Front cover
How it began...
Xero was a band founded by emcee Mike Shinoda and Brad Delson in 1996, the year Delson and Shinoda graduated at Augora High. The original name they chose was SuperXero but it was revised to Xero. After graduating, Mike decided to attend Pasadena, California’s Art College of Design, where he met Joseph Hahn, an aspiring illustrator and practicing DJ. Mike asked Joe to sign on to join the band. Joe was considered a perfect fit for the band, someone who could add another dimension of sound to the band’s resume. Meanwhile, Brad was accepted into UCLA and roomed with a bass player by the name of Dave Farrell. Farrell was soon added to Xero’s line-up.
Xero recorded a four-track cassette sampler in 1997 with another Agoura High acquaintance, Mark Wakefield, as lead vocalist. The tape was released locally in 1997. After garnering attention doing minor shows for friends, the band hooked the opening slot for a System of a Down show at the Los Angeles club ‘The Whisky’. Executives from Zomba Music were at the concert and signed the band to a development deal directly after the concert. The guys realized they had something special on their hands and started to get more serious, sensing they had a future in the music business. Despite their efforts over the next three years, Xero were rejected by every major and independent label in the business. Mark Wakefield left the band to become the manager for "Taproot" and recorded one solo track called "Ground Xero". Chester Bennington took his place in the band and they changed their name into "Hybrid Theory" short after.
XERO was an American Nu-Metal/Hip-Hop band
formed in 1996 It included Mark Wakefield,
Mike Shinoda, Rob Bourdon, Joe Hahn, Brad Delson
and Dave Farrell . The original name they chose was
SuperXero but it was revised to Xero.
They made just one demo tape, which included
the songs "Fuse", "Reading My Eyes",
"Stick N' Move" and "Rhinestone".
The project floundered and they never achieved
much success. After Mark Wakefield left to
become the manager for Taproot
The guys played around for fun and started getting
attention from friends.
So they set up a show at LA's Whisky and
got signed to Zomba Music Publishing their 1st show.
They were with the bands: System of a Down and SX-10
Although there are very few recordings available online,
there was a brief concert featuring Xero opening
for Cypress Hill.
Although the main concert hasn't been confirmed,
it is at least known that the concert did exist,
and with more songs than the original
Xero Demo Tape had on it.
The setlist is as follows:
Xero - 10-08-97: Lynus Brook club, L.A. Setlist:
01-Rhinestone
02-The Team
03-Reading My Eyes
04-Untitled [In The End DEMO]
05-Explode
06-Rhinestone (part two) [Stick N Move DEMO]
07-Now I See
08-Fuse
Every once in a blue moon, the demo-sampler tape will show up on online auctions like eBay with prices usually well over $1,000.
"Rhinestone" is a prototype of Linkin Park's song "Forgotten".
Live performances:
Although there are very few recordings available online, there was a brief concert (10/08/1997 at the Lynus Brook club, L.A), featuring Xero opening for Cypress Hill. Although the main concert hasn't been confirmed, it is at least known that the concert did exist, and with more songs than the original Xero demo-sampler tape had on it.
Also, in the LPU image gallery, there is a picture of a flyer of a festival where Xero performed together with Cypress Hill and System Of A Down. We can't publish this picture because it's an LPU exclusive, if you want to check it out, log or sign in at the LPU and go to the image gallery there!
"The Team" and "Explode" cannot be found on the internet. Not even lyrics can be found for those 2 tracks. Other tracks of Xero are "Pictureboard", "Now I see", "Untitled", "Rhinestone Part 2", "Esaul". None of these where released or performed but some of them were taken further by Hybrid Theory as demos for their debut album as Linkin Park.
Members:
MARK WAKEFIELD (LEAD VOCALS
This is the lead singer of XERO
Mark Wakefield met Mike Shinoda in high school and joined the band, who were at that point called SuperXero. They revised the name to Xero and recorded the self-titled XERO sampler tape featuring the songs, "Fuse", "Reading My Eyes", "Stick N' Move" and "Rhinestone". The project floundered and Mark Wakefield decided to leave.
*Wakefield has since recorded a song named "Ground Xero".
MIKE SHINODA (MC, LEAD VOCALS)
In his early teens, Shinoda's musical interests found a source of encouragement in friend Brad Delson, with whom he started to write and record songs in a makeshift studio set up in his bedroom. Shinoda attended the Agoura High School with Brad Delson and Rob Bourdon. By the end of high school, percussion practitioner Bourdon had become involved in their musical ventures. The trio formed the band XERO, and began to make a more serious attempt to pursue a career in the music industry.
After high school, Shinoda enrolled in the Art Center College of Design to study graphic design and illustration. It was here that he made the acquaintance of DJ and turntablist Joseph Hahn, who, along with Delson's college-mate Dave "Phoenix" Farrell, was soon added to XERO's line-up.
JOSEPH HAHN (DJ)
Hahn joined XERO in 1997 as the band's DJ.
BRAD DELSON (GUITAR)
Bradford Phillip Delson
Before forming Xero, Delson's first instrument was the trumpet. His first band was called the Pricks, and he later played in a band called Relative Degree with his fellow bandmate Rob Bourdon. He met and roomed with bandmate Dave Farrell at UCLA.
ROB BURDON (DRUMS)
Robert Gregory Bourdon
Rob played in bands with his friends. It was around that time he met Brad Delson, and they played together for about a year in a band called Relative Degree. Their goal was to play at the Roxy, and after achieving their goal with a sell-out show, they broke up.
DAVE FARREL (BASS)
David Michael Farrell
Farrell was a member of a Christian punk band known as the Tasty Snax. While attending college, he would practice with Brad Delson in their dorm room together.
Videos:
Xero - Stick n' Move