California rock band Linkin Park said on Monday, the suicide of frontman Chester Bennington had left them brokenhearted but recalled it was Bennington's demons that had made fans fall in love with the band.
Linkin Park singer dead in apparent suicide
In their first statement since Bennington's suicide at his Southern California home last week, the remaining members of Linkin Park said they did not know "what path our future may take."
The alt-rock band on Friday cancelled its North American tour that had been due to start on July 27.
Bennington, 41, had a history of alcohol and drug abuse and depression and had spoken openly in the past about his struggles when Linkin Park first found fame in 2000 with their best-selling debut album Hybrid Theory.
"Dear Chester, Our hearts are broken," the band said in a statement.
"Your absence leaves a void that can never be filled - a boisterous, funny, ambitious, creative, kind, generous voice in the room is missing. We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons who took you away from us were always part of the deal," the statement further read."
Twitter in tears after Chester Bennington's untimely death
After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place. You fearlessly put them on display, and in doing so, brought us together and taught us to be more human. You had the biggest heart, and managed to wear it on your sleeve." the statement added.
"Our love for making and performing music is inextinguishable. While we don’t know what path our future may take, we know that each of our lives was made better by you. Thank you for that gift. We love you, and miss you so much. Until we see you again, LP."
https://t.co/CkwWKW25et pic.twitter.com/364B8vHRmf
— LINKIN PARK (@linkinpark) July 24, 2017 ">https://t.co/CkwWKW25et pic.twitter.com/364B8vHRmf
— LINKIN PARK (@linkinpark) July 24, 2017
Band's main songwriter and lead guitarist Mike Shinoda in a separate post paid tribute to Bennington. He wrote, "1997 or 1998...I think this was the first photo we ever took together. We had just told Chester that we wanted him to join the band. He said he was ready to move out from Arizona to LA. We went to a pizza place near UCLA to hang out and talk about what to do next. The band was called Xero at the time, and we probably had less than a half a dozen songs. No flame tattoos yet, no red hair yet, most of us were still in college."
Bennington, who was twice married, leaves six children. The band said they and the singer's wife Talinda and his family appreciated the love and support shown by fans and other musicians over his death.
Bennington, 41, had been open about his struggles to overcome drug and alcohol abuse and low self-image, caused in part by being molested as a child.
Linkin Park sets up tribute website for late frontman Chester Bennington
A coroner's report confirmed that Bennington committed suicide. An employee at his Los Angeles home found him hanging by a belt Thursday morning - which would have been the birthday of his friend Chris Cornell of Soundgarden, another celebrated rock singer who recently killed himself.
Linkin Park had been due to start a tour a week later. In the statement, the band said that Bennington had been speaking about future plans together.
Linkin Park over the weekend set up a website dedicated to Bennington with tributes by fans and information for suicidal people who need help.
Bennington was the second American rock star to die by suicide in the last two months. Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell, 52, a close friend of Bennington, hanged himself in a Detroit hotel room in May.
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