Linkin Park Interview – 23rd Annual Almost Acoustic Christmas

Linkin Park’s Chester Bennington On Meeting Gene Simmons Of KISS: “If We Were In Prison, I Would Make Love To You”

Chester Bennington and Mike Shinoda of Linkin Park sat down for an exclusive interview with KROQ’s Nicole Alvarez, with Bennington sharing an eyebrow-raising story about the first time he met Gene Simmons, reality star and founding member of shock-rock legends KISS.

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“So the first time I met Gene Simmons, I was like ‘whoa, that’s Gene Simmons. He’s like right here,’” Bennington explained. “So I went over and introduced myself. He grabs me by the shoulders, and he says, ‘you are a powerful and talented young man.’ He’s staring at me in my eyes and says, ‘if we were in prison, I would make love to you.’ I was like, ‘oh.’”

“Shannon was in the background like, ‘He would. He will make love to you,’” laughed Shinoda, in reference to Shannon Tweed, Simmons’ longtime partner who finally tied the knot with the blood-spitting rocker in October of 2011.

After much touring in 2012, including the Honda Civic Tour with Incubus, Linkin Park recently announced the band will only be playing a single North American show in 2013, headlining Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas on February 16. Linkin Park fan club members can purchase presale tickets on the band’s official website now, with tickets being made available to the public on December 14.

-Scott T. Sterling, CBS Local