RR: Are you on tour right now?

MS: Yeah, we’re in the middle of a tour with Kottonmouth Kings.

RR: How did you hook up with Kottonmouth?

MS: It’s funny because that was something that just came our way. It was offered to us. Our agent let us know that was something that was available, that they were interested in having us open for them. We weren’t that familiar with the Kottonmouth guys’ stuff. We knew of the band and we saw some of the stuff and it looked pretty cool. But once we got on tour, and to say we didn’t have and listen to the album fully, you know what I mean? Like sometimes we’re really familiar with the stuff. These guys, we didn’t know that much about what they were doing, came on tour and they are awesome guys. As far as the social thing to hang out with, they are totally really nice guys. Their show is extremely energetic and fun to watch...And we have a lot of fun. We’re stoked to be on this tour. It’s been a really fun. We get a lot of experience playing and get out there in front of a lot of kids.

RR: And starting next week, as far as I’m concerned, is a pretty major tour with P.O.D. and (hed)PE.

MS: Starting pretty soon in the beginning of November.

RR: You guys all psyched up for that one?

MS: Yeah, we’re stoked. P.O.D., Project 89, and (hed) PE and us.

RR: When you first started the band, you had Rob and Brad who you started the band with and you were the vocalist. Then you brought in Chester. What was the reasoning for bringing in a second vocalist into the group?

MS: Well, hat was going on at that point was we were playing around with some other friends of ours who did music. At that point when I started it there actually was a person singing. And then we brought on Chester. We were ready to get the record deal and that was almost four years ago that we were at that stage. We were basically just playing with friends. It was just that. We were playing music with friends. It was semi-serious. We wanted to make good songs, but that was basically it and we wanted to play them in front of friends. It was a social thing. We never thought that we would do anything this big with it. We just wanted to make something really good. And I always wanted to mix these styles of music and put all the things that I liked into the same things. And the other guys felt the same way. So when we all got together that’s how it naturally happened. It got tot point about two years ago where we decided that we needed to find somebody who is a really awesome, amazing vocalist. That that is their main thing. And that’s what we did.

RR: And how does that work when you write the music? Do you intentionally write the lyrics for two vocalists or do you kind of feed off of one main lyrical content?

MS: We write together. I write my parts. We write all of the major parts of the song together. The lyrics to a song focused on one topic or one scenario, one emotion, so as to be cohesive. Four years ago we were writing songs where that thins were divided up and it’s very easy to write a song where the hip-hop part is separate from the rock part, which is separate from the electronic part, but I don’t think that’s where we are anymore. Nowadays what we like to do and what you here most on the album is just one song with many different things that make up a character. And that’s kind of how the lyrics work. It’s one theme and then it’s just presented in a bunch of different ways whether it be rapping or whispering or singing or screaming. However we would need to go about it.

RR: Pretty aggressive and intensive stuff you got going. But then you get to “Cure for the Itch” and it’s got this relaxed, fantasy-like techno thing going with no lyrics. How did that come about because the rest of the songs are pretty intense and this one is laid back and lose yourself kind of thing. Was their a purpose to this or just kind of thrown in?

MS: That’s just a point in the album where we felt it was appropriate. That particular song is something that our DJ, Mr. Hahn, and I came up with. It came from a beat that he did with the drums that he did and the strings that I arranged. From there we just kind of went off in an electronic direction that I thought was cool. And I think it turned out really well. We’re totally happy with that. The band was totally stoked about it.

RR: It does work in great. Then in the band itself you don’t have a bass player, but you do take one out on the road with you. Any plans of making a permanent bass player in the band?

MS: For right now we’re totally stoke to have Scott play with us live and its been great. We’ve had a really good time so far playing. The people who come to the show enjoy watching him play and we enjoy playing with him. So far everything is great.

RR: No intentions of making him a permanent member for a bass player?

MS: Right now at this point with the upcoming tours that we have, not yet.

RR: You made your first video with “One Step Closer” and I hear that a lot of musical artists hate making videos. That’s their least favorite part. How was that experience for you for the first time?

MS Actually, Joe (DJ) and I met in college at an art center in Pasadena. We were studying for illustration. He actually studied for only a year because he left to go do special effects in the film industry anyway. Must have been somewhere around ’96 and he took opportunity there. So he bailed and did that on the side while he was doing the band. When we did the video it was like Joe just stepped right in. He wrote the original treatment for the video. We found Gregory Dark who directed the video and Gregory and Joe really clicked on a lot of levels. And Gregory bringing in his ridiculous amount of experience and talent to the table was somebody we were totally happy to be working with. And Joe had a lot of fun working with him. We really in general totally enjoyed the radio experience. It’s funny that you said that most people don’t enjoy the video process.

RR: That’s what I hear.

MS: I didn’t even realize that. We had a great time. We were in an underground cave. You know, a band in a VA hospital in the middle of L.A. It was musty, it was awful, it was so fun.

RR: That’s cool that they allow you guys to have that artistic freedom in creating your videos. Especially since it was your first video. A lot of times it seems that they don’t give new bands that kind of input into their own videos.

MS: The only things they didn’t let us do are the things that cost too much money. Joe had some special effects idea and they we’re going to be too expensive. We had a budget and we ended up doing that.

RR: The name Hybrid Theory was originally the band’s name. Now that’s a cool name, why the change?

MS: It was a legal thing. There’s other group around the incorporate the key elements of that. We just got into a little bit of a conflict with that and we decided to avoid the hassle entirely and come up with something we liked just as much if not better. And that’s what we did.

RR: Any plans yet after the P.O.D. tour yet? Any other tours lined up yet? If not who would you like to tour with if given the opportunity?

MS: You know, right now we’re looking into the possibility in touring with Papa Roach. And that is looking pretty good for the beginning of December. I’ll just give you that as a hope in our minds. We played a show in Atlanta with them and they’re awesome guys, really nice guys. We got along well. And whether or not the tour happens, we will remain in contact and have some fun when we’re in the same place at the same time.

RR: And you’re hooking up with some pretty good names, too. That should help out with the exposure and a fan base.

MS: We love these bands man, for real. I can’t believe we’re going on tour with P.O.D. because I love that band. I think they’re really awesome.

RR: Anything within the next year that we can expect to see? I know it’s really soon but any ideas on the next single/video?

MS: The thing that I’m most excited about at this point is touring. We are playing a lot of shows with a lot of good people. As far as the recorded music and stuff, that’s easily accessible for everybody on the radio or by the CD, I’m sure you know the CD comes out on the 24th (October). All that stuff is accessible. The thing that I’m totally excited about is for people to come to the live show and see us play. We’re totally energetic and we love to play for people. We do the show and come out and meet everybody who wants to say hi. Every show we play we come out and hang out at the merchandise booth and talk to as many kids as there are to talk too. I’m excited to keep doing that.

RR: And the energy really comes through on the album, so to see it live has got to be really intense.

MS: Thanks, man. I hope to see you around when we get out there.

RR: When you come out to Chicago we’ll definitely hook up and come see you guys.

MS: (laughing) And you can let everybody know that we’re not from Chicago. Everybody thinks that we’re from their neck of the woods. Because of the name and that there are so many Lincoln Parks that it’s almost not funny anymore. It was so funny when we started touring how many people thought we were local. Everybody thought we we’re this little bit above average local band they’ve never heard before. They’re like ‘whoa dude. I’m from Lincoln Park too. What street do you live on?’ You know? It’s like we’re from L.A. Are you from there too?

Hey Mike, thanks for the interview and for taking the time to chat with us. We’ll see you when you come to town.

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