Andy Chase

While I spent the last few days mulling over how best to write a small tribute to Dimebag Darrell Abbott, Jay Pinkerton wrote one that pretty much sums up everything I wanted to convey.

Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power was a cornerstone of my soundtrack for the summer of 1992; it would not be exaggeration to estimate that I listened to it pretty much every day, sometimes multiple times a day.

Like a lot of people out there writing Dimebag Darrell memorials, I haven't listened to the album in years; Dimebag Darrell's murder is not just a senseless tragedy, it's a sudden reminder of late post-graduation, pre-college summer nights spent painting on my new Amiga 500, driving around Keene, and playing many, many games of Abalone and Cosmic Wimpout with best friends I have long since lost touch with. Like those friends, my original CD is long gone; it was one of a couple dozen that I sold during lean times in California. I have MP3s somewhere, but I haven't loaded them into iTunes yet... the album will no doubt still rock my ass off, but now it will have the same sadness as watching reruns of anything with Phil Hartmann in it.