Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger joins a number of artists who have paid tribute to late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington, who died by hanging on Thursday (July 20) at the age of 41.
“Chester’s passing came to me as a total shock,” he wrote in a statement emailed to Billboard on behalf of Incubus. “We were all together just recently in collective mourning of Chris Cornell, and we all watched Chester sing a heartfelt ‘Hallelujah’ in respect to him….which makes this situation even all the more shocking.”
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Cornell’s funeral service was private, but Bennington’s performance (with Linkin Park guitarist Brad Delson) was outdoors, which allowed fans to capture audio of him singing Leonard Cohen‘s ballad.
Bennington, who suffered from depression and substance abuse throughout his life, was good friends with Cornell, who committed suicide in May. “I can’t imagine a world without you in it,” he’d written to his friend upon learning of his death.
“Mental health is one of the most difficult things to assess in people, and even more tricky to bring up to someone in discussion in any serious manner,” Einziger said in Incubus’ note. “We need to try harder. I can only think of Chester’s sorrow, and hope for the well-being of his children, family, band and friends. Sending my genuine love and support to all of them.”