Damageplan Guitarist Remembered
Dimebag Darrell Shot while peforming with his new band
BY: Jennifer Schaeffer - Clear Channel News
DATE: 12-9-2004

Click here to see pictures of one of Damageplan's most recent performances.
Click here to hear chilling 911 calls from the scene.

Fans with flowers and tributes Thursday mourned slain guitarist Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott outside his Dallas-area home. Flags, signs and flowers were placed outside Abbott's home in Dalworthinton Gardens, a small community southwest of Dallas, WFAA-TV, in Dallas, reported.

Abbott was shot and killed Wednesday night during a concert at a nightclub in Columbus, Ohio. The gunman killed three other people before he was shot and killed by a police officer.

"You are the people's rock star," read one hand-lettered sign outside Abbott's home.

Jon Clegg, a fan, said Abbott was loved in the community.

"We just want to pay our respects," he said. "It's almost like losing a family member."

According to WTVN Radio News, 25-year-old Nathan Gale jumped on stage and shot and killed "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott of heavy metal band Damageplan. Soon after, he opened fire on the audience and was holding a hostage in a headlock when Columbus Police Officer James Niggemeyer arrived on the scene.

"We received a call from inside Alrosa Villa on that there had been a shooting inside," Sergeant Brent Mull said. "We did have an officer close by. The officer, as he responded, got more information on the radio that there's an additional shooting."

Niggemeyer entered the venue, shot and killed Gale at the nightclub. Details about the hostage have not been released.

"If not for the officer who showed up, there would have been more dead," Mull added.

Witnesses say they thought it was part of the act before realizing what was going on.

There has been no known motive, but police suspect Gale knew the group members. Two people remain in the hospital.

Damageplan was formed by Pantera founders Darrell and brother and drummer Vinnie Paul. They were scheduled to perform in Chicago Thursday night.

Atlantic Records, the band's label, released a statement saying, "This is a tragic day for the music community, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and the surviving members of Damageplan and their crew. Dimebag Darrell was an exceptional musician and an extraordinary person. Along with his brother and bandmate, Vinnie Paul, he was a member of the Elektra/Atlantic family for the past 14 years, and he will be deeply missed. The bravery displayed by Damageplan, their crew, their fans, and the local police will never be forgotten."

A Little More About Damageplan:

Dimebag Darrell and Vinnie Paul started forming up Damageplan in early 2003, soon after the demise of their previous band, thrash metal heroes Pantera.

The brothers began working on tracks at Dime's Dallas home studio, unsure of exactly what they'd do with the material, but determined to banish the bad taste of Pantera's awkward breakup.

Ex-Halford and -Diesel Machine guitarist (and full-time Dime pal) Pat Lachman heard the demos and expressed interest in singing for the project. While he'd never served as a frontman, Lachman's performances over the raw material were strong enough to land him the vocalist position.

The lineup was completed with the addition of local bassist Bob Kakaha, who was immediately dubbed Bob Zilla for his monstrous tone, and the quartet began hashing out the new material under the working title of New Found Power.

By October 2003, they'd decided on Damageplan, with New Found Power becoming the name of their Elektra debut.

The album dropped in February 2004 to considerable buzz, mostly from Pantera's existing fan base. Longtime fans weren't disappointed as New Found Power did echo Dime and Vinnie's previous work. But it moved in new directions, too, exploring more melodic post-grunge avenues and tinging its sound with slight elements of nu-metal's electronic throb.

Guests on the record included guitarist Zakk Wylde and Slipknot vocalist Corey Taylor; Damageplan spent most of January 2004 on a promotional tour before gearing up for an aggressive round of dates that spring and summer.

Excerpt from www.dc101.com

All I can say is God Damn. What is this world coming to. Now I dont even feel safe going to concerts any more. There are one to many wac jobs in this world. ugh

Jeremy

i know ....what th hell its like we have to have security everywhere!