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Dimebag Was A Heavy Hitter In Metal Music

Band Photo: Damageplan (?)

An article has been posted on SFGate.com on Dimebag Darrell:

In the outrage over the senseless murder of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, 38, in a Columbus, Ohio, nightclub on Wednesday by a man who charged the stage and shot point-blank at the band and crowd before being shot dead himself by a police officer, less attention has been paid to the former Pantera member's extensive musical influence.

Though hardly a household name, Abbott, who was on tour with his new band, Damageplan, played guitar with a rare intensity that brought together virtuosity with deep-rooted Texas blues riffs. So it's appropriate that the people hit the hardest by the news were not only the band's hardcore fans but also fellow musicians who recognized Abbott not just as a bearded heavy metal icon but a maverick in a field that was used to stagnation.

"He was certainly one of the most influential guitarists of his particular generation," said Brad Tolinski, editor in chief of Guitar World magazine, in a phone call from his New York office. "He played it straight up and wasn't influenced by the trends. I see Pantera as the bridge between the thrash music of bands in the late '80s like Metallica and Megadeth and the nu- metal of today, whether you're talking about Linkin Park or Disturbed."

"When you think of '90s heavy metal or hard rock, Pantera is one of these seminal bands," said Tom Calderone, MTV's executive vice president. "They are quoted today as influences by many bands. Hard rock has lost a legendary guitar player."

Read the full article at SFGate.com.

Source: SFGate.com