Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda Says ‘Everyone Was at Their Very Best’ on Final Tour
Story by Cat Badra, photo by Anne Erickson
Linkin Park’s beloved frontman Chester Bennington passed away on July 20, and band members are still coping with the reality that he’s gone. The band released “One More Light Live” on Friday (Dec. 15), a live set that was recorded during what turned out to be Bennington’s final tour with the band before he took his own life. Speaking with Billboard, Linkin Park multi-instrumentalist Mike Shinoda discussed how he’s dealing with Bennington’s passing.
“Grief is a non-linear process,” Shindoda said in the interview. “It doesn’t have ‘stages’ that go in order, it has phases that come and go at random. Some people are having sad days, others are having good days, others are having angry days…add the constant stress and fear of things like the news cycle, and you’ve got some exceptional chaos on your hands!”
“I’ve tried to make it a point to share how I’m doing, mostly on Instagram and sometimes Twitter, especially when I feel like I’m making progress,” he added. “Coping with the end of this chapter is obviously devastating, but at the same time, it’s also the beginning of the next story.”
Shinoda added that putting together “One More Light Live” helped bring back good memories of that final tour. “Everyone was at their very best [during the tour], especially Chester,” Shinoda said. “He was singing better than I’ve ever heard him on stage. The idea to release this album came from our fans and friends, and I’m so glad they asked for it. It’s a really nice way to showcase what a special experience each night was.”
Shinoda also says he doesn’t know what the future holds. “And while I don’t know what comes next for us together or individually,” he said, “this album is certainly a beautiful way of looking back at the body of work we created with Chester.”
Publication date: December 18, 2017
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