#RIPChester

When I was introduced to the world of music when I was in my high school years, there have been several bands to which – up to this day – I try catching up to with regards to the music that they are doing at the moment. One such band that came to my attention was Linkin Park.

The first song that I ever heard from this band was “In the End”. I could remember it quite clearly because as I watch the local music channel- when I could still watch it on TV without worrying about the antenna going off -, it was always number one. When I first heard the song, I was really feeling the intensity of the song and the feeling totally made sense when I saw the music video that came with it. I also found myself enthralled as I listened to one of their frontmen belch out those tunes as if pulling you to the edge as the song kicks in. After the song faded, I then got introduced to their other tracks and I was an avid fan of their “Meteora” album and the same frontman just blew my mind away with his killer voice. It added to the flare of Meteora and my favorite track “Faint”.

I then fell out of touch with LP sometime later, primarily because of school and the fact I had music preferences back then. However, I would always have my iPod – then my phones, have one or two tracks of LP. Later on, when the Transformers franchise used two songs from LP, that found its way to my phones’ playlist.

To be able to watch them live was a dream and even if I am a devoted ONE OK ROCK fan, LP would have been one of the very rare bands I will definitely watch live should they come to the country. When the announcement came that they will make a splash in Japan in November this year as part of their world tour (Philippines hasn’t been included in the list of the future shows yet), I immediately contacted my friend in Japan and bought tickets when they opened the overseas ticketing. I was very fortunate to be able to get one because it would have been sold out considering their headline band for the live is my Japanese loves ONE OK ROCK. I admit, that was a big plus, but LP and OOR in one stage? Something admittedly no one will pass up considering how both bands said they admire each other and how big of a legends both bands are in their side of the world. Mike Shinoda himself even worked with OOR for their current album, Ambitions.

However, I was brought numb when a friend of mine from the US messaged in our group chat just a couple of minutes ago that one of the frontmen of the band – which admittedly played a part of my high school days – passed away a few hours ago due to suicide. I was like… What…

Everything just stopped. Taking to the net, the news just kept coming because like many fans out there, I’m in denial. But, the news updated itself and the confirmation, albeit not the official statement from LP and the Benningtons, came on Twitter. It was true.

Truth is hard to take… it never is easy to do so, especially if the truth takes a person, who played some part on your life may it be indirectly or directly, with it.

We lost another powerful voice in the world today… a voice that inspired millions and others with the same story as him.

Many may try to copy him, but there’s only one him.

He will be missed greatly.

#RIPChesterBennington