Chester Charles Bennington, also nicknamed "Chazy Chaz" and "Chester the Molester",(born March 20, 1976) is the vocalist of the rock/nu metal band Linkin Park. He was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He is notable for producing loud and very high-pitched vocals. Most Linkin Park songs feature him screaming. He wears black horn-rimmed glasses on occasion, and is of average male height. His hair is of particular interest as it changes style and colour frequently. When he was younger he practiced singing every day until his lungs and throat were sore to get as good a voice as he has now.

Chester had a rather unpleasant life right through adolescence. He was sexually abused as a child, not by his family, but from the people around him. A few of his friends commited suicide and one died in a skateboarding accident. As a teenager, he was addicted to crystal meth and cocaine. However, Bennington is now free from his addiction and has been so for many years. His co-writer and fellow band member Mike Shinoda wrote a song about Chester's past which, until recently, could not be performed live. The song, called "Breaking the Habit," brought back memories from the past which in many cases reduced Bennington to tears.

Bennington was formerly the lead vocalist in a band called Grey Daze, who were popular across Arizona and the United States, but didn't achieve global status. Grey Daze replaced Chester after he left with a female singer and the band is now known as Waterface.

He married his wife Samantha on Halloween at the age of 20, and because he was too poor to afford an actual wedding or engagement ring, the two of them have rings tattooed on their ring fingers. (Done before Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee had theirs done) They have one child, a boy named Draven Sebastian Bennington, born April 19, 2002 at 1 PM.

Chester takes off his glasses while performing because he is afraid they will get broken. However, without them he can't actually see the people in the first row.

Bennington's Tattoos As of 8/03, Totaling 12:

1. Upper Left Arm - (Pisces)
2. Upper Back - (Six arms spread out)
3. Lower Back - (Linkin Park lettered in old English) This tattoo was the result of a bet Chester made with a friend of his. If Hybrid Theory went platinum, the tattoo would be free. If not, Chester would have to pay full price. The album went platinum, and Chester got a free tattoo.
4. Upper Right Arm - (Japanese Koi Fish)
5. Lower Left Calf - (Hybrid Theory Soldier)
6. Left Arm - (flames)
7. Right Arm - (flames)
8. Right Calf - (dragon)
9. Right Finger on Left Hand - (engagement band)
10. Pinkie Finger on Right Hand - (birthstone in gold ring)
11. dragon on his back on the left
12. and on his right side.

"Tattoos exude pain and pleasure all at the same time." - Chester

In airports Bennington has to take off all his metal spike bracelets, etc., and he apparently has a little bag that he arranges them all in. They have to be in the same place every time and go back on him in the same order. It is rumored that he is obsessive compulsive because of this and other interesting little habits he appears to have suggest it further.

Bennington seems to have rather bad luck with getting sick on tour.

• On 8/8/01 during Ozzfest he was bitten by a recluse spider at a hotel in the Boston area. A portion of Bennington's arm swelled and he ran a fever, but he finished the whole tour. Most people require hospitalization after a recluse spider bite.

• Bennington continues to struggle with a hiatal hernia, an ailment that forced LP to cancel their show in Evansville, Indiana. (April 11, 2003)

• In 2003, LP was forced to cancel their European tour in June due to a viral infection Chester developed. He was sent to intensive care at LA's Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre when he lost feeling in his body and collapsed.

Chester's Non-Linkin Park Songs

1. State of the Art - DJ Lethal of Limp Bizkit
2. (Title unknown) - The Visionaries
3. Karma Killer - Cyclefly
4. System - Written by Jonathan Davis of Korn
5. Morning After - Written by Himself
6. Walking Dead - DJ Z-Trip
7. Rock and Roll Could Never Hip Hip Like This Part 2 - Handsome Boy Modeling School