Remembering Dimebag Darrell/ Real Heroes

  Far Beyond Driven: Dimebag Darrell AbbottTen Years After: 12/8/2014   If you have ever played the guitar before, raise your hand.  Whether you play simple chords or shred, you have an advantage going into this article.  Why?  Because you know how tough it is.  Playing the guitar is one of the most challenging activities I have ever done.  I have owned and played guitars since I was 11, and I have gotten kind of good at it too.  There were plenty of people to look up to- and Dime, being my age, admired the same players as I did, guys like Ace Frehley, Tony Iommi, and Eddie Van Halen.  It was only natural that one day his playing would rip my stereo speakers.  He went out of his mind practicing legendary songs, studying for the day he would make our heads explode with a two-note riff like Walk , or make his guitar wail like a banshee in Cemetery Gates.  It is widely known that Dime won his Dean ML with the lightning bolt on it by playing Van Halen's Eruption note for note while earning a standing ovation.  I think he was 15 then...  This guy was great.  In the 90's, there was lull occurring with some of those 70's and 80's acts- and this was a troubling time to be a metalhead, which I most assuredly am.  Judas Priest lost Halford so they replaced him with Ripper Owens, Dio was playing small venues again, Sammy Hagar quit a perfectly good solo career to in my opinion, ruin Van Halen, Black Sabbath could barely hang onto a singer for a year at a time (until Tony Martin Joined)- Thriller, U2, and all that kind of stuff was blowing the music industry apart, and it looked like Metal was dying. That's why Pantera.  We needed something between the thrash metal, and classic rock around during that era.  Pantera were it, and Dime dubbed their sound, the "Power Groove".  That's what it was,  a 'Newfound Power'- to borrow from Dime's last band Damageplan.
  I've read a ton of articles about Dime.  He was wild, but kind.  He had respect for others and was well known to be "A good ole boy".  He had a tattoo of one of his/my childhood heroes on his chest, Ace Frehley, whom he later met and when he met the ex-Kiss lead guitarist they said he was like a little kid meeting his hero.  Ace signed Dime's tattoo and it was then immortalized as the newest part of the tattoo.  He used to show it off.  What that tells me is he was a lot like me.  When I shook Ace Frehley's hand at his book signing I almost fell over.  For three days, I walked around in a state of spacey shock, thinking: I met Ace Frehley!  Holy fuck.   Dimebag was human, but far-beyond driven.    His technical skill is sometimes overlooked.  But in a duel for rock grooves and inventive- blistering fretwork, Dime had few equals. When smiling and playing he had none.  I had the privilege of seeing him 9 times in concert, and every time he was the coolest.  It seemed so effortless.  To Dime playing the guitar really was as simple as breathing. If I'm lifting weights, its to Pantera.  When I trained for my black belts, Pantera... 
I'm betting if you're reading this you loved Dime too.  The last time I got to see Dimebag was two months before that ugly night, 10 years ago today.  The day my hero was gunned down in cold blood, while doing what he loved- probably with a smile on his face.   Dime's death was a tragedy.  I was on the way to pick up my guitar in Seattle after having some custom electronics installed when they came on the radio and broke the news.  I broke and cried. I did not want to believe it. I walked into the guitar shop with tear tracks on my face, and Mike went to get my guitar.  When he came back, he asked me what was wrong.  I told him Dimebag Darrell was just shot to death.  He had tears in his eyes as I left.  Later, I realized that Mr. Lull was the go-to guy in Seattle, all bands go to him.  I had probably just told him his friend was dead. Apparently, Dime was that kind of guy.  I know a bunch of players from Seattle, and everybody who met Darrell Abbott loved him. So, I'm paying tribute, because my hero would want me to do what I love, and that's writing.  I get to do it this time for him.   God Bless Darrel- Rock On Donny      Buy  Stuff About Dime:Phil Anselmo/Rolling Stone (link)Official Dimebag Site (link)