Darrell Lance Abbott in Dallas

Darrell Lance Abbott August 20, 1966 - December 8th, 2004

My Friend Was Buried In A KISS Kasket With Eddie Van Halen’s Guitar
Not a year has ever gone by without me thinking of him on his birthday. We celebrated many birthdays together because mine is August 28, which is also my friend Rita Haney’s birthday. My friend was shot to death while playing on stage December 8th, 2004.
He may have gained the whole world, but what did he profit if he lost his own soul?
Please know that I loved him enough to let him know that when he was alive, on many occasions. I know that he never forgot my love for him.

Luke 12:16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:

17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?

18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.

19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?

21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

22 ¶ And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.

23 The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.

24 Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?

25 And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?

26 If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?

27 Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

28 If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?

29 And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.

30 For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.

31 But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/12/14/084207.php

A bizarre twist in Dimebag Darrell death

December 14, 2004
Marty Dodge andrewiandodge.com

In a bizarre twist, it seems DD is going to be buried in a Kiss Kasket donated by Kiss at the request of the guitarist's family. Gene went on to pay tribute to Dimebag and warn other musicians about the price of having fans.

...Speaking to Fox News, Simmons said yesterday: "Well, I wasn't really prepared to talk about it, but the family requested, as a personal issue between the family and the grieving people who are going to be there, to send a Kiss casket. We initially did it as a promotion. And you know, I think it meant a lot to Darryl when, you know - when he was alive, he gave lots of people great joy. I mean he had the band tattooed onto his chest. He was a major figure in rock and roll. He's going to be greatly missed. And the family wish - you know the one last wish they had was that he buried in a Kiss casket. And I think it's a private matter for the family and the fans actually".

Commenting more generally on the shooting and the kind of risks artists face when performing live, Simmons continued: "You know people often forget that the word "fan" actually comes from the word "fanatical". Most people are very nice. Most people respect your privacy. But here's no secret, most celebrities check into hotels under pseudonyms and the reason is not because I don't love the fans but because you've got to be able to keep everybody at arm's length because every once in a while you're going to get a nut job. The only justice, as far as I'm concerned, is that this nut case is no longer around to do this to anybody else".

http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2004/dec04/20041214_damageplanb.html

Dimebag Darrell To Be Buried In Kiss Kasket

by Paul Cashmere

14 December 2004

Kiss have donated a Kiss Kasket to the family of Damageplan/Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell for the metal star to be buried in.

Darrell was a huge Kiss fan and even had a tattoo the band on his body. As well as the Kiss tatt, Darrell also had Frehley autograph it and had that tattooed to his body as well.

Kiss bass player Gene Simmons announced he was giving the family the coffin on Fox News with Rita Cosby. Simmons told Cosby "well, I wasn't really prepared to talk about it, but the family requested, as a personal issue between the family and the grieving people who are going to be there, to send a Kiss casket. We initially did it as a promotion. And you know, I think it meant a lot to Darryl when, you know - when he was alive, he gave lots of people great joy. I mean he had the band tattooed onto his chest. He was a major figure in rock and roll. He's going to be greatly missed. And the family wish - you know the one last wish they had was that he buried in a Kiss casket. And I think it's a private matter for the family and the fans actually".

In speaking about atrocities that can happen with fans, Simmons added "You know people often forget that the word "fan" actually comes from the word "fanatical". Most people are very nice. Most people respect your privacy. But here's no secret, most celebrities check into hotels under pseudonyms and the reason is not because I don't love the fans but because you've got to be able to keep everybody at arm's length because every once in a while you're going to get a nut job. The only justice, as far as I'm concerned is that this nut case is no longer around to do this to anybody else".

Dimebag Darrell will be buried in a private family ceremony this week. His family has requested the details not to be published by the media.

Eddie Van Halen’s Guitar

Some months before his murder, Darrell had found out from one of his industry contacts that Eddie Van Halen and Charvel guitars were going to produce a limited-edition series of guitars bearing Van Halen's trademark tape-striping. Van Halen himself would be individually taping each guitar and they would also come with a picture of him doing so and a certificate of authenticity. According to Eddie, Darrell called him on the phone and asked if he could purchase one before they became available. Eddie replied that the next time he saw Darrell, he would have one of the guitars with him and would stripe it in Darrell's presence as a gift. Before they could meet again, Darrell was murdered. Eddie recounted this story when he spoke at Darrell's funeral, then, to the surprise of those in attendance, he brought out the black and yellow tape-striped guitar seen on the back cover of Van Halen II(which Darrell had said was his favorite guitar of Eddie's) and laid it in Darrell's casket to be buried with him.

Abbott's murder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimebag_Darrell#Early_life

family members walked out of Funeral Services

Later on during the services, other family members walked out due to the extreme profanity and other vulgarities by some of the speakers.

"Never Give Up on God; He Will Never Give Up On You."

The picture is of Rick E. Warden and Darrell Abbott of Pantera fame back when I was about 20 and he was about 19 years old. That was back before I got saved from the consequences of my sins through the 100% completely finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Darrell was killed on stage December 8th, 2004 at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio. The picture was taken on a photo shoot for the Skull Press magazine that I published.

The picture is of Darrell Abbott of Pantera fame, Rick E. Warden and a Dean Abernathy of punk rock band Slatch. That was back before I got saved from the consequences of my sins through the 100% completely finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Darrell was killed on stage December 8th, 2004 at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio.

Abbott's murder http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimebag_Darrell#Early_life

On December 8th, 2004, while performing with Damageplan at the Alrosa Villa in Columbus, Ohio, Dimebag Darrell Abbott was shot and killed onstage by Nathan Gale. Abbott was shot a total of five times, twice at point blank range in the head. He was 38 years old.

Three others were killed in the shooting: concert attendee Nathan Bray, 23, of Columbus; club employee Erin Halk, 29, of northwest Columbus; and Damageplan security guard Jeff "Mayhem" Thompson, 40, of Texas. The band's drum technician, John "Kat" Brooks, and tour manager, Chris Paluska, were injured.

According to police, Gale fired a total of fifteen shots, taking the time to reload once, remaining silent throughout the shooting. When security staff and audience members climbed the stage to try to stop him, Gale fired at them, killing Thompson and Halk, who had attempted to stop the gunman with a wooden table, and wounding Paluska. Gale then took Brooks hostage, holding him in a headlock position after the technician attempted to wrestle him to the ground. When the hostage moved slightly, Columbus police officer James D. Niggemeyer, who was the first police officer to arrive at the scene, shot Gale in the back of the head with a 12 gauge police issue shotgun.

During the rampage, nurse and audience member Mindy Reece, 28, went to the aid of Abbott. She and another fan administered CPR until paramedics arrived. According to some reports, victim Nathan Bray was also attempting to render assistance when he was killed.

Dimebag Darrell was buried at the Moore Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Texas.

Due to insufficient seating, several members of Darrell's family were escorted out of the funeral services by security in order to make room for "distinguished guests." Later on during the services, other family members walked out due to the extreme profanity and other vulgarities by some of the speakers.

The shootings had occurred on the 24th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon, but there is no indication that this was a factor in Gale's actions.

In May 2005, Officer Niggemeyer testified before the Franklin County grand jury, which is routine procedure in Franklin County after a police shooting. The grand jury did not indict Niggemeyer.

Niggemeyer received a commendation for his outstanding police work in time of crisis.

Early theories of motive suggested that Gale may have acted on rumors of a Pantera breakup, or a public dispute between Abbott and Pantera singer Phil Anselmo, but these have now been ruled out by investigators. [2]

Abbott's family has now decided to sue the night club where he was murdered. They claim that if the club had employed competent security guards, this needless death would have never occurred. The club owner states that his security guards are not trained nor were ever intended to thwart gun wielding guests. The news of this lawsuit comes within days of the anniversary of Abbott's murder.

Vinnie Paul Press Release

"With all his greatness and accomplishments on the guitar, Dime will be missed more for his giving personality, charisma, caring for others, love and most of all his Heart! Twice as big as the state of TEXAS! Dime gave it all everyday to each and every one of us and our lives have forever been hollowed without him. Thanks to all of you for reaching out to us in this time of our immeasurable loss. Rest In Peace brother Dime".

This is one of the best videos that I have found online of Darrell Abbott's guitar solo.
I was probably at this show. I banged head at the front of the stage watching Darrel
play hundreds of times from the Metal Magic days through Cowboys From Hell.