Tribute To A Fallen Star. This is for Dimebag Darrell and all his fans.
tomorrow marks three years since his tragic death. Even now it still seems so surreal, that someone could do this to Dimebag. As a tribute to him i have found some things said by those who knew and loved him...
RIP DIMEBAG DARRELL 1966 - 2004
"Remembering Dimebag Darrell and the Heroes of The Alrosa Villa"
Vinnie Paul-
"With all his greatness and accomplishments on the guitar, Dime will be missed more for his giving personality, charisma, caring for others, love and most of all his HEART!! Twice as big as the state of TEXAS!!!!!!!!!!!! Dime gave it all every day to each and every one of us and our lives have forever been hollowed without him...Thanks to all of you for reaching out to us in this time of our immeasurable loss. REST IN PEACE BROTHER DIME!!!!!!"
Dave Mustaine - Megadeth-
"I knew him by wanting to play with him. We had Pantera open for Megadeth in the U.S. and in Europe. When you get to the level of guitar playing that I'm at and that he was at, the air is pretty thin up there . . . Darrell was a really gentle spirit and pretty easygoing guy. Society is looking at this and saying, "This is heavy metal." That's not heavy metal, that's a random act.."
Zakk Wylde - Ozzy Osbourne-
"He was beyond beautiful. When he'd walk in the room, he'd light it up. f*** the guitar playing -- he's right up there with Eddie and Randy and Hendrix. All he wanted to do was make everyone happy. He was the ray of sunshine. Dime will never die ever -- he's in my veins. He's sitting at God's tavern, having a cold one with Randy Rhoads and Hendrix. Dime was an original."
Brian May - QUEEN-
"We are all gutted to hear of the senseless and tragic death of Dimebag Darrell, who was shot by a 'fan' who climbed on the stage at a show of his new band, DAMAGEPLAN. He was, of course, better known for his great playing in PANTERA.
"PANTERA were, I think, the first band that I and my son Jimmy both got equally excited about. It was Jimmy who first got me to see them. They were a great band, and Dimebag was an innovative and passionate player.
"Great musician. Terrible loss. My respects to him, to his family and friends. Also to those who were killed trying to save him and apprehend the gunman."
"RIP."
Mike Mushok - STAIND
I can't believe the news I got last night. Jon called me telling me that Dimebag was shot at a club while they were performing. I couldn't believe it then and I still can't. On behalf of myself and the band I'd like to send our deepest sympathy to Dime's family. What a loss.
"I was lucky enough to be able to hang with Dime on a few occasions and he was a man that loved life and lived it to the fullest. He was an incredible guitar player / musician / human being - a legend who will live on in the awesome music that he made.
"Pour yourself a shot of crown, add a splash of coke and raise your glass in Dime's memory. You'll be missed."
Lemmy - MOTORHEAD
"To Vinnie & all concerned: Man, I am so f***in sorry. You know I loved Dimebag and I'm about as sorry as you can get. Glad you're OK though. If there's anything you need help with, you got my number somewhere, OK.
"Thinking of you."
Phil Campbell - MOTORHEAD
"I'm so sorry, we'll dedicate the set to Dimebag tonight."
Mikkey Dee - MOTORHEAD
"My deepest sympathy to everyone affected by this tragedy
CORROSION OF CONFORMITY guitarist/vocalist Pepper Keenan and producer John Custer
"It's tragic, a shame," Keenan said Thursday. "I've known Darrell for years and years. He was a big fan of COC, we toured Australia together with PANTERA. It's just a shame."
"He was one of the defining guitarists of his generation," Custer said. "He was like Eddie Van Halen or Randy Rhoads or Stevie Ray Vaughan, about seven cuts above everybody else. Anybody who puts in the amount of time and devotion to get that good is not ... out there just to mess around with music for a little while before going on to something else. He was a devoted musician and one of the most influential guitarists to come out of that whole decade. And he made records that helped people get through their year. He'll be remembered as one of the best."
Thursday afternoon, CORROSION OF CONFORMITY was gathering at the studio again. But Custer did not think they'd get much work done right away.
"It's hard to get excited about cutting guitar tracks right now," Custer said. "There will definitely be a shroud over things for a while." This is just awful."
Mike Portnoy - DREAM THEATER
Dime was an incredible talent who I've admired since the beginning when we had both just signed to Atco Records. It's been many years since I've hung with him or any of the PANTERA guys - but my memories with him and the guys were always of great fun and filled with crazy drunken insanity.
He lived each and everyday to the fullest. In fact, I never could believe how he could even function (both on and off stage) with the way he partied and lived life. I feel so sorry for Vinnie and the rest of the band and family.Words really cannot describe the heartache I've had all day.This is as tragic and unbelievable as Lennon getting killed.
But this hits home even closer because he was ONE OF US.
OZZY OSBOURNE
"Dimebag was a dear friend of mine," Ozzy Osbourne said. "I'm absolutely beside myself with grief... Pantera toured with me many, many times. I'll always remember the signed guitar that he gave me at my 50th birthday party. My heart goes out to Dime's family, his fans and the other innocent victims who were killed in this senseless tragedy. It's just terribly, terribly sad."
Wayne Static - STATIC-X
It's taken me several days to gather my thoughts so I could make some sort of statement about Dime. This whole thing is so surreal.
PANTERA changed my life as a musician. Dime has always been my absolute favorite guitarist ever.
STATIC-X did two tours with PANTERA and they were the most memorable tours of my career. Recently I've been very excited that Dime and Vinnie have carried on with DAMAGEPLAN, and I was looking forward to hearing many more great albums from them in the future.
The last show STATIC-X played before entering the recording studio was with DAMAGEPLAN in Florida. After the show, Dime and I, along with his awesome wife Rita, hung out all night and did plenty of drinking.
I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to get to know Dime, along with his bandmates Vinnie, Patrick, and Bobzilla. DAMAGEPLAN, their crew, and their friends are some of the best people I ve ever met. Dime had a huge heart and a pure honesty that made him very cool and unique. He will be missed by everyone."
Nikki Sixx - MÖTLEY CRÜE
"Dime, I will never forget all the times you made us laugh. I'm so happy we got to spend the day together in London recently & We should all live our lives as full as you have. I will miss you, as will all of us... This is a sad day."
Lars Ulrich - Metallica
This is unbelievable. To sit here and talk about Darrell in the past tense seems so wrong, so unfair, so unjust, I don't even know what to say. My heart goes out to Vinnie, to their families, to the other band members, and to the families and friends of the other people that were killed or injured, in this f***ing senseless act of selfishness and stupidity.
In 1985 I was fortunate enough to meet both Darrell and his brother in Dallas on tour. The first thing me and my friend did as soon as that tour was over, was to head straight back to Dallas and hang out with Darrell and Vinnie for a long time, cuz they were the coolest muther f***ers that we had met after criss-crossing the states for three months. That was the beginning of a friendship that was anchored in love, respect, fun, outrageousness, music, booze, sweat, late nights, early mornings, hangovers, headaches, pounding eardrums, sore bodies... the list goes on.
There's a tendency in these f***ed up moments to use the word "I" a lot and focus on one's own feelings of pity and shock... so instead let it just be known that thru these eyes Darrell was incredibly warm, open, fun, nutty, forthcoming, talented, embracing, unpretentious, accommodating and he always had a very attractive innocence about him that obviously made him never threatening and always welcoming.
Darrell and his brother were the cornerstone of musical adventures that were always groundbreaking, pushing boundaries, challenging to themselves and to their fans, respected by their peers and always true musicians' musicians, and today the rock world is worse off because of this untimely and senseless waste.
Much love and respect and thanks for letting me be a small part of your life and I know you are already having fun and throwing it down with Bon Scott, Keith Moon, John Bonham, Jimi, Cliff B., and the rest of the musicians and troublemakers that you are hanging with so prematurely.
Jonathan Davis - Korn
In the Eighties, honestly, I was more into dance music, New Romantic music like Depeche Mode. Vulgar Display of Power totally opened my eyes to a more traditional kind of metal. That made me go, "I want to be in a band like this. This is the s***." I really became a huge fan of Pantera, especially with what Darrell did. I'll never forget that trademark f***ing flying "V" guitar of his and his crazy, dyed f***ing goatee and insane, undeniable riffs that he wrote that have been copied I don't know how many f***ing times. He was one of the last great, traditional metal guitarists of our day. He was just a legend. It seems like all the great guitar players get taken early.
I remember when Fieldy took me my first Pantera concert, back in '92, '93. We both started breaking out crying because it was so f***ing insane, so intense. You just get goose bumps, how badass that s*** is . . . I feel numb that that s*** can even happen. The metal community is such a tight community, everyone is just feeling it. I feel so f***ing bad for his brother because those two were inseparable. I could tell Darrell was so full of f***ing life and such a cool guy -- he was just the life of the party. He knew how to live life to its fullest, took everything in excess and just made life bigger than it is. The guy was so f***ing cool.
Phil Labonte - All That Remains
I don't know what to say the whole band is shocked our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone!"
Dan Jacobs - Atreyu
It's a sad day when being such a good guitar player can get you killed. Metal will never be the same.
Trevor - UNEARTH
This is a sad day for Heavy Metal, Rock'n'roll and for all his family, friends and legion of fans around the world.
Dimebag Darrell was one of the nicest and most genuine human beings all of us in Unearth have ever met. His presence, music and most of all his friendship will be dearly missed. Dime loved life, cared about people and was a true rock icon. Everything about him was admirable.
Our thoughts and hearts go out to his family and friends."
Mark Morton - Lamb of God
Dime's music was a huge influence on me personally and on Lamb of God as a whole. as a guitar player he was a true inovator. his sound tone and style shapped modern metal and his riffs are constantly referenced by nearly every band in metal including my own. only recently did i have the pleasure of hanging out with him on a personal level and he was as genuine and down to earth as anyone you would ever meet. this is a huge loss to the music world."
Statement from Atlantic Records
December 9, 2004
We are shocked and saddened by last night's horrible and senseless shootings. This is a tragic day for the music community, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and the surviving members of Damageplan and their crew. Dimebag Darrell was an exceptional musician and an extraordinary person. Along with his brother and bandmate, Vinnie Paul, he was a member of the Elektra/Atlantic family for the past 14 years, and he will be deeply missed. The bravery displayed by Damageplan, their crew, their fans, and the local police will never be forgotten.
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Dec 07, 2007 @ 15:53:10
