It’s weird to think that it has been ten years since Damageplan and Pantera guitarist “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott was murdered during a show in Columbus, Ohio. It would be a fitting time to memorialize the late musician, just not with a story this.
Abbott’s grave has allegedly been vandalized by members of an up and coming band called Nuclear Hellfrost, an act that received attention after a post on Instagram surfaced and made its way to Abbott’s family and band mates from Pantera:
Word spread across the Internet with many condemning the act and calling out Nuclear Hellfrost, forcing the band to release a statement via Facebook to deny their involvement and express their regret in the alleged acts of a former member of the band.
This isn’t the first time that Abbott’s grave has faced vandalism, normally coming in the form of devoted fans. The guitarist’s brother and drummer Vinnie Paul commented on this, asking folks to have some respect. From Blabbermouth:
After it was reported a few years ago that Dimebag’s grave at the Moore Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Arlington, Texas was vandalized, Dimebag’s brother, former PANTERA and current HELLYEAH drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott, was asked by Artisan News if the person responsible for causing the damage had ever been apprehended. “Nah, nah” he replied. “But it’s just a real disrespectful thing. I don’t understand why somebody would wanna scratch their name in somebody’s tombstone or anything. But fans are rabid, man; they do unheard-of things. I just wish they would respect him and let him rest in peace and just leave it at that.”
“Dimebag” Darrell is certainly not the first musician to attract unruly fans and thieves to their graveside. Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris, France is likely the most noteworthy, but this sort of behavior is widespread. It’s a shame it has to happen, especially when it in a negative fashion like this.
(Via Pantera / Nuclear Hellfrost / Blabbermouth / Loudwire)
