Brad Delson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brad Delson
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Delson in 2024
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Bradford Philip Delson |
| Born | December 1, 1977 Agoura, California, U.S. |
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| Occupation(s) | Musician |
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| Years active | 1995–present |
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Bradford Philip Delson (born December 1, 1977) is an American musician. He is the lead guitarist and one of the people who started the rock band Linkin Park.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Brad Delson grew up in Agoura Hills, California. He went to Agoura High School with his friend, Mike Shinoda. Brad first played the trumpet, but then started playing the guitar when he was 12 years old. He liked listening to bands like Guns N' Roses and Metallica. He was in a rock band called Relative Degree with drummer Rob Bourdon. This group broke up after their first live show.
Brad went to UCLA for college. He shared a room with bassist Dave Farrell for three years. He studied communication. He also worked as an intern for Jeff Blue, who was a vice president at Zomba Music. Mr. Blue taught Brad a lot about the music business. Brad finished college in 1999. He thought about going to law school, but decided to become a professional musician instead.
Brad Delson's Music Career
Starting Linkin Park
In 1996, Brad Delson, along with Mike Shinoda and Rob Bourdon, started a band called Xero. This was the very first version of Linkin Park. Soon, the band added vocalist Mark Wakefield, bassist Dave Farrell, and turntablist Joe Hahn.
After Mark Wakefield left, Brad asked his old boss, Jeff Blue, for help finding a new singer. Mr. Blue introduced the band to Chester Bennington. Chester sang for them and became the new full-time vocalist. Jeff Blue later helped the band get a record deal with Warner Bros. Records.
Brad's Role in Linkin Park
Brad Delson played guitar on all eight of Linkin Park's albums. He also played bass on their first album, Hybrid Theory, because Dave Farrell was temporarily touring with another band.
After Hybrid Theory came out, Brad worked closely with Mike Shinoda to create Linkin Park's sound. They both helped produce the albums The Hunting Party (2014) and One More Light (2017). When they were making The Hunting Party, record producer Rick Rubin told Brad to play more guitar solos. Brad said he was "rediscovering the guitar and having a lot of fun with it."
Brad also helped manage the band's business, like marketing and money, with Dave Farrell and Rob Bourdon.
Linkin Park's Hiatus and Return
Linkin Park took a break for seven years after Chester Bennington passed away in 2017. In September 2024, the band announced they were back with new members. Their eighth album, From Zero, was released in November 2024, and Brad helped produce it.
Brad shared that he would not be touring with the band. He prefers to work in the studio and behind the scenes. Alex Feder performs in his place during tours. However, Brad is still an official member of Linkin Park and has said he might tour again in the future.
Machine Shop Records
In 2001, Brad Delson and Mike Shinoda started their own record label called Machine Shop Records. Brad said they did this because "Too many people in the music industry tried to preserve the status quo instead of embracing innovation."
Linkin Park Albums
- Hybrid Theory (2000)
- Meteora (2003)
- Minutes to Midnight (2007)
- A Thousand Suns (2010)
- Living Things (2012)
- The Hunting Party (2014)
- One More Light (2017)
- From Zero (2024)
Brad's Guitar Style and Gear
Brad Delson has said he doesn't like to "show off" with his guitar playing. He tries to make his guitar sound like a keyboard or strings. This helps it fit well with the band's hip-hop and electronica style songs. He also likes his sound to be gritty, almost like a "sampled" sound.
Even though he once said he didn't like guitar solos, he started playing them more around the time of the Minutes to Midnight album. His bandmates encouraged him to do so. Brad plays guitar solos on songs like "What I've Done" and "In Pieces." He also played many solos on Linkin Park's sixth album, The Hunting Party.
Brad often wears Shure headphones when he performs. This helps protect his hearing.
Brad's Guitars
Brad uses several types of guitars. His favorite is a custom-made red Paul Reed Smith guitar. It has the Hybrid Theory soldier logo on it. He also uses Fender guitars, like a Stratocaster.
Brad's Effects and Amplifiers
To make sure his sound is just right, Brad uses many effect pedals. These pedals are kept in a special rack to protect them during live shows. He controls them from a pedalboard on stage.
For the first two albums, he used Mesa/Boogie and Marshall amplifiers. Later, he started using different types of amplifiers to get new sounds. For live shows, he now uses a Fractal Axe-FX II system. This system helps him create the sounds of many different amplifiers.
Brad's Personal Life
Brad Delson married Elisa Boren in September 2003. They bought a home in Los Angeles in 2022.
In 2009, Brad gave a speech at his old college, UCLA. He is also Jewish.
Helping Others
- 2004: Brad and his wife started the Delson Scholarship Fund at UCLA. This fund gives four-year scholarships to amazing students from Huntington Park every year.
- 2005: Linkin Park created Music for Relief. This group helps people affected by big disasters around the world and works to fight global warming. Music for Relief has raised a lot of money to help people after events like the South Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.
- 2005: Brad became a supporter of Little Kids Rock. This group gives free musical instruments and lessons to children in public schools across the United States. Brad has personally given instruments to kids in the program. He is also an honorary member on the group's board of directors.
See also
In Spanish: Brad Delson para niños
