Late Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington impressed the whole world with his vocals and lyrics. Many impactful musicians like Alice in Chains and Metallica inspired him during his journey. Likewise, he became an influence on the upcoming generation. Bennington gained an excellent reputation starting with Linkin Park’s debut album entitled ‘Hybrid Theory.’
Chester Bennington reflected traces of his own life in his songs as other artists did. He created a strong bond with his audience by talking about problems all people faced with his touching voice. Bennington articulated the audience’s feelings and provided them not to feel alone in the world. Unfortunately, there was a difficult childhood behind this passionate voice and lyrics.
Chester Bennington Was Abused When He Was A Child
Chester Bennington was in a difficult situation during his childhood as a few years older male friend abused him, and also his parents divorced during the same period. He was affected so severely that he tended to draw pictures and write poems to soothe his pain. Drawing and writing became insufficient because Bennington could not talk about the challenging situation, and the problems escalated. Later on, he used alcohol and drugs to escape these troubles.
As revealed in Kerrang, Bennington talked about this aspect of his childhood. The vocalist stated that he had been harassed for years when he was a kid by a male friend a few years older. As the rocker mentioned, it started with small things and grew over time. The rocker could not tell the situation he faced for fear of being labeled gay or accused of telling a lie. Chester said that he had been subjected to these sexual assaults for years, shaking his self-confidence.
Bennington told in his word:
“I started getting molested when I was about seven or eight. It was by a friend who was a few years older than me. It escalated from a touchy, curious, ‘what does this thing do’ into full-on, crazy violations. I was getting beaten up and being forced to do things I didn’t want to do. It destroyed my self-confidence. Like most people, I was too afraid to say anything. I didn’t want people to think I was gay or that I was lying. It was a horrible experience. The sexual assaults continued until I was 13.”
Unfortunately, the impressive voice and lyrics of Chester Bennington had a tragic life behind them. He carried the pain he had experienced for years in his voice. Chester touched many people’s lives with the songs he reflected on his pain. No matter how many years have passed after his passing, Chester Bennington will always remain in the memories as a magnificent musician.
