Linkin Park star Chester Bennington faced an ‘hour-by-hour’ battle with addiction in his final months before taking his own life aged 41 in 2017, a new book reveals.
The musician’s final days are told through the eyes of his family and friends in the new book It Starts with One: The Legend and Legacy of Linkin Park, and the star reveals he felt the need to drink again in his final months.
An extract obtained by People reads: ‘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. “
‘He was describing an hour-by-hour battle with addiction,’ said Ryan Shuck, Chester’s close friend who had helped turn one of his bleakest periods during the 2000s into the lone Dead by Sunrise album and who had been texting with him about his alcoholism in the weeks before his death.
Linkin Park star Chester Bennington faced an “hour-by-hour” battle with addiction in his final months before taking his own life aged 41 in 2017, a new book reveals (pictured in 2007).
The rock band’s frontman was found dead in his home in Palos Verdes Estates, south of Los Angeles, on July 20, 2017 (his death was ruled a suicide by hanging) after being discovered by a housekeeper in his bedroom.
Chester had previously revealed that he had relapsed during the making of the band’s 2017 album, One More Light, which included a “prolonged period of drinking” in the second half of 2016.
Chester’s wife, Talinda, had said that Chester ‘had been sober for almost six months before his death.
The book continues: ‘When an autopsy and toxicology report later confirmed that Chester had a trace amount of alcohol in his system at the time of his death — he 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 of its capacity: Talinda was not surprised. He immediately realized that the beer bottles represented were expired. “I knew instantly that that drink triggered that shame,” he said, “it triggered a lifetime of unhealthy neural pathways.”
Chester spent his final days with his wife Talinda and their three children at their family cabin in Sedona, Arizona.
Talinda married Chester in 2006 and they shared Tyler, 16, Lily, 11, and Lila, ten. Chester also shared sons Isaiah, 24, and Jamie, 26, with Elka Brand, and had Draven, 20, with his ex-wife Samantha, whom he married from 1996 to 2005.
After one last photo of him with his children, he returned to Los Angeles alone citing his work; Talinda previously said in a 2018 interview: “I was happy.” He kissed me goodbye, said goodbye to the children, and I never saw him again.
Bandmate Mike Shinoda last saw Chester in the days before his death in a recording studio.
The book, written by Jason Lipshutz and scheduled for release on October 1, says: “Chester had introduced him to indie rapper and poet Watsky, after promoting the artist for a while. Watsky and some of his friends left the studio ‘But Chester and Mike stayed together, spending a few hours talking, brainstorming song ideas and planning their next shows.’ It wasn’t anything special or notable; it was just what they’d always done.’
Chester’s wife, Talinda, had said that Chester “had been sober for almost six months” before his death (pictured in 2012).
‘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. (Chester photographed with Mike Shinoda on July 3, 2017, 17 days before his death)
The book is written by Jason Lipshutz and is scheduled for release on October 1.
In the wake of Chester’s death, the band issued a heartbreaking statement saying: “Shock waves of grief and denial are still coursing through our family as we come to terms with what has happened.
‘We’re trying to remind ourselves that the demons that kept you from us were always part of the deal. After all, it was the way you sang about those demons that made everyone fall in love with you in the first place.
He went to rehab for his drug and alcohol addiction after marrying his second wife, Talinda, in 2005 and said he really started to change in 2007.
In a 2011 interview, he said he was sober: “I don’t drink.” I choose to be sober now. “I’ve been drinking for the last six years, but I don’t want to be that person anymore.”
Formed in 1996, Linkin Park rose to international fame with the huge success of their debut studio album, Hybrid Theory (2000), which sold more than 32 million copies worldwide over the years.
Formed in 1996, Linkin Park rose to international fame with the huge success of their debut studio album, Hybrid Theory (2000), which sold over 32 million copies worldwide over the years (seen in 2014 ).
The debut was powered by the four hit singles One Step Closer, In The End, Crawling and Papercut.
Earlier this month, Linkin Park announced that they had recruited a new singer, Emily Armstrong, and revealed plans for a world tour and album.
But the news sparked a violent reaction: Chester’s son Jaime criticized Emily’s situation. links with scientologyand past support of the actor. Danny Masterson, while his Mother Susan Eubanks accused the band of reneging on their promise to inform her if they planned to reunite.
Jaime spoke out against Emily as a replacement after it emerged that she had previously supported That 70s Show actor Danny, who was found guilty of rape and sentenced to at least 30 years in prison, have provoked violent reactions.
“People aren’t having a hard time accepting the prospect of Linkin Park reinventing itself,” Jaime said Sunday, according to Page six.
He added: ‘They are having difficulty understanding how you: 1). hired her long-time friend @emilyarmstrong to replace (Chester).’
Earlier this month it was announced that Armstrong, 38, had joined the group with plans for a new tour and album.
Jaime said Shinoda, 47, did not time the announcement that Armstrong would join the band in September, which is Suicide Prevention Month.
Meanwhile, Chester’s mother Susan claimed she only found out about Armstrong “on Google” and said the “betrayal” had left her in tears.
Despite alleged clashes in recent years with rapper Mike Shinoda and record player Joe Hahn, he claims neither of them told him a reunion was in the works.