Post by 06Warrior on Dec 8, 2008 21:17:21 GMT -5
Remembering Damageplan's & Pantera's "Dimebag" DarrellBy Jessi Virtusioon December 8, 2008 4:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)
It's hard to believe it's been four years since that fateful Dec. 8, 2004 night in Ohio when Damageplan guitarist and metal legend "Dimebag" Darrell was tragically shot to death on stage. Known to many more as one-fourth of mega-successful heavy band Pantera and just a fun-loving soul, "Dimebag" Darrell's death was what many consider to be the 9/11 of heavy music.
On the anniversary of his death, I'm choosing -- as I have chosen since recovering from the initial shock of hearing he was gone -- to celebrate his life. Over the weekend, I finally picked up the "DimeVision, Vol. 1: That's the Fun I Have" DVD that was executive produced by his brother Vinnie Paul and produced by "Dimebag" Darrell's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney and friends Red Ezra and Bobby Tongs. Watching the 2006 collection of candid photos and cool video dating back to the early 1980s, I couldn't help but smile at how wacky and talented "Dimebag" Darrell was.
I already stocked my portable tin of CDs with my entire Pantera and Damageplan catalogs so I could jam to "Dimebag" Darrell's music all week wherever I am. And I threw in CDs from his good friend Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society as well as Chicago's Soil. One of my fondest memories is seeing members of Soil and Chicago's Trouble on the House of Blues stage in Chicago jammin' with Damageplan on Pantera's "Walk" shortly before "Dimebag" Darrell's death. It also was awesome to be a part of the February 2005 "Dimebag" Darrell memorial show featuring Southland native band Disturbed, Anthrax, Drowning Pool and Soil at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago.
I only met "Dimebag" Darrell for a few short minutes during a 1994 signing for Pantera's "Far Beyond Driven" CD at Rolling Stones Records in Norridge, but I always cherish that memory and felt as if I lost a brother when he died. Even though "Dimebag" Darrell was known for partying hard and I'm straight edge, I still admire his living-life-to-the-fullest attitude and try to emulate that. That's part of why I still wear my black tribute rubber bracelet saying, "Getcha' Pull - Dimebag R.I.P.," every day.
It may be four years later, but I haven't forgotten him. And I know a legion of his fans haven't forgotten either. My computer desktops at home and work still feature a tribute wallpaper a fan made shortly after his death. I still see two of my favorite "Dimebag" Darrell photos -- a Pit magazine Damageplan photo by Michael Savko and a Revolver magazine tribute photo by Clay Patrick McBride/Retna of "Dimebag" Darrell with his
-- every time I open the back door of my apartment. Even though he is gone, his music and his legacy never will be. And thank goodness for that.