Stopped on a Dime... My Idol Is Dead
Most of you don't know me well enough to care, but perhaps the general significance of the events I'm about to describe will let you know how sad I feel today.
In a heavy metal/hard rock bar in or around Columbus Ohio, the band Damageplan (founded by former Pantera standouts "Dimebag" Darrell Abbot and Vinnie Paul Abbot) was starting their set, when an irate fan took to the stage and shot Dimebag 5 times in the head before opening fire on the crowd. Imagine. His brother, who was quickly envelopped by security guards and brought offstage, was tearfully asking police officers about his brother's fate, and they didn't even know what hospital the corpse was brought to.
4 people have been confirmed dead, plus the gunman. A fan, a bar employee, and a transient older male whose last known address was in Texas, the band's home state. And, of course, an icon in metal guitar.
A hero police officer, who was on a routine patrol nearby, heard the radio call about what was happening, and entered the back stage area where he saw the gunman holding a hostage. Efficiently, he nailed the shooter in the head with a rifle butt, and proceeded to shoot him to death. So much love and praise has to go out to this brave individual who acted quickly under duress.
How does any of this relate to hockey, golf or any sports??
Pantera, who broke up two years ago roughly, under less than amicable circumstances, wrote the Dallas Stars' theme song and fight song. They (the Abbott brothers, not Phil Anselmo and Rex, the other members of Pantera) were friends of many players on the team, avid hockey fans and supporters.
Classy stuff from the Stars organization about a true Texas hardcore b@st@rd...
http://www.dallasstars.com/homeNewsDetail.jsp?id=2658
I hope you all don't take this as a downer. My main goal was to illuminate the situation. Over the course of the next few months, I'll be putting together a small tribute to one of my idols.
I used to play in a local band that came close to entry onto the big stage. In my mind, I entered each show feeling happy that I was about to make at least one person happy that night. It might only be me, but it was someone. Dimebag's approach to music inspired me to feel this way. He embodied the love and passion that a true musician must encapsulate to become successful. Something I lacked, I suppose. He was a god in my microcosm, and a great individual from past run-ins. Truly a sad day for me.
"D"DA - We barely even knew you.... There's nothing less serious about this crap than 9/11. If anything, it exemplifies the need for stepped up policing and heightened penalties for offenders domestically in the US. This kind of this won't stop, but it can be limited....
Dime - The Cowboys from Hell will ride you into that Vulgar sunset man. You rocked this f-ing planet. Keep it as real in death as you did in life DD.
http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2004/SHOWBIZ/...dimebag.ap.jpg
:cryin
Dan
