Hybrid Theory EP is an EP by Linkin Park (who were at that time called Hybrid Theory, making it a self-titled record), recorded and released in 1999. It was their first record in chronological order. Before it, in 1997 the band registered only a demo tape entitled Xero.
At the time, the band's name was still Hybrid Theory (they were previously called Xero; the band changed name later in 1998, after Chester Bennington joined them, replacing Mark Wakefield). Only one thousand copies were pressed, and the EP was sent to various record labels, including Warner Bros. Records. The remaining copies of the EP were sent to the first members of Linkin Park's newly-formed street team. On November 19, 2001, Linkin Park Underground, Linkin Park's exclusive fan club, was launched. The first fan club package was shipped to members and included a re-mixed and re-mastered edition of Hybrid Theory EP, with edited inlay artwork, including a note from the band. The first 500 copies of the CD were individually signed by all 6 members of the band. The Hybrid Theory EP has fetched several hundred dollars, from auctions on Web sites like eBay. Currently, the only ways to obtain the EP are either to purchase it from eBay, or participate in contests in the LPU in which the EP is awarded as a contest prize. However, the prizes awarded by the LPU are not copies from the original run. The differences between the original pressing and the LPU re-release include:
Original pressing lists the 'Produced by' credit on the back insert to Hybrid Theory (the band's name at the time); the re-release was changed to show Mike Shinoda as producer.
Artwork differences include a text box on the inner cover on the original containing the following quote - "After eight months, she was sure of one thing: that the baby's future would be determined by the convergence of its divided past."; the re-release does not.
The inner cover/liner notes for the original list the band members at the time, including bassist Kyle Christener; the re-release contains a letter from Linkin Park to their fans and has quite different artwork from the original.
The Re-Release of the Hybrid Theory EP's cover art is noticeably brighter than the EP's original release, and the picture in the inner cover is more blue in the re-release than the original.
Track listing
"Carousel" – 3:00
"Technique (Short)" – 0:40
"Step Up" – 3:55
"And One" – 4:30
Contains a hidden track which features Mike rapping in an ominous way. The hidden track is about one minute long.
1 Anonymous Track 7 instrumental, similar to "Session". The track will go into some beeps for about 6 minutes from 4:06 to 10:00 then track 7 begins. The hidden track has been labeled by some fans as "Ambient".
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Phoenix, the Bass guitar player for Linkin Park had no part in this album.
The unnamed instrumental at the end of track 6 is called "Ambient" or "Secret" by some fans. It is similar to Session of the album Meteora.
Jeff Duran was the first DJ in the United States to play Linkin Park on a commercial radio station (back when he was the afternoon drive DJ at KIXA 106.5).
This is the last time Mike used uncensored profanity in his rapping before his Fort Minor releases and Linkin Park's latest album, Minutes To Midnight.
The art design and photography was done by Mike Shinoda and Joe Hahn, who have also done album art for Linkin Park's releases and also those of fellow Machine Shop artists Styles of Beyond.
Samples from "Step Up" were used in "Kyur4 th Ich", the remix of "Cure For The Itch" that appeared on the 2002 remix album Reanimation.
There were only 1000 original EP's ever released. The first 500 copies of the LP Underground re-release were signed by the band.
