Linkin Park vocalist Mike Shinoda recently stated that Brad Delson was “hesitant” to rejoin the band.
Mike Shinoda opens up on Brad Delson
Linkin Park has been strengthened by the additions of new vocalist Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain, who replaced the late Chester Bennington and Rob Bourdon, respectively, they had difficulties assembling the old guard.
During Live One Podcast, Shinoda spoke about the revival of Linkin Park. He noted that, while the band was adjusting to new members Armstrong and Brittain, they were having difficulties bringing back guitarist Brad Delson. He said:
“We didn’t want to burden [Emily] or Colin with what was going on on our side, but on our side, Brad was hesitant. He was a little resistant. I think it was just all of the baggage of everything was hard, and we knew that, and we kept saying to him, gently, ‘The door is so super open to you. We would love to have you on board, we benefit from your point of view.'”
Shinoda continued:
“‘And we have concerns. Our dynamic that we’ve been working with – the three of us, and Emily and Collin is so good, and adding anybody at all might change that. Just come in and see it, and I think you’ll like it.’ And he did, and he gave it a chance. And one of the first things he was saying was ‘I think we could write something heavier, like way heavier.'”
During the same episode, Mike Shinoda discussed Emily Armstrong joining the band.
“We talked about putting her voice on things we’d already written that only had my voice on them. Once we did that, we were like, ‘that sounds really good, we should try that on even more songs,’” the rocker said during an interview.
“When she sings, it’s like the passion and she’s just 100% her, that’s the best part. She’s not trying to be Chester, she’s not trying to be anybody else. She’s her and that’s why it works,” Shinoda added.
Though she faced criticism, their lead single ‘The Emptiness Machine’ hit number four on the UK Official Singles Chart and reached 25 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in the US. The band also sold out shows in London, New York, and Los Angeles.
