Dimevision

Vol 1: That’s The Fun I Have (Big Vin)
by Martin Popoff

Vinnie will tell ya that there was always a camera rolling in the booze-addled destruction-steeped Pantera camp, and much of it had to do with the fun-loving nature of the cajoling guitarist at the centre of the whirlwind. So Vinnie’s gathered up all manner of footage. First, the music: Dimebag is seen ripping it up circa ’84 and ’85 (“Seek And Destroy,” yeah!) right up until his Damageplan days (don’t look for Phil: He’s not here, and strangely, he’d be a damper if he was). Onto the hijinx: There’s lots of fireworks, most notably used to wake various poor loafers up after a night of… well, likely fireworks. There’s also “redneck landscaping,” which consists of mercilessly burning rubber around the ringed driveway and then chopping up the sodded median with the rims of the truck, drunken guffaws as soundtrack. Amusingly, Dime very drunkenly – drunkest I’ve seen him – lauds the guy for staying on the pavement, and then he gets into the truck and rips up the lawn. The photo galleries: Usually a “Who cares?,” but these come fast and furious and you can see the love the fans had for Dime, and how Dime loved them back, never looking bored in the dozens of photos fan candids.

We can perhaps take some solace that Dime indeed had loads of fun. Just the amount of dressing up, the goofing on stage, the parties, the… friends – some that he would see over and over, and countless more that became that way through just one meeting.
(www.bigvinrecords.com)