With Linkin Park setting a countdown that ends on Wednesday (August 28) and Sum 41 singer Deryck Whibley teasing his own announcement on Wednesday, fans naturally connected the two and assumed Whibley would be joining the Linkin Park lineup on some sort of reunion tour. However, that's not the case, according to the Sum 41 frontman himself.
Speculation has run rampant since Linkin Park… Launched the countdown clock A couple of days ago, fans assumed that the band would reunite to play festivals and headline shows next year. The band hasn't toured since singer Chester Bennington tragically took his own life in July 2017, and they only played a tribute concert later that year (which included Whibley as one of the guest singers).
“I feel the need to dispel some current rumours,” Deryck posted on his social media accounts. “I’ve been informed that many people believe I might be joining a reunion band. But I just want to say that, despite popular belief, I will not be joining Oasis… or Linkin Park. Or any other band, for that matter.”
He continued: “I have my own ‘tour and book’ announcement which I will now move to the end of the week, before… [Sum 41’s farewell] US tour. I can’t wait to see what these two amazing bands do in the future.”
Interestingly, a press release about Whibley's book launch tour was already published on Monday, August 26. The punk singer's memoirs, Walking Disaster: My Life Through Heaven and HellThe book is scheduled for release on October 8. Her book tour includes stops in Jersey City, New Jersey, on October 8; Boston, on October 9; Los Angeles, on October 10; and Las Vegas, on October 11.
It's unclear what additional information Whibley plans to reveal in his next announcement, which, as he mentioned, will now take place later in the week, so as not to interfere with Wednesday's Linkin Park reveal.
That said, it's understandable that Whibley's name was attached to a potential Linkin Park reunion. In addition to performing “The Catalyst” with them at the Bennington tribute show in 2017, he also invited Linkin Park co-vocalist Mike Shinoda to join Sum 41 onstage for a performance of “Faint” at the 2018 Reading Festival (watch both performances below).
Earlier this year, rumors swirled that Linkin Park was planning to reunite, with a female singer taking Bennington's place. Fans will have to wait until Wednesday to find out the truth.
Meanwhile, as Whibley mentioned, Sum 41 are set to kick off the final U.S. leg of their farewell tour on September 3 in San Francisco. Tickets for their upcoming shows are available now. Available here.
Listen to Whibley's recent appearance on Consequence's Kyle Meredith with… podcast, and check out his statement on Linkin Park and the book tour poster below.
—Suma 41 (@Sum41) August 27, 2024
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