Dimebag Darrell
The Texas groove-metal wildman who rebuilt heavy guitar's swagger
Darrell Lance Abbott was born in Ennis, Texas, in 1966 and grew up around Dallas and Arlington, where his father worked as a country music songwriter and producer. He never took formal lessons, learning by ear from records by Kiss, Van Halen and Black Sabbath. He began on drums before switching to guitar, and in 1981 he and his older brother, drummer Vinnie Paul, formed Pantera. As a teenager he won a local guitar contest so decisively that organizers reportedly asked him to sit out future contests, and his prize, a Dean ML, became his signature axe.
Pantera spent the 1980s as a glam-leaning club band, releasing independent albums on their own label while Abbott performed as Diamond Darrell. The arrival of singer Phil Anselmo and a shift toward heavier, tougher material set up their major-label debut, Cowboys from Hell, in 1990. In 1989 Abbott reportedly turned down an offer to join Megadeth because Dave Mustaine would not also hire his brother. Pantera's refusal to split up the family proved decisive for what came next.
Vulgar Display of Power in 1992 made Pantera leaders of a new, groove-driven style of metal, and around that time Abbott adopted the name Dimebag Darrell. Far Beyond Driven debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in 1994, a remarkable feat for such an extreme record. The Great Southern Trendkill followed in 1996 and Reinventing the Steel in 2000. Tensions with Anselmo grew, however, and the band dissolved in 2003. Abbott also recorded Rebel Meets Rebel, a country-metal project with David Allan Coe.
With Vinnie Paul, Abbott launched Damageplan and released New Found Power in 2004. On December 8, 2004, while playing a Damageplan show at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, he was shot and killed by a gunman who opened fire on the stage. He was 38. He was buried in Arlington, Texas, in a Kiss Kasket donated by Gene Simmons, with Eddie Van Halen's striped Charvel guitar placed with him. Polls and critics continue to rank him among the most influential metal guitarists ever.
The 10 greatest Dimebag Darrell solos
- 1Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1996
- 2Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1990
- 3Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1992
- 4Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1990
- 5Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1990
- 6Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1992
- 7Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1992
- 8Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1994
- 9Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 1994
- 10Pantera · solo by Dimebag Darrell · 2000
The sound
Dimebag built Pantera's sound on bone-crushing, syncopated riffs that locked tightly with his brother's kick drum, favoring swing and groove over thrash speed. He tuned down, cranked scooped, highly saturated solid-state tone, and used a noise gate to make his stops razor sharp. His leads combined bluesy Texas phrasing with Van Halen-style legato, wild whammy dives and his trademark squealing pinch and harmonic screams, often pushed further with a Whammy pedal. He could shift from chaotic bursts into lyrical, heartfelt melodies, as on Cemetery Gates, making his solos as memorable as his riffs.
- Dean ML ('Dean from Hell') (guitar) The guitar he won as a teenager, later refinished with a lightning-bolt graphic and used on Pantera's classic records.
- Washburn Dime 333 and Culprit (guitar) His signature models during his Washburn years.
- Dean Razorback (guitar) A signature design he worked on before his death, released by Dean afterwards.
- Randall solid-state amplifiers (amp) His primary amps throughout Pantera's heyday, later producing the Randall Warhead signature model.
- Krank Revolution (amp) A tube amp he embraced late in his career with Damageplan.
- DigiTech Whammy (effect) Used for his signature pitch-shifting screams and dive effects.
- Dunlop Cry Baby from Hell wah (effect) His signature wah pedal with extended sweep range.
- Seymour Duncan Dimebucker pickup (effect) His signature high-output bridge humbucker.
Covers
- Planet Caravan, originally by Black Sabbath A dreamy, psychedelic closer that let Dimebag show a quiet, jazzy side.
- Electric Funeral, originally by Black Sabbath Pantera thickened Iommi's doomy riff with their own groove and grit.
- The Badge, originally by Poison Idea A punk track reborn as a heavy, groove-driven metal stomp.
- Cat Scratch Fever, originally by Ted Nugent A rowdy tribute to a Texas-friendly hard-rock favorite, with Dime's tone giving it modern teeth.
- Hole in the Sky, originally by Black Sabbath Another nod to Sabbath, delivered with a crushing downtuned attack.
Timeline
- 1966 Born in Ennis, Texas, on August 20
- 1981 Forms Pantera with brother Vinnie Paul
- 1982 Wins a Dean ML at a Dallas guitar contest
- 1983 Pantera release their debut album, Metal Magic
- 1990 Cowboys from Hell released on a major label
- 1992 Vulgar Display of Power released; adopts the name Dimebag Darrell
- 1994 Far Beyond Driven debuts at number one in the US
- 2000 Reinventing the Steel, Pantera's final album, released
- 2003 Pantera disbands; forms Damageplan
- 2004 Killed on stage in Columbus, Ohio, on December 8
Facts
- He never took formal guitar lessons and avoided reading tablature.
- His first stage name, Diamond Darrell, referenced the Kiss song Black Diamond.
- He had a portrait of Ace Frehley tattooed on his chest, later adding Frehley's autograph.
- He turned down a chance to join Megadeth in 1989 to stay with Pantera and his brother.
- He was only 16 when Pantera's debut album was released.
- Eddie Van Halen placed his own original Bumblebee Charvel guitar in Dimebag's casket.
- He was buried in a Kiss Kasket donated by Gene Simmons.
- He recorded a country-metal album, Rebel Meets Rebel, with David Allan Coe.
- Guitar World ranked his Floods solo at number 19 among the greatest solos of all time.
- He played guitar on songs by Anthrax and King Diamond as a guest.