Truly the saddest, most tragic event I've been through in life. Really couldn't believe it in July and still can't. Had tickets to 4 shows on the (then) upcoming tour for July and August. Have seen LP over 30 times... STP with him a few times. I also feel really bad for the STP members, and of course LP.
I flew to LA to see the LP Hollywood Bowl memorial show they did. 3 hours of music with a lot of guests. Really special night...but wish the STP guys had joined for something. Robert is really struggling with Chester's passing still so I can see why they didn't do it. Robert and Chester were very close friends.
For those looking for an explanation... it was a series of events that sent him into an even worse depression each time. In January 2015, he broke his ankle on tour and had to cancel pretty much an entire LP North American Tour (save for the 3 shows they got through...glad I saw the first 2). It made him really depressed to have to do that. Then, a few months later he had to pull out of STP and that was quite upsetting as we all know he loved STP dearly. Weiland died that fall, who was one of his idols.
In 2016, his best friend outside of music tried to kill himself... didn't succeed but had lasting damage. Made Chester even more depressed, and he relapsed (first time in 10-11 years). Didn't know about rehab until his ex-wife ran her mouth to the press, but it explains why he was rarely in the studio with LP in 2016. So Linkin Park took the year off, he went to rehab and came back to make the album. Seemed alright, probably was doing alright, bam LP releases the album which goes #1. A few days before that, Cornell dies. No idea how he didn't cancel the Kimmel performance, but that really messed him up AGAIN because he was very close with Cornell but the wives were especially close. And of course he died on Cornell's birthday.
LP... they roll across Europe on their largest European Tour in the band's history. Big crowds, big shows, headlining a lot of festivals, etc... good to go. Chester in great shape at the Meet & Greets, having a good time on tour is what it seems. And just a week or so later, he's gone. It's impossible to understand.
Really sad period of time.