YOU ROCK DAVE!

Sorry, trying to sneak into numero uno.

your words are definitely something to take to heart. all too often, fans place way too much importance on the bands they love. Apparently to the point they are willing to kill for a seperation.

Why can;t they just realize that music goes on, life goes on, and you can't erase the amazing history of a band once it's pressed to CD

Music will always live on, whether we do or not.

Music is the gift, not the moment of the band's existance.

whenever a life is willingly taken by human hands, whether it be suicide or whatever, its the most selfish thing anybody can ever do...

So Sad. There can be no words to describe how much he meant to me and to The world of Rock. R.I.P. bro.. :(

Thank you, Dave.

Exactly.

Having witnessed firsthand fans with the (as Neil Gaiman so aptly put it) 'the silver thread of madness' in them, I have nothing but respect for musicians, actors, writers and artists for putting themselves out there, open to insult and injury (verbal).

You know going in to any creative endeavor that some people are not going to like what you do, and some may say things that hurt, or attempt to damage your psyche. It may lessen the impact some, but it doesn't change the fact that people who create are PEOPLE. They are trying to find their joy and love in this world which can be black and bitter and hard, and many of them do what they do because they feel compelled to share, to communicate, and bring a little bit of joy into other people's lives. So, it's always so completely depressing and saddening when you see consumers (and I use that word intentionally instead of fans) expect creators to be automotons, that follow a pattern to be designed by the consumer's fevered mind. Mostly (thank god) these poor slobs keep their vitriol to verbal form, trashy and damaging as best they feel they can in an emotional fashion.

But when shit like this happens... John Lennon, Dimebag Darrel... It is just maddening. To respond to someone sharing part of themselves, their form of art, of communication in this fashion... how the fuck do you rationalize it?

To the shock of Steve I, I have never liked the Beatles and John Lennon said nothing to me personally. HOWEVER, it was his voice, his giving of himself that spoke to so many people, that influenced so many and gave birth to music fans who found their own voice, and made art of their own. For that alone, respect should be given. Dimebag wasn't everyone's cup of tea, but he had a unique voice and his giving inspired many guitarists I know to pick up the guitar, or to radically rethink how they played.

and (excuse me while I lose my composure a bit) you FUCKS that deem you have the right to tell any artist what they should or shouldn't be doing, you work towards a goal of depriving others of the joy that *you* do not feel. Isn't it better to find the artist whose voice speaks to you?! To recognize that an artist (if they are pushing themselves in their art and as a human being) changes, grows and develops over time. Nothing is static. To expect it to be so is screaming in the wind at the very construction of nature.

This kind of thing seriously breaks my heart. It just leaves that gnawing pit where you keep telling yourself over and over and over 'this is not how people think, this is not how mankind is'.

Dave, sorry to ramble on about this but the emotions just keep coming on this...

shit

On a better note, and finding celebration and moments of joy in even dark times, Freak, my fellow Saggitarius, happy birthday man. May your creative muse always speak to you in dulcet tones stoking your artistic fires.

Love to Dimebag and his family and fans, love to freak, and love to all of *you*. Too much of it, is never enough.

I very much agree with Dave's statements about the selfishness of the shooter. Yet, as much as the event angers and saddens me. I feel some compassion towards the shooter. And even more so towards his family and friends. In no way is there any justification for his actions or pity on my part towards him. But he must have been very sick to place that much of his happiness on other people and become that hateful when they dont follow his belief of what they should do or be. And for that I just wish he was happy in the first place, because if that was the case it never would have happened. And I feel unable to feel angry at someone for being sick. Though I am nonetheless angry at the act. I pray for everyone involved.

I love the music of Jane's Addiction. I also love the individual talents of everyone involved. I don't know why people can't respect the paths other's take.(provided they hurt no one else) When you get right down to it thats what this is all about.

What a horrible time for that picture to be put up at Xiola.org It is another shallow expression attempting to remove humanity from a person. Why cant people wake up and realize you can never truly judge a person because there is no way you can truly see life from their mind?

If this is too much to ask its okay I understand. But Dave, if you have any stories or things Darrell said that you would like to share with us and that might turn our eyes to the light it would be greatly appreciated.

Humble thanks to anyone who took the time to read this.

Hi Dave and all,

nice nice words Dave. Very cool, i really appreciate this part:

"A devastating day for music and for those of us who consider ourselves fans, myself included, because, clearly, on some level, this guy thought we all had this in common. We consider ourselves fans of music."

What pic are you talking about?

Happy birthday to Freak! Dude, it's my son's birthday today also, he is 5 now!!! Have a great day, we'll celebrate today and tomorrow with our little "monster"!

lots of love,

DAVE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

CHECK OUT A GREAT SOLO!
I CAN HEAR A LITTLE NAVARRO IN HERE

HTTP://SOMETIMELATER.COM/TED.MP3

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

people are really phuct up...

celebrity is a curse...

Dave,I just realized tonight that I had two short relationship's with one goth girl who worked at a leather fetish type store out in san bernadino,and a LA ex-model which stopped modeling due to slight facial scar's from a car accident.Both of these young ladies with no affilation with one other claimed to be your girlfreind at one point in time.Not trying to bond or brag just so happen's I work at fender,not long ago I set up a white strat with gold hardware that Alex Perez sent out to you.I was surprised that you wanted a strat in the way of your PRS's.Take care man,Lex

Amen Dave!

Dave... you found the words that express exactly what I've been feeling, and you did so very eloquently. Thank you for that... I've been searching for those words since I first heard about this.

"Music, our song, our community is our voice. It is by the people for the people, of the people. It is progression, forward movement. The hate is backwards decay into death. We owe it to ourselves to be the representatives of who we really are. The healers. We owe it to the world, because clearly, the world needs to be shown sometimes."

So very, very true.

I know I could sit here and type for hours expressing what I'm feeling and thinking. At some point, I'm sure I will in some form. Creating music can be a cathartic experience. Right now, I'm not sure I could say anything that hasn't already been expressed.

On a happier note... Happy Birthday, FreAk. May your creative flow never be blocked and may your art always bring you joy!

Dave... stay safe out there, ok?

Much Love and Respect to Dave and The Family...

Peace,
Tim/Panic Agent Nitewing

I was in shock when I saw this on the news. I emailed Vinnie my support and then I thought about everything. The thing that is so sad about this, is that it had to resort to violence. Not only did Dime lose his life but 3 other people were killed, two injured and the gunman. Its seriously tragic that this person did not get the help he needed and resorted to this to express what was going on inside.

This weekend will be dedicated to Dime's memory..

JJ

"...We owe it to ourselves to be the representatives of who we really are. The healers. We owe it to the world, because clearly, the world needs to be shown sometimes."
Gold, pure Gold.

Dave, thank you for your words, I'm sure all of the family here feel the same way.

I hope that Darrell is at peace now, and wish his loved ones strength to get through this.

If there's anything positive about all this, it is the way these kinds of events help us see the importance of love and support and community, and force us to recognise the need for open-mindedness and respect for others. This family of friends generates the kind of positive energy needed to end hate and violence, so despite these horrible events, we should keep RAWKIN' OUT..

In the spirit of love and sharing,
Mat
XXX

Strange, for me, I always felt "safe" at rock concerts...never thought to worry about someone with a gun. Yeah you get your ruff and tough guys, and the drunks, but never have been fearful. It really makes you think.....

For those types of shows, I have always been searched with the wand metal detector, no matter how small the venue...guess I won't take that for granted.

Dave, you said it, man.

I won't say your words were beautiful, for the issue they were dealing with holds nothing beautiful to it. I can read from between the lines how hurt, moved and anxious this all has left you.

I quote Morgan Freeman's quote from the movie Se7en:

"Ernst Hemingway once wrote: 'The world is a fine place, and worth fighting for'. I agree with the second part."

No more bad news,

Pekka

Dave,

Spot On.
You nailed it on the head with this post.

If all of us, in this community, take one moment today to express our love for each other and the rest of humanity, we have made a difference in the lives of another. That in effect will make a change in the world as we know it.

A matter of fact that will be my theme today.

To all of 6767, thank you for this forum and your contribution. Your generosity is warm and welcomed. Dave, thank you for making this available.
To all thank you for sharing your passion for music and each other.

Cheers,

Mike C.

Thanks, as always, to all of you who sent support and special thoughts my way...I appreciate it tremendously.

Freak...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!!!

Maria...CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

And a warm welcome to all the new people I've been seeing here the last couple of days.

Peaceful Friday to all.

This morning I was happy, already had loads of gifts (it's my birthday) and even presents from my female colleagues...
Then I went on the RHCP French forum, as usual, and I read what happened to Dimebag.
Man it sucks...
The world is going crazy, that's all I can say !

Peace !

"And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation---some fact of my life---unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake..."

Dave, what are you quoting here? Whatever it is, I couldn't disagree more. I also disagree with Aric's opinion that you can't judge anyone else's actions. It's those kind of philosophies that have led to the world growing this insane. All the rationalizations for unacceptable behavior, WTF? And then people wonder why things are so fucked up. *sigh*

Rantz, thanks. I was leading towards just downloading the song anyway, not being able to see myself actually listening to an Incubus album. Hehe.

Dana

Well said, Dave.

- Brad K

Go Dave! Everything well said! People can seriously just be stupid. (not said towards dave or any of you). Have a nice dayy!

k, sooooo...u guys seen blade trinity yet?
dont! it sucks. laterz

What a sad moment in humanity, it's just awful. The scary part is that there's not much to prevent that in the future. During the Velvet Revolver concert 2 nights ago, 2 nut jobs ran up on stage at them, but thankfully they just wanted their 3 seconds of fame and went quietly.

Peace to Diembag's family and friends.

"The scary part is that there's not much to prevent that in the future."

No, but deterrence is the best plan. Metal detectors are not. That does not address the problem -- the unacceptable action. Go out today and judge people, and if you see someone get violated in any way who is doing nothing but peacefully going about their business, kick the offender's ass. Smack him dead! Any questions?

:p

Dana

Hear, hear, Sir Dave!

Very eloquently stated.

Always,
me

Don't forget the other 3 who were shot. Their lives too were equally important and their family will be just as devastated.

Sometimes I wonder if it is worth the fame as you are a prime target when there are so many obsesive nutters out there. The fame worshipers are equally as scary as those who channel their own hatred of themselves into someone in the creative domain (I hate to use the word famous at is so demeening - Jordan etc are 'Famous'), as you can see how easily they flip.

Killing 4 innocent people just because a band split up???? I just don't understand. Surely human life is more important than anything, especially a band.

Poppyseed

Thank you Dave, I am not so good at acceptance, it seems to be what drives my unhappiness. It hurt me so much to see the 'haters' at your last concert at the Dragonfly, and it scares me to think that what happened to Darryl,could have happened to you.

But who am I to suppose your feelings? When I read your post last night, I immediately contacted my best friend, IMDEAD, and told him to read your post.(By the way, Hi Eric, I love you!) Once again, something you have said, the love you show in respond to hate, has made me feel small...

I need to remind myself to use the same measure to judge others as I would want them to use to judge me. It bothered me last night that I brought someone that I love to a place where other people that I loved were, and they judged him on the way he looked. I found myself wanting to defend him, because the very people that define themselves as persons of GOD, were the ones making assumptions about him, making veiled insults to both of us, I was so angry and hurt.

I came home and read your post, and understood what it meant to be a person who walks in God's steps...

I have felt closer to God's love in the past few months, through the people I have met here, through Blanca, Cori, Deena, Paolo, Brett, and others, than in a lifetime of fellowship with "posers"

Happy Birthday Julien and Cindy, you French birthday amies!!

jezebel(Serenity NOW)

by the way, those of you that wonder where the quote is from, it's from "anonymous"

jezebel( step by step)

The quote is from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous,
Pp 449, 450,451, titled, "Acceptance"

"And acceptance is the answer to *all* my problems. today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation---some fact of my life---unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake..."

Fans should not blur the line between spectator and participant. We've had an increasing amount of insanity the last few years--people attacking umpires in baseball, fan brawls in the NBA, etc. "Security" guards at these events aren't necessarily trained pros. Some are grandpa and uncle fred looking to make a few extra bucks in retirement, others are people wanting good seats. I could have wheeled a cannon into the concert the other night and no one would have noticed.

Message to lunatics: If you'd like to participate, pick up a guitar, drumsticks, mic etc. and take some lessons. Otherwise, watch and go home.

This is a trajedy that should have never happened.

Dave, your comments put into words the sentiments I'm sure all of us had about Dime. Thank you.

I'm sure I'm not the only one who blasted Pantera last night in memory of Dimebag. It's sad when songs take on a whole new meaning, particularly "Cemetary Gates."

On a lighter note, Happy Birthday FrEaK!

Sorry I haven't responded to your emails Itanja & Freak, I've been working on final projects, but I'll definetly get back to you both this weekend.

Much love all,
Sean

Thanks for answering my question, Jez and Lyn. I'm all for acceptance, but only when applied to things that can't be changed. Most things are worth taking a stab at. And I don't believe in God. I don't have anything against it, and I'm in no way a secularist (I fucking hate them!), but I just don't buy into that "grand scheme" scenario. Anyway, thanks again. Lovely post by the way, Jez.

Happy birthday to Freak, and my condolences to Cori. Both of you are sweethearts. Best wishes!

And a shout out to Kyle just because I adore him. :)

Dana

Now there's the eloquent Dave I adore.... A post that actually expresses feeling like the ones I used to read in years past. Don't get me wrong... the updates on TPC and the Sunday 10 are fine, but it's the Dave that had an amazing ability to balance his thoughts and feelings through words that drew me in. Don't let the death of someone be your only inspiration to write beautiful rants. Your thought process is one of the most intriguing parts of your personality. (What?! Dave's not just a pretty face with a hell-on-wheels body?)

I think the sentiments expressed over the past couple of days have pretty much said it all. Dave's opening remarks, for this thread, are testament to that.

For everyone else, it is the hope that with Dave allowing us to voice our feelings / displeasure, etc., a couple of days now after this tragedy, on this site that it has eased the pain, sorrow, grief tahat you all are feeling. This site allows to vent the frustration, sorrow, grief we all feel in a time when not all the answers / reasons may not be so clear. A senseless loss, not only to musicians everywhere, but to their faithful fans, who are TRUE FANS and not someone like this person.

This person had put himself ABOVE all of us, to some other level, which is simply not right. Not to forget as well the other individuals whos lives were taken by this individual, let us not forget about the the people in the audience and were affected my this mayhem that occured.

Dave, thanks for helping us fans who regularily visit the site, to try to make sense of what happened.. senseless, absurd, insane actions by one crazed lunatic.

And, on a much happier note....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Julien !!! Dude, you so TOTALLY ROCK !!! Hope the Blink 182 concert in Paris was awesome !!!

My prayers and best wishes are still being sent to you Cori... I hope you'll feel up toa chat soon.

PEACE and RESPECT to ALL the Family,

BH

Hi All,

Not much more I can say about this awful, unfortunate, effed-up situation. Dave put it very well, and it's interesting to hear it, coming from his point of view as both a star and a music fan.

Clearly, the guy that shot up the band is/was an insane individual. No person in their right mind is going to kill someone for such a nonsensical reason. It's scary when people worship musicians and other celebrities to the point that it becomes obsessive... And when they believe that these artists somehow "owe" them something.

To sorta paraphrase Dave, music is a wonderful, moving, inspiring thing, but the people that make it ARE just human beings like everyone else. They eat, sleep, breathe, and bleed just as anyone else does. Some so-called "fans" really lose their perspective sometimes.

I wish we understood more about how the human mind works and why some people do the insane and evil things that they do. And I wish there was a way of preventing it. Hopefully, someday...

All the best,
-Denise

I just wanted to say everyone in this forum is great for shedding different light on a tragedy that is so hard to understand.

Hello everyone -
Very enlightening take on the whole incident, Dave. That is an extemely positive and healthy way of moving on from this, and I think all of us could benefit from your attitude of acceptance.
Now...I've been on this and other related boards for years now, and here's my first posted question ever:

Dave - Do you ever get worried about that kind of thing, or similar circumstance happening to you? Some disgruntled Jane's fan or Carmen Electra fanatic that thinks you stole his girl? I'm sure you meet a lot of "scary" fanatics, and I wonder if you ever get worried about your own safety?

My cherry's been popped...
Have a super day everyone -
Much peace and love -
Scott

"Every good thing flows from the attitude of respect. for this reason, the most important action you can perform is to welcome yourself and others with respect and love."
- Baba Muktananda

As a former musician I find it appalling that something like this can happen. Any reputable venue that has some kind of security should have prevented this tradegy. Why is it that security will grab a 90 pound girl as she gets to the stage and throw her back into the crowd or off to the side immediately but when a lunatic with a gun gets ON the stage during the first song they are slow to react. How did this person even get into the venue with a gun? It's pure insanity.

RIP Dimebag, you will be missed.

Hi everyone! I never post...mostly lurk and enjoy reading what you all have to say. But Dave, that was beautifully said ........just had to tell ya that ;)

Hi and Hugs to everyone,

lupe

nicely said Dave, nicely said!

I don't believe the shooting deaths had much to do with music. Much more about a selfish twisted crazy-ass that doesn't deserve even brief split-second notoriety. Alas, it is quite difficult to grieve the victims without naming the perpetrator.

Take care,

~Dave you always speak from the heart and truth everything you said is right on the money. I think it was Rob Zombie said after his big break up with White Zombie how many people do you know who have done the same job for 12 years not many i was lucky and it was time to move on. He shot and killed Dimebag because the band broke up but who was he idolizing all those years rocking out to it was him. He was still creating and doing what he loved just like Phil had two other bands he is working with. It truely shows how fucked up and scarly our world is getting. This is truely a sad dal for the music scene and he will sadly be missed. My thoughts with everyone affected espacially Vinnie Paul and his family in their time of greif.

~When the people who love are taken from you the way to live on is to never stop loving them. Building burn, People die but the love is forever~ The Crow

\m/ R.I.P. Dimebag we miss you \m/

At first thought yesterday, I was deeply sadened but today I'm just pissed off about this. The music community obviously lost a musical god and teacher, I'm just really hurt that a fan can go up there and aim it at his "idol" point blank and open fire. That's fucked up that we are living in this world that has such hatred for people, we should be sticking by one another rather than killing each other.

I didn't know Pantera music but I'm sorry this happend. It's definitely scary and I'm sorry to see you so upset, Dave.

What I really wanted to write about though was catching you telling the end of a High School story on VH1 with Stephen sitting next to you. That was hilarious :)

Mrs. Perkins coming into the bathroom while you're hallucinating, had me rolling on the flour.
In jr. high after getting baked and making cookies, I went home across the street (I was relatively responsible, probably like Stephen). My friend passed out on his kitchen floor with cookie dough beside him. The other friend passsed out in the living room, with headphones on, listening to 'Rocks' on the record player, over and over and over until the parents came home and woke 'em both up.

Happy 4th night o Hannukah!

i just want to thank DAVE NAVARRO for everything he has done with his music and all other talents he has that inspire. when something like this happens it makes you realize what is really important in the music world and how twisted people can be. Dime was one the best guitarists i have ever had the pleasure of listening to and he will be forever missed.
R.I.P. Dimebag Darrell

Dave,your comments today both moved me and made me think about the world we live in,there is nothing more to add to what you said.

Like so many musicians before him who's life for whatever reason was cut short,Dimebag's music now lives on past his life.

Dave,has this incident worried you or any other Panic Channel band members in terms of playing in small clubs,in the way that this supposedly happened because a fan wasn't happy about the break up of his favourite band.

Steve L

Dave- Your words were amazing and really hit it all.

Family- It really warms my heart that we as a community can give so much support to each other. I am so glad to be a part of this place.

You know many times I was upset when a band broke up, but I cannot even fathom being as crazy enough to go after a person of one of those bands because of it. I know that man who did go after darryl probably wasn't all there, but still it is insane.
It wasn't like Pantera had taken all of its music off the shelf. He could still listen to their music and get that thrill of listening to them. Who cares if they didn't release anything new, or didn't tour, because you still had the music. Without the music you wouldn't even have the band.

I don't know if I am expressing what I really want to say in the right way, but I hope you all get it.

hi Dave&family:
last night I was talking with my friends about what it happened to Darrel,we were true fan of Pantera.
And cannot believe what happened, we are so angry and very sad. how can somebody just do that, that is so frustrating.
All night we talk about him, his music, and listen very loud his music. and that is the way He always be alive, in his music, and in all our hearts.
since now when i hear thunders in the sky, I´m going to think in you, rock on since there Darrel.
love to all
Diana

Aric, I agree with what you said. I will never be able to understand what goes through the mind of a murderer, child abuser,… I will like to believe that somewhere in their life something must have gone completely wrong for them to have such a twisted view of life. For them to feel that it’s justified to commit such heinous acts. They must be very sick in their mind to be able to do such a thing. But that little experiment they did in the 60’s? to find out how it was possible for normal people to commit such inhumane acts during the holocaust proved that almost anyone could be driven to do anything.

At this moment I do not believe in the death penalty for numerous reasons. And I would like to believe that if someone ever did anything to any of my loved ones I would be able to put my pain aside, but in reality I don’t think that would ever happen. If someone ever inflicted any pain on them I most likely would never stop to consider what drove the attacker to do such a thing, if he/she didn’t die and was out there I would be relentless in stopping him/her.

right on, mon ami.

not a fan of Pantera but I understood the whole thing as disgusting for a musician being shot just because he enjoyed being a musician, just because some kid was pissed off, there's no excuse for it.

with love.

Soph xx

I wrote my final exam wearing my Ozzfest/Pantera shirt on :( I am so incredibly sad...I was crying on the bus ride home, trying to dry my tears with my scarf. I spent a lot of last night crying and trying to think of happy thought of Dimebag Darrell playing his heart out in heaven. I bet he's having a good time with all the other ledgend up there...That's what cheers me up a bit. I can't imagine what the families are going through. *hugs*

Thanks Dave for posting your thoughts on Darrell, the 'curse' of being famous & the fact that a fans 'devotion' can basically go too far.....

Darrell was just like any other person....he took something he loved...in this case, music.....along the way it became his life & career, then some obsessed nut goes & takes that away from him.

As I posted yesterday, Dimebag was just doing his job, enjoying his life & making his fans happy, he was entertaining people. Not only did this lunatic take that joy away from Darrell but also deeply hurt Darrell's family & fans.

Too many 'fans' go too far in their idol worship. When it gets to the point that a fan is blaming a musician for the failures in their own life, their idolizing has gone waaaaay off the deep end! Of course, these so called fans are using their extreme idol worship to cover their much deeper problems. These sad individuals have nothing to offer the world & blame others for their failures.

The shooter obviously had some severe problems beyond being an obsessed Pantera fan.

Many fans unfortunately become stalkers who feel the 'need' to see every show a performer does, that includes following them to every show around the world. Other 'ubër fans' get into ridiculous pissing matches with other 'super fans' trying to see who is the bigger fan. At that point, attending a concert loses it's joy & sparkle because these obssessed fans seem to make their attention getting antics very distracting and ultimately, in some cases, very dangerous. It becomes all about them, NOT the performers on stage.

Seems their suppossed 'love' of their idols has turned into pure jealously, as in the case of the nutcase who killed John Lennon. Indeed, why can't people buy the albums, see the show & go home? Fans who linger around where celebrities live has to be one of the creepiest & scariest aspects of stardom.

Over my many years of attending concerts, since I was literally a child & then photographing shows for a living many years ago, I have observed firsthand how the concert vibe has changed in general.....it got even worse after 9/11. Subsequently, I have curtailed my concert going to see the few bands I really enjoy.

As someone here has stated, sometimes it's best just to sit home & listen to the album or CD. When going to see a concert becomes a life & death situation for all involved, it's time to rethink the security sutuation. Obviously, you certainly can't judge anyone on their looks, the most mild mannered looking person might be the one with the knife or the gun.

I understand that there were no metal detectors at the club where the band performed, the club has to take some responsibility for that. Given the type of music being performed that evening & the connotations metal has (whether real or imagined), it would have been in everyone's best interest to have checked ALL the fans entering that venue.

Metal detectors are now a way of life here in NYC, perhaps all the other states should follow suit? This is NOT rocket science. The venue owners MUST protect the performers, the fans & their workers.

As usual, people take action AFTER the fact. Going on about the nutcases out there won't change the situation because there is no way to judge who will 'snap' once inside a venue.

On my last job, an employees crazed ex-husband told her he was going to come into the office, hunt her down & shoot any other worker who got in his way! We had triple security in the building (incidentally this is the building where FUSE now has it's studios!), but who knows if this nut had any other way of sneaking in. Disguising himself as UPS worker, art supply delivery guy etc. As a person who worked late frequently, I was scared, but I had to make a living & needed my overtime money.

Metal detectors seem to be the way to go as far as checking for guns & knives in venues. I certainly don't enjoy being patted down by a stranger when entering a venue, but if it will make the concert going situation a much safer one, then I'm all for it.

And lastly.....The 6767 Family should be honoured that Dave has allowed us to somewhat enter into his life.....by his frequent interaction with us on this board, talking to us when we call the CF radio show, answering our emails & taking the time to talk to us after his performances. ANYTHING beyond that, is pure speculation on our part. Dave is a rare person, we should appreciate & respect that.

PEACE~!

Hey Dave and all the other music fans. I'm a music writer from NC - and an unpaid one at that. Anyway, I started a new blog online about music, and added TPC on it. Hope that's cool with you, Dave.
I've spent years getting fed up with all the crap on the airwaves and thought I'd voice my opinion.
Thank God for freedom of speech and thank music for inspiration.
--

Oops - my blog site is:
http://musiccan.blogspot.com/

LOVELY WORDS DAVE!
i found this 'Rolling Stone' article last night about the shooting....it sheds some light, not a good light, but tells more of the story of that night. My apologies for not just setting in a 'blue link 'like some of you know how to do. Must be you crafty Mac ppl! ;p ...I, fortunately nonetheless, have use of/access to a computer(a PC) through the grace of my older, but shorter, brother :) so here goes....

The gunman who fatally shot four people -- including Damageplan (and former Pantera) guitarist "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott -- at Columbus, Ohio's Alrosa Villa nightclub Wednesday night was a discharged Marine described as a "disturbed" loner by hometown acquaintances.
Soon after Damageplan began playing at the Alrosa Villa nightclub, the gunman, identified as twenty-five-year-old Nathan Gale of nearby Marysville, charged the stage, shot Abbott several times at close range and then began firing into the crowd of 450. Three others were killed before thirty-one-year-old patrol officer James D. Niggemeyer, who had entered the club through the back door, fatally shot Gale.

The others killed were identified as fan Nathan Bray, 23, Erin Halk, 29, and Jeff Thompson, 40. Halk and Thompson's reasons for attending the show have not been confirmed, but Thompson was likely a security guard for the band. Two wounded individuals are currently at Riverside Methodist Hospital and have not yet been identified. In addition to Abbott, 38, Damageplan includes singer Patrick Lachman, bassist Bob Zilla and Abbott's brother, ex-Pantera drummer Vinnie Paul.

Gale was an employee for a temp agency who was on medication for mental-health issues. Brandy Brown, the bartender at a local bar Gale frequented described him as "a hermit kind of guy. I think he lived with his mom." Lucas Bender -- the owner of Bear's Den Tattoo Studio, which Gale frequented constantly in past weeks -- said of the young man, "He kind of gave everyone a weird impression -- you know how some people just seem disturbed? . . . After he would leave, my friends and I would all talk and say, 'Gosh, what's wrong with that guy?" Gale was discharged from the Marines in November 2003 after less than two of the typical four years of service.

Gale also alarmed Alrosa Villa workers before the gig. "He was hanging around trying to get in," manager Rick Cantella says. "We told him . . . that he had to pay to get in like anyone else. One of my loaders told him to leave . . . He was hanging around trying to talk to the members of the band, and he was shooed away." Just before the show, Gale jumped an eight-foot fence to get inside, and headed straight for the stage. "There were guys chasing him as soon as he got in," explains Cantella, "not because [they saw] he had a gun, but because he jumped this fence and didn't pay."

During the gunfire, a local nurse in the audience, twenty-eight-year-old Mindy Reece, stepped in to aid Abbott. "The one thing that stands out in my mind was I could see Vinnie [Paul] stand up from behind the drums and look down...He had this look on his face like, 'Oh my fucking God.'" says Reece, a Pantera fan since the age of thirteen. With the help of another audience member, she performed CPR on Abbott for several minutes until the paramedics arrived. "I kept saying, 'Dimebag, come on, come on please, stay with me,'" she recalls. "It was bad . . . There was blood on the floor."

"The motive is very unclear," says Sherry Mercurio, a Columbus police department spokesperson. "Right now, we're trying to piece together statements, which may take some time." Approximately 250 of the audience members are still being questioned by police. Amateur video was also shot during the show, but investigators have not yet determined whether any of the incident was caught on tape. There have been previous incidents of violence at or outside the Alonsa Villa, including a parking-lot shooting as recently as January of last year.

Dave & Fam,
There is not much more to add about DIMEBAG. The only person to blame is the shooter himself. He was obviously a disturbed and unstable person. The media better not start blaming the music, as they tend to do. The genre of music had nothing to do with it.

Speak to you later,

Mike from NYC

I feel you dave!!!!

Dave, your thoughtful words touched me deeply....I don't think anyone has said it better....
The only thing I can think is appreciate life all the more....you just never know what will happen....
My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this loss....

Perk, I don't feel like registering on your site, but I wanted to let you know that you have a great ass, and that your tribute to your brother was very touching. :)

AMEN!

I never heard of him before until his death but even though I never heard of him. It is still sad that a someone who thinks they are a fan goes and decided he wants to shoot Darrell. As you said bands break up and do their own things and sometimes they do get back together but he went to far with being upset over it. There are bands that I wish to see back together but it may never happen but I totally understand why they broke up or don't want to get back together.
I will never understand why someone who thinks they are a fan would go and do something like that. Wouldn't you think they would want a person from a group still around because they still make music. Where you still can hear them. It may not be the orignal band but they are still out there and doing something. Whether they are still part of the band or not. They are still there and still playing music and that is what should maker the most.
It is always sad to hear that someone in the music industery died espically a death that was caused by a shooting or something like that. Music is my life and to hear this deeply saddens me. My thoughts are with the family and friends and everyone that knew of him!!!

Dimebag quote:

"After kickin' ass for so long and realizing you're starting over, it re-energizes you. We know a lot of fucking bands don't make it past their second record, much less, match the damage we laid down over the years. And then when it's over and you've done it - most of the motherfuckers run from it like 'Goddamn, I can't believe I'm still alive.' We take the opposite fucking approach. Like goddamn, we were just getting good at this... Really motherfucker...we're just getting warmed up."

Dave those are just the right word, but the most that thouch my heart is "Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake..." and that's really true, the problem is that we don't let god in our life, we are full of bllsht, we idiolize money, power, and whe don't take care of what's important to our soul, family, love, peace, humility, communication, respect....

You know Dave i'm scare sometimes for our children's future because we are losing our moral values respect and love for each other, what are we going to teach our children? we don't have patience, we want the world to be as we wanted to be, and do not respect the life of other human, animal or mother nature life.

I'm so self involved that sometimes i forget to looke up and tank god for a wonderful day, we have to pray (whatever religion or god you pray to), stand up and belive that god will help us change the world, but really believe...

God grand me
the serenity to acceprt the things i cannot change,
courage to change the things i can,
and wisdom to know the difference
-living one day at a time,
enjoying one moment at a time,
accepting hardships as the pathways to peace;
taking as He did, this sinful world as it is,
not as I would have it;
trusting that He will make things right,
if I surrender to His will;
that I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever.
(serenity prayer in full)

God bless you all,
Blanca Lizardi

Very beautifully put Dave. My prayers to Darrell's family. This is so sad and disturbing.

I just wanted to say I was sorry again for pimping my site. I was just in a bad mood yesterday, probably had something to do with Darrell's death.

Anyway to show my respect to you guys,I have removed the Dave picture..and replaced it with a Darrell picutre. It just seems more appropirate.

I will not be posting here anymore, believe me if you see me here again, it is more than likely Fidel or someone else from ANR.com

Best wishes to Dave and all....
Sonny

You are always welcome here Sonny...

Dave

i think dave said it better than i could have. i think it also hits dave in a way that's scary and frightening because here he is at a juncture in his career where he's forming a new band and doing something new, and of course there are people who don't approve. what's to stop someone from doing something similar at a TPC show? it's a very frightening thought for a rock star forming a new direction...dave said it right...it's just music...if you don't like the new direction an artist is going in...don't listen anymore...people have put to much of their life and their sense of self in music, when it's supposed to be a form of entertainment and something to connect to...not a defintion of life unless of course you're a musician. but then again...musicians have a life outside of music. it's just a very sad day, and scary that people have such capabilities in them

sending waves of love, support, acceptance, and everything else across the internet

-love, emily

jezz where are u!!!

Sonny, it was nice talking to you again last night,we are more alike than we are different....

Blanca, I am right here,
jezebel(jane says I'm done with Sergio, he treats me like a rag doll)

Sonny, in case you stick around, I'd love to know why you think Dave lost his soul. Not to be confrontational, but I just don't get that. Is it the Hollywood lifestyle you're referring to? If so, materialism and spirituality are NOT mutually exclusive. Lots of people have and appreciate nice things, yet still manage to be true to themselves, and be honest, kind, and loving people.

Maybe someone else can explain it to me if Sonny doesn't want to? Seems to be such a common criticism, I'd like to at least understand it.

...really shocking & sad news.

RIP Dimebag

Hey uncle D!!
being from uk n all, i only know the gun crime situation in the us from the news. its pretty fucked however. why cant they just ban guns? guns r 4 cowards. if u wanna fight and sort sumthink out...theirs other means. how bout talk, argue, punch, kick. dave shud they ban guns or smoking?? :D
n e wayz, dave what u up 2 this nu years eve?
dave when u broke up with an ex who u really loved and cared about, how long did it take 4 u to let go?
im kinda goin thru that at the moment. i know its small potatoes compared to the passing away of dimebag, but it still bothers me. sorry for the questions. just kinda in a thinkin mode. crap!
ps...dimebag darrell is a ledgend. whats ur best pantera trak dave and people?
im gonna pass dat 1 cuz theirs alot of kick ass songs!
this love is a cool song!

You put that well Dave. Nice words.

For all of you reading this now in the UK...put Channel 4 on, it just said on the adverts "Carmen Electra can sleep well now, she's been punked. That's NEXT after the break".

Oh man...Dave you and Carmen were the first ever people to be Punk'd. Unlucky

great post dave.

beautif words dave man.q would your ever sell one of yr white prs's or black fender strats to an fan who relly wants to play it to fuck and rock hard?qq have you talked to prs latly about ur signitue? john hoyle ps three days is the best song ever

haha, that punk'd was awesome! You went currraaaaazy.

(happy birthday frik!)

it's a tragedy.

it reminds me of lennon. what a loss. if only the light of his genius where here today the wourld should be different.

as the world we can only sadly mourn the loss of an artist. and mourn the loss of the music that he would have created and played.
it's sad that a person that feel the right to hate and kill had never had and never searched for the opportunity to love.
it's absurd that one may think about omicide when the drums have "damageplan" instead of "pantera" wriiten on it.
if someone is so fucked in the head to think that killing is the solution of the problem (money, fuel, band-splitting, power, love delusions ...) better manage to kill himself without harming anyone.
the buddhist monk that burned himself alive in disappreciation is so noble.
this vile subhuman killer just can burn in the flames of hell listening to britney spears

i'm disgusted to feel the need
to comment an event like this...
sorry for the outlet.
i just think that we can only respect darrell by silence and good wishes to his family, friends, fans and mates

thanks dave

dozzo

Thank you Dave for those eloquent words. What really is driving me crazy about this is that Dime has said in every interview I've read that he really wanted to keep Pantera togeather. I feel like a part of me has been taken away from me.

Dave I, like a few others on here, am curious. Does this sort of thing scare you? Obviouslly there are people that are upset with you about the break up of JA and although you can't dwell on it, when somthing like this happens it has to enter your mind.

Sonny

Stick around man,if this tragic shooting can teach anyone of us anything then let it be that nothing is worth taking a life for and that any bad vibes that stem from a band breaking up is just not worth a divided fanbase,or worse.
A shocking loss can bring people together,it really can show how insignificant disputes can be when lives are lost because of it.

Steve L

You speak the truth so poetically and as always, I am so moved. Thank you.

Spreading the love,
Deena

What a terrible price to pay for devoting your life to musical bravery - pushing the sensory musical envelope. Pantera were a musical fuck you of frustration and longing to feel things outside the norm. Of course putting yourself out there to that degree attracts people with an extreme outlook but what a fucked up way to go. Just been listening to Planet Caravan - God he could play.

I don't wanna think about it in irrational, superstitious terms but isn't it just so horrible that a guy who lived his life making extreme, brutal music as a way of purging rage should die such a violent death. If the meaning of your life is truly crystalised in the moment of death what meaning was given to Dimebag? Did he wonder why he'd placed himself at the eye of the storm? Let's hope he was at peace.

I hope he died knowing that as well as a hard rocking escape, he'd given many an ideal to aspire to - no compromise, no limits, to keep in touch with the primal.

The line in the sand was drawn with Dimebag, it doesn't get any heavier, he's earned his rest.

Hi Dave,
This is completely off topic. Will you be doing CFR tomorrow?? If so are you playing any new songs from the "SHE WAS A SPICEY SHE WOLF" CD??

I completely love the downloads, especially Social Slut and would love to hear the other stuff.

Also to any of the technological savvy fam out there. For some reason this site is not remembering my info and I need to re-type it each time. Does anyone know how to fix the cookies? It used to work before.

Thanks and have a wonderful weekend.

yo Sonny..

as a fan, period! .....thank you for taking that ridiculous slander-picture of dave down from your site.

my heart, my ears, my spirit.....blessed with the existence of all of these great guys, their chemistries, and the music they made, are making, and will make in the future, in all the forms it will take.....

let alone the rest of music history, in all of its' forms....

This is going to sound a little weird,this is to Dave and everyone

If you knew you was going to die(we all will at some point,but you know what i mean),would you try to set things right with people you've wronged,and would you confront people who've wronged you to give them a chance to set things right.

Steve L

dave~your post brought tears to my eyes.

great discussion going on here folks...
I've been a music fan for a long time and yesterday despite all the good news I was receiving about my life, the tragic event at the club hung over the day like a black cloud. It got me thinking about fanaticism. Through my years of being a music fan I've learned of some disturbed folks who don't have lives of their own and make someone else's life their own. I can understand someone having admiration for and loyalty to a musician, but it's hard to understand someone whose whole life revolves obsessively around someone else. It is important for fans to realize where to draw the line in the way they approach their favorite stars. Nobody has the right to be let into anyone else's life without permission. I'm a strong believer in everyone's right to privacy and don't like it when I see people try to get personal information of their idols (addresses/phone #s/etc). That is crossing the line. As far as musicians and concerts go, you can go to a bunch of your favorite band's shows and even travel to see them, that's all great to show your support in that way. But finding out what hotel the band is staying at every time and making a point to stay at the same one every time where you figure out what room(s) they're in and following them around and everything, that is crossing the line.
Lots of people also don't realize that backstage is a working environment. If you ever find yourself backstage don't expect to be constantly hanging with the band before the show, they are busy and have a lot of things to do in preparation of the show and need their space to do so and collect themselves before they go on stage.

Music is entertainment.. it's meant to be fun, for people to kick back and enjoy what their ears are hearing and sometimes what their eyes are seeing. We shouldn't have to worry about some disturbed soul showing up with a fricken gun and going trigger happy. Those in the spotlight should be able to have a healthy relationship with their fans without fearing them.. as I'm sure these days they will tell you they both love and fear their fans.
There's really nothing I can type that will remedy the situation, but we can all make an effort to be aware of one another and if you know someone that needs help, please, PLEASE tell someone and try to help them.
The guy that shot Dime-bag was an ex Marine. My sister's boyfriend is an ex Marine and he will tell you that they see some screwed up sh*% there. He's a bit twisted himself in slight ways and to this day he has recurring nightmares from his service. I've always been of the "screw the military, f**k war" opinion. It brings out the worst in people and there is no point to it whatsoever.

Oh and Dana, what Dave quoted about acceptance I believe was in reference to all those so distraught over band breakups/ restructurings. They need to get over and accept the fact that the world will turn and things will be ever-changing whether they like it or not. Not to say that everyone should take a "let it be" attitude with everything all the time, there is a time when we need to put our foot down such as with war and what happened with the civil rights movement of the 60s. There's a balance, you have to know when to let go and when to put your foot down. There's also a difference between being judgemental/ judging someone or their actions and telling the facts of the actions that result of a person's complex personality. If you call a murderer a "viscious, evil peice of sh*! with no soul", that is being judgemental. If you say "It was a sad and scary act committed by a person with psychological problems", then you're just stating a fact... especially if you specifically state the clinical names of the psychological problems, of which there are many. It's the whole being objective vs. subjective thing...

ok kind of going off on a tangent there, sorry for the long rant!

M

Maria

Your so right,this guy had problems,he shouldn't have been out in the public domain with these problems.

It is a real shame that in this world there are people that need serious help,and that through lack of help or the realisation that the person needs help comes to late,lives are lost,these actions cannot be rewound and put right.

This guy had mental problems and now people are dead because of them.It's tragic beyond words.

Some people get so caught up in their hateful state of mind that they become blind to logic and feel totally justified in their intended actions.
It's only after they have carried out those actions that they may/may not feel remorse.

has anyone been so angry with someone that they have hit someone,and then immediatly realised that they should not have done that.
I know killing is the extreme of this.

I'm not defending this guy believe me.I would like to understand why.

Steve L

Hey Mortisha! Fanaticism is a very dark and scary topic indeed. And if I may be so judgemental for a sec, the piece of shit that shot Lennon went to high school near where I grew up, which is truly fucked up. Every year, around the anniversary, I get sick and disgusted that he spent time near me (well, within 5 miles). The one common thread that runs between psychos is inevitably someone describes them at one time or another as being a loner. That's why this, and all other "communities" are important, as an outlet for somemone to speak so one doesn't get to the point of feeling all alone against the world. And these feelings of being isolated can sometimes begin at a very early age. "Acceptance" is a very timely subject, in and of the sense that we should all try a little bit more to be accepting of others that are different than us. God knows what lives you may save in the future by reaching out to someone that needs to feel accepted today. If there is any lesson in all of this insanity, I say let it be one of action, of reaching out to others. My two cents.

ummm, I have mental health issues, I tend to obsess about trivial things, I act impulsively....I am not asking for anyone's acceptance but my own......in fact, I don't really appreciate 'false' acceptance..do you guys know what I am talking about? That pat on the arm someone gives you because they want to do THEIR good deed for the day..eeewwww, I know when gestures are sincere..

As far as being a loner, being an outsider, I got that, too...I am not sure there is too much wrong with that. It's where my greatest creativity comes from, my self-reflection...

I know I have problems, what helps me deal with them is the acknowledgement that I HAVE them, and the desire to NOT...This self-realization, I can safely say here, is what connects me with most of my 6767 family, n'est ce pas?

anyway, blahblahblah...I just think that most of the dangerous stalker fans come from troubled minds that we can't even imagine...Hindsight is 20-20 they say, and the boy who shot Darryl was exhibiting enough warning signs, why else was that policeman there, he was trying to CATCH him BEFORE he got in....

That's my incoherent rambling for now, stay tuned for further updates....
jezebel(What if God were one of us)

Count your blessings, how many do you have?
count your blessings, even though you're sad...
because when you start to count them, you may be suprised,
just how many that you have, even in disguise...

~~~unknown

you said it yourself Dave-"What a fucked up world it must be to live in where one thinks that everything revolves around him and is about him and for or against him". To be in that state of mind you don't grow into it, it's embedded in you, a disfunction, a problem. It's scary because I think about it and I know people who think like that

"I don't really appreciate 'false' acceptance..do you guys know what I am talking about? That pat on the arm someone gives you because they want to do THEIR good deed for the day.."
I know exactly what you're talking about. But I think in a majority of cases, if the people truly didn't care they wouldn't bother to give a pat on the arm at all. I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume that they are genuinely nice, because, well, most people ARE. If they're not, then you can usually tell they're all-out jerks right away and you simply don't associate with them. As said in a great song, "can't be everybody's friend." Although it's never good to judge a book by its cover. Someone that seems like a witch or something to you at first could shortly later become your best friend. I don't think it's something that should be thought about too much, you just have to go with the flow and hope for the best.

I hope everyone has a great night tonight and weekend. I have a big day tomorrow, we're taking my parents all over- to Lake Shrine and some museums and all that touristy stuff.

M

you know, its very interesting just how many 'rockstars' have passed away in this world, be it from natural causes or unnatural causes.

but i get comfort from the thought that maybe, just maybe all the rockers, be it Dimebag to Elvis to Kurt to Lennon, are making music together right now as we speak

"Oh and Dana, what Dave quoted about acceptance I believe was in reference to all those so distraught over band breakups/ restructurings. They need to get over and accept the fact that the world will turn and things will be ever-changing whether they like it or not."

Thanks for the clarification, Mortisha. Is that what being called a "sell-out" is about too? Or is it the Louis Vuitton? I'm still trying to understand exactly what the basis of that criticism is. Somebody please tell me. Thanks.

Maria, your post prior to the one just above should be published.

Jezebel... Goddamn, I love you, girlfriend. You defend us artist lunachix with such finesse. (I sent you an e-mail on MySpace)

Lyn... Thank you for being a friend...traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true; you're a pal and a confidante. (Is there a reason why I'm quoting The Golden Girls theme?)

It is great to see how everyone has come together as a family during this time of tragedy. May Dimebag rest in peace.

Hey all!

A friend of mine is coming to L.A. for the holidays (I'm so envious!) and I asked him to bring me DTTAH 'cos it's STILL not available in Finland (what a piece of shit for a country to live in!).

Anyways, I'd like to know how much it costs there so I can supply him with the right amount of money as it happens to be so that I haven't got too much of it, and my friend's not exactly of the saving kind.

A day at a time, people,

Pekka

Awww, Nightbird, such a sweetie. Thank YOU for being a friend.
"Anyways, I'd like to know how much it costs there so I can supply him with the right amount of money as it happens to be so that I haven't got too much of it, and my friend's not exactly of the saving kind."
Pekka, you'll need to give your friend the equivalent of $150.00 US Dollars for the book. That way, they can buy the book, and have enough money left over for a cup of a latte' cappuchino from Starbucks and a pack of smokes. That's a joke, btw. The book cost me $30.00 US.

Handsome Boy Modeling School.
They're funny. Check 'em out.
They play House of Blues-LA on Jan 6th.

Thanks, Lyn. If I gave my friend $150, he'd go to Gilbert's on Pico and have a beef burrito and margaritas w/ the rest and return empty-handed. So I'll better give him say $35 and pray.