Chester Bennington - A legacy left behind!
A few nights ago, I got a notification from the Times of
India app on my phone that the lead singer of the rock band Linkin Park had
committed suicide. Amidst the preparations for my lab exams that were
to take place the next day, it was quite difficult to assimilate the fact the
very person whose voice had once introduced me to a new dimension of music, was
no more.
It was probably in 8th or 9th grade
that I first listened to Linkin Park. A close friend of mine had been
incessantly suggesting me to listen to Numb on YouTube and when I finally paid
heed to his words, I was not disappointed. I am one of those kids who had been
brought up listening to the melodies of Kishore Kumar and Mukesh. At that
point, listening to a rock band seemed like a terrible idea. But, once I’d
heard it while reading the lyrics, there was no going back. They were etched on
my heart and soul for eternity.
The songs that followed were equally good, equally mesmerizing
and equally captivating. The songs brought about a sense of calmness, a sense
of assurance and a sense of warmth. While things were falling apart like they
do when hit by a cyclone, listening to songs by Linkin Park always took me to
the eye, where it would be peaceful. Be it failing a test for the first time or
falling out of something that I was deranged enough to think was love, Linkin
Park was there to cushion the blow for me.
In The End, Numb, Breaking The Habit, Bleed It Out, Crawling,
Leave Out All The Rest…….. These are much more than just songs to me. They are my happy place! Now,
when I look at the lyrics, I find the perspective with which they were written.
They were written by a man, who was waiting to be heard, who was shouting out
for help in his own way, who was sad, depressed, and was searching for a sense
of belonging. They went unnoticed by the entire world as they were too
engrossed in the music that the lyrics were wrapped in.
Music is a powerful tool. It heals those who listen to it,
providing them with comfort. But somehow, it doesn’t have the powers to heal
those who make it – so many singers and musicians end up taking their own lives
while giving the rest of us a reason to live.
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| Image Source: Official Facebook page of Linkin Park |
Chester Bennington, thank you very much for the million
memories and the immortal music that you gifted to the world. Linkin Park will
always be the first band that I fell in love with. May you find your peace in
a better world!
It is indeed true that the lyrics went viral, but the emotions that he carved them out with, remained unknown. I haven't heard as many songs as you have, but there's one thing I definitely noticed. He was evidently depressed all the way. It is so sad that he didn't seek adequate therapy. This was all so preventable. Heartbreaking when depression kills someone, but everyone says "Cause of death: suicide".
ReplyDeleteWell written Prateek!
I had talked to a friend a few years ago, a fellow LP fan, who casually mentioned that he felt LP songs were a little negative. Now, I realize that they carried something much deeper.
DeleteIt is indeed true that the lyrics went viral, but the emotions that he carved them out with, remained unknown. I haven't heard as many songs as you have, but there's one thing I definitely noticed. He was evidently depressed all the way. It is so sad that he didn't seek adequate therapy. This was all so preventable. Heartbreaking when depression kills someone, but everyone says "Cause of death: suicide".
ReplyDeleteWell written Prateek!