DEREK:
What an incredible ride these last ten years have been. I still remember the first time I heard Hybrid Theory, and exactly where I was when I heard the one song that would change my life forever. It was in early 2001, during my junior high homeroom class, and One Step Closer had been playing over the school's morning announcements. I was mostly a hip-hop junkie and didn't listen many hard rock groups. That all changed when I heard "One Step Closer". Enamored by Linkin Park's dynamic fusion of many different styles and genres I rushed home to research the band online, and it was there that I found the Linkin Park Message Board and came across an aspiring graphic designer and script writer named Omar (known via LPMB as Omihomi28). Omar had been away from his home and did not have access to proper graphic design software. Unable to save his work in the formats he desired, he put out an ad on the LPMB for anyone willing to help convert some of his art to the proper file extensions. Upon offering my help and services, I was surprised to find out that Omar had been working on a new Linkin Park fansite which he had dubbed "The Linkin Park Association" and was planning to try and go about it alone. Having ran a few websites of my own in the past with limited experience, I offered to help out and the rest is history.
Ten years later; as I look back and reminisce over all that we've done as a site, I realize how fortunate we are and how how far we've really come. Like many of our staff, had you told me in 2002 that in just ten years we'd be celebrating nearly 1 Billion Hits Total and over 10 Million Visitors, I'd have a hard time not thinking you were crazy. This band and this website have changed my life in more ways than I couldn't even attempt to list them all in in a few paragraphs, and I thank everyone in the band, their management and the Linkin Park community for helping me get here. To be the headmaster of the most trusted Linkin Park site around is a complete honor and I cannot express my gratitude enough for your enthusiasm and support. Your support has been nothing short of amazing and has taught me big things can come from small ideas. You've helped me to believe in myself and my abilities, and feel more confident in who I am. And even more? Your passion and commitment to this website has helped me to grow closer and more connected to a band whom had I never heard their music, there's no telling just exactly where I would be today.
And that alone deserves my complete and total appreciation. Many of you have told me that the LPA has changed your life, and thanked me for the site over the years...but in reality, it is me that should be thanking all of you. For it is because of each and every one of you in the Linkin Park community that the LPA is where it is at today. So with that I'd just like to say thanks one last time. Here's to ten more years!
TODD:
When Alex and I met on a completely unrelated message board 10 years ago and he asked me to help out with his new Linkin Park website, I had no idea what was in store. The meeting was purely by chance - in a thread about favorite bands, I mentioned I like Linkin Park, and a couple private messages later, I was a part of the LPA. If, 10 years ago, you had told me that the site would be the largest fan site on the internet, we would have interviewed several members of the band, obtained multiple exclusives, met the band on multiple occasions, be featured in magazines and be shouted out by the band, I would have said you were crazy. In fact, it still is crazy to think that a bunch of kids (and yes, we were all kids when the LPA started) could achieve so much. The LPA isn't just a site on the internet, to many of us, it's a second home. I'm thankful for the opportunities this site as afforded me, and the friendships it has created, not only online, but in real life. Here's to many more years of success.
MARK:
How crazy is it that a group of teenagers from all corners of the world can randomly come together and create something as massive as the LPA? Having been here from Day 1 of the .com days, it has been an amazing experience. Looking back on our early days, I chuckle at the fact we were floored when we hit 50,000 hits in a month. Never could we have imagined we would grow into what we are today, and still be going strong 10 years later! It has been incredibly fascinating to be behind-the-scenes here at LPA during this journey. From our interviews with band members, to appearances in major magazines, to unsolicited shoutouts in press interviews, to having some of our staff be on a first-name basis with Linkin Park, LPA continues to give me new things to be proud of. I am so incalculably grateful to have been along for the ride, and I am very thankful for the friendships I have made both online and offline because of this great community.
JOE:
The internet was my New York. I was a baby turtle lost and abandoned in the sewer of noobness, until one day a green toxic ooze that is the LPA spilled onto me to transform me into some kind of mutant teenager. Luckily I was discovered by a masterful rat known as Splinter Derek. He led the way for me and taught me right from wrong, and in 2006 I channelled all I'd learned to earn my purple bandanna. I would train almost every day, developing my ninja craft and eventually the colour would change to red. Looking back over the years now and being one of the few team members to become an Admin, I feel like I've become my own Splinter of sorts and now it is I helping the mutant ninja turtles fight Linkin Park crime. Don't get me wrong, there's been a fair share of Foot Soldiers along the way, a couple of Bepop and Rocksteady's and at times even a Shredder or two, but with the team of Splinter (Derek), Leonardo (Louis, Jeff), Raphael (Todd, Mark), Donatello (Me, Luke) Michaelangelo (Ben, Zane), Venus and April O'Neil (Ree, Amanda) and even sometimes Casey Jones (Hybrid, Agent O), we can take on any Krang's that come our way. I wouldn't want to share pizza with anyone else.
LOUIS:
I still remember seven years ago when I first joined the LPAssociation. I had browsed the website and joined out of pure curiosity and fandom. It wasn't long before I fell in love with the place. About two years ago, I was promoted to join the staff - and it was a dream come true. To work with the outstanding individuals that I do now has been nothing but an honor. They have become my friends and I shall always be there for them as they have been for me. But even more than that, to have the opportunity to talk and interact with all of you beautiful people has been nothing but a privilege and a pleasure. I've never been part of a community so diverse and yet so united by one common interest - and I'm proud to have been a part of it. I may not have the same time for the place as I used to, but the LPAssociation shall always and forever hold a place in my life and in my heart. Thanks for a great 10 years everyone. Here's to 10 more.
LUKE:
It's hard to comprehend that this site has been around for an entire decade and that I've been a member for 8 of those 10 years. I joined as a 13 year old brat and chose quite possibly the cheesiest user name of all time: hellflame prophecy. I still don't quite know why, I guess it just sounded cool at the time... I remember being a pretty feisty and easily pissed off teenager and my attitude nearly got me kicked out of here on a number of occasions. All I can say is I'm glad I wised up and matured because over the years this site has become a genuine importance in my life. LPA isn't just where I follow the latest endeavours of my favourite band, but also where I come to be a part of the most awesome music community out there. It's members are some of the most random, crazy and downright awesome people and, now at 22 and with almost 15,000 posts, I feel privilaged to be a member of the team in charge of the day-to-day running of the site. Thank you to my fellow staff and all the members of the LPA, you all rock!
JEFF:
When I had joined the LP Association back in 2010, I would have never imagined ever being a staff member here today. When I signed up, I was a lowly Linkin Park fan, fresh out of the LP Underground, ready to post in what is one of the biggest fan based websites of one of the biggest bands around. And post I did. Whether it was to play some of the games in the Random Chat threads, or post news of upcoming events happening with Linkin Park, I had managed to get ten thousand posts in one year, on a postwhore rampage, helping to keep the site active. I made a lot of friends the past couple of years, and while I have not physically met any of them yet, I hope to do so soon. I would like to take this time to thank my fellow LPAers for making this one of the best places to spend my time, and I hope to keep it that way for years to come.
REE:
The past two years on this site have been incredible. I went from a lost little noob to a Staff Member and even got to post the huge Living Things album leak thread! This site is pretty much my online home and I’m proud to be a part of it. I’ve made many friends here both online and in real life. I’ve also met some awesome LPA members at the London Summit and Scavenger Hunt and I plan to meet a whole lot more next year in London! Never has anything on the internet made me laugh as hard as some of the things I’ve witnessed on here (Movie night peeps, you know what’s up!) Huge shout out to the BB, LPA Staff and the entire LPA Shoutbox family! Thanks to everyone who visits this site and helps make the LPA community the best online community I have ever been a part of. Stay sexy, LPA.
BEN:
For the better part of 2 years on the LPA, I have had the most fun anyone could ever have on the internet. It started out as a place where I could talk to fans from all around the world about my favorite band. From there, I began growing fond of the community and eventually I kept coming back everyday because of the laughs and intelligent discussion I was able to share with the members on the site. Throughout these past few years, I have had a lot of things happen to me that have changed my life. One of them was when I came across a member on this site that not only lived in the same city as me but also went to my same school. Now Zane and I are great friends and have seen 2 Linkin Park shows together. I have also been fortunate enough to make other friends on the LPA, some of who I have also met in person. It's been my distinct pleasure to be a staff member for the LPA, and I can't wait to create more memories and see what else Linkin Park and the Linkin Park Association has in store!
ZANE:
How has LPA changed me? Well it all started 3 years ago. I remember being an avid Linkin Park fan in a world where Linkin Park seemed to have disappeared from. It had been two years since the last album (Minutes to Midnight) and I struggled to find anything or any place to expel my Linkin Park fever. I was in a constant search for MORE information. Sadly, those sources were Wikipedia, LinkinPark.com, and Mike's blog. Eventually, I was growing bored with the lack of updates and accurate information. I continued my search for news and randomly I found myself google searching and finding various news sources. Another Linkin Park fansite was initially my go-to source for LP news, but I noticed they sourced much of their news from an "LPAssociation.com". That was the moment when I finally found a place to explore and express my fandom of Linkin Park. On the LPA, I was able to finally discuss with fans, both hardcore and casual, about the nit-picky little details concerning Linkin Park. I had found a world of great people that thought and felt the same way as I do about something that I was passionate about. It was perfect! Over time, my LPA friendships have evolved. I am now one of the veteran members speaking to newbies who, like me 3 years ago, came here to find fellow Linkin Park fans. Most importantly, LPA has become a source of friendly discussion about interesting topics with even more interesting people. To me, LPA has evolved into more than just some place to discuss Linkin Park, it is a close-knit association of friends I look forward to talking with every day.
AMANDA:
It's hard to believe that it's been this long. I joined LPA in February of 2005 and at the time it seemed like the most miniscule decision: sign up, create account, click click click, okay whatever, I guess this is kind of cool. I don't think I could have ever imagined that I would be changing my entire life just by signing up to a fan site. I have met so many fantastic people on here. So many friends, so many people who I now go so far as to consider my family. It has been such a privilege to have been given the opportunity to watch this website, this fanbase and this band grow over the last decade. I have such a network of friends and a support system that comes from this site alone. And you guys: Old member and newbies, postwhores and lurkers, regulars and drop-ins, YOU guys made this all possible. I am proud to say I am part of the Linkin Park Association community and I'm sure I will continue to be for many years to come.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Xero21
Thank you guys very much.
but jpined this year and I am ready for the LPA to keep going strong.
