Chester Bennington

Steve Taylor-Bryant reflects on this week's sad news...



It's been a few days since the news broke about Chester Bennington. I'd like to report we're all good now, all grieved and moving on. We aren't. He was 41.



"It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back
It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin"


When someone older dies, no matter the way, you are sad. Chris Cornell died recently and my heart broke. He was nearly mid 50's though and I went about my daily life. Cobain was older, Lennon was older, life goes on. Chester Bennington was 41. He has children, quite a few. I am also 41. I have 5 children.



You see I'm not a university graduate that listened to Hybrid Theory then got a 2:1. I'm not a young kid gutted Papercut isn't going to play on radio anymore. I'm 41.



NuMetal isn't new "nu" to me, I'm not really young, it was just rock, just another change in genre. To many, Hybrid Theory is revolutionary, and it probably is if you are under 40. If you're my age it's just a top notch band, lyrically eloquent, musically ahead of their contemporaries. A band that moved rock into a modern day, with the Jay Z Collision Course project they brought a new audience to their music, and likewise, with the Grammy performance with Sir Paul McCartney they quite literally brought generations together.



Chester was a troubled man who lyrically made some of us aware it was okay to talk about our feelings. He made sad people happy, he was possibly the greatest vocalist of his generation. In the end though does it even matter?



He didn't talk when he needed to. You're listening to Hybrid Theory right now [the full album is on the official playlist video below - Ed]. I hope you're just mourning. If you aren't? PLEASE Talk to someone.

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In the US:

Top image - Linkin Park Facebook Page