The year was 2000 or 20001, new found freedom in my college life and with it came the quest for finding new music. I don’t recall the exact moment when i brought the Hybrid Theory album, those days the tapes cost Rs 125/- , a lot of money for a college kid and if i spent that on music it better be good.
This was more than good, this was a beginning , this was being immersed in a new experience, it was like being born again and carving out a new self. For a kid who grew up hating the pelvic gyrations and crass mind numbing bollywood music , this was a natural progression from the dying/nascent Indie scene (BTW when is the Indie scene not dying or in nascent stages in India) ? to Nu Metal.
Screaming Vocals, Crisp Rapping, Distorted Guitars, An all encompassing bass, cutting edge sampling, and despair laden goth themed lyrics – A highly potent combination for the youth of any decade and this was my decade. I fell for it like nearly every young Indian who started listening to Linkin Park during those times.
Rock listeners in India can be classified into a pre Linkin Park era and Post Linkin Park era. Majority of the people who developed a taste Rock/Metal Grunge music followed the path of Linkin Park, Evanescence, Limp Bizkit, Nirvana and give or take a couple of more names in the post linkin park era.
New friends and enemies made on mere opinions about Linkin park, heated debates and fights – sometimes defending my band, sometimes trashing yours – it was all happening. ReAnimation and Meteora only helped consolidate the faith in the new founded religion. For me headphones, Sony Walk man and those tapes were the only constant in a life of ever changing experiences that only a college life can provide.
Eventually one does grow up and takes things in bigger perspective , one realizes that there are bands who are maybe better technically and talent wise, that Linkin Park isn’t the final destination but just a stop in a journey, After a few years some of us wean away quietly to other bands and some of us classify it as juvenile immaturity of “Oh i was only 18 years old at that time – what do you expect ?” and then there are some of us who still cling on in hopes of reliving our youth.
Sometimes the Band also evolves and change their sound – they make new fans and lose old ones – its all part of finding / identifying your self. Showing the middle finger to the conformity and being proud of the fact that i don’t belong to the mainstream (while listening to Somewhere i belong)
But a death always leaves more questions behind than it tries to answer, for the ones who are left behind at least. Why,how,when are all questions no matter how inconsequential they become after the death but they still hang around in your mind like old friends from your college days familiar then and unfamiliar now.
Stars are strange people, sometimes rich beyond imagination, worshiped by millions, pampered by record companies and fans, Idolized, envied, Hounded, back stabbed, Loved all at the same time . But what happens when at the end of the day they switch off lights and go to sleep ? Do they have have the same fears and nightmares like the rest of us ? And do they let their fears get the better of them sometimes like the rest of us ?
Like i said before more questions than answers.
Like i said before more questions than answers.
Rest In Peace Chester Bennington , you are irreplaceable.
ARTY - Writings 