Shinoda says the band and producer Rick Rubin have narrowed about 100 song ideas down to 18 and will probably trim further before the album is finished. The MC says recording is "going really well" and that working with Rubin is "amazing ... really awesome."

"The thing about Rick that I love is he's unpredictable," Shinoda says. "He'll listen to a song and throw out an idea that seems completely out of nowhere, but it makes a lot of sense and it makes the song better." Shinoda adds that Rubin has steered band members towards recordings by Pink Floyd, Elton John, King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer as reference points for different emotions and feels for the new songs. "The Moog (synthesizer) has been sitting in the studio since day one," Shinoda says with a laugh.

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Bands: Linkin Park