September 2, 2011


Earlier this summer, when Linkin Park took over Moscow’s Red Square for a historic — and decidedly Michael Bay-size — performance, they also spoke to MTV News about the follow-up to A Thousand Suns, which, at the time, was just beginning to take shape (“Right now, it sounds like blips and bleeps and pieces,” frontman Chester Bennington described).

So, earlier this week, when Linkin Park took over Los Angeles’ Mayan Theater for an equally historic — yet decidedly more personal — benefit concert for Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief, we got the chance to once again ask them about the new album. And, as Bennington explained, things have progressed — albeit just slightly.

“We just kind of began. We like to keep the creative juices flowing, so we try to keep that going all the time,” he said. “We don’t know when the next record is going to be done. We are in the beginning phases of that. We’re still winding down A Thousand Suns and touring for that, so I can tell you we are working and we’re excited, and we like the direction that we’re going in.”

Bennington added that the band has been working closely with producer Rick Rubin, who will once again helm the sessions for the yet-untitled disc. And though it’s still early, Linkin Park are already pleased with the results.

“[Rick's] involved all the way, all the time, from the very beginning. You know, we ask him, ‘What do you think of these ideas?’ ” he said. “And we’re kind of getting the wheels rolling. … It’s so hard to talk about something that hasn’t been created yet, but, like I said, we definitely like the way things are going already.”