One Step Closer (Linkin Park song)

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“One Step Closer”
“One Step Closer” cover
Single by Linkin Park
from the album Hybrid Theory
B-side "My December"
"High Voltage"
Released January 15, 2001 (EU)
February 13, 2001 (US)
Format CD
Recorded NRG Studios 2000
Genre Nu metal
Length 2:35
Label Warner Bros. Records
Writer(s) Linkin Park
Producer Don Gilmore
Linkin Park singles chronology
"One Step Closer"
(2001)		 "Crawling"
(2001)

"One Step Closer" is the debut single by the nu metal band Linkin Park released in 2001 and the second track of their debut album, Hybrid Theory. It is also the song that catapulted the band to stardom, especially towards the rock audience, as well as one of the band's well-known songs.

Contents

[edit] Song

The original title for the song was "Plaster" (an earlier mix can be found circulating the internet labeled "Plaster"). The band say they created "One Step Closer" while struggling on "Runaway", the sixth track from Hybrid Theory. The single was released in 2001, achieving notable success in Australia, but moderate success in the UK and U.S.

The song features Mike Shinoda rapping a few lines during the chorus, while Bennington sings and screams his own lines. Shinoda's lines are overdubbed with additional screams from Bennington in the studio recording, somewhat drowning out the rapping.

There is a remix of "One Step Closer" on LP's remix album Reanimation (2002), titled "1Stp Klosr", done by The Humble Brothers and Korn's lead singer, Jonathan Davis. This remix was preceded by its "demo version" of the remix (included as an easter egg on Linkin Park's DVD, Frat Party at the Pankake Festival) and a radio edit version of that demo. Furthermore, Collision Course (2004) features a mash-up of the original song with "Points of Authority" and Jay-Z's "99 Problems". "One Step Closer" is one of Linkin Park's best known songs and biggest hit from the band besides In The End.

[edit] Live performances

Until 2007, Linkin Park has closed every concert to date with "One Step Closer", excluding Live 8 and their live performance at Summer Sonic.

During the 2001 MTV VMA performance of the song, the band had The X-Ecutioners do an extended break before the bridge. This part was somewhat similar to the atmosphere on the remix, with synth parts and faint vocal parts being scratched.

From 2003 to 2007, performances of the song include a verse originally sung by Jonathan Davis in the Reanimation remix of the song before the "Shut up when I'm talking to you!" bridge. At the end of the verse, Bennington then repeats the line "Blood is pouring" while the song builds up to the bridge.
On occasion, Shinoda sings "Blood is pouring" under Bennington's screaming during this part, as is done by Jonathan Davis on the remix. This is half-done on the performance at 2004's Rock AM Ring (in that Shinoda only sings the part during the second half of the bridge) and fully done during a performance during 2003's Projekt Revolution tour, which was recorded and included on the "Faint" single and is available as a bonus track for Reanimation when purchased on iTunes. On the single cover, it is called '"One Step Closer" (Reanimated Live)'. During the 2005 live performances in Japan, the Reanimation bridge was played with the main riff of the song.

During the band's 2007 tour, One Step Closer became the opening song of Linkin Park's performances, and the Reanimation verse was removed. It also featured a new, extended intro featuring Mike Shinoda on rhythm guitar.

In 2008 it has a new extended outro, but it was not performed as the opening song, and sometimes it was performed as the last song.

[edit] Video

Joe Hahn of Linkin Park came up with the concept for the video. The original version of the video was supposedly meant to be live footage of the band with fans (similar to their music video for Faint).

The actual video was directed by Gregory Dark and shot in Los Angeles 63 feet under ground in an abandoned LA subway tunnel, that is adjacent to an abandoned V.A. hospital. In this video, the bass is played by Scott Koziol, who temporarily joined the band before Dave Farrell's comeback.

[edit] Collaborations

Over the years, the band has collaborated on the live version of "One Step Closer" with many different artists, some of these include:[1]

[edit] Charts

Chart Peak
position
Billboard Hot 100 75
Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 4
Billboard Modern Rock Tracks 5
Billboard Hot 100 Airplay 68
Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles 2
UK Singles Chart 24
Australian Singles Chart 4
Germany Singles Chart 32
Italy Singles Chart 46
Dutch Singles Chart 57
Swedish Singles Chart 46
Swiss Singles Chart 42
Austrian Singles Chart 38

[edit] Track listing

Maxi CD Single

  1. "One Step Closer"
  2. "My December"
  3. "High Voltage" (2000 Reprise)

10" Vinyl

  1. "One Step Closer"
  2. "My December"

(2&3 also appear on the Japanese release of Hybrid Theory and Frat Party at the Pankake Festival DVD)

Bonus

  1. "One Step Closer" (CD-ROM Music Video)

[edit] Notes and references

  1. ^ One Step Closer collaborations

[edit] External links

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Linkin Park
Chester Bennington · Rob Bourdon · Brad Delson · Dave "Phoenix" Farrell · Joe Hahn · Mike Shinoda
Kyle Christener · Scott Koziol · Mark Wakefield
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