Full disclosure: before reading this book I would have been
hard presses to name an album or song by heavy metal icons Pantera. So I go
into this book intrigued by the tale of one of rock’s most infamous moments;
the onstage murder of legendary Pantera guitarist Dimebag Darrell Abbott during
a show with his band Damageplan, but not from the perspective of a drooling
fan.
While it falls into a familiar pattern that many rock
biographies tread; you know, band gets together, band gets following, band gets
record deal, band tours and tours and tours, band makes pile of cash, band
spends pile of cash, band can’t resist life on the road traps like babes, booze
and drugs, band breaks up, band regrets breakup and moves on; bassist Rex Brown
lays out the tail in Official Truth, 101
Proof: The Inside Story of Pantera.
Clearly the book paints Brown in a positive light, hey it’s
his book, so why not. The interesting twist comes in the form of brief
anecdotes provided by folks ranging from Dimebag’s long time girlfriend Rita
Haney, early band members, producers and record company types. He captures his
own decent into alcoholism with a quiet desperation.
While Brown titles the chapter dealing with the news of
Dimebag’s murder The Worst Day of My Life,
he really utilizes it as a tool to reflect on the band’s long simmering
differences. His insider insight into the star-studded funeral and what he
sarcastically labels the Eddie (Van Halen) and Zakk (Wylde) show.
Like all bands that form an indelible link to fans and then
burn out and fade away too quickly there is an infinite sadness that
accompanies their tale. The depth of that sadness really becomes clear based on
the bond with this true fans, band forged in cold steel.
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