hester Bennington is exhausted. The Linkin Park vocalist is calling from a Pennsylvania hotel room, winding down from one tour while immediately gearing up for another. His voice, barely audible across the wire, serves as a clear indicator for physical fatigue. Bennington speaks in hushed tones, careful to protect vocal chords responsible for his trademark scream. It’s the only type of rest he’ll take before launching into another passionate performance.

The RED Interview
Since Linkin Park’s 1999 inception, Bennington has never taken a vacation. The band’s whirlwind success simply hasn’t allowed for any significant breaks. Still, Bennington isn’t complaining.

“We play every night, but that’s probably the hardest thing we do,” he says. “And really, how hard is it to play music?”

Hard enough. This is a band that, in 2001, played 324 shows in promotion of its debut album. However, in order to truly appreciate the members’ devotion, you have to start at the beginning.

It all started at xero. Or rather, with Xero—a band formed by three Southern California high school friends. Shortly after graduation, Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon and Brad Delson hooked up with art school student and DJ Darren Farrell and changed their name to Hybrid Theory, a title that accurately reflected the eclectic makeup of the band’s sound. The addition of Bennington led to yet another moniker modification. This time, the name stuck. Linkin Park was born.

Success came quickly to the alternative rock band. Its ability to combine elements of metal and hip hop garnered the group routine gigs at several Los Angeles’ clubs. In 2001, Linkin Park released Hybrid Theory, an album 18 months in the making. According to Bennington, the band’s latest release, Meteora, took an equally long time to produce.

“We write all the time,” says Bennington. “When we’re not performing, we’re writing and when we’re not writing, we’re sleeping.” This work ethic certainly leaves little time to blow hard-earned cash on booze and women. These hard-working boys are not your stereotypical rock stars. Success has not left them lazy or jaded. In fact, it’s almost as if the band failed to receive the memo regarding its status. Bennington, questioned about his feelings toward people who claim Linkin Park has sold out, only replies with confusion, “There are [people who feel that way]?”

It’s refreshing to see a band maintain tunnel-vision devotion to its craft. Constant fine-tuning is the reason Linkin Park has stayed strong. Attention to musical detail mirrors the band’s allegiance to its fans.

Back in the day, mutual admiration between musician and fan led to the creation of the Street Team, a basically D.I.Y. public relations/underground fan club. Those involved took it upon themselves to promote the band, using their homes as “manufacturing plants” and hawking the resulting products around town. Even though Linkin Park now has professional agencies handling publicity, the Team is only more active in its pursuits. Bennington confesses that they finally had to cap the number of people accepted to participate in the promotional gang.

Unfortunately, fame has inhibited the band’s ability to reach out to the community. Due mostly to security concerns, members can no longer wade out into the audience post-show to meet and greet their rabid fans. However, Bennington and crew haven’t forgotten about the people who lifted them from obscurity.

“Those kids are really the reason we are where we are,” says Bennington. “We love them dearly.”

Just as Superman was forced to learn how to control his power (avoiding personal connections and leading a lonely bachelor’s life…boo hoo), Linkin Park’s great success has led to greater responsibility.

“I never expected to be a CEO,” says Bennington. “It was a lot easier when I was 19 and broke.” Although there are more technicalities complicating their artistic pursuits, Linkin Park members are clearly satisfied with the state of their careers. The only source of frustration may prove to be their own constant quest for perfection, one that will continue regardless of external factors. According to Bennington, all of his inspiration comes from within: “The music that influences me to write is the music that we create.”

Linkin Park’s Project Revolution Tour comes to Salt Lake’s E Center on April 21. The tour will also feature Xzibit, Blindside and Mudvayne. Come and attempt to shake Chester’s hand (but don’t blame us when security kicks you out).
jamie@red-mag.com