Yahoo Lifestyle Chester Bennington's Mom Feels 'Betrayed' by Linkin Park's Comeback with New Lead Singer Emily Armstrong
In an interview with 'Rolling Stone,' Susan Eubanks said she feels like the band is "trying very hard to erase the past"
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Chester Bennington performs in Los Angeles in March 2008Chester Bennington's mom has spoken out about co-vocalist Emily Armstrong joining Linkin Park.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Susan Eubanks shared how she feels "betrayed" by the band's comeback with the Dead Sara artist, 38, after her son died by suicide in 2017.
She explained that she discovered Armstrong was "joining the band on Google," and recalled co-vocalist Mike Shinoda telling her two years ago that he "promised" to keep Bennington's family in the loop with what would happen to Linkin Park.
"I feel betrayed," Eubanks told the publication. "They told me that if they were ever going to do something, they would let me know. They didn’t let me know, and they probably knew that I [wasn't] going to be very happy. I’m very upset about it."
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Chester Bennington performs in London in November 2014She added: "I feel like they’re trying very hard to erase the past. They’re performing songs that Chester sang. And I don’t know how the fans are taking it, but I know how I take it. And having [Armstrong] singing my son’s songs is hurtful."
Eubanks emphasized that neglecting to tell her and the family about the rock outfit's changes was the "wrong way" to go about it.
Referring to Armstrong, she added: "Don’t put her out there to sing Chester’s songs and then act like this was always the way it should have been. It’s like making him go away, erasing the past. You don’t have to worry about going through the old songs and finding new ones, new Chester songs to put out. Now you can just put out new songs. But don’t bother to put out Chester’s songs with Emily singing them."
When Linkin Park kicked off its From Zero World Tour at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles on Sept. 10, Shinoda, 47, explained the band's intentions with its comeback to the crowd.
"It is not about erasing the past," he said. "It is about starting this new chapter into the future and coming out here for each and every one of you."
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Chester Bennington in Hollywood in February 2017Eubanks isn't the only family member of Bennington's who has revealed their distress over the changes in Linkin Park.
On Sept. 8, Bennington's son Jamie slammed the "Numb" band in a series of since-expired Instagram Stories viewed byVariety after sharing they hired Armstrong.
He also criticized Linkin Park as a whole for neglecting "to address the concerns of their diverse fan base,” adding that they “betrayed the trust” of the fans who “trusted you to be the bigger better person. To be the change. Because you promised us that was your intention.”
Jamie also called the "What I've Done" rockers "tone deaf.”
The late musician's son also claimed that Shinoda had “quietly erased my father’s life and legacy in real time… during international suicide prevention month.”
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