Jason Lipshutz AMA responses

This book is just something I'm keeping an eye on, I don't intend on buying it or reading it or anything.

These questions and answers are just in the order I saw them in. Original thread here for context.

Question:

Hi, is this an official release? As in, was the band spoken to/ interviewed for research in this or is this less a biographical view and more things surrounding the band and music.​

Answer:

The book doesn’t feature any new interviews with the band, but Linkin Park’s team has been incredibly supportive of this project since Day 1, from before I even started writing; I’ve interviewed the band multiple times since beginning the book process, including for the recent Billboard cover story, and was trusted with the exclusive first interview with the group upon their return last month. The book features a collection of archived quotes, several band quotes given to me during our chats for Billboard (including a couple that never ran anywhere before), and new interviews with tour mates, studio collaborators and artists in the extended LP universe, for the book’s Interludes.

Looking back, the process of putting ‘It Starts With One’ together last year worked out perfectly. I wrote the book that I wanted to write -- a critical analysis and appreciation of Linkin Park -- and in turn, the band spent that time focusing on their next chapter!

—JL​

Q:

Are you covering side projects like Fort Minor and Dead By Sunrise aswell in this book?​

A:

Yes! Both projects have dedicated sections -- the chapter covering Dead By Sunrise’s ‘Out of Ashes’ is one of my favorite of the entire book -- and I tried to cover all of the essential side projects, since they’re integral to the band’s story.

—JL​

Q:

My main question here is, what makes a Linkin Park album, A [LINKIN PARK] album? (I'm not sure how can I say it lol), Because, Linkin Park has always changed genres. From nü metal, to alternative rock, to electronic rock, again, to nü metal, then pop , and now again we're back to alternative rock and heavy metal.

So, regardless, despite the change in genres, we can all notice that the band still sounds the same. I'm not sure whether it's the same sound that you keep hearing, like the same singers and band members, or if it's something else.

Because, whenever I hear, like, for example, a song from A Thousand Suns, and listen again to the hybrid theory, I say that this is still Linkin Park. Maybe it's not heavy, but it's still Linkin Park. It's still a Linkin Park song.

This also applies to the recent releases even tho chester B is no longer with us i still feel its linkin park sure the singer is different but still the same vibe

To summerize despite the different singers, genres, why do i still feel its still linkin park despite all that.

Thank you​

A:

I mean, I think you hit the nail on the head -- they have evolved their sound, grown their message, expanded upon their legacy and now feature new voices, yet still remain the band that we know and love. The path of Linkin Park has changed over time but that core identity remains intact. It’s been pretty cool to witness.

—JL​

Q:

What motivated you to write this book? How long has it taken you to gather all the information before you started the writing process?​

A:

I had wanted to write a nonfiction music book for a little bit, and the idea of a Linkin Park book kept circling my brain. I truly devastated when Chester passed away in 2017 -- working at Billboard, you have to become desensitized to celebrity deaths to some degree, but Chester truly shocked me, in a way that felt singular and stuck with me. Then in 2020, I interviewed Mike and Joe for a 20th anniversary piece on Hybrid Theory, and I realized how rich of a history the album has, and how much I loved listening to the guys’ stories in general.

A few years later, as I was trying to think of book ideas, I couldn’t believe that there hadn’t been a career-spanning Linkin Park book written yet, so I decided to dive in and write a book proposal. Ahead of actually writing the book I spent a few months researching and outlining, but I also learned a lot along the way -- I was constantly rearranging chapter sections to add in new thoughts, details and anecdotes, many of which were discovered thanks to the work of fans on platforms like Reddit, LP Live and Linkinpedia.

—JL​

Q:

what is your personal favorite linkin park song and album, if you can’t put it down to one, can we get a list of what would be in contest for #1?​

A:

My favorite Linkin Park song changes all the time -- “Breaking the Habit” has been my go-to answer for a bit, but I also love “One Step Closer,” “Blackout,” “Papercut” and “Faint,” and I’ve been listening to “Given Up” a whoooole lot lately.

My favorite Linkin Park album... I mean, 'Hybrid Theory' is basically perfect and impossible to top, but 'A Thousand Suns' probably means the most to me personally.

—JL​

Q:

Have you learned more about why Rob did not continue​

A:

Nothing more than Mike’s explanation in the cover story. While I was researching for the book, I did notice that Rob was not active on social media or part of any of the promotion for the anniversary releases, so I did wonder if he was still in touch with the guys. Ultimately I am glad that everything appears to be amicable, that Colin is kicking ass at every show so far, and that Rob’s place in rock history is secure.

—JL​

Follow-up comment from poster:

I am glad there was at least something about Rob in that article. The main question when one saw the cover for the story was: "Where is Rob though? "​

A:

Totally get that, it was a big question I had too! I appreciate Mike answering it so thoughtfully. And when the story came out, I think LP fans picked up that quote more than anything else in the story.

—JL​

Q:

Have Chester’s family reached out to you, and what do they have to say about the book?​

A:

They have not, although I hope they enjoy the book if they check it out. The book is dedicated to Chester and my daughter -- I tried to pay tribute to a larger-than-life voice and personality, while also trying to make my 9-month-old girl proud (and playing her a whole lot of Linkin Park in the process!).

—JL​

Q:

Did you have any knowledge of their comeback or Emily Armstrong before the general public did? Even a day?​

A:

I knew a few weeks before the general public because I was writing the Billboard cover story. Obviously I didn’t tell anyone, but imagine how hard of a secret it was to keep during those weeks!

—JL​

Q:

The timing of the release is perfect considering Linkin Park’s recent return to music. Did you have any insider information knowing the band was returning in order to time the release of the book so perfectly?​

A:

I had zero idea. There had been some reporting (including from Billboard) earlier this year about a new tour, and then I was told all the details of their comeback while writing the cover story in August... but I finished writing the book a year ago, and my publication date (today -- Oct. 1, 2024) was set roughly two years ago! The timing was purely coincidental, but was, indeed, perfect.

—JL​

Q:

Why do you think Linkin Park gained such worldwide success? They’re popular in countries where English isn’t even the first language. From Brazil, to Pakistan and India.​

A:

Their music is universal, in the sense that it often conveys an emotion that transcends not just languages, but demographics and generations. Any person in any area of the planet can hear the haunting piano of “In the End,” the bouncing strings of “Faint” or the head-knocking beat of “Waiting for the End” and feel something pure and unadulterated. To me, the scale of Linkin Park’s music has always existed beyond English-language countries.

—JL​

Q:

What's the first Linkin Park song you heard?​

A:

Their debut single, “One Step Closer.” I was a huge MTV viewer in 2000 and vividly remember watching the video in the rock blocks. Thirteen-year-old Jason had a lot of fun running around the house screaming “Shut up when I’m talking to youuuuu!”

—JL​

Q:

Hi. I would like to ask if the book will cover at length the series of events that lead to Linkin Park 2.0 or will that story be told more in detail in another book?​

A:

Unfortunately there would have been no way to add in the comeback news to the book, since hardcover copies had already been printed before the Sept. 5 announcement. That’s why I was so glad I could write the Billboard cover story on this new era! And who knows? Maybe I’ll be able to add a new chapter or two in another edition of ‘It Starts With One’ down the line...

—JL​

Q:

Hello Jason. With regards to LP's new album From Zero, what previous LP album do you think it most closely resembles?​

A:

I don’t want to spoil anything -- I’ll just repeat what I wrote in the cover story, which is that there are nods to past eras but a newfound urgency that makes this project stand on its own. I think longtime fans are going to love it, and I also think that unfamiliar listeners will be able to use 'From Zero' as a portal to the band’s back catalog. In other words, it’s a best-case scenario for the band.

—JL​

Follow-up question from different poster:

Do you have a favorite song off of the new album?​

A:

I haven’t heard every song off the new album, but “Heavy is the Crown” was a standout, and I’m so glad fans seem to be embracing it like I did. Also, “Casualty” RIPS.

—JL​

Q:

Hello Jason ☺️, I just wanted to ask what was the turning point or you considered as a sign that you wanted to write a book about the legacy of Linkin Park? What drew you in to write about them?​

A:

I don’t know if I ever experienced a turning point or “a-ha” moment -- the entirety of their story drew me in to Linkin Park, and made me want to write this book. Obviously I was a fan of their music, but the layers of their journey fascinated me, and I felt like they had been both overlooked from both a critical standpoint as well as from the point of their cultural significance. ‘It Starts With One’ is divided into five sections -- The Identity, The Sound, The Fame, The Message, and The Legacy. Those five aspects of Linkin Park combine to form what I consider the most significant rock band of the 21st century. I spent the book unpacking that idea, and loved doing so.

—JL​

Q:

Hi, thank you for doing this AMA and congratulations on this amazing work!

The band's journey over some 25 years has been truly unique and their rapid rise to the top simply unbelievable. One of the many legacies of the band is the effort to constantly push themselves musically and evolve their sound, erasing the word genre in the process. Such effort should be celebrated and appreciated, but for some reason, ever since Minutes to Midnight many fans have been losing their minds and we have witnessed some strong and adverse initial reactions, which tend to fade away over time. And after that period, people usually start to realize how amazing the albums actually are, albeit rather slowly - ATS now considered by many to be the band's greatest effort is a fine example. So despite a very successful career and huge impact, I can't shake the feeling that they are still not fully appreciated in the music industry and around the globe, but I am sure that they will be when the time is right and in fact we might already be witnessing it happening right now with the brilliant comeback. What's your personal opinion on this? Does the book dive into the band's place in history in any way? How important has the constant musical evolution been in this matter? How do you think the band's legacy will change in some 20 years from now given the context I presented above?

Sorry for the longer post and thank you in advance if you answer this.​

A:

One of my favorite aspects of Linkin Park is the band’s constant desire to push themselves creatively, and refusal to relax in a sound or style that they’ve already mastered. That’s been consistent throughout their career, and I think we are seeing it again now with the ‘From Zero’ era -- instead of simply touring their catalog and having someone else help them play the hits (as many bands have done when a singer passes away), they are pushing themselves into new sonic territory, with different voices but the same band identity.

Linkin Park have always been ahead of their time, which is why many critics shrugged off ‘Hybrid Theory,’ a stunningly well-executed debut album, upon its release, and why subsequent albums have been met with varying degrees of backlash by revamping the band’s sound. One of the book’s primary objectives was to dive into the band’s place in history and the rock canon, and argue why their musical evolution helped make them so vital, and so underrated.

—JL​

Q:

Who was the first member of the band you met? Did you eventually meet all of them? And most importantly are you team Ketchup or Team Mustard?​

A:

I first spoke to Mike and Joe in 2020, then Brad for the first time in 2023, then Dave and Emily in August, with Mike a couple more times in person and over Zoom in between them. They are, across the board, as great to chat with as a fan might expect. And I am Team Mustard! (Fun fact: I make a Ketchup vs. Mustard reference in the book!)

—JL​

Q:

How much information in ‘It Starts With One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park’ are details hardcore fans wouldn’t know until reading this book? How were you able to uncover any new information being brought to the surface? Was it interviews with the band, families, label, etc.? Were there any sources that didn’t come from people directly connected to the band?​

A:

I think hardcore fans are going to know a lot of the details going in, but I hope that my analysis as a critic and journalist helps change some perspectives and adds to previously available information. I’m also grateful to the seven artists -- Ryan Shuck, Sonny Sandoval, Rob Swift, Amir Derakh, Skylar Grey, Travis Stever and Ryan Key -- that I interviewed for the book’s Interludes, who all shared new stories and memories that help round out my own in-depth reporting.

—JL​

Q:

What was/were your biggest "Oh wow I really didn't know this" about the band when you wrote/researched for the book?​

A:

One thing I didn’t really know/remember was that, after ‘Collision Course,’ Linkin Park and Jay-Z kept working together for a good amount of time! They performed at multiple festivals and the 2006 Grammys together, and Jay even executive produced the 'Fort Minor' album for Mike! A really cool detail that shows how close the two artists were.

—JL​

Q:

Have you ever though about creating a documentary based on the book​

A:

Maybe someday! The story certainly deserves a visual treatment.

—JL
​