality. They are known for taking their time on albums to meet a standard, and many don't think they met that standard this time around.

 

I do feel like the band won't be together very long, whether it's due to slowing down or just wanting to end it on a good note. I believe Mike and Chester will always be making music and Joe will continue doing other projects. I worry talking about this in case Mike sees these posts and feels offended.

These guys have had much to be proud of though. They made three albums with Rick Rubin - Mike being a major factor in the production of their later albums as well. They've probably dabbled in every genre of music possible and did it authentically. "Waiting for the End" with reggae and rnb rhythms, "Castle of Glass" with folk influences, "TLTGYA" with progressive rock elements, "Tinfoil" and "Until it Breaks" with exceptional hip hop and electronic production. They even did gospel on "Hands Held High". They got to do a record with Jay-Z and Mike scored a film.

If they do move on, I still see Mike producing for hip hop artists and eventually moving on to every artist and genre that he crosses paths with.

 

And don't forget about Hybrid Theory they have to be very proud of it. Selling all those copies for a debut album is unheard of.

 

Same, because I don't want to come across as ungrateful, and I'm not saying I want the band to stop making music. Very much the opposite. And sometimes internet posts can be misinterpreted easily due to the lack of tone.

I'm certainly not ready to write off my favorite band of 10 or so years because of one album cycle that I wasn't a fan of. But I do think there is an artist-fan relationship, and that it is a two way street. I don't believe the fans should have influence on the band's music, but in return I feel like we should be, I dunno...treated respectfully? And Linkin Park does respect their fans, quite a bit and I love em for it, but the bombardment of advertising during this cycle is...a bit hard to watch. It comes across as the band taking us for fools (which, again, I do not believe is true. It just comes across that way). Just stop throwing products at me, I'm not really interested.

 

I couldn't give you a realistic time frame at this point. I don't think they'll do more than another 4 albums. Like you guys have said, LT just didn't have any soul. It's hard to not see the commercial that used the song when I'm listening to it. Idk, I'm gonna wait and see what the next album has to offer and i'll get back to you.