Linkin Park’s new drummer Colin Brittain recently discussed his experience playing the band’s classic songs. He specifically addressed how he approaches performing Rob Bourdon’s original drum parts in an interview with Drumeo.
When asked about what it’s been like playing Rob Bourdon’s parts, Brittain provided insight into his deep connection with the former drummer’s style and technique.
“I don’t know. Like they’re such an entrenched part of my musical DNA. I really mean that. I feel like it’s I know them so well,” Brittain said. “His style of playing and his playing specifically was pretty integral to how I became a drummer professionally anyways.”
Brittain explained that this familiarity made the transition smoother than expected. He acknowledged the natural variations that occur in live performance.
“And so I think that it wasn’t that hard really. There’s obviously like just like in my own parts like there’s little bits of change and improvising improvisation,” he continued. “Based on mechanics or based on feel or whatever that just naturally happens in a live setting. Like no two drummers are going to play the same. And that’s not the point.”
The drummer emphasized his approach to balancing authenticity with personal expression in his performances.
“The point is meeting you as close to the record can be like it’s almost like a van diagram of where you feel how you feel and then what what’s supposed to be there,” Brittain said. “And it’s like wherever you can sort of match those two together, you know, I feel like is like the sweet spot where everybody wants to be. So yeah, you just try your best, I guess.”
Brittain’s journey to becoming Linkin Park’s drummer represents a full-circle moment in his musical career. It combines his deep appreciation for the band with his extensive professional experience.
The Linkin Park Wiki reported that Brittain joined Linkin Park officially in September 2024 after being introduced to the band during collaborative songwriting sessions with Mike Shinoda in 2021, following Rob Bourdon’s departure from the group. The drummer was born in Pensacola, Florida, and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville is a city renowned for its musical heritage that helped shape his artistic development.
Before taking on the drummer role, Brittain had already established himself as a prolific producer and songwriter in the music industry. Blabbermouth noted that he worked on chart-topping records for Papa Roach, One Ok Rock, All Time Low, and 5 Seconds of Summer, demonstrating his versatility across different rock and alternative genres.
“It’s kind of full circle for me. I started out as a drummer, became a producer, [and now] I’m back doing drums,” Brittain said in a previous interview. He highlighted how his career path has brought him back to his roots while adding valuable production experience to his skill set.
The transition from producer back to drummer represents more than just a career change for Brittain. His extensive background in both performance and production gives him a unique perspective on how to honor the original recordings while bringing his own interpretation to live performances. This makes him well-suited to fill the significant role left by Rob Bourdon’s departure from the iconic band.
