Editing Hybrid Theory (section)

==Background==
[[File:ChesterBenningtonDallasTx.jpg|thumb|left|120px|alt=Chester Bennington Performing in Texas.|Bennington singing live in Texas]]

High school friends [[Mike Shinoda]], [[Brad Delson]] and [[Rob Bourdon]] formed the [[rap rock]] band Xero in 1996. After their graduation, they recruited [[Joe Hahn]], [[Dave "Phoenix" Farrell]] and Mark Wakefield to perform in the band. Though limited in resources, the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda's makeshift bedroom studio in 1996, resulting in a four-track demo album, entitled ''Xero'', released in November 1997.<ref name=Ask-Bio>{{cite web|first=Patrick|last=Hosken|url=http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_150/196_linkin_park.html|title=Linkin Park - AskMen|work=[[AskMen]]|access-date=February 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121101160030/http://www.askmen.com/celebs/men/entertainment_150/196_linkin_park.html|archive-date=November 1, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Delson, who by that point was a student at [[UCLA]], then introduced the band to [[Jeff Blue]], the vice president of A&R for [[Zomba Label Group|Zomba Music]], whom he had interned for in college. Blue immediately took interest in the band, but this did not produce a record deal. After watching a Xero performance in 1998, he believed the band needed a different vocalist.<ref name="jeff">{{cite news |last=Perez Hollingsworth |first=Ashley |url=https://genreisdead.com/jeff-blue-linkin-park-interview/ |title=Interview: Jeff Blue Reflects On The Struggles, Frustrations, And Joys Of Working With Linkin Park |work=Genre Is Dead |date=February 16, 2021 |accessdate=December 6, 2022 }}</ref> Frustrated with the lack of label success, Wakefield and Farrell left the band.<ref name=Ask-Bio /><ref>{{cite web|first=Christina|last=Fuoco|url=http://www.livedaily.com/interviews/liveDaily_Interview_Linkin_Parks_Dave_Phoenix_Farrell-6078.html?t=6|title=LiveDaily Interview: Linkin Park's Dave 'Phoenix' Farrell|work=Livedaily|date=February 4, 2004|access-date=July 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070112192536/http://www.livedaily.com/interviews/liveDaily_Interview_Linkin_Parks_Dave_Phoenix_Farrell-6078.html?t=6|archive-date=January 12, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Blue was recommended [[Arizona]]-based vocalist [[Chester Bennington]], formerly of [[Grey Daze]]. Blue called Bennington on March 20, 1999, his 23rd birthday, and sent Bennington tapes of Xero's unreleased recordings the following day. One contained vocals by Wakefield, and the other consisted of only the instrumental tracks — with Blue asking for Bennington's "interpretation of the songs".<ref name="rolling stone 2002" /> Bennington wrote and recorded new vocals over the instrumentals and sent the tapes back to Blue.<ref name="band bio">{{cite web|url=http://www.lpassociation.com/bios/band|title=Everybody loves a success story.|access-date=August 8, 2007|publisher=The LP Association |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070807074244/http://www.lpassociation.com/bios/band |archive-date = August 7, 2007}}</ref> By March 23, Bennington was in Los Angeles auditioning for Xero.<ref name="rolling stone 2002" /> The band auditioned numerous people for the vocalist job, with Shinoda later admitting the group's visual impression of Bennington initially led to concerns about his image, though Bennington clearly was the best performer among the candidates.<ref name="kerrang-2008" /> As Delson recalls, "[Bennington] really was kind of the final piece of the puzzle [...] We didn't see anything close to his talent in anybody else."<ref name="rhythm" />

After Bennington officially got the job, the five members renamed the band Hybrid Theory.<ref name="rolling stone 2002">{{cite magazine|first=David|last=Fricke|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/linkin-park-david-fricke-talks-to-chester-bennington-about-hybrid-theory-success-67820/|title=Linkin Park: David Fricke Talks to Chester Bennington About 'Hybrid Theory' Success|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=March 14, 2002|access-date=February 13, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230421210500/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/linkin-park-david-fricke-talks-to-chester-bennington-about-hybrid-theory-success-67820/|archive-date=April 21, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="kerrang-2008">{{cite web|first=Tom|last=Bryant|url=http://www.tom-bryant.com/linkin-park-kerrang--tom-bryant.html|title=Linkin Park, Kerrang!|work=[[Kerrang!]]|date=January 23, 2008|access-date=November 28, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190327090000/http://www.tom-bryant.com/linkin-park-kerrang--tom-bryant.html|archive-date=March 27, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> Bassist Kyle Christner was then recruited on a temporary basis;<ref name="Dillion-2023">{{cite magazine|first=Nancy|last=Dillon|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/linkin-park-sued-bassist-royalties-1234874421/|title=Linkin Park Sued by Bassist Seeking Royalties on 'More Than 20 Songs'|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=November 9, 2023|access-date=February 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231208191313/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/linkin-park-sued-bassist-royalties-1234874421/|archive-date=December 8, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> with these members, the group released a [[Hybrid Theory (EP)|self-titled EP]]. Through a [[street team]], the EP was mainly promoted through internet chat-rooms and forums.<ref name="time">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1001709-2,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930095551/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1001709-2,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 30, 2007|title=Linkin Park steps out|access-date=August 14, 2007|author=[[Tyrangiel, Josh]]|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=January 28, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Saulmon|first=Greg|title=Linkin Park; Contemporary musicians and their music|publisher=The Rosen Publishing Group|year=2006|pages=19–20|isbn=978-1-4042-0713-4|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cwuqmz_O5EkC&q=%22Hybrid+Theory+(EP)%22&pg=PA1980|access-date=December 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201121163319/https://books.google.com/books?id=cwuqmz_O5EkC&q=%22Hybrid+Theory+%28EP%29%22&pg=PA1980|archive-date=November 21, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> In October 1999, Christner left the group. The vacancy was filled by Scott Koziol and Ian Hornbeck, who alongside Delson all contributed bass tracks for the band's recordings.<ref name="Dillion-2023"/> Still unsigned, the band once again turned to Blue, who by that point had left Zomba and had become vice president of [[Warner Records|Warner Bros. Records]];<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Katherine|last=Turman|url=https://variety.com/2017/music/news/chester-bennington-appreciation-linkin-park-1202502002/|title=Chester Bennington and Linkin Park: A Musical Legacy of Darkness and Hope|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 20, 2017|access-date=November 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170721172917/https://variety.com/2017/music/news/chester-bennington-appreciation-linkin-park-1202502002/|archive-date=July 21, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> by November 1999, the band had been signed to a contract.<ref name="time" /> The band changed their name again, deciding on "Linkin Park".<ref name="rolling stone 2002" /><ref name="hybrid19">{{cite web|first=James|last=Hickie|url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/linkin-park-the-inside-story-of-hybrid-theory/|title=Linkin Park: The Inside Story of Hybrid Theory|work=[[Kerrang!]]|date=October 24, 2019|access-date=November 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191024191058/https://www.kerrang.com/features/linkin-park-the-inside-story-of-hybrid-theory/|archive-date=October 24, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>