I wrote this post back in 2017 but it still feels important:
“This morning I woke up to the news that Chester Bennington singer of one of my most favourites bands has passed away. Apparently he took his life not being able to bear the pain of past trauma and his struggle with drug and alcohol addiction any longer.
I always loved the music of Linkin Park and their lyrics spoke to me. Little did I know that Chester was a survivor too but I now understand why there has been a connection ever since I first heard “In The End”.
When my past tried to take over my life I fled into music or books and so often it was his voice that kept me alive and kicking. I am so sorry that there hasn’t been anything that helped him in the same way. It is such a waste of a precious life and precious talent.
However, I very well understand the powers that bring you to the point of no return.
May the powers that be grant him the peace he could not find in life!”
Ich habe diesen Beitrag 2017 geschrieben aber er fühlt sich immer noch wichtig an:
“Heute morgen bin ich mit der Nachricht wach geworden, dass der Saenger einer meiner liebsten Musikgruppen verstorben ist.
Offensichtlich hat Chester Bennington Selbstmord begangen, da er den Schmerz von vergangenem Trauma und seinen Kampf mit Drogen- und Alkoholabhaengigkeit nicht mehr ertragen konnte.
Ich habe die Musik von Linkin Park immer gemocht und Ihre Liedtexte sprachen zu mir. Ich wusste nicht, dass Chester auch ein Ueberlebender war aber jetzt verstehe ich, warum da immer eine Verbindung bestand seit ich “In The End” zum ersten Mal hoerte.
Wenn meine Vergangenheit versucht, ueberhand zu nehmen fliehe ich in Musik und Buecher und so oft war es seine Stimme, die mich am Leben gehalten hat.
Ich bin so traurig, dass es da nichts gab, dass ihm in der gleichen Weise geholfen hat. Es ist so ein Verlust an wertvollem Leben und Talent.
Allerdings verstehe ich die Kreafte, die einen an den Punkt ohne Wiederkehr bringen, sehr gut.
Moegen die Maechte, die sind, ihm den Frieden goennen, den er im Leben nie finden konnte.”
the-bee-writes.com 
A poignant tribute.
There is a painfully tragic link to Chester Bennignton. Early that year , he lost a friend and associate Chris Cornell (Audioslave and Soungarden) in similar circumstances, in turn Cornell had lost a friend Andrew Wood in 1990 through drugs (Wood was part of Mother Love Bone- credited as one of the founding bands of the Seattle grunge sound).
Reading this tribute has brought to mind an old Association song: Requiem for The Masses, which was a lament and protest during the Vietnam War. Yet somehow it seems to fit for artistic folk who have to struggle with demons:
Lyrics-
Requiem aeternam, requiem aeternam
Mama, mama, forget your pies
Have faith they won’t get cold
And turn your eyes to the bloodshot sky
Your flag is flying full
At half mast, for the matadors
Who turned their backs to please the crowd
And all fell before the bull
Red was the color of his blood flowing thin
Pallid white was the color of his lifeless skin
Blue was the color of the morning sky
He saw looking up from the ground where he died
It was the last thing ever seen by him
Kyrie Eleison
Mama, mama, forget your pies
Have faith they won’t get cold
And turn your eyes to the bloodshot sky
Your flag is flying full
At half mast, for the matadors
Who turned their backs to please the crowd
And all fell before the bull
Black and white were the figures that recorded him
Black and white was the newsprint he was mentioned in
Black and white was the question that so bothered him
He never asked, he was taught not to ask
But was on his lips as they buried him
Rex tremendae majestatis
Requiem aeternam, Requiem aeternam
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Thanks and thanks for the info too. I think it says so much about our societies and the music industry that so many talented people can’t make it to a ripe old age: Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Amy Winehouse, Taylor Hawkins, and all those who you named to name just a few. I feel creativity should carry your life not destroy it. ✨️
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The dangerous many fell into was to become the image the public think you are, couple that with the pressure of performing and creating, then there is a toxic mix.
Vincent Furnier, aka Alice Cooper came through that time and has successfully separated himself from the character.
Entertaining can be dangerous.
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Indeed especially if you are successful 😔
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Quite so.
Here’s a prescient song from 1967:
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