Unknown, Kerrang!, Summer 2014
Linkin Park take K! inside their latest music - the soundtrack to Mr Hahn's debut feature film, Mall...
Not content with rocking the world's biggest arenas, last year also saw Linkin Park's DJ, Mr Joe Hahn, direct his first full-length feature film, Mall. When it came to soundtracking the movie, Joe roped in a few friends in the shape of LP bandmates Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington and Dave Farrell. The dark and down-tempo results are a far cry from what we've grown to expect from the bazillion-selling Californian rock group. Joe and Mike Shinoda [vocals/guitar] check in from LA to explain why...
Hi Mike! Devil's Drop is the first song to be released from the Mall soundtrack. How involved were you with writing it?
Mike: "Ah well, it was mostly me (laughs)! There's some layers of Chester in there, too. We were basically in the studio for [2012 album] Living Things and I was in the corner of the room playing this little riff on an acoustic guitar. So, I just pulled out my phone and recorded it live. Brad [Delson, guitar] asked me a question, and instead of answering him I kind of just played a chord and everyone laughed, so you can hear all that in the intro! I immediately went right back into what I was playing. I liked the sound so much that I ended up looping the parts straight off my phone and then sang over it. So, that was the demo for the song, and all of that made the final recording."
That'll be partly why it's a departure from the usual Linkin Park sound...
Mike: "Some tracks have a kind of brash, punk industrial thing going on, like [other soundtrack song] White Noise is really trashy, while Devil's Drop and The Last Line are more down-tempo. Joe was thinking of getting fans to contribute lyrics and vocals to some remixes... We'll see how that pans out! I know our fans always do remixes of our stuff - there's a very large talented musical contingent in our fanbase, and it'd be awesome to hear them kinda finish it. Who knows, maybe one day we'll sing their words?!"
Hey Joe! So, as director, can you tell us the meaning behind the film?
Joe: "I think it represents a part of our culture that people don't talk about, but is definitely something which can universally be identified. How people can find the faults in themselves. It's a contrast to a very social-media-driven society where people are able to socially self-edit. They can put out a version of themselves that's almost a falsity!"
Deep! So, we take it you don't own one of those selfie sticks?
Joe: "Well... You know, actually, I got one when they first came out (laughs)! I saw one in a store and thought they were really cool!"
What's been your favourite thing so far about working in the film industry?
Joe: I love the idea of pairing up with people. A lot of it has to do with the chemistry of how you can have a multiplying effect with your efforts on someone else's collaboration. Back in the day when George Lucas and [Steven] Spielberg got together on Indiana Jones, that was a magical moment! I'd love to collaborate with someone else some time!"
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