The members of Linkin Park are going through a period of processing Chester Bennington's death, which will inevitably turn up plenty of memories. But as he goes through the process, co-vocalist Mike Shinoda has decided to share one particular memory with the Linkin Park community.

Shinoda posted what is the first known photo taken with Chester Bennington officially becoming a member of Linkin Park, who were at the time known as Xero. The photo below was taken way before the band's rise to fame when they had first asked Bennington to be in the band.

"1997 or 1998," writes Shinoda, reflecting on when the shot was taken. "I think this was the first photo we ever took together. We had just told Chester that we wanted him to join the band."

He continues, "He said he was ready to move out from Arizona to L.A. We went to a pizza place near UCLA to hang out and talk about what to do next. The band was called Xero at the time, and we probably had less than a half a dozen songs. No flame tattoos yet, no red hair yet, most of us were still in college." Take a look at the very youthful members of Linkin Park in their infancy below.

Linkin Park issued their first statement since Bennington's death this morning (July 24). "Our hearts are broken," stated the band, who also added, "You touched so many lives, maybe even more than you realized. In the past few days, we’ve seen an outpouring of love and support, both public and private, from around the world. Talinda and the family appreciate it, and want the world to know that you were the best husband, son, and father; the family will never be whole without you." To read the full statement, head here.

In addition to their statement and Shinoda's photo posting, the band has also launched a site where fans can offers their tributes to the late vocalist as well.

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