One Sad Day: A Tribute to a Different Kind of Hero

DavidEhrlich.com ^ | 12/09/04 | David Ehrlich

[Welsh Rabbit]

Seriously, doing the bar life, espacially in rock bars, the clientele is a bit wild and prone to violence.

Have you ever been in a 'rock bar'? I assume you have links that show similar violence in 'rock bars'... You don't, because this is a unique occurrence.

[JFK_Lib]

"You don't, because this is a unique occurrence."

LOL, oh really?

Hahahahahah, that was funny.

[JFK_Lib]

"So if I get shot going to a bar tommorrow night, I deserve it?"

Never saud anyone 'deserved' anything.

I said he was in pursuit of a lifestyle that pasy good cash and has risks associated with it. The odds caught up to him, and that does not make him a hero.

[Delbert]

Very Cool...Good Job.

[Welsh Rabbit]

LOL, oh really?

Really. Post the evidence, Kennedy Boy.

[tx_eggman]

Really. Post the evidence, Kennedy Boy.

Yup, just your normal, everyday lifestyle:

Tim Buckley: Mistaking a lethal dose of heroin and morphine for cocaine

John Bonham, Led Zepplin: Fell asleep after heavy drinking and choked in his own vomit

Aaliyah: Private plane crashed. Heavy suspicions of the overloaded plane. Later was found out also that the pilot had cocaine in his urine and alcohol in his blood.

Johnny Ace: Shot himself while playing Russian roulette

Stuart Adamson, Big Country: Found dead in a hotel in Hawaii. According to police, the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging.

Paul Butterfield, Butterfield Blues Band: Drug overdose

Steve Clark, Def Leppard: Alcoholism

Kurt Cobain, Nirvana: Shot himself with a shotgun

Roy Buchanan: Hanged himself in a police cell

Del Shannon: Suicide

Shep Sheppard, The Heartbeats: Found dead in his car; he has been attacked, robbed and beaten to death.

Gary Stewart: Suicide

Florence Ballard, Supremes: Cardiac arrest after ingested pills and alcohol

Mike Bloomfield, Butterfield Blues Band, electric Flag:Apparently accidental drug overdose, found dead in his car

Tommy Bolin, Deep Purple: Heroin Overdose

Brian Cole, The Association: Heroin overdose

Sam Cooke: Shot dead in a motel room

Vince Crand, Chessmen: Committed suicide with an overdose of sleeping tablets

Ian Curtis: Committed suicide by hanging:

Terry Kath, Chicago: Accidentally shot himself by playing with a pistol

John Lennon, Beatles: Shot by Mark Chapman

Little Walter: Died of a head injury after a fight

Marvin Gaye: shot dead by his father during a violent argument

George Lowell, Little Feat: Heart attack due to drug abuse

King Curtis, The Coasters: Was stabbed to death in a barroom brawl

Bon Scott, AC/DC: Choked on his own vomit in the back of the car after a drinking binge.

Shall I continue?

[zygoat]

Yeah, Dimebag was shot and killed because he was involved in the rock lifestyle. What does the JFK stand for in your screen name? I sure hope it isn't John F. Kennedy because he got his brains blown out for being involved in the political lifestyle. What about people who are killed in their workplace by disgruntled co-workers? Should have stayed out of working for a living, I suppose. And that is where Dimebag lost his life, on the job. As a 44 year old guitarist I have heard only a few musicians I regard as "Guitar Hero's". I can count them on one hand. And Dimebag is certainly on the list. To those of you who came to this thread to trash a truly gifted musician because of his nickname, I say you could not comprehend the hours of practice and dedication it took to reach his level of skill. You are morbid freaking ghouls, out for no reason other than to enjoy the response you get for insulting someone we care about. How does it feel to know that you wouldn't make a pimple on a guy named "Dimebag"'s ass?

[JFK_Lib]

zygoat - Yeah, Dimebag was shot and killed because he was involved in the rock lifestyle.

JFK_Lib - No, that isnt what I said. He took higher risks to be in that lifestyle and it caught up to him. That does not equate to 'cause', merely increased risk. This may be news to you, but being in bars alot does things to your health and increases the likelihood of bad things happening to you.

I grew up in Arlington TX near a place they used to call 'The Strip' or 'The County Line'. There are places like that all over the country, and the people I knew who worked at the 'clubs' in that place knew it was a dangerous lifestyle and they hated it. My mom worked there for a few years right after her divorce, trying to make enough money on waitresses tips to feed three kids. I had the pleasure of seeing a fight where am man got knifed one night - I think he died but no one could tell me later if he did or not. He was just some John Doe who came in for a drink and got into a tussle with some ex-con who didnt fight fair. Imagine that; he stopped for a drink on the way home and got set up by some jerk and got knifed for it, for just wanting a drink.

No matter how you cut it, if you work in bars doing whatever you are taking much greater risks of harm than someone who works in a warehouse, driving a truck, etc. And if some forklift guy picks up a poorly stacked skid and something falls off and hits him in the head killing him, it does NOT make him a hero. It makes him an accident victim.


zygoat - What does the JFK stand for in your screen name? I sure hope it isn't John F. Kennedy because he got his brains blown out for being involved in the political lifestyle. What about people who are killed in their workplace by disgruntled co-workers? Should have stayed out of working for a living, I suppose. And that is where Dimebag lost his life, on the job.

JFK_Lib - Yep, stands for John F Kennedy, a great President and the last one we had from a generation of Presidents that had both Western values and enormous respect for the interests of the common worker. Reagan was a great President but his Social Darwinist streak kinda left me a bit cold, but he was a great President too.


zygoat - As a 44 year old guitarist I have heard only a few musicians I regard as "Guitar Hero's". I can count them on one hand. And Dimebag is certainly on the list.

JFK_Lib - Well, thats great. In my book he is nowhere near Pat Tillman, Autie Murphy, Sgt York or David Crockett.



zygoat - To those of you who came to this thread to trash a truly gifted musician because of his nickname, I say you could not comprehend the hours of practice and dedication it took to reach his level of skill.

JFK_Lib - Why do you suppose they came here for that reason? I concede he was probably an excellent guitarist. I just rankle when I here people deify someone whose sole claim to fame was playing a musical instrument and getting high. It just seems out-of-whack.


zygoat - You are morbid freaking ghouls, out for no reason other than to enjoy the response you get for insulting someone we care about.

JFK_Lib - I insulted no one, but merely put them in perspective. Thats all.


zygoat - How does it feel to know that you wouldn't make a pimple on a guy named "Dimebag"'s ass?

JFK_Lib - Well, I have never really aspired to be a pimple on anyones ass so it really doesnt bother me at all. But thanks for the reassurance.

[zygoat]

You know, there is a difference between "GUITAR HERO" and Pat Tillman don't you? It's called context. There are Football heros', baseball heros', nascar heros' and even sandwich heros. CONTEXT. It means they achieve what few others can in their particular persuit.

" JFK_Lib - Yep, stands for John F Kennedy, a great President and the last one we had from a generation of Presidents that had both Western values and enormous respect for the interests of the common worker. Reagan was a great President but his Social Darwinist streak kinda left me a bit cold, but he was a great President too.'


Social Darwinist streak?

[coreydean]

Thank you for explaining this to our confused friend...

I think the way that he is talking he is more akin to the likes of John Forbes Kerry than the much greater and wiser John F Kennedy...

Which by the way if he saw the shape of the democratic party today he would jump ship and become a republican...

[coreydean]

You my friend as as inhumane as they come... A man dies, one that has influenced many, many, many times more people than you could ever hope to and you say that he does not deserve to be called a hero? Where does that ignorance come from. Every person is entitled to have their own heros their own icons to look up too. Just because Darrell did not fight in a war, does not mean he is not a hero in his own right.

This also brings me to another conclusion. You personify the main reason the dems/libs lost this year. Thank God that he was wise enough to keep you and the others like you out of power... I guess God is all wise, all knowing and until you and you loony liberal friends get back to touch with humanity you are going to be lost in the cold with no one but yourselves to blame...

[SZonian]

When rock bars are outlawed, only outlaws will be allowed into rock bars.

Seriously though, I can relate to the loss of an idol from ones youth. However, some of the comments on this thread are just plain underhanded. This man didn't ask to die because he was a rock star, he played a musical instrument and wrote lyrics that brought enjoyment to millions of fans, and for some, understanding in a way.

He didn't ask to die because he was playing a gig in a bar with his new band. So for those of you who say he was "...asking for it because of his lifestyle, because the shoe fits, if you sleep/run with the dogs, etc." you are showing how callous and shallow you really are.

I was not a Pantera fan, but the untimely passing of anyone is loss. /rant off/

Cheers!

[JFK_Lib]

"You know, there is a difference between "GUITAR HERO" and Pat Tillman don't you? It's called context. There are Football heros', baseball heros', nascar heros' and even sandwich heros. CONTEXT. It means they achieve what few others can in their particular persuit. "

Oh, bah, thats like saying there is a difference in context between calling them rock 'gods' and real 'gods'.

Superlative terms should be reserved for superlative things. A 'hero' is someone who sacrifices themselves for the common good, and to misuse the word as you do, 'context' or not, is to destroy the meaning and conotation of the word.

And that is why I openly dissent from it being applied here to a musician who died in a tragic event.

'Dime' is NOT a hero, not by a long shot, though he might be widely admired by some who share his interests and admire his skill.

[JFK_Lib]

Yeqah, JFK would be a Republican today and he would shun his pig of a brother now in the Senate.

As to my confusion, it is not confusion at all, but quite the opposite. I am dissenting from this bastardixation of our language when people use superlatives that are not appropriate.

Maybe 'Dime' was an exemplary musician, but he was not a hero. Why not use the word exemplary or idol or master guitarist, etc?

Too many sylables?

[JFK_Lib]

"Social Darwinist streak?"

Dude, look it up.

[KoRn]

Well said. I've refrained from debating all these people who are trolling the threads I've seen memorializing D.D. He was a great guitarist who meant something to allot of people(many FReepers included).

I don't know what these finger waggers think they are accomplishing by behaving in such a matter. Is it not too much just to let people grieve, and or commemorate a legend?

I realize everyone has an opinion, but they don't help themselves or what they may stand for by jumping in on threads like this an lecturing people about the "violent culture" or "metal lifestyle". We are not your damned children people we are adults(which may scare many of you lol). If you feel you need to change the world with your virtue go try it at a high school, or a church gathering. Not on a discussion board where people are mourning the death of someone who's music they enjoyed listening to years ago.....

[coreydean]

Let me post (AGAIN) the definition of Hero straight from Webster's Dictionary... Please notice number 4... To quote your brilliance...

"'Dime' is NOT a hero, not by a long shot, though he might be widely admired by some who share his interests and admire his skill."

In that statement you say he might be widely admired... Well my friend reread definition number 4 again please and you will see that you have just proved my point... You are making this way too easy man...
Main Entry: he·ro
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O, 'hE-(")rO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek hErOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL

[coreydean]

Let me post (AGAIN) the definition of Hero straight from Webster's Dictionary... Please notice number 4... To quote your brilliance...

"'Dime' is NOT a hero, not by a long shot, though he might be widely admired by some who share his interests and admire his skill."

In that statement you say he might be widely admired... Well my friend reread definition number 4 again please and you will see that you have just proved my point... You are making this way too easy man...
Main Entry: he·ro
Pronunciation: 'hir-(")O, 'hE-(")rO
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural heroes
Etymology: Latin heros, from Greek hErOs
1 a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability b : an illustrious warrior c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage
2 a : the principal male character in a literary or dramatic work b : the central figure in an event, period, or movement
3 plural usually heros : SUBMARINE 2
4 : an object of extreme admiration and devotion : IDOL

[coreydean]

when you say widely would you also say widely could be a synonym for extreme??? Do I need to pull the Thesaurus out this time????

[coreydean]

I want to thank you for vebalizing further my point about the inhumane behavior of a few on here...