Linkin Park is facing a new lawsuit.
The band’s bassist, Kyle Christner, has filed a lawsuit against the band and referred to himself as a ‘former member of Linkin Park’ during the case.
Why Was Linkin Park Sued?
The bassist claimed he received no royalties or credits on the band’s 1999 ‘Hybrid Theory’ album.
According to the case filed in Los Angeles Wednesday, Kyle Christner claimed he never received ‘a penny’ for his efforts and that his bandmates benefitted from his work. Eventually, the bassist urged a federal judge to step in and sort out ownership and authorship of more than 20 disputed tracks.
The lawsuit alleges that one of the band’s managers contacted Christner last April and told him he owed royalties for three demos and the six-song ‘Hybrid Theory EP,’ which was included in the rap-metal group’s 20th-anniversary box set, released in 2020 to commemorate their landmark 2000 studio album of the same name.
Christner Was Fired Out Of His Knowledge
According to the lawsuit, the band’s other members ‘abruptly’ told Christner in October 1999 that he was no longer a member of the band. He stated he never received an explanation for the decision.
However, Mike Shinoda praised Christner on a Twitch stream following the 2020 release of ‘Could Have Been,’ which, according to the lawsuit, labeled his bass solo as ‘gnarly.’
According to Christner, other tracks featured in the box set are ‘She Couldn’t,’ ‘Chair,’ ‘Blue,’ and ‘Step Up.’
Now, along with Machine Shop and Warner Records, Linkin Park members Shinoda, Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, and Joseph Hahn are named as defendants.
