Thoughts about the death of Dimebag Darrell.

During high school, my group of close friends (all of which I still hang out with today) tended to listen to some pretty loud music. By being friends with them right from the start of my freshman year of high school, I learned of many styles of music that I had never even thought of listening to before. Some of the bands they introduced me to included Tool, KMFDM, White Zombie, Korn, and last but certainly not least Pantera.

Last night the guitarist from Pantera, “Dimebag” Darrell, was shot and killed on stage at an Ohio venue. His new band Damageplan had just started their set when a man got on stage, pursued Darrell, and fired a few gunshots at him at close range. The man apparently then started to fire at the other members of the band, shot a crew member or two and maybe another band member (Vinnie?) but was thankfully shot down by an armed security guard from backstage. Sadly, he managed to murder four people total.

I hold Pantera especially near to me because the first concert I ever went to was theirs back in ‘96. Though I never went to another of their shows, I wish I would have before they broke up. I’ve always thought Dimebag to be one of the greats when it comes to guitar playing and was always able to pick it out [pun intended] when he would appear on other bands recordings. One such song was on Anthrax’s Stomp 442 album in the song “Riding Shotgun”. I heard it before knowing that he was on it and thought to myself, “wow. that sounds a whole lot like dimebag’s playing”.

I didn’t even know Dimebag and Vinnie had started up another band until this morning when I heard the news of the killings.

Rest in peace, Dimebag. May you rock in the heavens as much as you rocked on earth.

reverend.. reverend..
is this some conspiracy?
crucified for no sins
an image beneath me
what’s within our plans for life
it all seems so unreal
i’m a man cut in half in this world
left in my misery…

the reverend he turned to me
without a tear in his eyes
it’s nothing new for him to see
i didn’t ask him why
i will remember
the love our souls had sworn to make
now I watch the falling rain
all my mind can see
now is your face

well I guess you took my youth
and gave it all away
like the birth of a new-found joy,
this love would end in rage
and when she died
i couldn’t cry
the pride within my soul
you left me.. incomplete
all alone as the memories now unfold.

believe the word
i will unlock my door
and pass the cemetery gates

sometimes when i’m alone
i wonder aloud
if you’re watching over me
from some place far abound
i must reverse my life
i can’t live in the past
then set my soul free
belong to me at last

through all those complex years
i thought i was alone
i didn’t care to look around
and make this world my own
and when she died
i should’ve cried and spared myself some pain
it left me.. incomplete
all alone as the memories still remain

the way we were
the chance to save my soul
and my concern is now in vain
believe the word
i will unlock my door
and pass the cemetery gates

– “Cemetary Gates”, Pantera