That doesn't sound half-bad, actually. I loved his work on the new underoath and As I Lay Dying CD's.
After thinking it over, I think Mike should do it alone. I mean, if anyone could produce LP, it would have been Rick Rubin. That failed, as we all know, but I dont think it was his fault. I think it was the bands fault. So, I say Mike should just do it on his own.
I already put my vote in for Bob Ezrin, but as far as Mike producing it himself...I'd like to see it happen, but I sort of have my doubts of Mike's ability to get really good sound quality out of an album. The HTEP and the Fort Minor stuff had a very raw, underproduced sound. I have no doubt in my mind that Mike as a producer would probably work out the best in terms of the SONGS, but I'm not so sure about how well the RECORDINGS would turn out. Mike just doesn't strike me as the kind of guy that would spend hours behind the console in the control booth tweaking faders to get the sound levels and stuff perfect.
For those of you saying there will be another Minutes to Midnight, I doubt there will be. Minutes to Midnight was a very experimental record, and it was more of a transitional record for Linkin Park than it was a solid change. There is not very much of a consistent sound on Minutes to Midnight. Their next record is bound to be something great, because Linkin Park broke out of their Rap-Metal shell with this past record. They know what to do now. They matured a lot with this record. Something is going to happen on the next record that will make it, like Derek said, their 'finest hour'. They'll probably go with Rick Rubin and Mike again for this record, but if I have a choice, I'd say anyone who has produced a Muse album, and perhaps Timbaland.
I'd rather not see Rick again, as much as I respect him. They need someone that will help them find some direction, but not force them into anything. I'd rather see Rick again than Don Gilmore though.
Im not sure what to think about Rick right now. On the one hand, I was really dissapointed with MTM. On the other hand, the stuff he produced for the Red Hot Chili Peppers is amazing.
That's why I think Mike would be best fit as a co-producer. As far as Bob Ezrin, I just don't see him working well with LP. He has a reputation as a tyrannical ass who makes bands do the albums HE wants (which was a major point of contention between him and the Deftones). He transformed Janes Addiction from a artsy-alternative band into a run-of-the-mill radio-rock band (which he stated was his intentions). I would also say that Bob's a bad choice if you like the hip-hop elements of LP. The more I think about it, the more I want a Dan "The Automator" Nakamura / Mike Shinoda production combo. That would yield some exciting results, imo.
Dan the Automator is a great producer, plus he has a bit of a history with the band so it's always a possibility.
Mike would be the best because he knows what the band wants to sound like. HT and Meteora had pretty watered down lyrics. With Mike at the (co)helms on MTM we got a lot better lyrics in my opinion
I want Mike and Rick again. The next album will be their best work to date, I can pretty much tell already. Minutes To Midnight helped them break out of their nu-metal shell, so now the stuff will be Minutes To Midnight but better. I can't wait.