I have spent the entire day thinking of the same question millions around the world have asked themselves repeatedly, why? July 20, 2017 marks the tragic day Chester Bennington was found lifeless in his home in Los Angeles, CA. Bennington’s death impacts millions of us because we have been there with Linkin Park since the beginning. For almost 20 years we were there for the release of Hybrid Theory. The evolution of rock music into Nu-metal was bold, it was brilliant. Linkin Park continued to climb the charts, break down the barriers of music with a catalog that featured collaborations with artists such as Jay-Z, and contributing music for Transformers, and so on. Since the early 2000’s anyone and everyone knew a Linkin Park song, with hardly anyone who didn’t recognize the razor sharp vocals of Bennington.
As was reported in many media outlets, today also marked what would have been Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell’s birthday and I cannot help but wonder if there is a correlation between the two since Cornell had also committed suicide recently in May. It was known that Bennington and Cornell were close friends and one can only wonder the impact it may have left.
The documentary Soaked in Bleach directed by Benjamin Statler is on the topic of Kurt Cobain’s apparent suicide. The documentary challenges the ruling of a suicide determined by local Washington police investigators. Investigator Tom Grant talks about copycat suicides and how 68 cases were related to the death of Kurt Cobain. Since I viewed this documentary only days ago, the information remains fresh within and I cannot help but wonder if the death of Chris Cornell was a contributing factor to Bennington’s suicide.
I had the privilege of watching Linkin Park headline the San Antonio Rivercity Rockfest in 2015 and my favorite performance was the band singing “Given’ Up”. I will never forget Chester’s vocal attacks, the crowd responding with admiration and devil horns in the air for their rock idol. To fellow Linkin Park family, friends, and fans, I share in your sorrows. I spent my afternoon at my local music store and picked up physical copies of Hybrid Theory and Meteora to go back in time for a moment. On a side note, I have always believed Chester had one of the coolest names, Chester Bennington.
There is never a time when the topic of suicide should be ignored. If there is ever a moment of hesitation, there is always a chance, there is always help. www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org 1-800-273-8255.
Rest in Peace, Chester Bennington…
The Scientist
“When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some reasons to be missed
And don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory
Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest”
-Written by Rob Bourdon, Brad Delson, Mike Shinoda, Dave Farrell, Joe Hahn, Chester Bennington
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*The above article is intended as a thought piece and does not necessarily reflect the thoughts of everyone at The Skeptics’ Review. It is intended to remember and embrace the wonderful life and accomplishments of Chester Bennington. Any comparisons made within the article are purely coincidental and merely observations.