Gene Simmons Speaks Out On Linkin Park Singer

Kiss bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons recently shared his thoughts on Linkin Park’s return with new singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain. They are joined by returning members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave “Phoenix” Farrell and Joe Hahn in the band’s new lineup.

Gene Simmons comments on Linkin Park

During an interview with Derek Scancarelli of Forbes , Simmons was asked about the band’s return. He said:

“I listened. I saw some videos. The new female singer, great! She fits the band. She sounds great and good luck to them. “Life is short,” he continued. “Go out there and live it up, enjoy it. Linkin Park got fans. They want to hear the songs and the music. Why not? There are bands that tour, Lynyrd Skynyrd, lots of bands that barely have any original members or no original members. People want to hear those songs.”

He also shared his thoughts on Linkin Park picking a female vocalist in Armstrong, instead of trying to find another male vocalist. Gene said:

“I love it. It breaks the rules because when you think about the rules — AC/DC, we took them out on their first tour, [people said] they couldn’t survive without Bon [Scott]. That’s the voice! Well, actually they did survive and they got bigger. ‘Well, once you get your new lead singer, you can’t get rid of him!’ No, actually, Axl [Rose] did a terrific job. If he was in AC/DC or Guns N’ Roses, they would both be great because it was convincing. Van Halen — a band I supposedly discovered or found; they had signed to me and all that — and I personally preferred the [David Lee] Roth-era Van Halen. It was great. There was nobody like him, it changed what lead singers were. Once Roth left, ‘Oh boy, that’s the end of it.’ No, actually they literally got bigger with Sammy Hagar.”

“All these ‘rules.’ Genesis, they lose Peter Gabriel, ‘It’s over!’ Nope. Once Gabriel left, Genesis became a stadium band with a drummer who came up from the back. All those ‘rules’ — who made the rules anyway? In rock and roll, there are no rules.”

Former Scientologist Chrissie Carnell Bixler, who is the wife of The Mars Volta’s Cedric Bixler-Avala, recently lambasted Linkin Park singer Emily Armstrong due to her ties to the Church of Scientology.

It was noted to Simmons that there were mixed reviews when Armstrong was announced as the singer because some Linkin Park fans were disappointed about her ties to Scientology, Gene said:

“I know all about Scientology. I studied L. Ron Hubbard — the thetans and the energy leftover when the universe was created, that we all have ‘theta’ within us. I get it. I understand and have read deeply into that. I’m not a follower, but good luck!. Life is short. Believe whatever you want, worship a rock or an alien, whatever floats your boat.

“If they go on tour, the real answer is, ‘Of the people, for the people, by the people.’ No matter what the Internet says, no matter what these ‘thousands’ of people who bark the loudest — the smallest dog barks the loudest. The great silent majority — I don’t mean politically — the people who make things happen, buy tickets. So, if they — and they will — sell lots of tickets, Linkin Park, then the public has spoken. End of story. And they will do great.”

Linkin Park have announced that their new album ‘From Zero’, will release on November 15th. They also dropped a new single ‘The Emptiness Machine’ which marks their first new music since the loss of Chester Bennington in 2017. The band has also announced a short world tour that began this month. It will see six arena shows across the world between September and November this year.

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