Chester Bennington

He was born in Phoenix, Arizona . He is notable for producing loud and very high-pitched vocals. Most Linkin Park songs feature him screaming. His hair changes style and color frequently. When he was younger he practiced singing every day until his lungs and throat were sore to get the voice that he has now.

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Chester had a rather unpleasant life right through adolescence. He was sexually abused as a child, not by his family, but from the people around him. A few of his friends commited suicide and one died in a skateboarding accident. When Chester was 11, his parents went through a divorce. He has two half sisters and a half brother. Chester attended Centennial High School at the beginning of his freshmen year. But later he went to Greenway High. As a teenager, he was addicted to crystal meth and cocaine. However, Bennington is now free from his addiction and has been so for many years. His co-writer and fellow band member Mike Shinoda wrote a song, which until recently could not be performed live. The song, called "Breaking the Habit," brought back memories from the past which in many cases reduced Bennington to tears.

Bennington was formerly the lead vocalist in a band called Grey Daze in 1994, who were popular across Arizona and the United States, but didn't achieve global status. Grey Daze replaced Chester after he left, with a female singer and the band is now known as Waterface.

He graduated in the year of 1994 from Washington High. He met his wife, Samantha while he was working in Burger King. He married her on Halloween 1996 at the age of 20, and because he was too poor to afford an actual wedding or engagement ring, the two of them have rings tattooed on their ring fingers. (Done before Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee had theirs done) They have one child, a boy named Draven Sebastian Bennington, born April 19, 2002 at 1 PM as mentioned on linkinpark.com : "Chester and Samantha had their son on April 19th, 2002 at 1PM. He's happy, healthy, and cute as can be. The baby and parents are doing great. They thank you for being so interested and they love you guys! The whole family will be on the road during the next Linkin tour!". As of May 2, 2005 the couple are divorcing after eight years of marriage. Samantha has been granted full custodial rights of their child, while Chester is fighting for joint custody. Like bandmate Mike Shinoda, Chester is working on a solo album. It will be completed by by late 2005 and set for release in early 2006.

Bennington's Tattoos

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As of 4/05, Totaling 13:

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• Upper Left Arm - (Pisces)
• Upper Back - (Six arms spread out)
• Lower Back - (Linkin Park lettered in old English) This tattoo was the result of a bet Chester made with a friend of his. If Hybrid Theory went platinum, the tattoo would be free. If not, Chester would have to pay full price. The album went platinum, and Chester got a free tattoo.
• Upper Right Arm - (Japanese Koi Fish)
• Lower Left Calf - (Hybrid Theory Soldier)
• Left Arm - (flames)
• Right Arm - (flames)
• Right Calf - (dragon)
• Ring Finger on Left Hand - (engagement band)
• Pinkie Finger on Right Hand - (birthstone in gold ring)
• dragon on his back on the left
• and on his right side.
• Unidentified tattoo on his right elbow - looks like a skull on a rose?

"Tattoos exude pain and pleasure all at the same time." —Chester

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