RR: 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?

Shinoda: 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.

Shinoda: Starting pretty soon in the beginning of November.

RR: You guys all psyched up for that one?

Shinoda: 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?

Shinoda: 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?

Shinoda: 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?

Shinoda: 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?

Shinoda: 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.

by Rock Rage