Dimebag Darrell

Black Tooth Grin: The High Life, Good Times, and Tragic End of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott
$15.95
In his first book and the first unauthorized biography of metal rocker, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, author Zac Crain provides us a fast, yet detailed account of the life and death of the larger-than-life musician. It is an easy read because it is a joy to read.

An accomplished writer about the music scene, Crain knows the lingo and understands what is important to his readers, those devoted to "Dimebag," his band Pantera and the final iteration of that band, Damageplan. Fans who clamor for information on Abbott the man, his character, musical influences (though, of course devotees know about his affinity for KISS and Van Halen) and his associations with other musicians will find a wealth of information in these pages. Crain has talked with former band members and those in the media, such as Juliya Chernetsky, host of the FUSE network's metal show to provide a full picture of "Dimebag" the generous guy, the partier, the musician.

Black Tooth Grin, named after the whisky and cola shot drink "Dimebag" loved to down, and pour for others, gives the reader a thoughtful look at Abbott's beginnings in Arlington, Texas, a suburb of Dallas and his development as a skilled guitarist with an instantly recognizable sound to his morphing into a business person of sorts. Crain never merely chronicles "Dimebag's" life and career.

Perhaps more importantly and impressively, Crain draws conclusions and suggests causes and effects but never at the expense of the facts. In other words, Crain does not marshal or manipulate mention of incidents in Abbott's life to support his own theories of the whats and whys of "Dimebag's" success, failure, even of his murder. That is exactly what we want in a biographer. As Crain writes, "No one can predict the butterfly effect of the countless--and usually innocuous--coin flips that happen every second of every day." But Crain's volume is not fluffy. In the pages following that observation, he details the circumstances that caused Atco Records scout Mark Ross, stuck in Texas when Hurricane Hugo struck North Carolina, to check out the band.

Crain continues the story by explaining that a self-conscious Pantera gives what band members consider a constrained performance in the presence of Ross and think they've blown it. As they see him walk out the door, (as it turns out, only to return from a visit to his car and a phone call confirming his intent to sign the group), they kick into high gear and play with their signature abandon. This kind of fully fleshed out information makes the book a compelling read.

Black Tooth Grin tells the story of a man whose end we know. But Crain frames the story nicely by beginning with references to that ending. When, in the chapter titled "Slaughtered" Crain recounts the murder in detail, it is the most illuminating description of the tragedy that ended Abbott's life that has been written. On December 9, 2004, MTV.com published a story about the murder. At the time, the available sources were the 911 call transcripts and the words of eyewitnesses. The article references "amateur video footage" that investigators have yet to study. For his 2009 book, Crain studied the "video of the incident, unwittingly captured by the band's own camera" and poured through hundreds of eyewitness accounts. His account is thoughtful, thorough and chilling.

Black Tooth Grin: The High Life, Good Times and Tragic End of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott by Zac Crain, 2009 Da Capo Press is a must read for metal fans.

DimeVision, Vol.1: That's the Fun I Have
$15.98
It was cool seeing old dime footage but its a total ripp off man! the stupid DVD freezes up and so on. save your money or give it to me and ill come to your house and kick you in face because thats how you will feel after getting ripped off !

A Vulgar Display Of Power: Courage and Carnage At The Alrosa Villa
$15.95
A Vulgar Display Of Power: Courage and Carnage At The Alrosa Villa tells the unforgettable story of the grisly murders of heavy metal rock star, "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, and each of three courageous men (Jeffrey Thompson, Nathan Bray, and Erin Halk) whose lives were snuffed out in mere seconds by a deranged, psychotic killer.

Indeed, it is a story of their courage. They were shot down at point blank range trying to protect others during the satanic rampage.
The author weaves together the threads of the lives of these four men, which brought them to the Alrosa Villa on the doomed night of December 8, 2004. As Dimebag and his band, Damageplan, cranked out their first barrage of heavy metal, "Breathing New Life," little did Dimebag know this would be his last number. "The Beast," Nathan Gale, was lurking his way toward the stage area carrying a Beretta 92F.

Dimebag's original thrash and heavy-metal band, Pantera, had dissolved after its lead man "simply walked away from the band." A Vulgar Display of Power tells how "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott and his brother Vinnie Paul Abbot joined with Bob "Bobzilla" Kakaha and Pat Lachman to form Damageplan, and would perform at Alrosa Villa on the night of December 8.
A Vulgar Display Of Power: Courage and Carnage At The Alrosa Villa tells of Jeff Thompson, a convincing actor and a spirited man who loved to entertain. Jeff spent his time performing in a renaissance festival in Texas. Fate introduced him to the Abbot brothers, who hired him as their personal security guard. It was Jeff Thompson's voice that introduced Damageplan at Alrosa Villa on the night of December 8.

Nathan Bray, a Sports junkie, dropped out of college to meet his responsibilities as a new father. Fortunately for Nathan, his once part-time employer, Inside Outfitters, offered him a full-time job. The family moved back to Columbus, Ohio. Nathan had always been a heavy metal fan. In November of 2004, when he learned that Damageplan would be performing in Columbus, Ohio, he bought tickets for himself and a friend. The two headed for Alrosa Villa on the night of December 8.

The book tells of Erin Halk, an ex-Marine. Through a friend of his, Halk landed a job as a roadie for Godsmack, loading and unloading equipment. He received a fateful phone call from a fellow roadie asking him to cover a gig. By now, Erin was thoroughly familiar with the work and obliged to help unload and setup Damageplan. This took him to Alrosa Villa on the night of December 8.

Doctors at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune evaluated Marine Nathan Gale, who was hospitalized in their mental health ward in March of 2003. Diagnosis: paranoid schizophrenia. According to A Vulgar Display of Power, doctors prescribed medications for Gale to keep "The Beast" under control. He was given an honorable discharge. Gale often hallucinated, saying he was being watched. He complained that when he talked with the original Pantera, they had stolen his lyrics. No longer taking his medication, Nathan Gale drove to Alrosa Villa on the night of December 8.

In accurate detail, the A Vulgar Display Of Power: Courage and Carnage At The Alrosa Villa tells exactly what happened on that night, how "The Beast" entered Alrosa Villa, gained access to the stage, and murdered Dimebag, body guard Jeff Thompson, spectator Nathan Bray, and roadie Erin Halk. It tells how Officer James Niggemeyer bravely mounted the stage and ended the carnage with a single accurate rifle shot that killed Nathan Gale.

At first glance, the cover of A Vulgar Display Of Power showing three smiling faces might be misleading until one notices the capitalized red-lettered words: Courage and Carnage at the Alrosa Villa. This book cannot be taken lightly. It is a spirited, researched attempt by the author to memorialize the lives of Jeff Thompson, Nathan Bray, and Erin Halk, whose courageous efforts to halt killer Nathan Gale saved the lives of many who had attended the Damageplan concert.

This book is a well-organized, well-documented, fascinating story I found hard to put down after reading the humble Forward by Officer James Niggemeyer, whose rifle silenced "The Beast." That's the way it is with non-fiction hero stories; we are drawn to them because we wonder if we would have the same courage to make the ultimate sacrifice as these heroes.

I highly recommend A Vulgar Display Of Power: Courage and Carnage At The Alrosa Villa to any reader looking for a fascinating, compelling book. This work, with its descriptions of courage and heroism during and after the terrifying 4 minutes and 59 seconds, only proves that true heavy metal worshippers are compassionate, spirited, and often heroic people who simply love their music.
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Dimebag Darrell Abbott Pantera Picture Frame with Miniature Guitar Replica
$39.99
This 5x7 inch black picture frame is perfect for your favorite guitarist! The frame comes with a replaceable picture of the artist who's guitar is represented. The back opens up easily to insert a photo of your personal guitar hero or a favorite photo of family and friends. The picture frame is a standard frame that displays a 4x6 inch photo. These beautifully hand crafted 9-10 inch wooden miniature guitars are high-quality detailed mini replicas to the original and are great additions to any music lover's collection.