It has always been said that music has the incredible ability to change lives. It has the ability to give strength, hope, courage, wisdom, inspiration and the will to persevere. It can soothe and heal the wounds that would be otherwise left untreated, wounds of the heart and wounds of the soul.
Music is the one language that everyone in this world can understand, for there is no translation and no comparison. Music is universal and the positive feelings one can get from it coupled with its ability to heal, can be enough to not just save lives, but change them for the better. Music gives life new meaning and purpose that would otherwise go undiscovered.
Music helped me with all these things in a very personal way.
But not just any music…
The music of Linkin Park.
10 years ago when Linkin Park first released their debut album “Hybrid Theory” they probably didn’t realize the massive impact they would have on people’s lives over the next decade. People around the world struggling to find a voice for their emotions had finally been given the power to speak by six men: Chester Bennington, Mike Shinoda, Joe Hahn, Brad Delson, Rob Bourdon and Dave “Phoenix” Pharrell. I was one such person and at the tender age of 8 became an avid and dedicated fan of Linkin Park whose love and admiration for – whom I call “The Spectacular Six” - has only grown and solidified over the years as their careers, both as a band and respectively, have taken shape.
Now when Red Dot Diva asked me if I would like to be a guest writer on her blog in wake of my first ever Linkin Park Concert (on December 3rd!) 10 years since I became a fan, I was more than thrilled to have the chance to express just exactly why I admire them so much. I was also daunted with the idea of just how to get it all out, which angle to take and what specifics I could talk about. Eventually, I decided to pick my 4 favourite aspects of Linkin Park to share with you, readers.
They cover everything from the music they create to what they do away from the studio and I hope that each and every one of you can enjoy reading this post. Even if you aren’t a fan of Linkin Park, I encourage you to read it. You never know, by the end you may become one! So, without any further ado, I give you:
WHY LINKIN PARK IS MY FAVOURITE BAND: In Four Points You Should Know.
#1. They’ve Remained Relevant and Connected With Their Fans.
#1. They’ve Remained Relevant and Connected With Their Fans.
One thing I believe sets Linkin Park apart from so many other modern bands is their unique ability to continue writing songs their fans can relate to in all stages of life. Linkin Park’s music deals with real emotions and real issues in a raw, upfront way meaning that their songs are truly relatable to people’s thoughts and emotions; and not just in a way that allows it to be experience specific but instead a way that people may be able to relate to just one song infinite times throughout their life, in infinite ways.
Whilst enduring my own personal turmoil growing up, I found that the music of Linkin Park’s albums "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteora" were the only albums which I could fully connect to. Each song felt as though it was written for me and about how I felt. The songs gave me a sense of companionship and alliance and even though I knew they had no idea who I was personally and that they lived thousands of miles away. It still felt as if the songs were consoling me in a way no one else could.
Having "Hybrid Theory" released when I was 8 years old allowed me to embrace Linkin Park at a time in my life when I needed them most. It also allowed me to grow seamlessly with the band's progress and their music. Every album the band released since was in perfect timing with stages of my life. Each theme in-tune with how I felt at that time and the style of music I was enjoying. It’s that synchronization with Linkin Park that helped me cope those hard times because I always had an outlet to turn to.
This is a sentiment I know to be shared by so many of my fellow fans who have also found comfort in Linkin Park’s relatable lyrics, showing their music’s truly universal power of connection with fans, helping them vent in a healthy way, as opposed to other more harmful outlets. It’s that feeling of understanding, awareness and solace that Linkin Park has made me and so many others, such huge fans.
It is to their credit that Linkin Park has managed to reinvent themselves over and over again with new sounds and messages – all completely different to anything they had done previously and yet, their music still continue to relate to those same fans whilst remaining “Linkin Park-ified”.
How? It’s simple. As the fans have grown so has the band along with them. Instead of sticking themselves in some musical and creative limbo and repeating themselves over and over in each album they have instead chosen to acknowledge and embrace the changes in their lives and let that influence their music. Their priorities, thoughts, feelings, motivation and age have all obviously evolved and so they have adapted their music accordingly letting fans progress with them and not feel pushed away.
#2: They Care About Their Fans As Much As We Care About Them.
As a fan, it's definitely nice to know when your favourite band acknowledges your existence and tries its best to connect with you.
Linkin Park is one such band that does this with a very high level of fan dedication. Using their fansites, fanclubs, forums, media outlets, blogs, social networking accounts and playing at a diverse number of concert locations, Linkin Park has managed to keep their fans close. The band constantly shares their experiences with fans and let them be part of the very processes from the inside.
Linkin Park Underground (LPU) is the band's official fanclub. The webchats are fantastic because the band members get involved (though once they do it’s hard to get your 2cents in because the place just explodes.) LPU members also get special features and perks such as the opportunity to buy LP concert tickets before they even go on sale, get to meet the band and buy exclusive merchandise not found anywhere else.
With LPU celebrating it’s 10th year this year, Linkin Park has even pushed the bar one step further by hosting their first ever Linkin Park Underground summit in London in November 2010. Fans got to go inside and look around the tour bus, there were soccer (English Football for all you unfamiliar with the term) games and even the opportunity to play the band's actual tour instruments. Two LPU members even got to play with the band not only at the summit but as a surprise at the actual London Concert as well, something I have hardly ever seen done by big name bands.
But the fan involvement doesn’t stop there. The band is actively involved in different social media accounts such as “LPTV” on YouTube consisting of music videos, exclusive behind the scenes videos and LPTV (Linkin Park Television) episodes, myspace accounts, facebook accounts, various twitter accounts and not to mention, the band members' respective websites such as MikeShinoda.com.
Competitions are also very frequent with prizes ranging from meeting the band to signed memorabilia and prize packs to even having your own track featured with "A Thousand Suns". It doesn’t matter to Linkin Park when you became a fan, only that you are and that you’re enjoying the music they’re making.
#3: They’re Altruistic Humanitarians That Care About The World Around Them.
Environmental issues are the hot topic these days with global warming, poverty and disasters. More and more charities have been popping up everywhere all to support different causes that need attention in this world. Music For Relief (or MFR) is one such charity.
Most recently, the victims of the Monsoon flooding in Pakistan have been the recipients of MFR efforts, in which new homes and medical and food aid are being supplied.
I highly respect Linkin Park’s/ MFR's ability to recognize that there are issues happening all over the world and I admire their active and committed involvement in making a difference.
Linkin Park's altruistism has motivated me in working towards my own goals of humanitarian work. By being involved actively in the work of MFR, I feel I’m making a difference in some small way and helps me turn my negative past experiences into positive and bright ones. This has helped me realize my own potential to do great things and work with the inspiration that they have given me.
When tickets went on sale for the Brisbane concert I was one of the first to get my hands on them... willing to pay whatever price necessary to secure my place. When I found out that MFR needed volunteers to help run their booths at the concert, I decided to volunteer. This means I forfeited my rightful place among the crowd and to the opening acts on concert night.
However, MFR matters to me and knowing that I can help them matters to me. I even got some of my friends involved in the volunteering process including my friend Stephen, who had also paid for his ticket earlier. Volunteering for MFR gives me an opportunity to educate my friends and the public on MFR is about. It is rewarding to know that I can do something for MFR and Linkin Park as well.
In return for MFR-volunteer time, we have free access to their concert. I don’t know many bands that would be so generous, only adding to my respect for Linkin Park and their efforts to sacrifice revenue for the sake of a better cause.
#4: They Are Each Wonderful and Inspirational People In Their Own Right.
Lastly, each individual Linkin Park band member has inspired me creatively, emotionally and mentally. Each member means a great deal to me. Here’s why…
Mike Shinoda:
Mike is my favourite member of LP. He’s the type of person I want to grow to be. Kind, considerate, well-grounded, humble and above all else, extremely talented. Not only is he a successful rapper/emcee and musician but he is also an accomplished artist having graduated from the Art Center College of Design, Pasadena in 1998, with a Bachelor of Arts in Illustration.
Mike has had a successful career as part of Linkin Park and his side project Fort Minor. He has also held 3 successful art exhibitions of his own: "Diamonds Spades Hearts and Clubs”, “Glorious Excess (BORN)” and “Glorious Excess (DIES)”. These were a two-part series exhibited at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. He even has his own DC shoe line and founded a record label alongside Brad Delson called “The Shinoda Imprint” (Later renamed Machine Shop Recordings and currently in hiatus).
Mike is the type of person who just looks at what he wants, how he wants to get there.. and does it. I believe that’s why he is so successful. His focus and dedication gives me motivation to attain what I want in my life.
Chester Bennington:
Chester is the band members who inspires me the most emotionally and whom I look up to for strength. He and I share a lot of the same experiences - he's been a victim of sexual abuse; he's fought cocaine and methamphetamine addictions and won from these battles to become an amazingly kind, generous, strong and intelligent family man. Chester is also focused on educating people on the affects of drugs. He’s the reason I believe I can do better for myself and exactly why I’m the stronger person I am today.
Brad Delson:
I have a tremendous amount of respect for Brad because he’s intelligent and has a unique personality. He’s a savvy businessman and under all that out-of-control hair, his mind is always working at 100 miles an hour. He, like Mike, knows what he wants and how to get there - traits I admire. Brad and his father are the founders of Bandmerch.com, a choice online merchandising sites for most big name musicians.
Joe Hahn:
Joe the DJ, what more can I say? Joe is also the director of pretty much every single Linkin Park video so he’s my inspiration film-wise. He is amazing at his craft and seems like a really down-to-earth, cool guy.
Rob Bourdon:
I’ve always viewed Rob as the quietest of the band. Not a whole lot is really known about him except he’s Jewish, the youngest of the band and single. I also hardly ever see him smile in photo shoots. Through the rare glimpses we do get to see of Rob, he seems like a nice, cool guy.
Dave “Phoenix” Pharrell:
Phoenix tends to keeps most of his private life under wraps, but can be rather goofy all the same. He tweets pretty often and takes the time to do spot Q and A's with his followers. To me, he’s seems like a pretty average guy who enjoys doing what he loves. And I have total respect for that.
So readers, I’d like to thank you all for taking the time to read about why I’m such a massive fan of Linkin Park. I doubt this will be the last time you see me posting about Linkin Park around here as I will be contributing a blog from my MRF volunteering and the band's live concert experience. I look forward to sharing my exhilarating experiences with you all!
Til next time,
Ingrid
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Red Dot Diva gives a hug to Ingrid for sharing her heartfelt and passionate thoughts about her favourite band. Ingrid will be sharing a post on her volunteer work with MFN when Linkin Park is in Brisbane, Australia this weekend.
You can find Ingrid at her Twitter account or go read her blog "I'm Obsessed With.. "
Gotta love you Ingrid! Your words are more powerful and speak louder then any pitch I've ever heard. Words could not express how excited I am for you, ten years is a long wait but now, in a matter of hours you're decade long dream will be coming true! If I were in some way shape or form a part of that band I would be honored to have a fan such as yourself! But then again anyone who knows who you are can testify that you are a great person indeed! I wish you all the best for this show and all of the future Linkin Park shows that you will attend! You're amazing kid!!! And I know that one day soon the "Spectacular Six" will see that and come to treasure you as much as your friends do! Have a Blast!!!!!!
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