Mike Shinoda addresses Rob Bourdon's Linkin Park exit

Mike Shinoda has commented on founding member Rob Bourdon’s surprise exit from Linkin Park.

Following weeks of countdowns and more countdowns, Linkin Park officially unveiled their new line-up last night (5th September) at a livestreamed concert at RED Studios in Hollywood, California.

Emily Armstrong of the band Dead Sara has joined as co-vocalist replacing the late-great Chester Bennington, however fans were surprised to discover that drummer Rob Bourdon has left the group with Colin Brittain newly recruited to their ranks.

45-year-old Bourdon co-founded Xero alongside Mike Shinoda and guitarist Brad Delson in 1996 (the band changed their moniker three years later), and he remained a constant member of Linkin Park until the group disbanded in the wake of Chester Bennington’s death.

Why did Rob Bourdon leave Linkin Park?

In a new interview with Billboard, Mike Shinoda shed light on why Rob Bourdon is no longer with Linkin Park.

“Rob had said to us at a point, I guess it was a few years ago now, that he wanted to put some distance between himself and the band,” Shindoa explained.

“And we understood that — it was already apparent. He was starting to just show up less, be in less contact, and I know the fans noticed it too. The ‘Hybrid Theory’ re-release and ‘Papercuts’ release, he didn’t show up for anything.

“So for me, as a friend, that was sad, but at the same time, I want him to do whatever makes him happy, and obviously everybody wishes him the best.

Reflecting on Bourdon’s replacement, Shinoda continued: “I had done sessions with Colin — I met him around 2021, when I got an invite to a session with a couple of different writers, and Colin was one of the guys in the room, and I immediately clicked with him.

“He’s playing drums in the live show, and drums are his first instrument, but he plays guitar and bass and keyboard, and he produces and mixes. We have a similar way of looking at music, of starting from scratch, and I really enjoyed working with him and bouncing ideas back-and-forth.

“I don’t know if any of these songs are going to be released, but we had done something with grandson, Bea Miller, Sueco — just getting in the room together to make stuff. And then when Linkin Park started making stuff, for whatever we were going to do, it was just like, ‘Oh, Colin. We’re making stuff. You should come over.’”

The new incarnation of Linkin Park will unleash their first album in more than seven years, ‘From Zero’, on Friday 15th November 2024 and it’s preceded by the lead single ‘The Emptiness Machine.’

Watch Linkin Park’s ‘The Emptiness Machine’ video:

The sextet have also announced the first six dates of the From Zero World Tour, which visits Los Angeles, New York, Hamburg, London, Seoul, and Bogota.

The London concert takes place at The O2 on Tuesday 24th September 2024, and tickets go on sale at 10am on Friday 13th September.

See stunning photos of Linkin Park's first concert with new line-up:

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• Linkin Park