Dimebag Darrell's Guitar playing was so different and unique and his guitar sound was so innovative that he literally created with his band - "Pantera" a new sub-genre in metal - Groove-Metal, which would later also form the basis for Nu-Metal.
(Photo: Martyn Goodacre)
He is one of the "Transformers of Metal" do not know who these are? Come read the review we wrote on Pantera's Cowboys from Hell, and you will understand. The band changed their face from end to end on this album and moved from the Glam Metal scene to Heavy and Thrash Metal, with Dimebag having a huge impact on its sound and style, being among those primarily responsible for its huge success.
Let's tell you some interesting facts about the very talented guitarist :
1. He was born on August 20, 1966, in Ennis, Texas, USA, as Darrell Lance Abbott.
2. The first instrument he played as a child was the drums. He switched to guitar only at the age of 12.
3. Already at the age of 14 he won the competition for young guitarists on the radio station Q102 from Texas USA. He continued to win many more competitions until he was eventually banned from the competition to give others a chance to win as well.
4. His father was a creator and producer in the field of Country music, Darrell spent quite a bit with him in the studio and absorbed from him. This influence among other things led to the project and the album "Rebel Meets Rebel" released in 2006 combined country, blues, and metal.
5. The first live show he attended was "Kiss". He was also part of the "Kiss Army".
6. Dimebag's admiration for "Kiss" guitarist Ace Frehley was so great that he said that without Ace Frehley there would be no Dimebag.
7. Dimebag even had an Ace Frehley tattoo on his chest.
8. He stated that the most influential guitarists (besides Ace) on him, were Tony Iommi, Eddie Van Halen, and former "Def Leppard" guitarist Pete Willis.
9. In 1989 Dave Mustaine asked him to join "Megadeth". He refused because the invitation did not include his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul.
10. He contributed quite a few solos to the band "Anthrax" until "Anthrax" bassist Frank Bello stated that he was actually the sixth member of the band.
11. This may surprise some of you, but he loved "Nickelback" and even contributed a solo to them in the cover version of the song "Saturday Nights Alright For Fighting" by Elton John.
12. The Love was mutual "Nickelback" Sampled his solo as part of their song "Side of a Bullet".
13. He changed his name from Diamond to Dimebag only on the 1994 album "Far Beyond Driven".
14. He participates in the soundtrack of the movie "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in the song "Light Comes Out of Black".
15. There is an alcoholic cocktail he invented and named after him - "Black Tooth Grin".
16. He also contributed a solo to the legendary King Diamond on his 1998 album "Voodoo".
17. He had another side project with his brother Vinnie Paul - the cover band "Gasoline".
18. He had a regular column in "Guitar World" magazine where he wrote about the great instrument and gave tips for playing the guitar. In 2003 his writings became the book "Guitar World Presents: Dimebag Darrell's Riffer Madness".
19. He was most identified with Dean Guitars. Already at the age of 16, he got one like this.
20. His solo in the song "Cemetery Gates" from the album "Cowboys from Hell" was ranked in a poll conducted by "Guitar World" magazine in 35th place on the list of the 100 best solos of all time.
21. He was murdered on December 8, 2004, by a disturbed fan, during a performance of "Damageplan" in Columbus Ohio, he was then only 38 years old.
22. His killer, was upset about the fact that "Pantera" had disbanded, and this was probably the reason for the murder.
23. He was buried in his hometown of Arlington. The coffin was decorated with figures of members of the band "Kiss" whom he admired.
24. Legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen placed one of his guitars (the famous Bumblebee guitar with the stripes in yellow and black) that Dimebag loved, inside the coffin.
25. Eddie intended to make a copy for Dimebag but after his assassination, Eddie Van Halen said Dimebag's playing was so original, so he only deserves the original guitar.
26. Beyond Eddie Van Halen's Bumblebee guitar with whom he was buried, bottles of his favorite drink "Crown Royal" were also placed in his grave. The coffin bore the "Kiss" logo and was donated by Gene Simmons.
27. Guitarist Zakk Wylde was a friend of Dimebag. He dedicated the song "In This River" by "Black Label Society" to him, The song also includes a very touching clip featuring the characters of Dimebag and Zack as children.
28. The song "Aesthetics Of Hate" by the band "Machine Head" was written by Robert Flynn after he saw a profanity written by a guy William Grim in an extreme right-wing forum, in which he writes that Dimebag was untalented and everyone who admires him is an inferior person.
29. Dimebag was assassinated on the exact same day that John Lennon was assassinated in 1980, also shot by a gun from a disturbed fan.