Rock band reclaims ‘troubled’ song with first live performance in 22 years

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Our Lady Peace want to ‘reclaim’ a song with connections to the Chris Benoit double-murder suicide.

The 00s rock band released Whatever in 2002, with the late WWE wrestler using it as his entrance theme for the next five years as the track became synonymous with Benoit during appearances on Raw, SmackDown, WrestleMania and more.

In 2007, the former world champion killed his wife Nancy and seven-year-old son Daniel and took his own life aged 40 over one weekend in a double murder suicide.

The group hadn’t performed the song live for a few years before the horrific events, but they have decided to start playing the track as part of their concerts.

They brought the song back during Wednesday’s show in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and explained the potentially controversial move.

‘[Whatever] has this troubled past tied to it, so we didn’t play it for a long time, until tonight actually. Things happen in your life, and they can own you or you can own them,’ singer Raine Maida told fans during their 30th anniversary tour.

Our Lady Peace want to ‘reclaim’ the song (Picture: Angel Marchini/REX/Shutterstock) Late wrestler Chris Benoit used the song as his entrance theme (Picture: Kevin Mazur/WireImage)

‘We decided to take back ownership of the song, because it is our song. It has to do with mental health, and that’s how we’re taking control.’

The band urged people to not be ‘scared to reach out’, as the frontman added: ‘For anyone struggling, there is hope, there is help, sometimes it’s only three digits away.’

Solidifying the song’s renewed message, they shared a number for a mental health hotline after the performance.

The band hadn’t played the song since 2003 (Picture: Warren Toda/EPA/REX/Shutterstock) They have brought the song back for their 30th anniversary (Picture: NHLI via Getty Images)

In 2012, the group insisted they would never play the song again after Benoit’s actions, but over the last decade or so they appear to have reached a point where they can take back ownership of the tune.

‘You know what? That went very sour,’ Raine told A-Sides with Jon Chatterman at the time. ‘It’s awful. I couldn’t image singing it, to be honest. It’s so tied to him and the tragedy that happened.’

Many fans have praised their decision to reclaim the song, and the way the band tackled such a difficult situation.

‘They handled it in an amazing way,’ commented @CarloCondoman24 on YouTube, while @jacobpolitte410 added: ‘Good for them. Don’t let him take your art from you.’

Benoit killed his wife and son before taking his own life (Picture: Peter Kramer/Getty Images)

However, others were uncomfortable with hearing the song being played live, given its connection to the disgraced former world champion.

‘I still see Benoit unfortunately. He’s haunted the song. It’s a banger, and ruined, by a murderer who played a wrestler on tv,’ wrote @zappamann.

‘Just me but if I gave my song to a guy and he killed his wife and child and then himself I’d probably never play that song again. It’ll never be reclaimed. It is synonymous with Benoit,’ said @YoFizz on X.

A different user, @deadendruffian, argued: ‘It is if you stop playing it. Someone probably heard this song for the first time ever and will never even know Chris used it. That’s how it should be.’

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