In a recent interview with Rock Feed Podcast, Aaron Lewis touched on the shared trauma he had with the late Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington.
Bennington’s death in 2017 resonated with many artists, Lewis among them. During a performance on July 20, 2017, at the Hampton Beach Casino in New Hampshire, Lewis dedicated the track ‘Something to Remind You’ from Staind’s 2011 self-titled album to the late Linkin Park vocalist.
Delving deeper into their connection, Lewis mentioned in the interview about the bond he and Bennington shared. Asked about his relationship with the singer, he said:
“One of those that was really close until our paths changed, and that’s one that f*cks with me a little bit because I know what he was up against from where he’d go before he was up against anything in the industry. And we come from similar places, and we share a lot of the same childhood trauma.”
Lewis then went on to say that he envied Bennington for his bravery:
“You know, I’ve never just really talked about it at all. I’ve always steered clear of it, and he didn’t. And I always looked up to him for that. Jonathan from Korn, another one. Just always looked up to him for having the f*cking balls to say the sh*t that he said in songs.”
Lewis has been candid about his personal struggles in his lyrics. From moving to New Hampshire at age eight to relocating to Longmeadow, Massachusetts, after his parents’ divorce, his childhood was tumultuous. He also faced bullying and harassment during his school days and struggled with a sense of abandonment following the death of his grandfather.
Korn’s Jonathan Davis has also been open about his struggles, particularly in the song ‘Daddy,’ which touches upon his experiences with childhood sexual abuse.
Lewis and Linkin Park collaborated on ‘Krwlng‘ from the band’s 2002 remix album, ‘Reanimation.’
You can watch the rest of the interview below.