Guitarist remembered as police seek motive for shooting

[TexasStooge]

By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA ABC 8

Rock fans from around the country spent Thursday mourning the death of a North Texas man considered to be one of the top heavy metal guitarists in the world.

"Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, who was killed in a shooting rampage at a nightclub in Columbus, Ohio late Wednesday night, was known for his signature licks as part of 90s metal behemoth Pantera, as well as an easy-to-remember tune that came to be associated with the Dallas Stars.

Dimebag Darrell, 38, and his hockey fan brother Vinnie Paul, along with Pantera, recorded the Stars' unofficial theme song during their Stanley Cup run in 1999.

After Pantera broke up, the brothers started a new group, "Damageplan". The band had just taken the stage Wednesday when ex-Marine Nathan Gale, 25, rushed the stage and began blasting away, killing Darrell and three others before being shot and killed by a police officer.

Police were trying to determine whether Gale, who also played semipro football, was incensed because of last year's breakup of Pantera, his self-proclaimed favorite band. Police said Gale yelled something before firing five or six times at Abbott from point-blank range.

Vinnie Paul, who was on stage with his brother when the shots rang out in Columbus, returned home to North Texas with a police escort early Friday. He made no public statement.

News of Abbott's death stunned his fans and close friends.

Disc jockeys at Dallas stations 93.3 "The Bone" and 102.1 "The Edge" grieved along with listeners, who called in as the stations played music from the Abbotts' bands. Some suggested it's worth noting that Dimebag's death occurred on the 24th anniversary of John Lennon's murder in New York.

"This is a huge tragedy for the music world," said 93.3's morning host "Humble" Billy Hayes. "This situation hits pretty close to home because all of us have spent time with Dimebag."

Mr. Abbott, who attended Bowie and Arlington high schools but dropped out in 1984 during his senior year, was remembered as a legendary guitarist in tributes over the airwaves, on the Internet and at a makeshift memorial in front of his Dalworthington Gardens home.

Dave Bingham, 30, a Pantera fan since the mid-1980s, said he came to Mr. Abbott's home to see whether the tragedy was real but had trouble imagining why someone so friendly and outgoing would be killed.

"You would never guess he was a rock star unless you already knew," he said. "Not enough can be said for his music or him as a person."

"A tragic, tragic loss," said fan Jon Clegg. "The music business will never be the same."

"You are the people's rock star," read a hand-lettered sign. A note read, "I hope they got guitars in heaven."

The Dallas Morning News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

[southerngale]

This is so sad.

He was just on stage playing with his band. I can't help but think maybe we need metal detectors at bars/clubs? I don't know.

[Lindaloo]

AMEN!! This is indeed a great loss. Tony Iommi (guitarist for Black Sabbath) and Eddie Van Halen are the top two but Dimebag was gaining ground on those two with his guitar playing.

Rest in Peace Dimebag!! You will be sorely missed!!


Tony


Eddie



Dimebag

[KatDaddy]

A very sad loss in the Metal world. I may be 36, happily married, and a new dad but I am not afraid to say I appreciate the heavy metal world. It is tremedously positive if get past the cliches. Sure there is good and bad to evey aspect in live. Do not ever judge a book by its cover. You will miss out on much life has to offer.

RIP Dimebag Darrel

[Miss Mary]

Columbus, OH is just 2 hours north of Cincinnati. Here's a local article about the tragedy. Very sad story.

http://www.cincynow.com/news/2004/local ... oting.html

Mary

[Rainband]

Sad

[streetsoldier]

As I understand it, the perp believed that the victim stole "his" lyrics five years ago...and had a fixation on Pantera, its musicians, and even some of his friends dropped him like a rock when he became "irrational", two days prior to the shooting...yet, he made no threats at that time, or leading up to the act.

[sunny]

From the Times Picayune

Ex-Pantera vocalist laments pal's death
Local rocker hints at a long seclusion
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
By Keith Spera
Music writer
The onstage killing of former bandmate "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott has left ex-Pantera vocalist and north shore resident Phil Anselmo distraught and questioning his own future.

In a transcript of a videotaped statement released to the media Tuesday, Anselmo said: "People want my reaction to what happened. This is about Dimebag Darrell, purely Darrell. It's not about me or some . . . psycho that happened to destroy the most beautiful person, one of my best friends in the world."

Abbott, 38, was shot and killed Dec. 8 while performing with the hard rock band Damageplan at a Columbus, Ohio, nightclub. Three other people, including Damageplan's chief of security, died after Nathan Gale, 25, opened fire with a handgun. Gale was an ex-Marine and metal fan reportedly angered by the band Pantera's breakup. He was shot and killed by a police officer responding to 911 calls.

Anselmo and Abbott spent 15 years touring the world together in Pantera.

Pantera didn't achieve widespread success until Anselmo, a New Orleans native, joined about 1989. Pantera sold more than 10 million albums, collected two Grammy nominations and inspired legions of aspiring hard rock bands. But by 2002, Anselmo, Darrell Abbott and his brother Vinnie Paul Abbott, the band's drummer, had become estranged as Anselmo devoted more time to other projects.

In 2003, they confirmed that Pantera had disbanded, as the two camps exchanged accusations in the hard rock press. Anselmo was at home on the north shore last week when Abbott was killed. As Ozzy Osbourne, Paul Stanley of Kiss, Brian May of Queen and other rock icons memorialized Abbott, a devastated Anselmo made no public comment until Tuesday.

Anselmo's statement says that "the heavy metal media destroyed Pantera." He laments that he "never got a chance to say goodbye (to Abbott) in the right way and it kills me, and I'm so sorry."

Anselmo traveled to Dallas for Abbott's funeral. But he ended up not attending "to respect the (Abbott) family's wishes, and they do not want me there. I believe I belong there, but I understand completely."

"I wish his family the least grief they could ever have, and I know it's impossible. Just bless his family, bless his friends. I love him like a brother loves a brother. . . . I'm so sorry to his family and everyone else who was senselessly killed in Columbus, Ohio."

His statement hints at an uncertain professional future.

"This has changed the entire world, and this is the last you'll be seeing of me for a long time."

[alicia-w]

wow, cops are looking for a motive? why is that important when all those people are dead? what does finding a motive solve? just curious. it's not like they need it for the shooter's prosecution.

[sunny]

If it were me, I would want to know the reason someone I loved was killed.

[GalvestonDuck]

wow, cops are looking for a motive? why is that important when all those people are dead? what does finding a motive solve? just curious. it's not like they need it for the shooter's prosecution.

What does it solve? If you understand grief, you can understand what it solves.

[Lindaloo]

wow, cops are looking for a motive? why is that important when all those people are dead? what does finding a motive solve? just curious. it's not like they need it for the shooter's prosecution.

A motive is crucial even though the suspect was killed. It helps police better understand what happened and to prevent things like this in the future. Plus, a police officer was involved in the shooting and it has to be investigated.