Kiss icon Gene Simmons says the new Linkin Park lineup should be given the chance to prove themselves despite the dissenting voices of some critics.
Linkin Park announced their comeback this month, seven years after the death of vocalist Chester Bennington. In his place is new vocalist Emily Armstrong and the band have already played a number of sold-out arena shows.
While some praised the band for not trying to find a Bennington sound-alike, others believe there can be no Linkin Park without the beloved singer.
Simmons says that ultimately, the fans will decide whether the reunion is a good idea and tickets sales seem to suggest they are doing a decent job so far. 'The Demon' also points to a number of big-name examples of acts who successfully continued after a beloved member departed.
He tells Forbes: "I listened. I saw some videos. The new female singer, great! She fits the band. She sounds great and good luck to them.
"Life is short. Go out there and live it up, enjoy it. Linkin Park got fans. They want to hear the songs and the music. Why not? There are bands that tour, Lynyrd Skynyrd, lots of bands that barely have any original members or no original members. People want to hear those songs.
"I love it. It breaks the rules because when you think about the rules – AC/DC, we took them out on their first tour, people said they couldn't survive without Bon Scott. That's the voice!
"Well, actually they did survive and they got bigger. Van Halen – a band I supposedly discovered or found, they had signed to me and all that – and I personally preferred the Roth-era Van Halen. It was great. There was nobody like him, it changed what lead singers were.
"Once Roth left, 'Oh boy, that's the end of it.' No, actually they literally got bigger with Sammy Hagar.
"All these 'rules.' Genesis, they lose Peter Gabriel, 'It's over!' Nope. Once Gabriel left, Genesis became a stadium band with a drummer who came up from the back. All those 'rules' – who made the rules anyway? In rock and roll, there are no rules."
Addressing criticism from some quarters over Armstrong's links to Scientology, Simmons adds: "I know all about Scientology. I studied L. Ron Hubbard – the thetans and the energy leftover when the universe was created, that we all have 'theta' within us. I get it. I understand and have read deeply into that. I'm not a follower, but good luck.
"Life is short. Believe whatever you want, worship a rock or an alien, whatever floats your boat.
"If they go on tour, the real answer is, 'Of the people, for the people, by the people.' No matter what the internet says, no matter what these 'thousands' of people who bark the loudest – the smallest dog barks the loudest.
"The great silent majority – I don't mean politically – the people who make things happen, buy tickets. So, if they – and they will – sell lots of tickets, then the public has spoken. End of story. And they will do great."
Linkin Park play a number of other US dates this month before heading to the UK, Germany, South Korea and Colombia.
