In a recent conversation with Australia’s Triple M radio station, Mike Shinoda of LINKIN PARK revealed the story of how he and his bandmates were encouraged to play a prank on METALLICA during their joint tour in 2003 as part of the “Summer Sanitarium” package’s second and final edition. Shinoda remembered their unique distinction of being the only band to prank METALLICA. LINKIN PARK opened for METALLICA at stadiums across the United States for two months during the summer. The experience was agonizing for them as they grasped METALLICA in respect, especially their guitarist, who was motivated to pick up the instrument by the legendary band.
Despite their initial starstruck feelings, METALLICA offered an invitation to LINKIN PARK to chill at a bar. Shinoda said METALLICA was a lovely and down-to-earth individual who acknowledged and praised LINKIN PARK’s performance. Each member of METALLICA personally conveyed their appreciation for LINKIN PARK’s music and show, making the younger band feel comfortable and motivated by their warm welcome.
He carried on: “So at the end of the tour… Their head of security was a guy who used to work for us for a while. So we knew him… And we were like, ‘Hey, Tom, at the end of tours, a lot of times, people will prank each other. You think we could prank METALLICA?’ And he was [James] Hetfield’s guy. And he said, ‘Well, I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but no one has ever done that.’But I think I can work it out.’ And so the next thing the METALLICA guys know, they’re in the middle of — I don’t remember what song, but they’re in the middle of it. We came out with a blanket and a picnic basket and little almost like lunch boxes and things. They had this platform behind them. Chester [Bennington, LINKIN PARK singer] came out.”
“He had a skateboard. We went up to the middle of it, and we pulled out sandwiches and sodas, and we started having a picnic on their stage. And they were playing ‘Ride The Lightning’. [People were] trying to take them seriously, and Chester was skating back and forth behind them eating a sandwich. The guys in the band — I think Lars [Ulrich, METALLICA drummer] lost the plot entirely… They figured it out very [quickly]. ‘Cause nobody goes on stage with them. So they were, like, ‘What the hell’s happening?’ It was awesome.”
Shinoda launched a new solo single, “Already Over,” last week, and he also released a music video for the song. The video was directed and animated by Dusty Deen. It included visuals provided by Shinoda, Frank Maddocks, Mark Fiore, and Mike Miller.
LINKIN PARK has taken a break since Bennington’s death in 2017.
A year and a half ago, Shinoda said that the band had no plans of recording new music, albums, or performing live shows.
Since October 2017, LINKIN PARK, the existing members, arranged a memorial concert in Los Angeles to tribute to Bennington. The band has not made an official announcement relating to their plans to continue. After Bennington’s death, he committed suicide in July 2017 at the age of 41.
Policies declared Bennington’s death as a suicide shortly after they found his body in July 2017 at his residence in Palos Verdes Estates, California.
In December 2017, LINKIN PARK released a live concert album titled “One More Light Live.”
