Chester Bennington: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 17:20, 24 June 2007

Revision as of 10:16, 25 June 2007

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==Background==

Before joining Linkin Park, Bennington was a vocalist in [[Grey Daze]], a now defunct [[grunge]] band from [[Phoenix, Arizona]].<ref name="stone1">Rolling Stone Magazine, [http://www.lptimes.com/bio/bio_band.html Linkin Park - Biography] (March 14, 2002), The Linkin Park Times, Retrieved on June 24, 2007.</ref> He left Grey Daze in 1998, but struggled to find another band to play in.<ref name="stone1"/> After nearly quitting his musical career altogether, Jeff Blue, then the [[vice president]] of A&R at Zomba Music in [[Los Angeles]], offered Bennington an audition with Linkin Park.<ref name="stone1"/> Bennington quit his day job, and took his family to [[California]], where he had a successful audition with Linkin Park, who were then called “Hybrid Theory”.<ref name="stone1"/> Bennington and [[Mike Shinoda]], the band’s other vocalist, made significant progress together, but failed to find a record deal.<ref name="stone1"/> After facing numerous rejections, Jeff Blue, now a vice president of A&R at [[Warner Bros.]], intervened again to help the band sign with [[Warner Bros. Records]].<ref name="stone1"/>

Despite having prodigious success in the early 2000s, Bennington has had personal problems outside of the limelight. He suffered a severe spider bite while touring with the [[OzzFest]] in 2001, which caused his arm to swell.<ref>USRN, [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12047341 Linkin Park's Bennington Suffering From Bite] (August 13, 2001), Retrieved on June 24, 2007.</ref> Bennington was plagued with poor health during the making of Meteora, and struggled to attend some of the album’s record sessions.<ref>Warner Bros. Records, "The Making of Meteora" (2003) [DVD], Released on March 25, 2003.</ref> He fell ill during the summer of 2003, and was eventually underwent surgery.<ref>USRN, [http://music.yahoo.com/read/news/12061683 Linkin Park's Chester Bennington Doing Fine] (July, 11, 2003), Yahoo! Music, Retrieved on June 24, 2007.</ref> Bennington’s relationship with his first wife, Samantha, also declined during his years with Linkin Park, leading to their [[divorce]] in 2005.<ref> Montgomery, James, [http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1558873/20070504/linkin_park.jhtml Linkin Park's Minutes To Midnight Preview: Nu-Metallers Grow Up] (May 7, 2007), MTV News, Retrieved on June 24, 2007.</ref>