Mike Shinoda explains on how “She Couldn’t” “set the groundwork” for Linkin Park’s sound

Linkin Park circa 2001; John Shearer/WireImageThis week, Linkin Park released “She Couldn’t,” an early, previously unreleased song included in the band’s upcoming Hybrid Theory 20th anniversary reissue. In an Instagram post, co-vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mike Shinoda shares how “She Couldn’t,” which was one of the first demos LP recorded when Chester Bennington joined, “set the groundwork” for the group’s future sound.

“The programmed beat and focus on synth sounds and vocal loops (rather than heavy guitars) foreshadowed a future of the band many years after Hybrid Theory,” Shinoda writes. “In searching for our ‘first sound,’ we set the groundwork for our later evolution.”

Shinoda also ponders how Bennington’s relatively quiet vocals on “She Couldn’t” reflect the kind of band Linkin Park became.

“The softly-sung ‘you’re not alone’ refrain reminded me that, although we debuted with a song screaming ‘shut up,’ what most fans came to find out was that empathy and community were just as integral a part of LP’s DNA from the very beginning,” he writes.

The 20th anniversary Hybrid Theory collection, which includes a host of previously unreleased songs and footage, as well as various B-sides, rarities and live recordings, will be released October 9.

By Josh Johnson
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