We have chosen Linkin Park as our AOTM for May 2007.
Biography
Old-school hip-hop, traditional classic rock, and spooling electronic vibes were the initial factors behind the building of the alternative metal quintet, Linkin Park. The band's southern Californian musical roots were also an underlying basis, for drummer Rob Bourdon, guitarist Brad Delson, and MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda formed a tight friendship while still in high school. Shortly after graduation, art student and DJ Joseph Hahn hooked up with bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell and Shinoda for the band, Xero. Hybrid Theory came later, but the band opted on the name Linkin Park when singer Chester Bennington was the last piece added to the band in 1999. Soon the band became a noticeable face at the Whisky as well as favorites in and around Los Angeles. Zomba Music's Jeff Blue was one of the few who didn't turn the band down for a contract at the turn of the millennium - Linkin Park signed to Warner Bros. after being turned down three times in late 1999 and got to work on their debut album. Taking a piece from their past, they named the album Hybrid Theory. It was released in fall 2000 and it showcased their likes for fellow alternative acts such as the Deftones, the Roots, Aphex Twin, and Nine Inch Nails. The Dust Brothers also collaborated on the record, as well as producer Don Gilmore (Pearl Jam, Eve 6, Tracy Bonham). Singles such as "Crawling" and "One Step Closer" were massive radio hits and video favorites among the TRL crowd on MTV. Joint tours with Family Values and the Project: Revolution Tour with Cypress Hill led the band to play 324 shows in 2001. Linkin Park was in demand. Come January 2002, Hybrid Theory received three Grammy nominations for "Best Rock Album" and "Best New Artist." A month later, Linkin Park walked away with an award for "Best Hard Rock Performance" for "Crawling." They spent the remainder of the year hold up in the studio, again working with Gillmore, recording a follow-up to their eight times platinum debut Hybrid Theory.
Linkin Park's sophomore effort Meteora was released in March 2003; the first single "Somewhere I Belong" was an instant hit. The second annual Projekt Revolution tour got underway in spring 2003 with Linkin Park joining Mudvayne, Xzibit and Blindside; Summer Sanitarium dates with Metallica, Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne and the Deftones followed in July and August. Results of the latter appeared by the end of the year on Live in Texas. In late 2004, Linkin Park embarked on their most ambitious project yet: Collision Course, a collaboration with king-of-the-mountain rapper Jay-Z which introduced the commercial world to the concept of mash-ups (remixes that sample heavily from at least two popular songs).
~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide
Band Members
Chester Bennington (Vocals)
Mike Shinoda (Vocals)
Joe Hahn (DJ)
Brad Delson (Guitar)
Rob Bourdon (Drums)
Dave "Phoenix" Farrell (Bass)
Discography
Xero Demo Tape (1997) – (As Xero)
Hybrid Theory EP (1998) – (As Hybrid Theory)
Hybrid Theory (2000)
Reanimation (2002)
Meteora (2003)
Collision Course (2004) – (With Jay-Z)
Minutes To Midnight (2007)
The anticipation and rumors about multi-platinum Grammy® award-winning Linkin Park's third studio album were finally answered today, with the announcement that the record, titled "Minutes to Midnight," will hit stores May 15th on Warner Bros. Records/Machine Shop Recordings. Co-produced by Mike Shinoda and 2007 Grammy Producer of The Year, Rick Rubin (U2, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Run DMC), "Minutes to Midnight" was recorded at the infamous Mansion at Laurel Canyon and is already being touted by critics who have heard it as the band's best and most important work to date.
The first single, "What I've Done," will be released worldwide April 2, 2007.
"We have put more into the new album than anything we have ever done before," says bassist Dave "Phoenix" Farrell. The band spent over 14 months in the studio and wrote more than 100 song demos in the making of "Minutes to Midnight," an album which vocalist Mike Shinoda sees as "a breakthrough in the development of the band's sound. We wrote in new ways, and used instruments and equipment we hadn't experimented with before, from vintage guitars and amps to mellotron to Rick's original 808 drum machine he used on the Beastie Boys' first record. We tried to question every step in our songwriting process." Producer Rick Rubin agrees: "They really are reinventing themselves, it doesn't sound like rap-rock. There's very strong songwriting. It's very melodic... a progressive record."
Links
Click on the appropriate link to be taken to the webpage.
Official Webpage
Official myspace Page
Official Fan Club
Fan Site
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