 Linkin Park was founded by three high school friends : Mike Shinoda , Rob Bourdon , and Brad Delson . The three attended Agoura High School in Agoura Hills , California , a suburb of Los Angeles . After graduating from high school , the three began to take their musical interests more seriously , recruiting Joe Hahn , Dave " Phoenix " Farrell , and Mark Wakefield to perform in their band , Xero . Though limited in resources , the band began recording and producing songs within Shinoda 's makeshift bedroom studio in 1996 , resulting in a four @-@ track demo tape , entitled Xero . Tensions and frustration within the band grew however after they failed to land a record deal . The lack of success and stalemate in progress prompted Wakefield , at that time the band 's vocalist , to leave the band in search of other projects . Farrell also left to tour with Tasty <unk> , a Christian punk and Ska band . 
