A few stats before we begin. Over 50 million albums sold in 12 years, platinum status in seven countries for a collabo LP with one of hip-hop’s greatest MC’s, a 34% awards nominated to awards won ratio—the same as Beyoncé’s—and through it all an ardent and gracious supporter of disaster relief in the Gulf states, Indonesia, Haiti and Japan. Whatever side of the musical fence you reside on, there’s no denying that Linkin Park has achieved boss status in multiple genres, and co-frontman Mike Shinoda resides at the epicenter of that success.

Late last month, the band released their fifth LP, Living Things. Co-produced by Shinoda and Rick Rubin, the album is a decidedly more personal and less political outing than 2010’s A Thousand Suns, an album that pricked up EDM ears with 4/4 romps like “Blackout” and half-tempo neck-crackers like “Wretches and Kings” and “When They Come For Me.” After a set at the 2,300-capacity Club Nokia for Summer X-Games in Los Angeles, Shinoda ruminated on the new record, his longstanding partnership with Rubin, and LP’s constant juxtaposition of art and music. …MORE