Blink-182 calls off shows after Chester Bennington suicide

Rockers Blink-182 on Saturday called off stadium shows they had planned with Linkin Park whose singer Chester Bennington hanged himself.

The bands, two of the top-selling rock acts at the turn of the century, had been set to team up for “Blinkin Park” concerts at New York’s Citi Field baseball stadium Friday and two days later at Hershey Park in Pennsylvania.

A day after Linkin Park scrapped its tour in light of its frontman’s suicide, Blink-182 said it would not go ahead on its own and that the shows were canceled.

“Blink-182 is wrecked by the loss of our friend and amazing musician Chester Bennington,” it said in a statement.

“We could never imagine playing Blinkin Park without his incredible talent and voice. It just would not be possible,” it said.

The concerts had also been due to include leading hip-hop ensemble the Wu-Tang Clan and Machine Gun Kelly, a rapper from a younger generation.

Machine Gun Kelly on Facebook mourned Bennington but said he would return to the stage with a concert Sunday in Las Vegas.

“It’s time to start celebrating LIFE, and we will celebrate his as well,” he wrote.

Bennington, 41, had long struggled with drug and alcohol problems and was traumatized by being molested as a child.

His body was found hanging by a belt at his Los Angeles home on Thursday, which would have been the birthday of his friend Chris Cornell, the Soundgarden singer who similarly killed himself in May.

source: entertainment.inquirer.net

Chester Bennington’s death falls on same day as pal Chris Cornell’s birthday

Deceased Soundgarden and Audioslave vocalist Chris Cornell certainly meant a lot to Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington.

This undeniable bond may or may not have been a factor in 41-year-old Bennington’s decision to take his own life on the same day Cornell would have turned 53.

The rock icon was found lifeless inside his home in Palos Verdes Estates in Los Angeles, California, on Thursday (Friday in Manila).

Authorities believe Bennington took his own life by hanging himself—the same manner by which Cornell died last May.

The two enigmatic musicians created a lasting friendship after touring together in 2008.

News of Cornell’s suicide struck Bennington pretty hard, according to Linkin Park member Mike Shinoda.

In an earlier interview with Radio.com, Shindoda shared how Bennington performed in a televised show with a heavy heart during the time of Cornell’s passing.

“He was getting halfway through and getting choked up,” Shinoda said. “And even when we did play the whole song and it was taped for TV he kind of just stopped towards the end.”

In honor of Cornell, Linkin Park dedicated a live performance of “One More Light” during an appearance in “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” while Bennington performed a rendition of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” at his private funeral.

He also bared his soul in a touching open letter to his fallen comrade.

“Thoughts of you flooded my mind and I wept,” Bennington wrote. “I’m still weeping, with sadness, as well as gratitude for having shared some very special moments with you and your beautiful family. You have inspired me in many ways you could never have known. Your talent was pure and unrivaled. Your voice was joy and pain, anger and forgiveness, love and heartache all wrapped up into one.”

Two months removed from Cornell’s death, no one anticipated Bennington would die in a similar manner.

In the wake of the tragic incident, Chris’ widow, Vicky Cornell, tweeted: “Just when I thought my heart couldn’t break any more…..I love you.”

Meanwhile, Bennington was open about his countless struggles with drugs and alcohol addiction in the past.

His never-ending battle with his personal demons is mirrored in each of the band’s songs, particularly the sexual abuse he experienced during his youth. /ra

source: entertainment.inquirer.net