I got to watch the VCD part of the Linkin Park album that I bought last Sunday. I haven't listened to their music and I probably won't given the contents of the lyrics I read over the internet. But I have to admire these guys for coming up with a great concept album that includes a booklet with the lyrics and some shots of the graffiti artwork they did while recording it. I haven't explored the interactive part of the CD since my PC's getting screwy with the memory. I'll get back to that later. Then the VCD part, it features all 34 minutes of footages and interviews with the band members recounting their experiences and concepts while making the album. Turns out they started eighteen months ago with bits and pieces of some guitar riffs and what-have-yous they recorded while on tour (apparently they made a make-shift recording studio at the back of their bus so they could record some ideas as it comes to them). I also learned that Mike Shinoda's the brain behind the group. Ok, include Joe Hahn in the picture but Mike's more active in directing the flow of everything in this album. I don't really know if that it's a common practice, but the way they did it here was to split the recording of the instruments (come to think of it, it's almost the same procedure for doing comics) starting with the drums, then the bass, guitars, disks, and finally the vocals. All in all I like the lot and there's a lot to get from the video too. Hmmm... that's about it.