Black Tooth Grin: The High Life, Good Times, and Tragic End of ''Dimebag'' Darrell Abbott

Black Tooth Grin is the first biography of “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott, the Texas-bred guitarist of the heavy metal band Pantera, who was murdered onstage in 2004 by a deranged fan—24 years to the day after John Lennon met a similar fate. Darrell Abbott began as a Kiss-inspired teenage prodigy who won dozens of local talent contests. With his brother, drummer Vinnie Abbott, he formed Pantera, becoming one of the most popular bands of the ’90s and selling millions of albums to an intensely devoted fan base. While the band’s music was aggressive, “Dime” was outgoing, gregarious, and adored by everyone who knew him. From Pantera’s heyday to their implosion following singer Phil Anselmo’s heroin addiction to Darrell’s tragic end, Black Tooth Grin is a moving portrait of a great artist. TRACK LISTING......Page 4 Photo Sections......Page 168 Introduction: Blink of an Eye......Page 8 SIDE ONE: METAL MAGIC (1966–1988)......Page 18 1. AND THE CRADLE WILL ROCK: Born Country and Western, Raised Heavy Metal......Page 19 2. HEAVY METAL RULES: "Diamond" Darrell Lance, Dime Bags, and Life on the Road......Page 35 3. FLAMING YOUTH: Brothers from Another Mother......Page 46 4. RIGHT ON THE EDGE: Rita Haney, Ride the Lightning, and Philip Anselmo......Page 58 BONUS TRACK: THE ART OF SHREDDING: The "Dean from Hell"......Page 74 SIDE TWO: COWBOYS FROM HELL (1989–1995)......Page 78 5. BECOMING: Cowboys from Hell, by Way of Hurricane Hugo......Page 79 6. A NEW LEVEL: "Metal Gods" and Other Monsters of Rock......Page 93 7. RISE: From Skid Row to Spacewalking with Ace Frehley......Page 111 8. DOMINATION: The Heaviest Album to Hit No. 1 on the Charts......Page 124 BONUS TRACK: BY DEMONS BE DRIVEN: Devil's Night, Dime's Night......Page 147 SIDE THREE: THIRTEEN STEPS TO NOWHERE (1996–2000)......Page 152 9. YESTERDAY DON'T MEAN SHIT: The Highs and Lows of Rock and Roll......Page 153 10. PLANET CARAVAN: Endorsements, Existentialism, and Endless Nights......Page 184 11. PSYCHO HOLIDAY Rebel Meets Rebel, Hockey Players, and Strippers......Page 192 12. GODDAMN ELECTRIC: Don't Call It a Comeback......Page 200 BONUS TRACK: THIS LOVE: Good Friends and a Tray of Shots......Page 211 SIDE FOUR: NEW FOUND POWER (2001–2004)......Page 216 13. SHATTERED: The End of Pantera......Page 217 14. HOLLOW: "Dr. Dime" Starts Over......Page 223 15. REBORN: The Abbott Brothers Concoct a Damageplan......Page 235 16. BREATHING NEW LIFE: On the Road Again......Page 240 17. SHEDDING SKIN: Grinding a New Axe and the Birth of Krankenstein......Page 255 18. SLAUGHTERED: Alrosa Villa, December 8, 2004......Page 260 19. CEMETERY GATES A: Raucous Farewell to a Cowboy from Hell......Page 279 BONUS TRACK: LIGHT COMES OUT OF BLACK: The Legend of the "Black Tooth Grin"......Page 284 Epilogue: I'll Cast a Shadow Tributes, Lawsuits, and Riffs from the Great Beyond......Page 294 Acknowledgments......Page 300 A Darrell Abbott Discography......Page 302 Selected Bibliography......Page 306 Notes......Page 310 A......Page 316 B......Page 321 C......Page 322 D......Page 323 F......Page 324 G......Page 325 I......Page 326 L......Page 327 N......Page 328 P......Page 329 R......Page 331 S......Page 332 V......Page 333 Z......Page 334 About the Author......Page 336 Biography of "Dimebag" Darrell Abbott, the revered guitarist for Pantera, who was murdered on stage by a deranged fan in 2004.