Mike Shinoda Contemplates How Linkin Park Could Tour Without Chester Bennington

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Linkin Park singer/guitarist Mike Shinoda was asked about Linkin Park’s future in a new Kevin and Bean interview discussing his upcoming full length solo debut Post Traumatic. Shinoda seemed unsure about what Linkin Park’s future was, but contemplated what the band would do for live shows without Chester Bennington.

“I’ll say just for me, I’m waiting to see what kind of reveals itself, because I’ve looked at it number one first and foremost let’s not forget that Chester was one of the greatest rock singers of all time, period. That’s not just me as a friend, this dude his voice, there is just nothing like it. Personally I have to wrap my head around the idea that, I want to be able to get up onstage and play a song of ours, I feel like if we do that and don’t do Chester’s parts and let the crowd sing it, that’s first of all very heavy that we did that at the Hollywood Bowl show. That felt like a million pounds sitting on the top of your stomach.”

He added, “I know in the context of that night, there were special moments like that. Looking forward into what is the band, those questions have to get answered, and I don’t have the answers. I think by going out into the world and just exploring what’s out there, hopefully I’ll find some of those answers.”

He also discussed the band’s future in a new Vulture article.

“I’m unable to say what will happen with the band. There’s really just no answer, and it’s funny because if I even say anything about the band’s future, that becomes the headline, which is stupid because the answer is there is no answer. Fans think they want to know what the future is: Believe me, I want to know what the answer is. But there just isn’t one. What I do know is that, for the immediate future, this thing I’m doing couldn’t be more important for me personally.

I put everything into the stuff I’m making — not in a make-a-cool-record-for-people-to-buy kind of way — but I’ve really just done my best to tell my story. Anyone who has ever lost someone dear to them knows that what you’re trying to do is find the ‘new normal.’ You’re trying to get your balance. I don’t think there’s ever a definitive finish line to that. The compelling part about it is, there’s a suspense about what comes next. Being able to do things on my own without having anyone to check in with, I can just say, ‘Oh, by the way I have an album coming out.’ I’ll put it on my Instagram and my Twitter and decide, now’s the time. In a sense, it’s liberating. For me, this is one way to feel a little bit of peace.”