A Tribute to Chester Bennington: Linkin Park Memories That Last

My entire childhood was spent in a cramped 2BHK apartment where privacy was a luxury. My siblings and I shared every noise and memory. It wasn't until my sixth grade that things began to change. We got our first computer, a fascinating device that I knew very little about. I could only watch movies on it, but that all changed with the discovery of music and, more specifically, Linkin Park.

Discovering Linkin Park

The journey to discovering Linkin Park began innocently enough. My older brother, who didn't share my taste in music, insisted on loading girly Hindi songs on the computer. Out of sheer frustration, I was introduced to Linkin Park and Green Day. I hated them at first, but over time, I began to enjoy their music. We had many fights over this, but there was no changing my mind. Whenever I hear "Numb," I miss my brother, who now lives in a different state.

Live Performances and Chester

The most profound connection I have ever felt to any musician is watching them perform live. The three most memorable moments for me were live performances that showcased Chester Bennington's incredible talent.

Live In Texas - The Foundation of Legacies

Live In Texas laid the foundation for Linkin Park's legacy. The crowd was electric, and it was clear that this concert was special. Watching them perform live was an incredible experience that strengthened my connection to the band and, through them, to Chester.

The Rolling In The Deep Cover - A Show of Talent

The Rolling In The Deep cover demonstrated Chester's vocal prowess and left the world in awe. I remember the day he performed it - it was the day Chris Cornell died, and Chester committed suicide the following day. The voice on the stage conveyed a profound sense of loss and pain. It was a heartfelt tribute to a beloved friend, and I felt sorrow for Chester's place in the shadow of his friend's passing.

OML on Jimmy Kimmel - A Performance of Pain and Gratitude

OML on Jimmy Kimmel was a raw and emotional performance. The intensity and depth of Chester's voice and the clear tears in his eyes were palpable. It was a performance filled with gratitude, acknowledging the pain and the love Chester had for his fans. It was a moment that left an indelible mark on my heart.

Spoken-Word Poetry for the Deceased

In this eulogy, I express the impact Chester had on my life through spoken-word poetry:

He, the core of my life, those moments on that stage, in front of his schoolmates, a star-struck kid from thousands of miles away dared to humbly imitate for he was in awe and still is by the magnum opus of this faraway band. The venture started as he heard them played in a CD shop while strolling through New Market on one casual day. Instantly, I got hooked by their music and their way of saying things that didn't make much sense to me but still, I kept myself standing till my heart started to feel this unknown need of listening them more. To know them more and let them grow on my soul. Bought the cheap pirated version of that CD, took it to my hostel as a sheer "Show-off" to restore the social validation of my standard-biased circle. An immature and impressionable mind as I was, I kept "the search" on to find in every song of that playlist every meaning and every context of every line. Struggling to figure out what the hell it meant. Singing about his situation was similar to the words of their song, "All those words they made no sense." So he gave up and tried to find bliss in ignorance. Because "he tried real hard and got quite far, but in the end, it didn't really matter." As nothing could stop me from mugging those words and capturing the rhythm that came in every verse, because mesmerized by the music that might now be too unsettling for few, he was on the verge of discovering something new within himself. As he resurrected in the "new" from the corpse of the "old," yet his tender experience wasn't enough to understand those words of pure gold. Soon enough, like a wildfire, the words spread. Chester's music was heard and the songs were known. And just like a sugar rush, Linkin Park has perpetually grown within the mass, as all chanted their songs in every corridor, every playground, and at every backyard lawn. He and his friends shared the same dream, tried to mimic the mighty but all they did was growl, screech, and a lot of scream. But soon enough, they gathered their courage and took the stage in search of that mystic fame. In front of a crowd with an unusual skeptical gaze, the crowd was critical, they had set a standard, their version of the songs would be judged according to the way they rendered. When the first note played, the drums kicked in, it didn’t take long for the guitar to intervene. His eyes wide open, and he couldn’t stand still. The crowd recognized the song and they all roared in thrill. Then came the moment for him to shine, to sing his heart out like CHESTER and lose his mind. He became so NUMB he could hardly feel himself there, although he was tired, he was more aware. Only if he could meet CHESTER, all he wanted to do is tell him "I want to be less like me and MORE LIKE YOU.""

Through the power of music and live performances, Chester Bennington left an indelible impact on my life and the lives of countless others. His legacy continues to resonate through every fan who cherishes these memories.