Thursday, December 8, 2011

DIME TIME 2011: TRIBUTE TO "DIMEBAG" DARRELL ABBOTT: 8/20/1966-12/4/2004





ITP V.011. I know it's late on the east coast of the USA, depending on your time zone. ITP does this annually, a little tribute to DIMEBAG, so "Getcha Pull" with some Black Tooth Grin and enjoy the legacy late guitarist DIMEBAG DARRELL ABBOTT (DARRELL LANCE ABBOTT-PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN) left behind as he passed after being shot by a deranged gunman 12/8/2004.

CHEERS TO DIMEBAG, GETCHA PULL \m/ \m/

FROM PANTERA (FACEBOOK): Dime grabs the #92 spot on this months issue of Rolling Stone covering their top 100 guitarists of all time. FROM VINNIE PAUL: (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN, HELL YEH): On this day 7 years ago I had the best friend i've ever known takin from me forever!!!!!!! I would just like to say DIMES SPIRIT forever shines on like the stars in the sky!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lets celebrate his life,music,LOVE and spirit and do a Blacktooth in his honor!!!! Getcha pull and light em up!!!!! WE MISS YOU DIME , YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN!!!!! BIG LOVE FROM BIG BROTHER!!!! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!!!! FROM LAMB OF GOD: (MARK MORTON): I only got to hang out w/ Dime for one night. It was summer in TX. We got HAMMERED, laughing & carrying on as if we'd been friends for years. I was blown away that my guitar hero was such a down to earth, hilarious & genuinely humble soul. A few months later he was gone. I am so grateful that our paths could cross. He is missed by so many. God bless you Dime. Your music & spirit live on in all of us that were touched by them. Cheers brutha. - Mark FROM ROB HALFORD (JUDAS PRIEST): VIA REVOLVER: Today marks seven years since Pantera and Damageplan guitarist Dimebag Darrell was killed onstage. This week, we are posting remembrances of him by his friends and peers. Today, Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford talks candidly about meeting Dimebag, working with him, and how he took the news when he heard about the shooting. A portion of the interview ran in Revolver’s “Fallen Heroes” issue (available here) earlier this year. REVOLVER When did you first meet Dimebag Darrell? ROB HALFORD Priest was in Canada rehearsing for the Painkiller tour. I was doing an interview from the hotel room and I turned the telly on to [Canadian music-video channel] Much Music. The sound was turned off, and I saw this guy and he’s got a British Steel T-shirt on. So I quickly finished the interview, and I turned the volume up and he’s just talking about his band, Pantera, and Cowboys From Hell. And just watching him and listening to him on the television, you just felt like, This is a great guy. Firstly, I saw a clip of the band. I was like, My God, this guitar player is fucking phenomenal, besides the rest of the band. And then just hearing him talk I thought, I really would like to meet this guy. So I called up Much Music and I said, “Was that Darrell? Is he still there?” It wasn’t Dimebag in those days, it was Diamond Darrell. They said, “Yeah, he still is” And he was like, “Oh my God, I can’t believe it, I’m wearing a Priest shirt.” And I said, “Yeah, I’ve just seen you on the Much Music.” He said, “Oh man, I’d love to see you. We got a show tonight at the club in Toronto.” I’m pretty much sure that it was Pantera and Stryper. So I went down there, and we had a great time together, and we just talked about metal, this, that, and the other. I think jammed “Metal Gods” with them. It’s a bit blurry, it should be more significant than this, but this is 1991. I was clean and sober then, but you know how things get jumbled up in your brain. So that was the start of that. And I told [Judas Priest guitarists] Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing specifically after that, “I’ve seen this band. They’re absolutely fucking amazing and they are going to be huge. They are going to be huge!” And I said, “We should try to get him on the tour.” So, to cut a long story short, we brought them with us on the Priest Painkiller tour of Europe and nobody had a clue who they were. They had no distribution as far as I understood in Europe. So they went out blind, in front of Germans and French and whatever. I used to watch every show, and the first reaction fans gave them was, Who the hell is this? And it was like, Oh my fucking God, what’s going on in front of my eyes? They would just win an audience over in 30, 40 minutes. From playing fresh, new music that nobody had heard before. The communication was instant with that band. So there it was. So by the time we’d done the European tour, and they went back to the States, Cowboys was shooting up the charts. And that was it, they were off and running. They were just launched into the stratosphere on that first release. You mentioned his British Steel shirt. He used to wear a razorblade necklace in honor of your album. Did he ever tell you about that? Yeah, and he had it tattooed on his leg as well. He loved that record. It meant everything to him. It was one that he said was very inspiring to him as a guitar player and as a musician in general. That’s great, isn’t it? Shortly after you toured with them, you worked with him on the song “Light Comes Out of Black,” for the Buffy the Vampire Slayer soundtrack. How did that come together? I was away from Priest. Sony were working on the soundtrack. They wanted Sony artists and asked me to write a song. I hadn’t written as a solo writer for years and years and years. But it’s one of those things where you don’t know what you can do until you put your nose to the grindstone. So I wrote “Light Comes Out of Black,” and I was stuck. And I got Dime’s number, and I called him up and I said, “Here’s the deal.” And he goes, “Let’s do it. Just get in the plane and come down to Dallas.” So that’s what I did the next day, went to the studio, laid the track down in a very short space of time. Phil wandered by, said “Oh, how’s it going, ‘metal god’?” So I told him and he said, “You got a spot for me?” I said, “Pfft, here’s the mic.” So Phil joins me on the back end of the song. And it turned out really god. It’s amazing to think that that’s a Pantera song really. It is Pantera with me on lead vocals, and Phil obviously doing the outro sections. But it’s a Pantera song really. FROM ZACH WYLDE VIA REVOLVER: REVOLVER Why was Dimebag important to heavy music? ZAKK WYLDE When people ask me, “What was Dime’s guitar playing like?” I say, “With Dime, it wasn’t just what he brought to the table, with the blues-y feel and the beyond-fucking-heavy riffs.” When you really think about it, he actually inspired a genre, like how [Black Sabbath guitarist] Tony Iommi inspired a genre of music. Not just Dime’s ripping solos and all that bullshit, I’m talking about like the actual style of the fucking music. What is it about Pantera’s music that signaled something new in metal? They were head and shoulders above anybody that did that style of music. The rhythms are super tight, the musicianship was fucking slamming. I’m talking production, the musicianship, you know, ’cause it wasn’t just like fucking Pantera was making loud, fucking stupid shit. It was just the combination of the four guys, like Zeppelin or whatever, where the chemistry is perfect together. As as far as Dime goes, aside from sounding influenced by Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen, which you can hear in his solos, you can’t say his riffs were influenced by Black Sabbath or Metallica. Even though Dime would say, “Man, I love those early Metallica recordings,” I would tell him it doesn’t sound like it. He created his own sound. Before they invented their own style, Pantera were playing glam metal on their early, out-of-print independent records. How did Dime feel about those albums? When you listen to early Pantera, Dime used to say, “We all gotta start somewhere until you find your identity.” We’d always laugh about the early Pantera records and he goes, “Ah, fuck it, Zakk. I’m not ashamed of those fucking records.” He goes, “What the fuck? I was into that shit at the time.” You look at your high-school picture and you go, “Well, that’s what I was into, man.” [Laughs] I mean, if anything, I look back at that shit and I think it’s fucking awesome, because it’s like fucking hysterical, man. [Laughs] Like me, when I first started with Ozzy, I had big, puffy hair. I know some dudes that are like, “I ain’t fucking signing a picture of me looking like that.” But I go, “Dude, this is fucking gold, man.” [Laughs] It’s just like what Dime was saying about not being ashamed. We’d always laugh about that shit. FROM FRANK BELLO (ANTHRAX):VIA REVOLVER: “We were so close to him. He was one of us. Dimebag was the sixth member of Anthrax, because he played on the last few records. I thought paying tribute to him in song was a great idea. “I lost a brother 13 years ago. He was murdered. And then to have Dimebag go in such a bad, traumatic way—he’s one of our brothers. Dimebag was like a brother to me. “We had a lot of good times. That Anthrax-Pantera tour [in 1997], that was a scary tour. The shows were great. But on that tour, I brought a parasite home with me from Mexico in my stomach. So I couldn’t hold anything in my stomach including liquor. Now imagine being on a Pantera tour without drinking liquor. At one point, it was so bad because everything I put in my body, it was like a funnel–it came right out of my body. So I would have to run from these guys and hide. Because Dime’s chasing me with this Black Tooth [Grin, Dime’s signature drink, which was a shot of Crown Royal or Seagrams 7 with a splash of Coke]. He’d be yelling, ‘Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!’ So I’m shooting this thing with a beer right after it. “Dude, I swear to God, as soon as it went in my system, I was right on the bowl. So I laugh at that now, because I remember Dime laughing at me. As soon as I shot the Black Tooth, he’d go, ‘You’ve gotta go now, right?’ And he’d laugh. It was a great time. Of course it was painful for me, but it was a great thing for Dimebag. Those are the things you remember. It’s a time in your life I’ll never forget. I love them and I miss them. Only the good die young.” FROM REX (PANTERA/DOWN/KILL DEVIL HILL) VIA REVOLVER: "I miss Dime every day that fuckin' goes by. Dime was driven from the time he picked up that guitar. I was around when Darrell couldn't play a barre chord. Then he discovered Ozzy's first two records and he started practicing 11 hours a day. And he just came out to be this protégé. "It never ceased to amaze me what he was capable of. He always had something in his mind going on musically, and if it wasn't that, it was a prank to entertain himself because he was always entertaining to people. "He was the best man at my wedding and he was the warmest cat I've ever seen to people that he didn't know. At the same time, I think Dime really needed to take a little break and have a little seclusion from himself and all the craziness. And he would take those times and sober up and get his stuff together and then write all these amazing riffs while he was taking a shit. "I think about him all the time. I'll come up with something and go, 'Man, what would he think of this?' And I'll never be able to get an answer. But I'm still close to Rita [Haney, Dime's longtime girlfriend]. I was on the phone with her for two hours a few days ago and it always brings a smile to my face when I can talk to her, and she still has the same ideology that Dime had. "You know, I can't believe it's been this long since he's been gone and I miss my brother." FROM BLABBERMOUTH.NET: Metal guitar legend "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's (PANTERA, DAMAGEPLAN) influence on the music community can never be fully estimated, but if the collection of artists and players at this year's Dimebash is any indication, his legacy is as far-reaching and deeper than ever before. On December 14, the world of hard rock and metal come together in a communion of thunderous songs and stories to tip its collective glass to one of the true masters of not only guitar, but music as a whole. "Today marks the seventh year, which still doesn't seem like a reality to me," states Rita Haney, longtime girlfriend of Dime and the person who knew him best. "Sometimes I think, 'Boy, this sure is a long-ass tour,' but then I focus back in and realize what I'm working on at this moment and I just have to smile and be thankful for all the amazing people that surround me — thanks to him. "I hope everyone enjoys this event as much as we like bringing it to them. It's nothing more, nothing less, than 'about a damn good time!' — one of my favorite Dime pastimes and phrases. "There are no words to express my thanks to all the artists who make this event special and give 'us fans' a night to remember two truly amazing people and the music they created! I am forever at your beckon call, so c'mon out and experience the evening with us. It's going to be quite magical!!!" The Key Club in Hollywood will play host to all-star jams featuring the talents of heavy-hitters like: * Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH, DIO DISCIPLES) * Jerry Cantrell (ALICE IN CHAINS) * David Draiman (DISTURBED) * Duff McKagan (VELVET REVOLVER, GUNS N' ROSES) * Serj Tankian (SYSTEM OF A DOWN) * Mike Muir (SUICIDAL TENDENCIES) * Sebastian Bach (SKID ROW) * John 5 (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON) * Scott Ian (ANTHRAX) * Phil Demmel (MACHINE HEAD) * Warren DeMartini (RATT) * Ben Harper * Chris Howorth (IN THIS MOMENT) * Tom Morello (RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE) * Doug Pinnick (KING'S X) * James Lomenzo (WHITE LION, MEGADETH, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY) * Ginger Fish (ROB ZOMBIE, MARILYN MANSON) * Brian Tichy (WHITESNAKE, OZZY OSBOURNE) * Joey Jordison (SLIPKNOT, MURDERDOLLS) The whole shebang will be emceed by "That Metal Show"'s Eddie Trunk and his co-horts, Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson. In addition, kicking off the event will be KILL DEVIL HILL, the band featuring Vinny Appice (HEAVEN & HELL, BLACK SABBATH, DIO) on drums, Rex Brown (DOWN, PANTERA) on bass, Mark Zavon (RATT, W.A.S.P., 40 CYCLE HUM) on guitar and Jason "Dewey" Bragg (PISSING RAZORS) on vocals. Also on deck are DIO DISCIPLES — the new project featuring former DIO members Simon Wright (drums), Craig Goldy (guitar), Scott Warren (keyboards) and Rudy Sarzo alongside singers Tim "Ripper" Owens (YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, BEYOND FEAR, JUDAS PRIEST, ICED EARTH) and Toby Jepson (LITTLE ANGELS, GUN) — with a special appearance by Glenn Hughes (BLACK SABBATH, DEEP PURPLE, BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION). 100% of proceeds from the event will benefit the Ronnie James Dio Stand Up & Shout Cancer Fund. Additionally, attendees will be able to land some limited-edition merchandise and purchase Monster Energy cocktail drink specials with 100 percent of the proceeds benefitting the cause as well. Key Club 9039 Sunset Boulevard West Hollywood, CA 90069 (310) 274-5800 Thursday, December 14, 2011 Doors Open: 7:00 p.m. Performances Begin: 8:00 p.m. Ticket prices are $20 and are on sale now at this location. When asked about the success of last year's Dimebash, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott's longtime girlfriend Rita Haney said in a 2010 interview, "It was amazing — I mean, overwhelmingly amazing. It sold out in ten days. When we put the tickets up [for sale], we didn't even have a lineup, so it was kind of scary putting it together. But just knowing that everybody would come together in [Dimebag's] honor was enough... I think people want it, people wanna remember . . . I mean, it was a day and a half, or two days before [this year's Dimebash] that [some of the musicians taking part in the event] didn't even know what songs [they would be] playing yet. We were scrambling to get everything together. I was just amazed that within the first two days how many people committed and said, 'Yeah, I'm in.' It was amazing." On November 5, 2010, Haney presented a donation of over ten thousand dollars raised from Dimebash 2010 to Wendy Dio in Studio City, California for the Stand Up And Shout Cancer Fund, a charity in memory of Ronnie James Dio to help find a cure for stomach cancer, which took his life in May of 2010. In addition, a DVD of the event was shot and recorded for near-future release with proceeds from the disc's sales also going towards the fund. Dimebash 2010 was held on October 29, 2010. The all-star lineup that shared the stage included hard rock and heavy metal titans: Lemmy of MOTÖRHEAD; Dave Grohl of FOO FIGHTERS; Joey Jordison of SLIPKNOT and ROB ZOMBIE; Simon Wright from DIO; Brent Smith, Zach Myers and Eric Bass of SHINEDOWN; Kerry King and Dave Lombardo of SLAYER; Robb Flynn and Phil Demmel of MACHINE HEAD; Chuck Billy from TESTAMENT; Chris Howorth and Maria Brink of IN THIS MOMENT; Joey Vera of ARMORED SAINT; Tony Campos of STATIC-X; Gerry Nestler of PHILM; John Boecklin of DEVILDRIVER. This sold-out night was hosted by radio/television personality Jose Mangin, a veteran of several Dimebag events. PANTERA AND THE AWESOME RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR FANS: PANTERA and "DUSTY" Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l- GETCHA PULL-RIP DIMEBAG, LOVE YA FOREVER