Rock Rage (Mike)
Rock Rage: Are you on
tour right now?
Mike Shinoda: Yeah, we’re in the middle of a tour with Kottonmouth Kings.
RR: How did you hook up with Kottonmouth?
MS: It’s funny because that was something that just came our way. It was offered
to us. Our agent let us know that was something that was available, that they
were interested in having us open for them. We weren’t that familiar with the
Kottonmouth guys’ stuff. We knew of the band and we saw some of the stuff and it
looked pretty cool. But once we got on tour, and to say we didn’t have and
listen to the album fully, you know what I mean? Like sometimes we’re really
familiar with the stuff. These guys, we didn’t know that much about what they
were doing, came on tour and they are awesome guys. As far as the social thing
to hang out with, they are totally really nice guys. Their show is extremely
energetic and fun to watch...And we have a lot of fun. We’re stoked to be on
this tour. It’s been a really fun. We get a lot of experience playing and get
out there in front of a lot of kids.
RR: And starting next week, as far as I’m concerned, is a pretty major tour with
P.O.D. and (hed) PE.
MS: Starting pretty soon in the beginning of November.
RR: You guys all psyched up for that one?
MS: Yeah, we’re stoked. P.O.D., Project 89, and (hed) PE and us.
RR: When you first started the band, you had Rob and Brad who you started the
band with and you were the vocalist. Then you brought in Chester. What was the
reasoning for bringing in a second vocalist into the group?
MS: Well, hat was going on at that point was we were playing around with some
other friends of ours who did music. At that point when I started it there
actually was a person singing. And then we brought on Chester. We were ready to
get the record deal and that was almost four years ago that we were at that
stage. We were basically just playing with friends. It was just that. We were
playing music with friends. It was semi-serious. We wanted to make good songs,
but that was basically it and we wanted to play them in front of friends. It was
a social thing. We never thought that we would do anything this big with it. We
just wanted to make something really good. And I always wanted to mix these
styles of music and put all the things that I liked into the same things. And
the other guys felt the same way. So when we all got together that’s how it
naturally happened. It got tot point about two years ago where we decided that
we needed to find somebody who is a really awesome, amazing vocalist. That that
is their main thing. And that’s what we did.
RR: And how does that work when you write the music? Do you intentionally write
the lyrics for two vocalists or do you kind of feed off of one main lyrical
content?
MS: We write together. I write my parts. We write all of the major parts of the
song together. The lyrics to a song focused on one topic or one scenario, one
emotion, so as to be cohesive. Four years ago we were writing songs where that
thins were divided up and it’s very easy to write a song where the hip-hop part
is separate from the rock part, which is separate from the electronic part, but
I don’t think that’s where we are anymore. Nowadays what we like to do and what
you here most on the album is just one song with many different things that make
up a character. And that’s kind of how the lyrics work. It’s one theme and then
it’s just presented in a bunch of different ways whether it be rapping or
whispering or singing or screaming. However we would need to go about it.
RR: Pretty aggressive and intensive stuff you got going. But then you get to
“Cure for the Itch” and it’s got this relaxed, fantasy-like techno thing going
with no lyrics. How did that come about because the rest of the songs are pretty
intense and this one is laid back and lose yourself kind of thing. Was their a
purpose to this or just kind of thrown in?
MS: That’s just a point in the album where we felt it was appropriate. That
particular song is something that our DJ, Mr. Hahn, and I came up with. It came
from a beat that he did with the drums that he did and the strings that I
arranged. From there we just kind of went off in an electronic direction that I
thought was cool. And I think it turned out really well. We’re totally happy
with that. The band was totally stoked about it.
RR: It does work in great. Then in the band itself you don’t have a bass player,
but you do take one out on the road with you. Any plans of making a permanent
bass player in the band?
MS: For right now we’re totally stoke to have Scott play with us live and its
been great. We’ve had a really good time so far playing. The people who come to
the show enjoy watching him play and we enjoy playing with him. So far
everything is great