It’s been several days since the shock death of Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, and the band have now released their first public tributes on social media, with a statement on behalf of the band pasted on Facebook, joined by a very early shot of the entire group on Instagram.
The band describe the “shockwaves of grief and denial” following the death by suicide, and reflect on the “demons” that made Chester’s music what it was, but which also contributed to his emotional struggles and ultimately his passing.
In a separate post, Mike Shinoda reveals a photograph taken in “1997 or 1998”, believed to be the first ever taken together.
“We had just told Chester that we wanted him to join the band,” Mike says. “He said he was ready to move out from Arizona to L.A.
“We went to a pizza place near UCLA to hang out and talk about what to do next. The band was called Xero at the time, and we probably had less than a half a dozen songs. No flame tattoos yet, no red hair yet, most of us were still in college.”
Linkin Park have also set up a website dedicated to Chester, allowing fans to post their own tributes and messages of support.
You can find the site here, and read both of the band’s statements in full below.
