Linkin Park’s latest interview with BBC News covered everything from becoming the first female fronted band to headline Download Festival, to their love of UK crowds, gaming, travel and what’s next for the band. However, one of the most revealing moments came when Mike Shinoda reflected on the years following Chester Bennington’s death and how Linkin Park found their way back.
Speaking to BBC News’ Mel Ramsay, Shinoda revealed that after Chester passed away, the band genuinely believed Linkin Park was over.
“After Chester passed, we didn’t even think we had a band anymore, so everything just kind of went away.”
Shinoda explained that as the years passed and the group began reconnecting through music, things slowly started to change. The arrival of Colin Brittain and Emily Armstrong helped shape what would eventually become From Zero, but the journey back wasn’t something the band expected.
According to Shinoda, one of the driving forces behind the upcoming Unshatter documentary was the question fans kept asking:
“How did you pick up the pieces after this tragedy and losing your friend?”
The film follows Linkin Park’s path from uncertainty to some of the biggest moments of their career, including their album launch show in São Paulo and their recent return to stadium stages around the world.
Shinoda described those moments as some of the most emotional and celebratory experiences of his life, adding that the documentary captures the last three to four years as they happened rather than being a traditional behind the scenes production.
Elsewhere in the interview, the band discussed the moment they realised Emily Armstrong was the right fit for Linkin Park, their appreciation for UK festival crowds, Mike’s interest in emerging UK rap artists, and what the future could hold beyond the From Zero era.
The interview also hinted that the From Zero chapter may already be evolving into something new. When asked whether Unshatter marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another, Shinoda responded:
“In broad terms, kind of, yes.”
He stopped short of confirming specific plans, but suggested fans should keep watching closely, adding that there is “more to come.”
