Kurt Cobain, but not Darrell Abbott?!

[mysweetshadow747]

On this site under the "guitar legends" tab, they have some of the world's best listed. However, they also have one of the most debatable included... while leaving out a CRUCIAL guitar force whose life as a player AND a person inspired millions of people. I'm talking of course about Dimebag Darrell Abbott, guitarist for the infamous Pantera. Pantera was, and still is, most likely, the LEADING FORCE in the heavy metal transfer from glam rock to modern metal and Dimebag's playing is probably some of the most soulful and amazing guitar work I've ever heard. It's a real shame that a mediocre guitarist like Kurt Cobain was chosen over this true legend we all knew and loved.

Now before everybody goes nuts on me for calling Kurt Cobain a mediocre guitar player, at least look at the reasoning behind my argument. I'm not saying that Kurt Cobain wasn't insanely influential to the grunge scene or music in general, but in terms of playing ability/talent and rhythmical genius, Dimebag blows almost every modern guitar player out of the water. Is there anybody who backs me up on this?

:rockon2: \m/,

[GuitarsCanada]

I will back you up, in as much as I added all of the guitar legends myself. I would agree a bit on the "guitar talent" comment for Cobain. I also agree that the Dime should be on the list. The latter is my fault as I have just not gotten around to it. But I would agree he belongs on the list.

[Paul]

We could argue all day about who is and who isn't on the "list".

Les Paul seems to be missing, as does Lenny Breau and Albert King, Joe Pass and Tal Farlow, etc., etc., and as they say......etc.

Until this thread, I didn't even know there was a list.

[Metal#J#]

I hated Dime Bags tone........but you gotta love everything else about him. He was a genius an quite a character. Definately deserves to be on the list.:rockon2:

[GuitarsCanada]

I am way behind in my work on that page. I have not added anyone in a long time. As you say, there are many that could be on there.

http://www.guitarscanada.com/Legends.htm

[Milkman]

Does DIme belong on a list of guitar legends?

Maybe. I would agree that he was technically better than Cobain but as for this statement, "in terms of playing ability/talent and rhythmical genius, Dimebag blows almost every modern guitar player out of the water." I think this is a bit of an exageration.

[mysweetshadow747]

Does DIme belong on a list of guitar legends?

Maybe. I would agree that he was technically better than Cobain but as for this statement, "in terms of playing ability/talent and rhythmical genius, Dimebag blows almost every modern guitar player out of the water." I think this is a bit of an exageration.

I guess it's a matter of opinion, but considering that I've drooled to pretty much every Pantera song there is (minus the glam rock days... not a big fan)... it's just insane how under rated he is to non-metalheads. For example listen to the guitar work on Floods. It just shows how he can go from brutality to utterly beautiful in the same song. I think that kind of diversity in music is very important, especially when you consider the state of metal at the time. It was either horridly fast and there was too much going on to understand, or borderline boring...

:rockon2:\m/,

[Milkman]

I guess it's a matter of opinion, but considering that I've drooled to pretty much every Pantera song there is (minus the glam rock days... not a big fan)... it's just insane how under rated he is to non-metalheads. For example listen to the guitar work on Floods. It just shows how he can go from brutality to utterly beautiful in the same song. I think that kind of diversity in music is very important, especially when you consider the state of metal at the time. It was either horridly fast and there was too much going on to understand, or borderline boring...

:rockon2:\m/,

Well your statement made no reference to Dime blowing away other metal guitarists. Instead you said "almost every modern guitar player".

Don't get me wrong, I think he was good, but not that good. Still, he made his mark.

[GibsonTay37]

I'm not saying that Kurt Cobain wasn't insanely influential to the grunge scene or music in general, but in terms of playing ability/talent and rhythmical genius, Dimebag blows almost every modern guitar player out of the water. Is there anybody who backs me up on this?

:rockon2: \m/,

Cobain could only do Power Chords and Terrible Solos, Dimebag can shred and can play more than power chords. As for Grunge Guitarists, here's my list for best guitarist

1. Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains)
2. Mike Mccready and Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam
3. Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)
4. Buzz Osbourne (The Melvins)
5. The Guy from Gruntruck
Kurt didn't even make the list

[marshallman]

Dime should definitly be there. That guy's written some of the most memorable metal riffs off all time! (Walk, Cemetary Gates, I'm Broken, etc...):rockon2:

[violation]

The day Darrell died is the day metal died as far as I'm concerned. Testament's new album is alright but meh...

[fraser]

well, the list is 'guitar legends', not ' best guitarists'. although cobain himself would hesitate to call himself a guitarist, he is a legendary guy who played guitar- id venture to say far more legendary than dimebag.(what kinda guy calls hisself dimebag btw?)
i have a few pantera albums, i like them, the playing sounds ok and all, but nothing out of the ordinary- pretty generic heavy metal posturing stuff, pointy guitars n all.
im a better player than cobain was, but id rather listen to him than dimebag, or a lot of better players really. i prefer to listen to soul rather than skill.

[Milkman]

i prefer to listen to soul rather than skill.

Me too.

Often you can have both a high level of technical skill and moving music at the same time but emotion is more important to me than chops.

[geezer]

It's all a matter of what you feel in an artists music. I agree with the original
poster about Dimebag I think his playing was full of emotion and even simple sounding riffs have alot of subtle techniques that you don't really pick up on unless you play them.

[Diablo]

Hmmm...never really got in to Dimebag.
He always came across to me as kind of generic.
But as they say, all those fans cant be wrong. Although I think his down to earth anti-rock star trailer trash attitude is really what endears him to many.

[devnulljp]

Gonna upset some of you, but I didn't know Dimebag was a real player until long after he was dead. I kinda thought he was some generic marketing department's idea of a rad guitar guy -- seemed to be on every other page of every guitar mag I ever picked up grimacing, wearing a pointy guitar, and hocking strings, pedals, plectrums, string lube, amps, toilet paper, brocolli, haemorrhoid cream, more pedals, tshirts, home insurance, timeshares in Puerto Vallarta...
Pantera sound like every other post-Metallica metal band I've ever heard.

[fraser]

Gonna upset some of you, but I didn't know Dimebag was a real player until long after he was dead. I kinda thought he was some generic marketing department's idea of a rad guitar guy -- seemed to be on every other page of every guitar mag I ever picked up grimacing, wearing a pointy guitar, and hocking strings, pedals, plectrums, string lube, amps, toilet paper, brocolli, haemorrhoid cream, more pedals, tshirts, home insurance, timeshares in Puerto Vallarta...
Pantera sound like every other post-Metallica metal band I've ever heard.

yup generic from the first note i heard him play- when he died i believe i was the only one i knew at the time who had heard of him. i played some stuff fer my bandmates and they declared it crap- not taking anything away from his enthusiasm and dedication- he was just pursuing a generic sound already well travelled-he doesnt turn me on, but that doesnt mean he wasnt good. wasnt he doing a guitar mag thing but as diamond darrel? maybe because dimebag was too dirty for publication? jeezus thats gay.
personally, id rather listen to kurt chugging out his 3 chords and screaming his head off. thats authentic to my ears.

[devnulljp]

Not riffing on the guy, good for him for doing what he loved, it's a shame a combination of that and some guy getting his fluoxetine dose wrong ended it for him. Just not my thing. And the constant hocking of stuff...

[NB-SK]

Gonna upset some of you, but I didn't know Dimebag was a real player until long after he was dead. I kinda thought he was some generic marketing department's idea of a rad guitar guy -- seemed to be on every other page of every guitar mag I ever picked up grimacing, wearing a pointy guitar, and hocking strings, pedals, plectrums, string lube, amps, toilet paper, brocolli, haemorrhoid cream, more pedals, tshirts, home insurance, timeshares in Puerto Vallarta...
Pantera sound like every other post-Metallica metal band I've ever heard.

Yeah, I remember that happened shortly before or after Vulgar Display of Power came out (I thought that album was very commercial, from the cover to the last note). I guess it's understandable. He was one of the few popular heavy metal guitarists at that time.

[Apostrophe (')]

Yeah, I remember that happened shortly before or after Vulgar Display of Power came out (I thought that album was very commercial, from the cover to the last note). I guess it's understandable. He was one of the few popular heavy metal guitarists at that time.

A Vulgar Display of Digital Power!
http://cgi.ebay.com/KORG-G3-Processor-Dimebag-Darrell-orig-ad-print_W0QQitemZ7209058271QQihZ001QQcategoryZ37839Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[geezer]

This discussion about Dimebag been non-original and generic makes me think
that the same could be said for almost every blues guitarist on the planet
only they milk the same old licks that have been around for a hundred years.
I respect some of the more recent blues acts just the same. I agree that some of Pantera's music sounds somewhat generic, but the same can be said for almost any Country , Pop or Rock band on the charts.If you play a certain style
of music your fans expect you to stay true to form.Maybe this is all BS but ...

[Diablo]

This discussion about Dimebag been non-original and generic makes me think
that the same could be said for almost every blues guitarist on the planet
only they milk the same old licks that have been around for a hundred years.
I respect some of the more recent blues acts just the same. I agree that some of Pantera's music sounds somewhat generic, but the same can be said for almost any Country , Pop or Rock band on the charts.If you play a certain style
of music your fans expect you to stay true to form.Maybe this is all BS but ...

True. But this is a discussion about who deserves to be considered a "Legend". Not just "pretty good" or accomplished, etc. The standard is much higher obviously. Not every country, pop, rock band on the charts should be considered a legend.

When I hear Dimebag solo, I hear a less melodic Zakk Wylde with a cheesier tone and a vibrato bar, and not doing much interesting with either.
In fairness, I wasnt listening much to metal when Pantera were at their peak, so theres no nostalgia there for me.
But if you've got a Youtube vid that you think might turn some of us around, be sure and post it. I'd luv to hear something from him that would explain the hype.
This was the best I could come up with:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgtZ7oOCmdM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkfphAF56Fk&feature=related
Meh. Its not bad musically, but not exceptional guitar playing either. Lynch, Beach, Nuno or Skolnick (among others) would tear him a new one 7 times 'till Sunday.

[violation]

Dime from 1988... like 22 years old - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZybJ9Z1bJxw

Wait for 2 minutes in... he basically wrote the outro to Floods before he knew it, which would later be one of my (and many others) favorite solos written by him - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nx1nuq1Pt4

Then there's Cowboys From Hell, which I'm sure everyone has heard, is great. That main riff alone is legendary. Revolution is My Name, 5 Minutes Alone, etc. are great too.

Let's not forget Soul Bleed from Damageplan - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyEP_iHNjHA

Or The Sleep from the CFH album - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-U3GvyMDD0

You want to talk about generic look at the majority of metal. Triplet or tremolo picking and solos filled with speed. Fun! I'm not cutting down speed, I play and listen to some fast music but when it's the same thing over and over it's like "enough already".

That's where Dime was different. Cemetery Gates, Cowboys from Hell, 5 Minutes Alone, Revolution is My Name, Floods, Mouth for War, etc... none of them are fast songs but they're heavy, innovative and have some groove to them. Yes some of the songs are fast but they're not all, and they're not all the same style or song structure. There's a reason he was on tons (http://jgwebdesign.net/host/snapshot20080510190353.jpg) of magazine covers saying he "saved metal" and "metal is still alive" and others along those lines. Watch the end of DimeVision for more covers.

wasnt he doing a guitar mag thing but as diamond darrel? maybe because dimebag was too dirty for publication? jeezus thats gay.
His original nickname was "Diamond" because Pantera used to be a glam-rock band (as you can hear on their earlier albums) and it turned to "Dimebag" because he could only afford a dimebag and people would bust his balls.

seemed to be on every other page of every guitar mag I ever picked up grimacing, wearing a pointy guitar, and hocking strings, pedals, plectrums, string lube, amps, toilet paper, brocolli, haemorrhoid cream, more pedals, tshirts, home insurance, timeshares in Puerto Vallarta...
He only endorsed what he used as most guitarists do. Randall amps, Washburn guitars, Dean guitars, Randall amps, Krank during the Damageplan time, Korg G3 (which he used at home as he's stated and he has used it live but only for a brief period), Digitech Whammy, Vox wah, DR Strings (I think that's the name?), etc.

Then after his death certain companies used his name to market products (ie: MXR and Dean (they're the worst)... seriously they released a neck pickup that he's never even seen or asked for and slapped his name on it). Anything new with his name on it is likely thanks to Rita.

[NB-SK]

A Vulgar Display of Digital Power!
http://cgi.ebay.com/KORG-G3-Processor-Dimebag-Darrell-orig-ad-print_W0QQitemZ7209058271QQihZ001QQcategoryZ37839Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Funny, I thought an MXR distortion pedal and a Dunlop wah were a must to get his tone. :rolleyes:

[violation]

Funny, I thought an MXR distortion pedal and a Dunlop wah were a must to get his tone. :rolleyes:
He used the Dunlop Crybaby from Hell with Damageplan (as well as the MXR Wylde Overdrive for extra sustain) and the MXR DD-11 gets you close to his original RG100ES tone but sounds a little thin (if you add an overdrive pedal with light settings it fattens it up perfectly). It was aimed at people that couldn't find or afford a RG100ES but wanted his or a similar tone. He never claimed to use it and it had it's purpose, the RG100ES is rare to find in decent condition and even harder once people realized that's what he was using.

It's well known he used the Korg G3 on various recordings and used it at home to mess with (when he had time, he toured his ass off) and the same for the Korg G1 before the G3 was available... so I don't see why you're attempting to slam him for endorsing a product he used.

GW: You've got a huge pile of effects boxes in the studio. Aside from the ones you've already mentioned, what other units did you use?

Darrell: I hooked up my MXR Flanger/Doubler every once in a while and I used an E-Bow for real smooth, continual sustain on "10's." I also used one of those little Korg Pandora boxes for a weird, fluttering sound on a short in "10's" and a Lexicon Vortex for the shimmering, breathy tone on my theme-like lead in "The Underground in America."

I also used a Roland AP-2 Phase II pedal, a Kork AX30G, a Digitech Whammy pedal, of course!, a Boss CE1 Chorus and a bunch of old Electro-Harmonix shit-a Small Stone Phaser, an Electric Mistress Flanger/Filter Matrix, a Little Big Muff and a Soul Preacher Compressor/Sustainer. I also used a Korg G1 on the demos and some of that made it on the record. If I can't beat a part of the demo we'll just extract that small section and use it. The G1 is a bad-sounding little unit, man.

[acdc54_caddy62]

He should be on a list... but not very high on it. I'm mean whomever take's a gun to his head for having a couple problems is a weak human being.

[Diablo]

Hmmm...I guess I was hoping for something a little more convincing than those links. :( Their pretty much what I was familiar with. Sorry I just dont hear anything "legendary" in Cowboys from hell or Floods, or that pretty atrocious solo from 1988. Generic still comes to mind, not a legend that re-invented something or influenced the direction of the instrument or generations of players. I hear the same trills, taps, pinch harmonics and dive bombs that everyone else in his generation was doing (that they ripped off from true legends like EVH).

Obviously you're a big fan, and thats cool. Sometimes fans hear things in music that non-fans dont (and vice versa). I suppose every fan on some level thinks of their idol as "legendary"....but its not exactly objective.

As to the magazine headlines, well, magazines print a lot of stuff to sell issues to 14 yr olds. I once read a magazine headline that said Maddox (of "Brangelina" fame) is the "most powerful child in Hollywood". I put about as much stock in these headlines as I do in that one.

In fairness, although I dont think of him as a legend, theres others on the list that I dont think should be there as well e.g. Chrissie Hynde ?!?. If it were up to me, rather than put every good or popular guitarist on the list, I'd make the list smaller rather than bigger. Billy Corgan?? Rudy Schenker? lol...he isnt even the best guitarist in his own band (not to mention his own family)! May as well have Adrian Smith and Glenn Tipton there too.
Additionally IMO Kurt Cobain is as much a legend to guitar as Lee Harvey Oswald is to America. I wish grunge never happened.

[hoser]

where is this list?

[Paul]

where is this list?

http://www.guitarscanada.com/Legends.htm

[Paul]

Then there's Cowboys From Hell, which I'm sure everyone has heard,...

I'll take that bet. I've long been aware of Darrell Abbott, and it is all kinds of wrong that his life ended the way it did, but I wouldn't recognize a note he played without being told.

[Accept2]

As a total metalhead and shredhead, I think these guys were just at the right place at the right time. I like a few things Cobain did, but his body of work is very small, and while there was some good stuff there, the rest wasnt exactly awesome. I never got into Diamond Darrel at all. On the night he was shot, he had about 100 fans, the next day, he was the second coming. I think the circumstances around their deaths makes them both legendary, but I wouldnt put either on a list unless it was really, really long and covered all bases. If one of them is a hero to you, thats fine, but dont expect the rest of us to fall in line. I wouldnt force other people to recognize Johhny Ramone as a legend just because he made some great (and not-so-great) albums that I identified with........

[DeleriumTrigger]

As a total metalhead and shredhead, I think these guys were just at the right place at the right time. I like a few things Cobain did, but his body of work is very small, and while there was some good stuff there, the rest wasnt exactly awesome. I never got into Diamond Darrel at all. On the night he was shot, he had about 100 fans, the next day, he was the second coming. I think the circumstances around their deaths makes them both legendary, but I wouldnt put either on a list unless it was really, really long and covered all bases. If one of them is a hero to you, thats fine, but dont expect the rest of us to fall in line. I wouldnt force other people to recognize Johhny Ramone as a legend just because he made some great (and not-so-great) albums that I identified with........

While I only partially agree with your views on Dime's "overnight" rise to fame as a guitarist, I think everything else you've said here is spot on. :rockon:

[NB-SK]

He used the Dunlop Crybaby from Hell with Damageplan (as well as the MXR Wylde Overdrive for extra sustain) and the MXR DD-11 gets you close to his original RG100ES tone but sounds a little thin (if you add an overdrive pedal with light settings it fattens it up perfectly). It was aimed at people that couldn't find or afford a RG100ES but wanted his or a similar tone. He never claimed to use it and it had it's purpose, the RG100ES is rare to find in decent condition and even harder once people realized that's what he was using.

It's well known he used the Korg G3 on various recordings and used it at home to mess with (when he had time, he toured his ass off) and the same for the Korg G1 before the G3 was available... so I don't see why you're attempting to slam him for endorsing a product he used.

No, it's not a slam. It's irony.

[violation]

Generic still comes to mind, not a legend that re-invented something or influenced the direction of the instrument or generations of players.
Wayne Static of Static-X: PANTERA changed my life as a musician. Dime has always been my absolute favorite guitarist ever.

Mark Hunter of Chimaira: Dime's music gave me so much to live for when I was younger and he truly changed the face of metal with his unique style of guitar playing. There isn't a metal band I know that hasn't borrowed a riff or three from him.

Matt Heafy of Trivium: Dimebag was one of the most influential musicians in our time. Dime was a legend who really made the world seem that much better. He was a man who helped inspire countless numbers of players, fans, and people in general, including me.

Jonny Santos of Spineshank: Dimebag was to me probably the most influencial guitar player of metal since I knew what metal was.

Johnathon Davis of Korn: I really became a huge fan of Pantera, especially with what Darrell did. I'll never forget that trademark ****ing flying "V" guitar of his and his crazy, dyed ****ing goatee and insane, undeniable riffs that he wrote that have been copied I don't know how many ****ing times. He was one of the last great, traditional metal guitarists of our day. He was just a legend.

Mark Morton of Lamb of God: Dime's music was a huge influence on me personally and on Lamb of God as a whole. as a guitar player he was a true inovator. his sound tone and style shapped modern metal and his riffs are constantly referenced by nearly every band in metal including my own.

... if you watch interviews with Shadows Fall, Unearth, Killswitch Engage and pretty much every other metal band kickin' it today they mention Dime or Pantera and what he did for the genre/their playing.

As to the magazine headlines, well, magazines print a lot of stuff to sell issues to 14 yr olds. I once read a magazine headline that said Maddox (of "Brangelina" fame) is the "most powerful child in Hollywood". I put about as much stock in these headlines as I do in that one.
It wasn't just magazine headlines... it was interviews in every other magazine, on TV, pretty much everywhere they were asked a question they'd mention them "saving metal" because all the "critics" would say metal was dead.

To each his own but I'd say Dime has influenced like 75% or more of the guitar players in metal bands today... take a look at the unsigned folks on Dean or even Zakk Wylde's forums. And those are just the ones that have posted online about it... some people don't even have the Interweb!

[toastman]

The list in made controversial on purpose...

[Stratocaster]

I hated Dime Bags tone........but you gotta love everything else about him. He was a genius an quite a character. Definately deserves to be on the list.:rockon2:

Really? IMO he had a sexy tone, especially for using a solid state amp.

[toastman]

As a total metalhead and shredhead, I think these guys were just at the right place at the right time. I like a few things Cobain did, but his body of work is very small, and while there was some good stuff there, the rest wasnt exactly awesome. I never got into Diamond Darrel at all. On the night he was shot, he had about 100 fans, the next day, he was the second coming. I think the circumstances around their deaths makes them both legendary, but I wouldnt put either on a list unless it was really, really long and covered all bases. If one of them is a hero to you, thats fine, but dont expect the rest of us to fall in line. I wouldnt force other people to recognize Johhny Ramone as a legend just because he made some great (and not-so-great) albums that I identified with........

Wow. No offence, but you got no clue what you're talking bout buddy.

[hoser]

http://www.guitarscanada.com/Legends.htm

Oh. There's plenty of people on that list I can't stand, and lots that I think should be there.
As for Dime, I found him more interesting as a person than a player. Didn't like Pantera or Damageplan.

[violation]

Wow. No offence, but you got no clue what you're talking bout buddy.
Haha those 100 fans must be insanely dedicated considering they had a gold record in 1993 which is like 500,000 copies sold... I think the CFH album hit gold that year too. Every single album and video they released hit gold or platinum status... Far Beyond Driven debuted at number one and The Great Southern Trendkill at three or four on the charts. Way down the road Damageplan's debut album was in the top 40 I believe.

On top of that they sold out like every show they played... those 100 fans take up a lot of space! :tongue:

[fraser]

for me, dimebags strong point was in his big, crunchy but tight rhythm parts that complemented the song-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAYxWdm_Snw
thats what i like about pantera tunes- thick, crunchy and tight.

i grew up in the days of big hair and 2 handed tapping. dark, dark and stupid times, and im forever imprinted with a dislike of pointy guitars and guys who wink and point at someone in the audience while doing hammer ons. so im less open minded in that area than i should be.
but id still rather listen to kurt flailing away all willy nilly on a guitar noone else wants and screaming his head off. just the way i am.

[Paul]

...considering they had a gold record in 1993 which is like 500,000 copies sold... I think the CFH album hit gold that year too. Every single album and video they released hit gold or platinum status...

Gold & platinum criteria:

http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinum.php?content_selector=criteria

Use this to search for gold & platinum certifications:

http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH

[GuitarsCanada]

Wayne Static of Static-X: PANTERA changed my life as a musician. Dime has always been my absolute favorite guitarist ever.

Mark Hunter of Chimaira: Dime's music gave me so much to live for when I was younger and he truly changed the face of metal with his unique style of guitar playing. There isn't a metal band I know that hasn't borrowed a riff or three from him.

Matt Heafy of Trivium: Dimebag was one of the most influential musicians in our time. Dime was a legend who really made the world seem that much better. He was a man who helped inspire countless numbers of players, fans, and people in general, including me.

Jonny Santos of Spineshank: Dimebag was to me probably the most influencial guitar player of metal since I knew what metal was.

Johnathon Davis of Korn: I really became a huge fan of Pantera, especially with what Darrell did. I'll never forget that trademark ****ing flying "V" guitar of his and his crazy, dyed ****ing goatee and insane, undeniable riffs that he wrote that have been copied I don't know how many ****ing times. He was one of the last great, traditional metal guitarists of our day. He was just a legend.

Mark Morton of Lamb of God: Dime's music was a huge influence on me personally and on Lamb of God as a whole. as a guitar player he was a true inovator. his sound tone and style shapped modern metal and his riffs are constantly referenced by nearly every band in metal including my own.

... if you watch interviews with Shadows Fall, Unearth, Killswitch Engage and pretty much every other metal band kickin' it today they mention Dime or Pantera and what he did for the genre/their playing.


It wasn't just magazine headlines... it was interviews in every other magazine, on TV, pretty much everywhere they were asked a question they'd mention them "saving metal" because all the "critics" would say metal was dead.

To each his own but I'd say Dime has influenced like 75% or more of the guitar players in metal bands today... take a look at the unsigned folks on Dean or even Zakk Wylde's forums. And those are just the ones that have posted online about it... some people don't even have the Interweb!

You have to dig up quotes from people when he was alive. Nobody is going to say anything bad about someone that got shot to death on stage. Having said that, Dime was a hell of a guitar player. Let's poll it. If it comes out the winner, I will add him to the Legends page.

[violation]

I'd do it but Google is a bitch and I just get info about his death... maybe one day I'll rummage through the magazine scans I have. I know for a fact that the guys from Trivium, Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, Devildriver, Kerry King (who Dime used to jam with) and a few others have said it before his death. I'll find the videos/interviews when I've got some spare time.

[Paul]

...Trivium, Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, Devildriver, Kerry King...

Dimebag I had at least heard of....I think he wrote a column in GW for a while. But who the H-E-double-hockey-sticks are "Trivium, Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, Devildriver, Kerry King"?

[hoser]

Kerry King is in Slayer....and a really overrated player (most of Slayer's work is awful). The rest of them I'm sure I've heard but I don't really recall much about them.

[Accept2]

Wow. No offence, but you got no clue what you're talking bout buddy.

And where and to whom was he playing to that night? Superdome? A hockey arena? A puppet show? Keep going lower............

[GuitarsCanada]

From what I recall on the articles I read back then, it was in a bar somewhere in a town nobody ever heard of.

[Milkman]

From what I recall on the articles I read back then, it was in a bar somewhere in a town nobody ever heard of.

Are we talking about where he was murdered?

If so, it was at a well known concert club in Columbus, Ohio called Alrosa Villa.


Dime was no saint, but he was playing his guitar on stage when he was slaughtered by a psycho with a gun.

It would be no more tragic if it happened to Les Paul himself.

Having said that, I still don't think he's terribly significant in the grand scheme of guitar things.

[NB-SK]

Are we talking about where he was murdered?

If so, it was at a well known concert club in Columbus, Ohio called Alrosa Villa.


Dime was no saint, but he was playing his guitar on stage when he was slaughtered by a psycho with a gun.

It would be no more tragic if it happened to Les Paul himself.

Having said that, I still don't think he's terribly significant in the grand scheme of guitar things.

Well, that's a bit of an understatement if you saw some of Pantera's tour videos (lots of drinking, puking and sleeping with ugly groupies). Then again, it may have all been scripted because he always seemed well-mannered in interviews and people who've met him always appear to have something positive to say about him.

[Milkman]

Well, that's a bit of an understatement if you saw some of Pantera's tour videos (lots of drinking, puking and sleeping with ugly groupies).


Well, ok, but what were his NEGATIVE tendencies?

:rockon2:

Also, it's important to note that excessive drinking DOES diminish the impact of the "ugly" element of "ugly groupies".

(we'll call it the Beer goggle factor)

[Evilmusician]

Cobain could only do Power Chords and Terrible Solos, Dimebag can shred and can play more than power chords. As for Grunge Guitarists, here's my list for best guitarist

1. Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains)
2. Mike Mccready and Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam
3. Kim Thayil (Soundgarden)
4. Buzz Osbourne (The Melvins)
5. The Guy from Gruntruck
Kurt didn't even make the list

Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains) weren't even a grunge band same with Soundgarden they just got pigeon holed into it by the masses,media,etc . ohhhhhh you wear plaid and are from Seattle you must be a grunge band !:rolleyes:

[violation]

Dimebag I had at least heard of....I think he wrote a column in GW for a while. But who the H-E-double-hockey-sticks are "Trivium, Soilwork, Killswitch Engage, Devildriver, Kerry King"?
Yeah he wrote "Riffer Madness", originally it was going to be a few articles/lessons but people kept writing in wanting more and then it was like a series... good stuff.

Those bands, minus Kerry King of Slayer, are pretty much the new generation of metal... add Lamb of God and God Forbid to that list and that's pretty much all the more popular ones these days.

[GibsonTay37]

Dimebag Darrell was like the Eddie Van Halen of the 1990's

[GuitarsCanada]

Dimebag Darrell was like the Eddie Van Halen of the 1990's

That may be taking it a bit too far. Just my thoughts.

[Milkman]

That may be taking it a bit too far. Just my thoughts.

A gross exaggeration at very least.

[Diablo]

A gross exaggeration at very least.

I dont see the similarity either. One is a household name with a career spanning decades, multiple gold and platinum albums, and a guaranteed arena sell out.
The other a cult hero who died playing in a nightclub at the "height" of his career.

[fraser]

id say that due to the fact that this thread even exists, then yes put him in there. if some forum members consider him an influence, then yes. doesnt matter how many of us it is. maybe someone would be willing to write the piece, and save the site owners some time. id actually like to see that- forum member submissions and contributions would be nice.
and increased traffic is a good thing right?
id be willing to write pieces on a few other legends that arent on the list myself.

[NB-SK]

I dont see the similarity either. One is a household name with a career spanning decades, multiple gold and platinum albums, and a guaranteed arena sell out.
The other a cult hero who died playing in a nightclub at the "height" of his career.

Not only that, EVH never stopped doing some pretty creative stuff with the guitar in the 90's (like using the magnetic current of a power drill to produce sounds on the guitar on the song Poundcake (no, not quite like Paul Gilbert)). On top of that, Van Halen had some huge hits at around time Diamond Darrel's and Pantera's popularity peaked. So, to say Diamond Darrell is the EVH of the 90's...that's maybe not the best choice of words.

[Diablo]

Not only that, EVH never stopped doing some pretty creative stuff with the guitar in the 90's (like using the magnetic current of a power drill to produce sounds on the guitar on the song Poundcake (no, not quite like Paul Gilbert)). On top of that, Van Halen had some huge hits at around time Diamond Darrel's and Pantera's popularity peaked. So, to say Diamond Darrell is the EVH of the 90's...that's maybe not the best choice of words.

I agree, its a huge over-statement. But, in fairness, this debate may be just exposing a generation gap. To younger players (20 and under) EVH wouldnt have seemed as relevant as those of us who remember the VH Memorial Day Arena concert blowouts, and all the EVH clones that followed him in the 80's and early 90's. Whereas they grew up listening and influenced by Dime and his clones.
I felt the same "meh" way about Jimmy Page, and his generation of players when I was in my teens.
As for Dime, I kind of lost interest in metal for a few years when grunge hit (didnt care much for that either, so I pretty much just hung up my guitar and focussed on a career instead), I'd heard Pantera, but frankly it didnt have enough appeal to "save metal" for me personally. It seemed like the same stuff that came before it, but louder and dirtier, and with a different breed of vocals altogether. If anything I'd say the next breed of vocalists were more influenced by guys like Anselmo and Durst, making them more legendary in their time, than their guitar playing bandmates, IMO (when you put aside the behind the scenes soap opera drama, gossip and trash talking that was taking place amongst them)