Sum 41‘s Deryck Whibley has responded to growing rumours that he’s set to be the new Linkin Park frontman… or part of the new Oasis lineup.
- READ MORE: Sum 41 tell us about “aggressive” final album ‘Heaven :x: Hell’: “It’s the perfect way to go out”
Speculation began yesterday (August 26), after Sum 41 urged their fans on social media to “tune in” this Wednesday morning (August 28) local PST time in the US for a “Deryck Whibley announcement”.
The post came only two days after Linkin Park also shared a mysterious countdown video on their social media accounts, leading to excitement from fans online who presumed the two announcements may be linked. One wrote: “Holy fuckin shit hes the new Linkin Park singer” while another added: “Don’t tell me Deryck is LP’s new singer.”
Another even joked: “Is Deryck joining Oasis?” following the band’s cryptic announcement on Sunday (August 25) at the end of Liam Gallagher’s set at Reading, and subsequent revelation that they’ll be reuniting for a string of UK and Ireland tour dates.
Now, Whibley has taken to Instagram to dispel the rumours. In a post shared today (August 27), the frontman wrote: “It’s been brought to my attention that many people think I could be joining a reuniting band. But I just want to say, despite popular belief, I am not joining Oasis…. or Linkin Park. or any other band for that matter.”
He went on to say that he has his own “tour and book” announcement that he will now be moving to the end of the week.
“I do look forward to seeing whatever both these amazing bands do in the future,” he continued.
It wouldn’t be the first time the two bands have crossed paths. In 2018, Sum 41 invited Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda on stage at Reading Festival to perform a cover of Linkin Park’s ‘Faint’. Whibley took over the parts that were handled by the late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington and, as the song came to a close, he said: “Chester, we miss you.”
Earlier this year, it was reported that Linkin Park were planning a 2025 tour and potentially looking to recruit a female vocalist to succeed Bennington.
The band have been on a hiatus ever since the death of Bennington in 2017, who took his own life aged 41.
Meanwhile, today Oasis finally announced they would be reuniting for a UK and Ireland stadium tour in 2025.
The band have not yet revealed who’ll be in the rest of the line-up beyond Liam and Noel, hence the brief speculation it might be Whibley, but this week also saw newspaper reports claim that “no other original Oasis member is expected to join the reunion” and that “the members of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will step in for the concerts”.
As for Sum 41, last year the Canadian band confirmed they would be breaking up following the release of one final album and a farewell world tour.
‘Heaven :x: Hell’, said record, was shared as a double album, with the ‘Heaven’ side featuring 10 tracks of pop-punk-inspired music (influenced by 2001’s ‘All Killer, No Filler’ and 2002’s ‘Does This Look Infected?’) while ‘Hell’ showcased the heavier style that has defined recent Sum 41 releases like 2019’s ‘Order In Decline’.
At the end of 2023, Whibley spoke to NME about the record and the band’s decision to call it quits, saying: “I feel really good about this album, which is why I felt it should be the last one. We didn’t know we’d be splitting up when we were making it, but I’ve been making records and touring with this band since I was 15,” said Whibley, now 44. “I’ve had this feeling for a long time now that I want to do something different and it just feels like the right time. This album feels like the perfect way to go out.”
He added: “Over the past few years, the touring has constantly been getting bigger and the band is at our best. My fear is that if I start to lose the excitement, we’ll just fade away. I care too much about the fans and what we’ve built as a band to let that happen, just because it’s a good paycheque.”
In a three-star review of the album, NME wrote: “Truly a melting pot of soundscapes cherry-picked from their career, ‘Heaven :x: Hell’ is a fitting last hurrah for a band who sealed their place in history long ago.”
Later this year, the band will head on the road again for their farewell headline shows across the UK and Europe; including a stop in London on Halloween 2024. Visit here for any remaining tickets.
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