Wednesday December 8, 2004 in Columbus, Ohio, Nathan Gale jumped on the stage of the Alrosa Villa while Damageplan was beginning their performance. Gale shot guitarist Dimebag Darrell 5 times in the head. He also shot & killed an audience member, a club employee & the head of Damageplan’s security.

Columbus Police officer James Niggemeyer responded to the scene. Niggemeyer shot & killed Gale who was holding a hostage in a headlock. But with Gale’s death, we may never get a concrete motive as to why he went on his killing spree. Local news reports said that Gale was shouting about Dimebag’s former band, Pantera, breaking up in 2002. Gale was a former Marine who was described as “isolated, disconnected & socially ill at ease.”

I’ll miss Dimebag Darrell. He was a talented guitar player with a sound that I’ve yet to hear duplicated. From the chugging riff of “Walk” to the sheer abrasiveness of “Suicide Note Part 2”, you can play a rock fan a Dimebag riff & they’ll instantly know it’s his.

I was lucky enough to see Pantera in concert several times. My favorite was my first time at the Nassau Coliseum in 1994. It was a fun show despite being sick from all the pot-smoke & sweating my ass off in the pit. As I crowd surfed towards the stage, security pulled me into the divide & I made my way back into the pit. I looked up & there was Dimebag, shredding away, his dark hair & red beard surrounding a Texas-sized grin. That grin is how I’ll remember Dimebag.

“Respect. Walk. What do you say?”

R

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