"If Phil Anselmo hadn't quit PANTERA, Darrell wouldn't have been playing in that shithole where that guy could get to him." That is but one of the many startling and revealing statements about "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott that his girlfriend of 20 years, Rita Haney, makes in the March 2008 issue of Guitar World magazine.
In a lengthy and exclusive interview conducted almost three years to the day after Dimebag's death on December 8, 2004, Haney gives Guitar World readers a revealing look inside the heart and soul of metal's lost cowboy from hell and offers some lacerating criticism of his former bandmates DAMAGEPLAN singer Pat Lachman and Anselmo.
With regards to Dimebag's final days on the road with DAMAGEPLAN, the band he and Vinnie formed following PANTERA's breakup, Haney says, "I remember in his final days, Darrell was calling me a lot and he told me that he didn't know what to do about [vocalist] Pat Lachman. Pat said that he didn't want to sing any PANTERA songs, but he knew what he was getting into when he joined the band. It got to the point where Darrell blew up completely. He said, 'Look, if I want a dickhead for a singer I'll call up Phil Anselmo! I can at least make money with that motherfucker.' "
And in one of the interview's most incendiary moments, she unleashes her verdict on Phil Anselmo and how his drug addictions and actions ultimately led to Dimebag's murder in Columbus, Ohio, at the hands of deranged gunman Nathan Gale.
"The bottom line is Phil's actions led to what happened," Haney says. "The guy wouldn't have been after Vinnie and Darrell if PANTERA had not broken up. It was all due to Phil's stupid, stupid actions."
For more on this story, visit www.guitarworld.com. To read the complete interview, pick up the March 2008 issue of Guitar World, on sale January 15.
Comment #1 by zigzaggirl420 on January 08, 2008 at 3:31pm
How sad and pathetic...
If it makes her feel better to blame it on Phil, I'm sure he's man enough to take it! I think she's just looking for someone to blame.
Yep, Phil can be a dickhead. I'm sure he's the first to admit it too!
But he's not responsible for the actions of a crazy person who took Dime from us all.
I feel sorry for her and all of us, but I'm not going to blame anyone but the gunman himself.
Dime forever!! Phil forever!! Rex forever!! Vinnie forever!! \mm/ There IS NO separation...
Comment #2 by vBoogieMan on January 09, 2008 at 07:32am
Yeah I agree with you. I think she's just hurting and lashing out at Phil. Man I loved Pantera so much. And I hate to say people/bands suck but Damageplan and Hellyeah both SUCK. Phil has the other singers beat hands down. I went to see HellYeah and they wouldn't do one Pantera tune. That fuckin blows! Prolly cause the singer couldn't fuckin sing it and the shitty guitar players in HellYeah could never touch a Pantera song.
RIP DIME \ m /
Comment #3 by stonedrockgod on January 09, 2008 at 1:30pm
thats a pretty sketchy accusation, every time I hear it.
Comment #4 by truckken57 on January 09, 2008 at 2:51pm
we live in a finger pointing he/she made me do it .. its his/her fault society why am i not surprised when shit like this hits the print .. John Lennon went for a walk from his Dakota apts who is to blame for that R.I.P. Dime and Pantera
Comment #5 by LaurenLb13 on January 10, 2008 at 06:53am
Even though i am new to this "metal" scene, I agree with Ziggy. i have watched the behind the music on Pantera a couple of times and I think that she just want to put the blame on someone else. She can't just blame the guy who actually shot Dime. But I agree 100% with Ziggy...you took the words right from my mouth! Thanks girl!
R.I.P. Dime...
Comment #6 by SapperDaddy on January 11, 2008 at 09:22am
I agree with Ziggy. No one can be blamed but the man who pulled the trigger.
But, you can't diminish the ability of another band, just because they don't play tunes from a band that one of the members used to be in. If that were the case...half of these concerts we're going to would be cover-mania.
I'm sure that the guys in both DAMAGEplan and HellYeah could nail DimeBag's tunes...but, you're right...it just wouldn't be Pantera.
No one will EVER be able to replace the musical genius that was DimeBag Darrel.
R.I.P. Dime...
Comment #7 by vBoogieMan on January 15, 2008 at 09:01am
Yeah, but HellYeah could have played one tune out of respect for Dime! I mean Vinnie is the drummer man...
What, would it make him cry. It just pissed me off when the singer said 'We ain't gonna play no Pantera'. I was like WTF no PANTERA!!! I'm fuckin outta here cause this sucks shit...
RIP DIME
Comment #8 by dman on January 18, 2008 at 10:47am
What it is true that might of not happened if Phil wasn't such an asshole, But how is Phil suppose to know something like that was going to happen
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