For Whom The Bell Tolls — Chester Bennington (1976–2017)

I was 13 or 14 when my family friend, Shehan, introduced me to Linkin Park. Before that I only knew old school rock/pop that my Dad blared out from the stereo i.e. The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkle, Elvis Presley (Dad’s idol) and The Rolling Stones.
Teenage years are the worst. To me, growing up in the Middle East and being in the only Sri Lankan in an Indian school meant constant bullying, ridicule and the constant need to prove myself in terms of grades and extra-curricular activities. But growing up abroad, you get decent pocket money. I remember collecting pocket money from washing Dad’s car as a teen to buy their CD’s or torrent them online using kazaa or LimeWire.
I related to Chester Bennington as a teenager, the screaming and hoarse voice with which he shaped the lyrics & rhythm of Hybrid Theory and Meteora really resonated with me. Numb, Crawling, Papercut were my go to tracks. Meteora helped me cope through a breakup, multiple nervous breakdowns, screaming & crying through opioid abuse. Listening to Linkin Park, helped me discover Fort Minor; Mike Shinoda’s rap rock music band. Linkin Park will never be the same again.
Then came Minutes to Midnight and fans were not pleased with the techno beat of the following albums either. I liked the different direction because I felt as an artiste or as a band, it’s important to evolve and there was a softer side to Chester than the angsty image he portrayed in Meteora and Hybrid Theory. I looked forward to them contributing to the soundtrack of the Transformers movies too.
The only thing that I can learn or advise from his tragic death is that when people are in pain, please don’t label them as an attention seeker or an emotional vampire. Listen to them, talk to whenever you can. Sometimes, a friend’s death can affect you to the core of your psyche. Perhaps, Chester was affected by his best friend Chris Cornell’s death but was a victim of horrible child abuse, a victim of drug, opioid and alcohol abuse but most of his tracks he wrote came out of this misery.
I really don’t know what to say anymore…this death feels so personal. Just like the loss of late Robin Williams, Chris Cornell, Paul Walker, David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Prince, George Michael and Carrie Fisher.
If you are in need of an ear, if you are reading this, going through depression or a turbulent time in your life. Please, please, please don’t think suicide is the only option. I love you, we love you, your family loves you, please, don’t do it.
I love you Chester Bennington. Your music has changed me and will continue to for generations to come. Rest in peace sir.
Should’ve stayed, were there signs, I ignored?
Can I help you, not to hurt, anymore?
We saw brilliance, when the world, was asleep
There are things that we can have, but can’t keepIf they say
Who cares if one more light goes out
In the sky of a million stars
It flickers, flickers
Who cares when someone’s time runs out
If a moment is all we are
Or quicker, quicker
Who cares if one more light goes out
Well I doThe reminders, pull the floor from your feet
In the kitchen, one more chair than you need, oh
And you’re angry, and you should be, it’s not fair
Just ’cause you can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t thereIf they say
Who cares if one more light goes out
In the sky of a million stars
It flickers, flickers
Who cares when someone’s time runs out
If a moment is all we are
Or quicker, quicker
Who cares if one more light goes out
Well I doWho cares if one more light goes out
In the sky of a million stars
It flickers, flickers
Who cares when someone’s time runs out
If a moment is all we are
Or quicker, quicker
Who cares if one more light goes out
Well I do
Well I do — One More Light by Linkin Park.
