Linkin P

I know that many people - many young people - are trying to come
to grips with the recent death of Linkin Park lead singer Chester Bennington.
A suicide - on the birthday of another suicide musician he had been friends with  -
might seem romantic. It isn't. Let me explain.

Personally, I had two runs at piano performance, one young, one as an adult when I was
more interested in improvisation and composition. Performance is demanding, very demanding
mentally. And performance stress is insane. In college, I became a reasonably good public
speaker and debater. Stage right never left me. It's only rock and roll, not classical. In point of
fact, this is worse.You have to remember every darn tune, at the drop; and the lyrics. Linkin
was about to go on tour with material from a new album. Talent, perhaps, but 90% hard
work like everything else, like for everyone else. It was all too much.

Because rock musicians are also cultural icons. Drugs and alcohol are part of the persona,
and can be used to un-stress, unwind. Big mistake. Drugs and alcohol make everything all
the more difficult.

RIP

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Chris Cornell was known as a Grunge artist. In this reprise of a Prince song, one gets
to hear his flirtation with atonality as well as appreciate his baritone voice. Very expressive.