When the Los Angeles quintet Linkin Park had to change its name from Hybrid Theory for legal reasons - it's now the title of the group's debut album - it had no idea the new moniker would instantly endear it to audiences around the country.

"There's actually a park in Santa Monica, where we live, called Lincoln Park, so we thought that was a cool name and started using it," explains guitarist Brad Delson, a 22-year old UCLA grad who ditched plans to attend law school in order to push the band. "We went on tour right after we changed the name, and we pretty quickly realized there was a Lincoln Park in every town. Kids would come up to us and go, 'Dude! You're from Lincoln Park too? What side?'

"The joke, basically, is that everywhere we go, people think we're local. So in that respect, it's a really cool name."

And, Delson notes, it's a way for "another rap-rock band" to get a foot in the door of a crowded field. Of course, Linkin Park considers itself a step apart from that scene. Delson-- who founded the group four years ago with high school pal and MC Mike Shinoda - feels that the band's influences help make it distinct, combining hard and industrial sources such as Nine Inch Nails and Deftones with hip-hoppers who are "more intelligent than party-oriented," like the Roots, Black-Eyed Peas and Mos Def.

And, Delson notes, his guitar is most definately the dominant element in Linkin Park's sonic blend-particularly on the grinding "One Step Closer," the band's current single.

"Even though there are so many influences in our music, it's fair to say it's definately guitar-driven," he says. "If a song doesn't start with a hip-hop beat, it starts with a guitar riff. The band pushed me to come up with the coolest, hardest, most interesting riffs I can, so I'm definately in your face on the album."

-Gary Graff

BACK