With the news still fresh of the passing of AC/DC guitarist Malcolm Young today, rock and metal musicians for all over the world commented on his life, impact on music, and the loss we all feel. Continue reading
Tag Archives: RIP
Legendary European Booker Bidi van Drongelen Passes Away
Ghost Cult got some devastating news handed down to us late this past weekend as Tilburg based booking agent and scene tastemaker Danny “Bidi” van Drongelen has passed away. He was 47. Continue reading
Remembering Dimebag Darrell Abbott 1968-2004
Today marks the 11th anniversary of the passing of Darrell Lance Abbott, a.k.a. Dimebag Darrell of Pantera. Every year on this date, Ghost Cult takes time out to remember this titan of music, who also was an amazing person, gone way too soon.
The only saving grace for fans is that his star shines brighter every day. Musicians from all walks of life pay tribute to Dime every day. And fans continue to clamor for the music Darrell helped create. A petition was filed at Change.org two months ago urging the surviving members of Pantera to reunite. The petition has nearly 7,000 signatures so far.
Ghost Cult is honored and humbled to have photographer Evil Robb Noxious of Evil Robb Photography, a friend of Darrell and frequent Pantera photographer contribute some exclusive and rare pictures of Dimebag from his personal collection to this piece. Thanks for sharing these Robb!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHPV-XF0vx0
Hail Dimebag! Forever in our hearts!
Buy photos from Evil Robb Photography on his site
Evil Robb Photography on Facebook
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Former After The Burial Guitarist Justin Lowe Passes Away
Justin Lowe, the former guitarist of After the Burial was found dead last night, near somerset, WI. On July 18th Lowe was reported missing in Washington County, MN. It had been a tumultuous few months for him, since he left After the Burial following a disturbing public statement and an internet tirade. The band had followed up with their own statement reporting that Lowe was under physicians care for mental illness and receiving treatments.
We send our condolences to Lowe’s family and friends and the After The Burial camp as well.
In Memoriam- Darrell Lance Dimebag Abbott 1968-2004
For many metalheads, and for this writer personally, December 8th 2004 is the day the music died. Maybe not completely, but a little piece of all of us fans of this thing we call metal music felt a loss at the news that Dimebag Darrell, beloved Pantera guitarist extraordinaire had been murdered on stage in Ohio. We are not going to use this space to recount what happened that fateful day since the story has been told enough already. Like many others, I remember where I was when I got the devastating news. I remember my time going to Pantera concerts like some people talk about religious experiences. I have lived and loved, made friends and lovers all around Pantera events and happenings, played their songs in my own bands on stages big and small, and hated every single cover of ‘Walk’, ever. Being a fan definitely made my life in metal better, and Dime was obviously part of that. I recall The Great Southern Trendkill (EastWest) getting leaked on WSOU in New Jersey and running a bell wire out of my projects window to try and get the station in clearer, just to record terrible sounding versions of those new songs. But Dime has passed away, and he’s not coming back, and neither is the band, no matter what people want to think about that topic. Rather than sulk in our collective misery about our lost hero, we want to revel in the greatness that Darrell gave out in life. What we will do is show some love for our fallen brother, as his light has certainly shone brighter than ever since his passing.
While much has been talked of Pantera’s blatant hair metal days and glammy bleached roots, (those records are actually really good in spots) one undeniable factor from the early days of Dimebag (or Diamond as he was then called) was that life was about having fun. Whether it was on stage in front of ten people or tens of thousands’, this guy lived to laugh and make others around him happy. It showed in his personal style if you ever met him, and it came up in his music over and over again. Fun. Fun is not a word that comes easily to the black garbed scowling-faced, long-haired, fist-banging mania of metalheads, but it is an element about this man that stands out to me. Fun! Dime was having fun and wanted the world to join in on the joke, at all times. Pantera followed Darrell and embodied this spirit, not just back-stage, but musically too. When metal was taking itself too seriously, there was this bunch of guys from the American south hamming up like you couldn’t believe, no matter how hardcore the music was.
Of course Dimebag was a master musician and it bled through from his writing and arranging down to his killer solos. Known as a great soloist, Dime’s lead guitar work both on record and in concert was the gold standard of the early-to-mid 90s in metal. As much as people still worship those Pantera albums, Dime has some other terrific performances worthy checking out. Dime was known for his many guest solos, including several prominent Anthrax albums (Stomp 442, Volume 8: The Threat is Real, & We’ve Come For You All). Even if you are not a fan of country music, I highly recommend checking out the Rebel Meets Rebel (Big Vin Records) album made with Pantera (minus Phil Anselmo) and outlaw country legend David Allen Coe. It is an album of surprising quality songs, hilarious topics, and many great guitar moments. Of course more people are acquainted with Dimebag’s post-Pantera band, Damageplan which was solid, but ultimately had songs more conducive to a live environment.
Naturally the wonderful personality that emanated from Darrell only made the devastation of senseless death that more hurtful and confusing to us all. All we can do on this date every year is celebrate the life he had and the music and laughs he left behind. Ghost Cult is honored and humbled to have photographer Evil Robb Noxious of Evil Robb Photography, a friend of Darrell and frequent Pantera photographer contribute some exclusive, never before seen pictures of Dimebag from his personal collection to this piece. Thanks for sharing these Robb!
Hail Dimebag! Forever in our hearts!
Buy photos from Evil Robb Photography on his site
Evil Robb Photography on Facebook
KEITH (KEEFY) CHACHKES
Black Tusk Bassist Jonathan Athon Passes Away At Age 32
We are saddened to bring you some bad news at the end of this weekend. Following a motorcycle crash and a traumatic brain injury, Black Tusk bassist Jonathan Athon passed away this morning, as confirmed earlier this afternoon. As the news has come down and confirmed by the bands publicist, messages of condolences and shock are starting to appear on social networks like Facebook and Twitter. We wish Jonathan’s family, friends and bandmates our sympathy and support at this difficult time.
Black Tusk emerged from the thriving Savannah metal scene that also originally birthed Baroness and Kylesa among others. The band, in which Athon was a principle writer, was prolific with 13 releases in less than ten years. Most notable were full length’s Taste the Sin, Set The Dial and the Tend No Wounds EP, all for Relapse Records. The band was also seen in the Slow Southern Steel documentary about the Southern American Metal scene, directed by CT of Rwake.
Official Press Release
“It is with deep regret and saddened hearts that we must tell you that Athon passed away this morning from injuries sustained from his motorcycle accident. Doctors told us that he suffered irreparable brain damage shortly after the accident. He has been in a coma and sustained by life support until now. As per his wishes, we removed Athon from his life support systems and his organs will be donated. His body will be cremated and a memorial is being planned for family and friends in Savannah. He was 32 years old and will be forever missed. Thank you all for your support during this devastating time for us, it would have made him proud.”
Wayne Static Dead At Age 48
Sad news has come down that Wayne Richard Wells also know as Wayne Static has passed away at age 48. No further information about his passing is available at this time.
Wayne shot to fame as the front man of the titular band Static-X putting a Nu-Metal spin on classic Industrial Metal with a self-described nickname of “Evil Disco”. Wisconsin Death Trip (Warner Brothers) is considered a popular modern classic from that era of music still to this day.
Static-X disbanded after over a ten-year career in 2009, and although he has tried to re-start a few times recently, he has come to terms with his career as a solo-artist. Wayne Static was about to embark on a co-headline tour with Powerman 5000 in the USA followed by a similar tour of Europe next year with Drowning Pool.
RIP Wayne.
Dave Brockie aka. Oderus Urungus of GWAR – Dead at 50
A death in the world of metal is never easy to hear about, especially when its such a hugely impactful guy. Devastating news came down this morning that Dave Brockie of GWAR has died. Better known as his irascible alter-ego Oderus Urungus, we were hoping this was some kind of twisted hoax, which Dave would have loved, but his manager confirmed the sad truth with a message this morning.Continue reading
RIP Dimebag Darrell 1966-2004
Today marks the ninth anniversary of the murder of Dimebag Darrell at the hands of a maniac, while on stage in Columbus, Ohio at the Alrosa Villa . It still feels unreal and unfair after all these years. As we will do every year, we pay tribute to this fallen hero of metal. Below is an edited excerpt from my old, personal blog that I wrote on the subject of Dimebag’s life, death, and impact on the metal community. Since I have never been able to express my feelings on these matter any better, this what I have to share.
“Like many metal fans of the 1990’s I was and still am a huge Pantera fan. From the very first time I saw the ‘Psycho Holiday’ video on Headbangers Ball, I knew these guys were the shit! (Editor’s Note: Pantera’s riffs ended up being incorporated into the theme song of the show). They was no denying their musical talents which became refined and improved over their career. But what really made Pantera great was their heart and personality. Their awesome spirit, take no prisoners attitude and general super fun quotient set them apart from the serious, scowling metal dudes in every other band. Later in the decade when metal was struggling a bit as a genre the band continued to be uncompromisingly heavy and unashamedly true to themselves. Their albums are all time greats, their live shows were legendary and their three home videos were a handbook on how to hang out, have a good time and party until the break of dawn. “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott was a the center of this madness, this chaos, this musical force of nature of a band. Dime has four solos in Guitar World’s top 100 solos of all time list, and countless other great ones also. He wasn’t just a dynamite lead guitarist and a great riffer and songwriter, he had a lovely soul and a love of life that was indeed “larger than life”. I think he also had a sensitivity he only showed glimpses of, but I think it came through in his humility and kindness. Things that don’t often get associated with metal, let alone legit guitar gods.
Just a week earlier I had seen Darrell and his new band, Damageplan at Irving Plaza in New York with Shadows Fall and The Haunted opening. Damageplan played a fine show with Pantera covers like “Becoming” and “Walk” sprinkled in. After the show I was near both Dime and his brother Vinny Paul by the bar. Dime was immediately mobbed and seemed like he was trying to skate out of the venue. I just figured to myself that I’d meet him at the next show. Vinnie gave me a sweaty hug and a few minutes of his time to talk about metal, drumming etc.
One week later, when Darrell was gunned down 30 seconds into the start of a concert, just after midnight on Dec. 8 2004, it sent a shock wave 
throughout the music world. A lot of people were calling it ‘the 9/11 for Metal’. Initially news was sketchy, with many major news outlets not having the full story until the next morning. Early reports just said “former Pantera member dead in Ohio” and many people today will admit they assumed Philip Anselmo‘s (former) drug problems caught up with him. But it was Dimebag that was murdered, along with three others by a homicidal, obsessive fan, who himself was gun downed at the scene by a brave policeman. I didn’t find out this terrible news until I got to work the next morning like many, and I started to get a barrage of calls at my desk confirming the worst. I broke down and cried some, then called some people myself to share the news/grief. I couldn’t concentrate at work and went through the motions the rest of the day and went home to listened to my records and just felt numb all over. This was like the death of a family member to me. PANTERA was not just a favorite band of mine, but they helped inform my own music that my bands played. At the very first show of my first gigging band, we played ‘Cemetery Gates’ and ‘Five Minutes Alone’. We often molded our music after the ‘Cowboys From Hell’ eventually covering ‘Walk’ (which I am now sick of), ‘Domination’, ‘I’m Broken’ and my personal favorite, .’A New Level’. I lived my life by their words, saw them many times in concert, met friends and lovers because of them, and generally followed their every move for over a decade. Today many of the current crop of metal bands have the influence of Pantera in their veins to varying degrees of success. Dime’s legacy lives on and there will never be another lead player or a person quite like him.”
Visit the Dimebag Darrell tribute page on Facebook
Keith (Keefy) Chachkes