Mike Shinoda calls Linkin Park the ‘2000s version of Bon Jovi’

“Why would you say something so controversial yet so brave?”

Yep, Mike Shinoda went there. In a new interview with The Needle Drop, the Linkin Park emcee made a statement that may shock and confuse you — but let's let him explain.

While discussing his favorite bands and concerts with host Anthony Fantano around the 45-minute mark, Shinoda came clean about his real favorite bands and his obsession with Bon Jovi.

“I had an obsession... The first three groups that I loved were Beastie Boys, Run-D.M.C., and Bon Jovi,” he confessed. “Bon Jovi, I don't know what it was about them that I liked.”

He later explained a connection he made between the classic rock band and Linkin Park that did not go over well with the other members of LP.

“They never made this connection but once I said it they were so mad at me for pointing this out. I was like, 'you guys, we were the 2000s version of Bon Jovi.'” Let that sink in, 'cause it's true! It's 100% true,” Shinoda said. “People could f****** hate on them and it was like pop, hair metal, blah blah blah. It's like guys, we accidentally became Bon Jovi.”

Shinoda also mentioned the time he saw Bon Jovi at the 2012 iHeartRadio Music Festival saying, “Chester and I found out that Bon Jovi was playing… so obviously we have to go.” He then recounted the hilarious moment he had to watch Jon Bon Jovi shake his butt in front of the whole crowd and wondered if his own band had gotten to the point in their career they'd have to do the same.

Elsewhere in the interview, Shinoda revealed that he actually had no interest in putting out the 20th-anniversary Hybrid Theory box set but going through all the material changed his mind.

“I was like, 'why? We've done everything there is to do with Hybrid Theory. Why would you do that?'” he said. But once the guys started finding videos, demos, and photos from the late '90s he changed his mind.

Watch the whole interview above.

This article was first published on iheart.com and is republished here with permission