Linkin Park appears to have been auditioning NEW singers

[skunkyfunk]

One of my FB friends posted he was invited by Mike Shinoda to audition in Hollywood and he took an all-expense paid trip from Georgia to LA.

He even posted this:Okay... do you want to know what a musician, especially a singer's life is like? I'll give you a sample. I was notified yesterday that a video of myself doing a VERY basic and simple cover of Linkin Park's song, One More Light, the original of which featured the late singer, Chester Bennington's, vocals on it. Well, my COVER of that song (quite literally just a COVER of the song, which means that it was, in essence, a karaoke-styled version of the song, sung by me) had suppo[/size]sedly reached original founding member, Mike Shinoda's desk. I was then given a phone number to call, and called it... and was subsequently invited on an all-expenses paid, complete round trip to Los Angeles, so that I could participate in a formal audition process for Mike Shinoda and the other members of the band. They offered to put me up at the Sunset Marquis, which, if you know anything about LA, you know that that is a VERY nice hotel. So, I had no reason to believe they were scamming me or anything of the like (other than the bizzarro-world nature of BEING INVITED TO REPLACE POSSIBLY ONE OF THE GREATEST LEAD SINGER'S OF ALL LEAD SINGERS ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET (think of the Arnel Pineda situation with Journey and you have some idea of what it was like for me)! Anyway, so... I just found out that, not only has LP been auditioning lead singers on a fairly regular basis, following Chester Bennington's death (I'd been lead to believe that mine was a once-in-a-lifetime chance), but that they've also been looking for additional band-members, and perhaps even two ADDITIONAL vocalists, in addition to Mike Shinoda, as well as the possibility that Shinoda might be interested in stepping down from the vocal-side of the process, completely, depending on how the auditions go, etc! Okay, so, not only was virtually EVERYTHING I was told over the phone COMPLETELY WRONG, BUT it was also NOT JUST WRONG, BUT OUT-AND-OUT MISLEADING!!! Anyway, it seems that I am STILL to fly out to LA for the audition, but that, even if I get it, it's entirely possible that I'll, essentially, be forming a different band. Anyway, if anyone has heard anything else about LP auditioning vocalists, I'd be mighty glad to find out about as much as possible in advance....


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[Pingfah]

I hope they find someone. I'm not a fan of the band at all, but they obviously have worked very hard to get where they are, and deserve the opportunity to continue.

[Down-Plush]

They're a hard working band comprised of talented guys, but carrying on linkin park with a different singer, is bound to end badly in my eyes. Better off starting a new project, under a new name. Their fan base is huge and a change in frontmen after Chesters passing could incite a pretty rabid, negative response. I don't get a say though, it's all them. I wish them luck and hope they know what they're doing.

[Pingfah]

I don't see how throwing their commercial reach away just to satisfy "rabid" fans is a good idea. I'm sure there'll be just as many fans who are supportive of their carrying on after being struck by a terrible tragedy, and those are the kind of fans you need.

Unlike STP who were disfunctional as a band for many years, Linkin Park had absolutely no control over what happened to them, and actually still have one of their two lead singers. Anybody who would begrudge them their future as a band would have to be a very small minded person.

[Down-Plush]

I don't see how throwing their commercial reach away just to satisfy "rabid" fans is a good idea. I'm sure there'll be just as many fans who are supportive of their carrying on after being struck by a terrible tragedy, and those are the kind of fans you need.

Unlike STP who were disfunctional as a band for many years, Linkin Park had absolutely no control over what happened to them, and actually still have one of their two lead singers. Anybody who would begrudge them their future as a band would have to be a very small minded person.

That's fine that you disagree but I think we've got two very different understandings of LP's fanbase. 

[Pingfah]

I think people confuse "fanbase" with online fans. The vast majority of LP fans have probably never posted on a Linkin Park forum, or expressed their views online. Their records sell 500,000 - 1000,000 copies, that's a LOT of fans who buy their records but don't care enough to join their fanclub or post on their forum, or facebook page.

I would bet they could recruit another singer, and go right ahead and continue to sell a truck loads of records, and most of the fanbase would not mind one jot.

[hahninator]

I don't buy this even 0.1%.

[Down-Plush]

I think people confuse "fanbase" with online fans. The vast majority of LP fans have probably never posted on a Linkin Park forum, or expressed their views online. Their records sell 500,000 - 1000,000 copies, that's a LOT of fans who buy their records but don't care enough to join their fanclub or post on their forum, or facebook page.

I would bet they could recruit another singer, and go right ahead and continue to sell a truck loads of records, and most of the fanbase would not mind one jot.

Again, I'd disagree.

[loungefly611]

I think people confuse "fanbase" with online fans. The vast majority of LP fans have probably never posted on a Linkin Park forum, or expressed their views online. Their records sell 500,000 - 1000,000 copies, that's a LOT of fans who buy their records but don't care enough to join their fanclub or post on their forum, or facebook page.

I would bet they could recruit another singer, and go right ahead and continue to sell a truck loads of records, and most of the fanbase would not mind one jot.

Again, I'd disagree.

Honestly, I think it would be the complete opposite. I think the casual fans would reject it more so then the die-hard fans. I know there are always exceptions, but die-hard fans are more invested in the band and are more open to change, IMO. I just base it off of reading the 'It's not STP without Scott' comments on their Facebook page, for example (Ironically, these same fans probably never even listened to Scott's solo material). Like it or not, with the exception of only AC/DC, the lead singer is the focal point of the band. Casual fans have little interest in the other band members, unless it's someone with the stature of Slash, Joe Perry, Keith Richards, etc.

[StoneTempleBrett]

The advantage Linkin Park has over STP is that Mike Shinoda writes most of the stuff (he co-wrote most of the lyrics with Chester, and has written many lyrics on his own, writes music) and sings the verses on a lot of the hits, it's similar to Alice In Chains' situation, Shinoda is very much the Jerry Cantrell of Linkin Park.  With STP Scott was the sole singer and lyric/vocal melody writer, so they can never really even partially recreate the vocal sound or lyric/melody writing that the band once had.  Still not a sure thing that replacing Chester will work, but they've got a better shot than bands like STP and Soundgarden.

[Pingfah]

Yep, I mean I am not a fan, casual or otherwise, but as a member of the general public, my perception has always been that Mike Shinoda is as much a LP frontman as Chester Bennington was, and also the band leader. He's certainly a known name, I have absolutely no idea who plays lead guitar, bass or drums or anything like that though.

How accurate that is, I don't know, but I think that is how a lot of people might see it.

[hahninator]

Pingfah you are exactly right. Since 2007 Mike has taken a lead role on actual lead vocals. He sang two songs completely on the 2007 album and all albums since then (except the metal/rock album in 2014) have him on lead vocals for a pretty significant portion of the tracks. A Thousand Suns is a good example of this. On the album that came out this year he also sings 2 full songs. Mike is the main songwriter and has written almost all of the big LP hits over time. They will be completely fine continuing with just 5 of them. Sure, the live show changes but there are already easily 18+ songs he can sing live for a setlist WITHOUT brand new material (which they'll inevitably have). As of now, their Japan shows in November are on. I find it incredibly hard to believe they would audition a new singer...I'd need to see overwhelming proof to think that's even a possibility. For other reasons that I can't get into here (but have told Brett privately), I am casting significant doubt on this.

[ShaneC]

Chester was the only part of Linkin Park I liked. I'm sure many others feel the same. I won't care much about what they do now.

[Blue]

Pingfah you are exactly right. Since 2007 Mike has taken a lead role on actual lead vocals. He sang two songs completely on the 2007 album and all albums since then (except the metal/rock album in 2014) have him on lead vocals for a pretty significant portion of the tracks. A Thousand Suns is a good example of this. On the album that came out this year he also sings 2 full songs. Mike is the main songwriter and has written almost all of the big LP hits over time. They will be completely fine continuing with just 5 of them. Sure, the live show changes but there are already easily 18+ songs he can sing live for a setlist WITHOUT brand new material (which they'll inevitably have). As of now, their Japan shows in November are on. I find it incredibly hard to believe they would audition a new singer...I'd need to see overwhelming proof to think that's even a possibility. For other reasons that I can't get into here (but have told Brett privately), I am casting significant doubt on this.

Mike can't sing Chester's parts. Sure, there are songs they can work around that with, but Numb? What I've Done? In The End? Seriously, they'd have to play a setlist with almost none of their radio hits. Hell, the majority of their catalog is out the window if they don't replace Chester. There is no point even bothering to call themselves Linkin Park if they scrap every single song that Chester sang on. It would be as asinine as if STP went out and played as a trio with Rob just singing his usual backing vocals.

[hahninator]

Lots of possibilities. Mike is an absolute master at medleys/mashups. In The End is already played with the crowd singing the chorus acapella, so that one is ready to go. Numb and Breaking the Habit? Piano versions, which have already been done. We will see what happens but there are ways to play the singles. Iridescent is no problem. They can't do One Step Closer but there are quite a few that can be done.