Welcome to Gaia! ::

LAS VEGAS (Billboard) - Months after Linkin Park took its contract renegotiation dispute with Warner Bros. public, the band and the label are close to resolving the matter without any further ugliness.

"We're resolving our differences and we're looking forward to putting out a record next year," guitarist Brad Delson told Billboard.com. "We're all focused on the creative process right now."

In May, Linkin Park issued a statement announcing the band was halting plans for a spring 2006 album, and expressed concerns about aggressive cost cutting at the label's Warner Music Group parent ahead of its IPO.

Without revealing details of its business arrangements, MC/vocalist Mike Shinoda said the band has "been working on new stuff for at least a month."

The new album will sport Shinoda's first production credit on one of the band's releases. "Of all the processes of Linkin Park, the guys all have their own special talents and the places they take charge and shine," he said. "One of my favorite places to be is in the studio."

The as-yet-untitled set will be the follow-up to 2003's "Meteora," which has sold 5.14 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. The set featured the single "Breaking the Habit," which topped Billboard's Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock airplay charts and reached No. 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Shinoda said it was way too early to describe the direction of the new material, but one general idea has already taken hold. "Rap/rock and new metal have been used to describe Linkin Park," he said. "But if you think of a song like 'Breaking the Habit,' it would be kind of difficult to describe that as rap/rock. It's not very accurate. On the next record, we're looking to break away from that label even further than we have in the past."

And while Shinoda said Linkin Park has "hundreds" of unreleased songs that could potentially be revisited, "We tend to not do that, simply because, the band is always evolving. We like the momentum created by coming up with new songs."

While work continues, Shinoda is plotting a late January/early February tour for his hip-hop side project Fort Minor, which just issued its debut album, "The Rising Tied," on Linkin Park's Machine Shop imprint. The set debuted last week at No. 60 on The Billboard 200.

"(Linkin Park) DJ Joseph Hahn came to our show in Los Angeles," Shinoda says. "He didn't even say hi. He didn't even say great show. He just walked straight up to me and said, 'Listen to me. When you go on stage with your side project, it can't be this good. You're not allowed. It's not fair.' He was obviously joking, but we do take a lot of pride in our show and I hope people can see it soon."

I've been doing research, folks! Here's some other stuff that I found.

In a recent chat with Linkin Park Underground members, Chester commented on Linkin Park's upcoming album, set for a 2006 release.

"We're all really excited about making this record. I can't really say anything about the direction of the record, because we haven't ever really conciously pre-concieved an album, and so the album kind of comes to us when ideas comes to us. Music comes to us, if the album wants to reveal itself to us it will. I would have to say that after listening to some ideas with Mike the other night, kicking around ideas on new music, put it this way, I couldn't go into the studio the next day because of all the screaming I did. There will be A LOT of screaming. My screaming seems to get harder and more disgusting every time I do it. I had to go home and go to bed after I was working on the music at Mike's."

When asked about his solo project with Orgy members Ryan, Amir, and Fu, Chester replied;

"I've been quiet about the solo record because there isn't a definite release date right now because Linkin Park has decided to go into the studio and LP always comes first. What's best for Linkin Park is what's best for the fans. I play guitar, I play keyboard, I did programming, and I sing on the solo album. Ryan, Amir and Fu and I all did everything together on it. The project is called Snow White Tan and I've been tossing some ideas around for the name of the record but it hasn't been named yet. As soon as it's ready to be released, everyone will know. As far as my solo stuff is concerned, I wrote the bulk of the music and all the lyrics and stuff, the other guys I am working with have contributed quite a bit to the album as well. It's not really a collaboration with anyone besides them. Everything on the record is different than Linkin Park. Even the way I am singing is my own sound, it sounds different. In every way.

With Linkin Park we work in pairs and groups. With my solo stuff I kind of lived with Ryan while I made it so it was a totally different environment. We'd have parties and friends over WHILE i was recording. People would come in and listen. Very laid back and relaxed. We held true to certain important security measures, but people around got to hear it. But that would never happen on a LP record, it's more confined and serious. Just a different style. On my album we recorded everything in one room. My kid could be on the couch playing video games. Very relaxing and different. LP is much more regimented, more like a MACHINE. Finely tuned machine or race car is LP. Really tight and really good."

Chester also revelead that the version of "The Morning After" that's set to be released on the Underworld: Evolution movie is actually a remix of the original version that's set to appear on Snow White Tan's debut.

"No, they are not the same. Amir and Fu did a remix version of the song that's not as heavy and is a little more electronically driven, but fits the style of the movie better than the original version, that will be on my record."


In doing research and looking up any information I could find on the album, I found out that Linkin Park has STOPPED their plans for a spring 2006 release of their album. Meaning that there is no way it's going to be out in spring. There's a tiny little chance and I'll keep my eyes open for a change of plans, but if you were hoping for a spring release, you're out of luck.

The good news is, they definatly have their minds set on a summer/early fall releaseof their album. Obviously Chester thinks LP comes first, I'm sure Mike does too, even though he's going off on tour... heh.

This also means that the disputes with Warner are settled. Yay!

Wow well I can't wait for the album. I hope they don't do the rock/rap thing again though. That was just really bad. You can't mix two different genre's of music. Especially opposite ones. I mean in todays world either you like Hip hop/rap or Rock. So it's kind of weird for them to fuse. And the song wasn't that bad with the Rap effect. But it just ruined the song. So well I guess that means I've saving my money for something else now. Thanks for the info

Merry Christmas to you all.

man i hope they do metal or rock over rap. altho some songs were good rapped, such as nobody's listening, but mostly rock is better.

I am looking forward blaugh

YAY!! Can't wait ^^

O.o; that makes no sense

Linkin Park has ALWAYS been rap/rock. =

wow really?

I just read the update and I'm SOOO excited! I love chester's screaming... lol mrgreen