RIP Chester Bennington

Upon opening Facebook this evening, I was shocked and saddened to learn that Chester Bennington, lead singer of Linkin Park, has reportedly died at the age of 41. I've realised that impact of a musician's death is rather unique, as the music they created has the potential to get stuck in one's head. Waiting For The End came into mine. I only own one Linkin Park album, A Thousand Suns, but songs like Waiting For The End and The Messenger have already gained greater poignancy. Anyway, I'm writing because I feel like sharing some thoughts.

As with most music I'm into, the story of how I got that way about Linkin Park's fourth album is rather unique. It started in October 2010, the month I went on a school trip to Berlin. I became aware that my crush at the time was a Linkin Park fan, so when we returned from the trip I immediately researched them. Around this time I was also pretty obsessed with the Saw films, so I was delighted to discover that the lead singer, Chester Bennington, starred in Saw: The Final Chapter. Being under 18, I couldn't see the film, but I could listen to the band's music. Before doing so, I read a review of their current (at that time) album, A Thousand Suns, which compared it to U2's Achtung Baby. I duly downloaded the album, and while it didn't dislodge Achtung Baby from my top spot, I rated it very highly indeed. I distinctly remember the overwhelming sense of calm I felt while listening to The Messenger on the way to a Jedward concert on 26 November 2010. I haven't felt exactly like that since.

Changing iPods and being rubbish at redownloading music means I haven't listened to the album in a few years. I decided to tonight and I still find it very impressive and enjoyable, though the joyful nostalgia has been punctured with the odd tear. RIP Chester, thank you for the impact you've had on my life, and on the lives of millions of others.

I'm seeing U2 tonight!

Things I might think of during each Joshua Tree song:

1. Stan Wawrinka
2. My solo karaoke performance and kissing whiskey lips 
3. My debut karaoke performance (technically it was an open mic night) 
4. The now two guys who mentioned liking this song when I told them I'm a U2 fan 
5. Sweet sins and bitter tastes left in mouths (does whiskey even taste bitter?) 
6. My dad playing me the song for the first time because it had something to do with Dream Theater 
7. Being a dreamer and getting burned by the fire of love
8. Providing temporary relief to someone
9. Amy 
10. That I used to really dislike it because I couldn't hear it for the first minute or so 
11. When I heard U2-2 perform it and I swear they played a bit of the Miracle Drug riff which made me tear up