Tragedy

It is events like this that bring home to me how very vulnerable my favourite artists can be.

I am speaking of the murder of Darrell "Dimebag" Abbott, from Damageplan, formerly of the mega band Pantera. A person, an ex-Marine, walked into a venue carrying a concealed semi-automatic weapon ( a Berretta, not a small weapon), took at least one person hostage, shot three bystanders, and then walked onto the stage. Damageplan was playing to a crowd of less that 300, and they watched this guy put four bullets into Dimebag in cold blood.

I am in some ways sorry that a cop took out the gunman, because we may never know what the motivation was now, but I am not sorry the bastard is dead. I only met Dimebag a few times, very briefly, but he was not such a creep that he deserved to die in this manner. He has a wife and kids in the DFW area, and friends in the music industry throughout the world. My brother Dave and his fellow band members in Machine Head are among them. Everyone I know who has any knowledge of metal music is stunned and very much saddened. It was unreal when John Lennon was shot down, and I knew it within an hour or so. It was unreal when Stevie Ray Vaughn went down in flames, and I knew that almost as fast. I was never a fan of either Pantera or Damageplan, and I am still stunned.

I understand why many people who are famous would prefer to be left alone, and may even go so far as to hide away. I am afraid for those I care about, because there is obviously no limit to the danger they put themselves in when they choose to perform in public. I love going to live music events, but I would give it up in a heartbeat if I knew it would protect those I love. There are just enough people out there who think only of themselves and their own opinions to be absolutely dangerous to performers. Sadly, they cannot be contained to the confines of an arena, where they might be caught. They could walk up to someone on the street and do the exact same thing.

Light a candle for Dimebag, even if you didn't know him or his music. Say a gentle prayer for his family, and bandmates, who have to go on without him now. Remember when you do, for want of better security and luck there go the musicians I love too.

Rest In Peace, Dimebag Darrell.

Rhythm Section Of the Year!

I have had to take something of a hiatus here due to a change in jobs, but I am back!

This last week saw DC on a short tour with Los Lobos and then out to LA for some big thing with industry people. On their way home they will be playing in Tucson with surfer Dick Dale, and then Ozomatli again in Albuquerque and Santa Fe. A swift tour, but it stills takes them away from me for too long.
Silly goose that I am, I actually looked into flying out to ABQ. It's old stompin' grounds for myself and my best friend Casey, and it would've been neat to see the guys out of state for a change.

Now, the reason for the title of this entry: they put Mike up front at the Floore's Country Store gig, and I got to REALLY watch him for the first time. I have always been impressed by this rhythm section, but seeing them work together this well was such a treat!

This is one of the tightest rhythm sections I know of out there right now, though I will admit to a certain level of bias. I daresay that without the right back-up, Del Castillo wouldn't be the powerhouse it is on stage. the intensity of the lyrics, the depth of the guitar playing are emphasized and popped up by the rhythm guys doing the colouring in. Without them, it would be a bit like watching your favourite Bugs Bunny cartoons in black and white line drawings.

Alright, that may be a stretch of a metaphor, but I am of a mind that there is so much dimension to what these guys do. The "average" listener isn't going to differentiate these things. And even a first time listener isn't going to take it in all at once. I sure didn't! I was so floored by the overall intensity that it took me quite a few times seeing them to start picking up on these relationships within the band.

Ah well. I get too verbose sometimes. I forget that the majourity of folks see the whole painting, not the subtleties of the shading. Sometimes it is not wise to stand quite so close to the canvas.
To really get the feel the artist is going for, sometimes one must step back.....just not quite yet for me!