Four years. That's a long time, especially when you're counting it from the time you lost someone.
On this date in 2004, a madman walked into Alrosa Villa, a music venue in Columbus, Ohio. Damageplan was onstage at the time, touring in promotion of their album New Found Power. For reasons he took to his grave, he walked up from backstage and fired the first three of fifteen shots that would instantly kill Darrel Lance Abbott, known to the world as Dimebag Darrel, guitarist of Damageplan and formerly Pantera.
Some thought that Nathan Gale, former Marine-turned-murderer, was crazed over the breakup of Pantera. Others thought that Gale believed that Dimebag stole one of his songs. Gale's mother says that, due to paranoid schizophrenia, Gale believed that the band was stealing his thoughts. Dimebag's brother and long-time bandmate, drummer Vincent Paul Abbott (Vinnie Paul) swears that, due to the random nature of the crime and the cold, calculated nature in which it was carried out, that Gale was the instrument in a larger conspiracy, and has offered hundreds of thousands of dollars for anyone with information to support his belief.
Sadly, I don't think that we will ever know just what motivated Nathan Gale to murder. What we are left with is memories, stacks of CD's, and the love of one of the greatest guitar players ever to walk the face of the Earth.
Here's to you, Dime. Rest in peace.
tweaker
3 comments:
I met Dimebag very briefly when I was 15 years old in 1997. They were in Spokane with Coal Chamber and Anthrax.
I cried so hard the day I found out Dimebag was murdered. He wasn't the normal celebrity. He was down to earth, willing to talk, willing to listen.
He inspired so many kids, and was ruthlessly ripped from the people that loved him so dearly.
I will never forget Dimebag. There will always be a place in my heart for his wonderful licks.
Now I'm 26. I'm still crying over his death.
RIP Dimebag. Your legacy will live longer than you could ever imagine.
I wasn't a fan of Pantera but I did enjoy some of their music.
I was "introduced" to their work way before they made it big. A female friend didn't want to go to a bar alone so she would ask me to escort her.
Can't remember exactly when, but they used to play often at an Arlington bar called Metal Works. Saw them maybe 5 or 6 times in all before they went national.
Was sorry to hear about Dimebag being shot, always a shame when a talented person is murdered.
Jeff Thompson was working security that day, and was killed during the shooting. Many people say he was the reason more people weren't killed that day. He was also a good Celtic drummer who sat in with The Rogues several times, as well as working security for several touring bands. May they all RIP.
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