When Linkin Park announced their return last year, there was a noticeable changeup in the touring lineup: guitarist Brad Delson helped record the new album From Zero but Alex Feder was taking his place on tour. Delson opened up about his decision to not tour with the band in a new interview with Guitar World.

“For me, and, I guess, all the guys, the last however many years gave us the opportunity to really think qualitatively about the band – what energizes us, where we feel most fulfilled, and where we thrive,” he explained. “It wasn’t like, ‘Let’s go back to what we were doing.’ It was, ‘Let’s take what we’ve learned to approach our roles with greater self-awareness and insight.’ I really thrive in the studio. I love making new things. That’s why I decided to focus my energy on that area.”

Delson also talked about why Feder was chosen as his replacement on the road. “It’s just a great friendship. He’s an amazing musician and a strong live player. I think he brings a lot to the show – and I’m really proud of the show," he gushed. “Even though I’m not onstage, I put a lot of my creative love into it. I’ve always been obsessed with the setlist, the concept of the show, and how it flows. I worked really hard on it; that’s no different than the past.”

Elsewhere in the interview, Delson gave his thoughts on Emily Armstrong taking on the late Chester Bennington's vocal duties. “There’s something about her voice and her energy that just feels like Linkin Park energy," he admitted. "The nice thing about our two vocalists [Armstrong and Mike Shinoda] is that they’re each really dynamic."

“Part of the band’s identity is exploring the space between genres and juxtaposition," he added. "If you don’t have vocalists who can cover every genre, the band’s raison d’etre would be stymied."

Linkin Park head out on their massive From Zero 2025 World Tour later this month. See a full list of tour dates here.

Mark Madden