Prior to joining Linkin Park and becoming a multiplatinum success, Chester Bennington cut his teeth in Grey Daze, an Arizona band that generated buzz in the ’90s.
In the months before his tragic death in 2017, Bennington had reached out to his former bandmates about re-recording some old material. Sadly, he never had the chance to join his fellow Grey Daze members in the studio, but over the next couple years, they honored Bennington by re-recording the songs with his original vocal tracks.
Drummer Sean Dowdell sat down with us to discuss the genesis of the new album, Amends, first meeting the young Bennington in the early ’90s, and his feelings on the singer’s lasting legacy.
“I met Chester in 1992,” Dowdell told us. “He was a sophomore in high school, I was a freshman in college. He was 15, I was 17. … He came down to audition. When he walked through the door, he was all of 90 pounds, super tight curly hair, wire-rim glasses. In my 17-year-old rock-star persona, I had this image of what I thought our lead singer should look like … and then he sang, and he shut my arrogant ass right up.”
Dowdell went on to discuss whether he was proud or jealous of Bennington’s success with Linkin Park, the process of making the album Amends, and more.
In advance of the album, Grey Daze have already released the singles “What’s in the Eye”, “Sickness” and “B12”. Amends arrives June 26th, after being delayed due to the pandemic. The album features guest appearances from members of Korn, Bush, Helmet, P.O.D., and Chester’s son, Jaime Bennington. Pre-order the LP here.
Watch our video interview with Sean Dowdell above.
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