Chester Bennington’s mother opens up about ‘feeling betrayed’ by Linkin Park’s new era

Chester Bennington’s parent has penned a heartfelt missive expressing that she feels betrayed by Linkin Park’s determination to bring successful a caller pb vocalist 7 years aft her son’s death. 

The surviving members of the set – Mike Shinoda, turntablist Joe Hahn, guitarist Brad Delson, and bassist Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell – brought successful Dead Sara vocalist Emily Armstrong, allowing them to reunite for the archetypal clip since Bennington took his ain beingness successful 2017. 

His mother, Susan Eubanks, has written a missive astir her presumption connected the reunion, penning that she feels ‘betrayed’ by the enactment up change. 

She wrote successful the missive published by Rolling Stone: ‘I consciousness betrayed. They told maine that if they were ever going to bash something, they would fto maine know. They didn’t fto maine know, and they astir apt knew that I [wasn’t] going to beryllium precise happy. I’m precise upset astir it.’

She went connected to accidental that she feels arsenic if the set is moving to erase Chester’s bequest and their past, calling Armstrong singing the band’s songs ‘hurtful.’ 

She went connected to accidental that Bennington’s household – including his woman and kids – were not made alert of the reunion earlier it was announced (although Bennington’s widower has since fixed the reunion her blessing). 

Eubanks shared that erstwhile she past saw Mike Shinoda astir 2 years ago, helium ‘promised to archer the household what was going on.’ He past made bully connected this committedness and told the household of his plans to merchandise archival tracks featuring Bennington for their ‘Papercuts’ collection.

Eubanks continued to accidental she was blindsided by the set teasing an announcement up of the quality that Emily Armstrong would articulation the band, saying that: ‘I thought if they were to spell backmost out, it would conscionable beryllium the set not adding a singer.’

Eubanks besides had plentifulness to accidental astir Armstrong’s vocals, calling her singing ‘screeching’ and saying: ‘ I got retired of determination arsenic accelerated arsenic I could. I cried.’

Eubanks past explains that Shinoda had antecedently told Bennington that helium thought their songs would sounf amended with a pistillate vocalist, saying: Chester was dumbfounded and hurt. And the information is that present they did it. So, of course, each that comes close backmost into my mind.’

She besides shared that Shinoda often utilized to enactment Bennington down, particularly erstwhile Bennington was considering leaving the band. 

She continued, making it wide that she is against Armstrong replacing her lad arsenic the pb singer, emphasising that there’s nary 1 who tin regenerate him vocally. Though she does says she would person been good with Shinoda taking implicit arsenic the frontman. 

Eubanks ended her affectional connection by straight addressing Linkin Park: ‘If I could archer the set members thing it’s that I consciousness betrayed. You made a committedness to maine that you would fto america cognize and you didn’t.’

She besides warned them against putting retired aged Linkin Park songs with Armstrong connected the vocals, telling them to alternatively constitute caller euphony if they indispensable proceed to merchandise albums and songs. 

Following Linkin Park’s reunion, astir fans were thrilled with Armstrong’s performance. 

However, aft Emily’s appointment, determination has besides been mounting backlash implicit her past links with Scientology and historic enactment of convicted rapist and erstwhile That 70s Show histrion Masterson.

The rumours began to circulate aft a connection sent to the vocalist by The Mars Volta and erstwhile At The Drive-In frontman Cedric Bixler-Zavala resurfaced online.

The rumours caused Armstrong to talk retired online, posting successful an Instagram story: ‘Hi, I’m Emily, I’m caller to truthful galore of you, and I wanted to wide the aerial astir thing that happened a portion back.

‘Several years agone I was asked to enactment idiosyncratic I considered a person astatine a tribunal appearance, and went to 1 aboriginal proceeding arsenic an observer. Soon aft I realised I shouldn’t have.

‘I ever effort to spot the bully successful people, and I misjudged him. I person ne'er spoken with him since. Unimaginable details emerged and helium was aboriginal recovered guilty.

‘To accidental it arsenic intelligibly arsenic possible: I bash not condone the maltreatment oregon unit against women, and I empathise with the victims of these crimes.’

The radical has conscionable announced a caller album, From Zero, to spell on with their upcoming tour.

Bennington’s lad Jaime, 28, has besides spoken retired astir the band’s forthcoming reunion tour. 

His disapproval was acold much measured than his grandmother’s, and helium said that fans whitethorn request ‘time to wrapper their heads around’ the set reforming with Armstrong.

He aboriginal said his father’s erstwhile bandmates ‘didn’t inquire maine however I felt’ astir the reunion.

More recently, 1 of the founding members of the set announced helium would not beryllium joining the set successful this adjacent chapter. 

Original drummer Rob Bourdon had already near the radical up of what has been dubbed ‘Linkin Park 2.0′, and past guitarist Brad Delson revealed helium volition nary longer execute unrecorded with the Grammy-winning set helium helped signifier successful the aboriginal 90s.

Rob, Brad, and co-lead vocalist Mike Shinoda started Linkin Park erstwhile they were successful precocious schoolhouse unneurotic earlier recruiting existent members Joe Hahn and Dave ‘Phoenix’ Farrell.

In a connection astir their caller era, Shinoda wrote: ‘We consciousness truly empowered with this caller line-up and the vibrant and energised caller euphony we’ve made together. We’re weaving unneurotic the sonic touchpoints we’ve been known for and inactive exploring caller ones.’

The band’s reunion highlights the ongoing taste sermon astir who, exactly, is the keeper of immoderate 1 person’s creator legacy. Bennington became synonymous with Linkin Park to galore people, causing his household to consciousness ownership implicit the band.

In contrast, the surviving set members consciousness that the set remains theirs to bash with arsenic they please, adjacent astatine the hazard of displeasing their precocious bandmate’s family, arsenic evidenced by this astir caller controversy.

Fans are present forced to navigate the prime betwixt remembering Linkin Park arsenic it was versus embracing Linkin Park arsenic it reforms without Bennington.

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