This Is Why I Care About Chester

gisca
gisca
Jul 21, 2017 · 4 min read
source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chester_Bennington_2014_2014-06-19_21-12.jpg

In 2001, when I was in 6th grade, I met a new friend who just moved to Bogor. His name is Rey. He was an emotional kid. Really nice kid, polite, kind, but keeping his own angst. But, he was a really good buddy. He introduced me to Linkin’ Park, Slipknot, and Limp Bizkit. As we grew up by watching MTV, Linkin Park was a breakthrough name in music industry. I even saved some of my money to buy Hybrid Theory cassete. A year after, Rey went back to continue his study from Bogor to Jakarta. I hadn’t any chance to meet him any more (but I am glad to see from his social media that he married our school friend, Rebecca).

Years went by, Linkin Park music shaped me. Teenage angst, broken hearts, family matters, financial problems, and a lot of other things going on. I continued my study from private catholic elementary school to public junior high school. Due the process, I got much trouble in school. On my first year, I’ve been bullied, they called me “kafir” (heathen), “pe’a” (stupid), or sometimes just cheering in some insults when I walked through a corridor. On my 7th grade, I rarely went to school or even study, but I still managed to get 1st rank. Whenever I got back from school, I went home in tears, closed the door, and listened to Points of Authority on repeat.

There was one moment, which my family was facing a great problem. I have to sold some of my belongings. Both of my parents were nowhere to find. My mother was going out somewhere to clear her mind, while my father went away for business trip. They even sent my brother somewhere with my grandmother. Anyway, I rarely went to school (7th grade), because I also did several suicide attempts. Which some of them were failed, comically. One time, I tried to set the fire to myself, instead I burned the curtain and got panic.

May 19th, 2003. On my 13th birthday. I couldn’t make to school due I was suffered of chicken pox. After, I went back from doctor, my mother was up to go somewhere. I was left alone at home. Meteora was my only friend at that time. Until, my father came back home in sudden. We talked and cried together in my room while Faint was playing in the background.

As the later year, I didn’t do well academically, I began to developed friendship with some friends. Eventhough, some people were only taken me for granted. Yes, that’s how helplessly I wanted to have friends. In my senior high school time, I already knew how to make some friends without taken for granted. Finally. My friends and I shared the similiar musical interests for local independent bands, such as the band you found in Kompilasi Kampus 24 Jam or Janji Joni OST. Well, I remembered I went to Disctarra to buy Pure Saturday’s Time for a Change, Time to Move On, Mocca’s Colours, and LP’s Minutes to Midnight on 2007. They helped out my study for final examination.

Then, life followed by A Thousand Suns, Living Things, The Hunting Party, and One More Light. As I left my teen age years, I found Linkin Park album became less significant in my life. I bought the CD, but I was no longer listened to them as religiously as before. I didn’t even bought a physical CD of One More Light, as I already subscribed to Spotify and the music wasn’t my cup of tea (anyway, there is a bit of regret here). But sure, as they somehow shaped me, I’ll always have a soft spot for Linkin Park.

Chester was not my favorite one, DJ Hahn is. But, as we know, Chester put a fundamental ground to the band’s vocal part. Without him, it will not be the same any more. Through decades of his life, he struggled through a lot of things. He inspired the youth to get out from their problems. Mental issues, substance problems, or even financial problems (as he had ever been struggling with divorce and being jobless). It is such a big loss. But, sometimes life is so painful, that death is inevitable to end the unbearable suffering.

This week, life has been very harsh to me. Well, maybe, this is the time to listen Linkin Park religiously like I did in the past.

In the end, if you may, please put down your moral judgement for a while, because his life deserves memorial. Thank you, Chester. I hope you’ll be good with Chris there.

source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/phonegigpics/15687559318/
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