Linkin Park‘s Chester Bennington died in 2017, and how he spent his final days has been revealed.
A new book by author Jason Lipshutz takes an in-depth look at the legendary rock band’s career and the death of their frontman. Titled It Starts With One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park, the book is out October 1.
Taking anecdotes from friends and family, a preview of the book has been shared with People that details Bennington’s final days. Bennington died by suicide on July 20, 2017.
Mike Shinoda had visited Bennington days before his passing, where they planned some upcoming shows.
“Mike had just seen Chester a few days earlier at a recording studio: Chester had introduced him to the indie rapper and poet Watsky, after hyping up the artist for a while. Watsky and some of his friends left the studio, but Chester and Mike lingered together — spending a few hours talking, kicking around song ideas, game-planning their upcoming shows. It was nothing special or notable; it was just what they had always done,” the book reads.
Prior to his death, Bennington had also went on a vacation with his family, but traveled back to California to work.
“In the days before his death, Chester had been in Arizona with [wife] Talinda and the kids, taking a family vacation at their cabin in Sedona ahead of what was to be Linkin Park’s sprawling North American tour in support of One More Light later that month. Chester traveled back to Los Angeles by himself — he said that he needed to work, and the band had a photo shoot scheduled for the morning of the twentieth — but before he left, Talinda snapped a photo of Chester and their children gazing into the woods off their deck, grinning from ear to ear,” it revealed.
“According to Talinda, Chester ‘had been sober for almost six months’ prior to his death. In his final months, however, while publicly discussing his general difficulties with life during the One More Light press run, he was privately telling loved ones about a specific problem: the urge to drink had consumed his thoughts once again,” the book furthered.
Despite this setback, Linkin Park pushed on with their stadium tour and when the tour concluded, Bennington’s voice was described as “sturdy.” However, Bennington died by suicide on July 20, 2017 with trace amounts of alcohol found in his system. The singer had been discovered with an empty bottle of Stella Artois in the room as well as a glass of Corona that was less than half full.
In September, Linkin Park announced their new lead singer, Emily Armstrong. However, both Bennington’s mother, Susan Eubanks, and his son, Jaime Bennington, have shared their distaste over the choice.
“I feel betrayed. They told me if they were ever going to do something, they would let me know. They didn’t let me know, and they probably knew that I [wasn’t] going to be very happy. I’m very upset about it,” Eubanks told Rolling Stone.
Jaime shared similar sentiments, posting on Instagram that Shinoda had “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy in real time… during international suicide prevention month.”
The singer was 41 years old when he passed.
If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.