Chester Bennington
Words: Candies Liu
Photography: Sean Hartgrove
Chester Bennington is the driving force behind Linkin Park, one of
the most innovative bands in modern rock ‘n’ roll history, skyrocketing him into stardom as one of the world’s most recognized and
beloved rockstars. His love for music started at an early age and
his artistic brilliance and raw talent manifested itself into more than
just music. Both Chester and the other members of Linkin Park
have revolutionized music to the core, creating depth in the listener
experience that transcends beyond the power of music, which
in it of itself, is vastly profound. With their music, there’s always a
message to be heard.
Music has always played an important role in Chester’s life. His
siblings would record him singing at an early age. He references
Depeche Mode as a great musical influence. “They were one of
my first real loves in terms of bands,” he recalls. In high school,
he discovered his love for musical theater. “I had my eyes set on
the stage. I wanted to make it on Broadway,” he remembers. It
helped him discover the diversity in his vocals, as he reenacted
various characters’ voices. It was also when he discovered that
he could sing. His voice was the instrument that quickly made his
dreams come true, taking him on the road to success. It’s the voice
that we’ve all become familiar with as Linkin Park fans, taking us
through the good times and bad, resonating with each of us in our
own way throughout the years.
Although Bennington has never had any formal vocal training, he
tried piano lessons for a brief period. Ironically, his piano teacher
told him that one day, he would be playing the piano in front of
millions of people. He also remembers singing The Doors songs
4
InkSpiredMagazine.com